How to sell your products to Costco

The Crucial decisions that need to be made before doing business with Costco.

Making the decision to do business with one of the countries most successful retailers is not one of those quick brainstorm ideas hatched over coffee and a bagel at your local Starbucks. I am sure you have lain awake at night dreaming of your product prominently displayed at Costco with thousands of members clamoring around to grab a hold of the last item before they are all gone. No doubt you have rehearsed your response to the frantic phone call from Costco begging for more product, offering anything to get just one more shipment. Cool and unbothered you pause before letting them know you will see what you can do, while at the same time, asking for better terms.

Fortunately this has happened and could happen to you. You may never find yourself invited over to Jim Sinegal's house for holiday dinner, but that doesn't mean you will never be successful selling your products to Costco if you are prepared.

Thousand of companies just like yours have made it into Costco and sold their products successfully for years. What makes the difference between companies that are in and the one's that are out? The successful companies that have made it into Costco and stayed there had the following things in common.

1. They were prepared: They did their homework and had a plan. They knew what they were getting themselves into and had already made the necessary adjustments for success.
2. They hired a company or individual who had expertise in selling Costco to fill in the gaps in their plan and advise them during the process. Click here to find out how TLB Consulting can help your company.
3. They understood Costco's business model and that Costco would not bend their rules even for them.
4. They were in the right place, at the right time with the right item.

Will your product be the next big item at Costco? Only time and preparation will tell. To get you started I have outlined the first 11 steps which are critical to preparing for a meeting with Costco.

The first 6 of these steps will be featured on my next blog. Stay tuned.