Home Depot is one of the most well-known home improvement chains in the country, and it can provide you with a solid base of new consumers to sell to. But before you try your luck at getting your products into its stores, you have to know what the company is looking for.
Follow this advice to increase your likelihood of getting your products on Home Depot's shelves:
Merchandisers need to have their strategy planned out to the last detail if they want to impress a retailer and become a supplier. Every retailer will have slightly different requirements or quirks that you will need to know about to pitch your ideas effectively. If you are unprepared, there is a good chance that retailers will pass on the opportunity to work with you, and you will miss out on the opportunity to broaden your consumer base and bring in revenue.
Just like with any pitch, you will need to research what Home Depot desires in its suppliers to stand out above others vying for a spot. The first step is to send in a new product submission form through Home Depot's specified web page. In addition to filling out basic information about yourself, this is a time to make a stellar first impression.
This form can almost act as a resume for your product, so it's important that the Home Depot staff members reading your submission form understand what your product is, how it's used and what need it could fill for their customers. If your item doesn't look good on paper, you're hurting your chances of getting to discuss your product more in-depth with the decision-makers. Home Depot conducts its entire supplier application online, so it's critical to put time and effort into every form you submit to the company.
Also, before you send in your form, make sure your business complies with all local, state and federal guidelines regarding environmental, insurance and labor standards. Home Depot will not work with any suppliers in violation of these regulations even if the company likes your product. In addition to your application, you are allowed to send copies of service licenses, product photos and other supplementary materials you think are appropriate to help explain your product to the decision-makers at Home Depot. You should expect the process to take approximately 60 days before they know if they have been accepted as a supplier.
Once you have the basics down and understand the minimum requirements to get accepted as a supplier, it's time to focus on your pitch.
Home Depot's tried-and-true consumer base is predominantly made up of DIYers who love tinkering around the house, taking on renovation projects or fixing things on their own. This means your pitch should reflect those consumers and speak directly to the need that your product would fill for these handy customers.
Your application also needs to read like a marketing plan. it isn't enough to simply make your product look good. Suppliers who can demonstrate how they would sell their product in Home Depot stores are positioning themselves to stand out against competing suppliers and get their products in stores and online in no time.
Doing some legwork before you submit your application might also pay dividends when executives are deciding which suppliers they want to work with. Going to a national tradeshow is an easy way to network and potentially meet decision makers from Home Depot, which has a regular presence at big shows. It also gives you an opportunity to showcase your product in person and provide executives with a deeper understanding of your item.
Suppliers who take the time to carefully plan their business strategy before selling to Home Depot and adhere to the company's standards before submitting a polished application stand the best chance at partnering with the retail giant.
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