Benefits of a Flexible Supplier to Help You Get Quick Turns and Repeat Sales
Food retailers have hundreds of vendors to choose from, and it is easy to just settle on suppliers based on price alone. However, truly profitable stores know the real focus should be on selling more products to consumers. If a supplier’s prices are slightly higher, profitability can be achieved if they are able to get quick turns, increased basket size and repeat sales.
Never Underestimate the Importance of Category Management
With more products to choose from than ever before, shelf and floor space are at a premium. Category management is crucial to keep products moving and keep stores profitable, and the right vendors can help retailers keep their shelves stocked with the items customers want to buy.
Because customer tastes are always evolving, suppliers and vendors need to respond quickly to sales trends at individual stores. Even chain stores with multiple locations in a single municipality can see significant differences when it comes to sales of specific categories and specific products. Flexibility is crucial when it comes to maintaining profit margins and one difficult or slow-to-respond supplier can impede a store’s ability to meet demand.
Communication and Collaboration Are the Keys to Strong Partnerships
Suppliers in today’s market need to be more than just delivery people, they need to be partners in the success of their stores. A true partnership is all about communication and collaboration. Managers need to be able to have conversations with their sales reps as well as their merchandisers in order to meet the realities of today’s retail environment. Snacking is highly impulse-driven and product assortment can be a bit of a jigsaw puzzle. Every piece must be in place, and when one piece is missing, both the store and the supplier have to be able to work together to come up with a solution.
Suppliers that resist collaboration and communication do far more harm than good. When evaluating any supplier, don’t be afraid to ask for references from other customers. Ask those stores if they feel the supplier acts as a true partner in their business.
Vendor Value Should Outweigh Costs
A flexible vendor that works as a partner to your business can help you achieve your sales goals, regardless of the prices listed on your contract. Effective suppliers know the more items you sell, the more money you both ring in. As you choose suppliers, always focus on the total value of the products and the service the supplier provides, and whether or not they can truly help you lift sales.
Are you looking for a flexible supplier?
If you want to work with a snack vendor with a national reputation for excellence, choose Mister Snacks. We work with C-stores, grocery stores and retailers across the country, to help them achieve quick turns and repeat sales while increasing margins. Contact us to start building additional revenue for your stores today.