Trade Show Tips - Evaluating Potential Web Stockists

Assuming you are making and/or distributing the kind of product that sells online, you need to make sure you have thought through your policies on dealing with retail websites. The barrier to entry for setting up an e-commerce site is very low, and this means you will probably be approached by many potential online stockists. We have seen both sides of the trade show experience and I have some ideas on how to make sure you get the most out of these conversations.

Be clear about your requirements and terms
People will approach you with a variety of questions, some of them repetitive and obvious, some of them random and unexpected. If you can cover the basics in a document given to all of your team prior to the event, the easy questions can be answered quickly. Some policies to think about might be:

• Minimum order (first order)
• Minimum order (season top-ups)
• Payment terms (first order)
• Payment terms going forward
• Your openness to dropshipping/Sale or Return
• Your policies on retailing via eBay, Amazon etc.

And any other considerations you may have.

As well as ensuring you have the key facts at hand, it also makes sure that every member of your team is on the same page. It is frustrating for potential customers if they are told something at a trade show that later on turns out to be incorrect. Making sure everybody is delivering the same, correct information is really important.

Make things easier for potential stockists
As well as sending off visitors to your stall off with glossy lookbooks and brochures, I would suggest you create a brand fact sheet that is handed to potential stockists. Something they can take away that gives them key information about your business, your ethos, and your business terms. Most of what they need will already be on the document you have created for your team, so shouldn’t create too much extra work.

Trade shows can be truly overwhelming for visitors, who are overloaded with information, so anything simple they can take away with them will jog their memory and help them to evaluate potential suppliers later on.

Ask lots of questions
You need to be very careful to work with stockists who will carry your brand forward in the right way. It can be tempting to take orders from every website that approaches you, especially if you are new, but it is important to do a little research before confirming that initial order. Any potential stockist worth their salt will respect you for being discerning and taking care to select the right websites.

Some example questions to ask at the stand:

• How long have you been in business?
• What other brands do you work with?
• What’s your target market?
• What is your annual turnover?
• How many orders do you process per month?
• What makes your website different?
• Who do you consider your main competitor?

Be sensitive when asking trickier questions
When it comes to asking about turnover and unit sales, tread carefully. This information will help you to gauge the size of the potential stockist, but if they are a startup their answers will be irrelevant. Be discreet, you never know who is listening to your conversations.

Answer any questions they have and thank them for their time, explaining that you will look at their website as soon as possible after the trade show and give them an idea of timescales for contact.

Hold on. What if they want to place an order on the stand? Surely you don’t expect us to turn orders away?!
My advice would be to take the order gratefully and with the usual enthusiasm, but just make it known at the end of the meeting that the final sign off on the order will be completed back at base once you have had a good look at the website.

Back at base - evaluating the websites
Some things to consider when you are looking at the potential stockists:

• Look and feel - does it fit with your brand? I.e. Does it reflect your quality and position in the market? Is it professional?
• Customer service - looking at the customer policies, are you comfortable that the business practices are aligned with your own. Will they service the end-user as you would wish them to?
  Other brands - does your product belong on this website? Are the other items for sale appropriate?
• Competition - bear in mind if you have any special relationships with other retailers; will supplying this website damage that relationship in any way?
• Discounting activity - does this business seem to have permanently discounted stock? Would that be acceptable to you?
• Ethical Considerations - are you comfortable with the ethical messages put forward by the website? Does it align with yours?

Of course, not all of the questions above will be relevant to your business, but what we are trying to get at here is - will this business be a good ambassador for my brand? If the answer is ‘No’, or even ‘I’m not sure’, we would advise you to politely and respectfully give honest feedback about the reasons why.

Done correctly, you won’t be burning any bridges and will be giving the stockist a rare opportunity to see their business from a supplier’s perspective.

What do we do if we feel the website is unsuitable for any reason?
If the worst happens and the website is not to your liking, you need to make a decision about supplying the stockist. It would be galling to have to turn down an order, but if you feel supplying a stockist is going to damage your brand in any way it really is the best option. If you have to do it, be honest and give them some specific feedback as kindly as you can; they might be able to make some changes and come back to you. Either way, constructive criticism is a wonderful tool for development.

We were once turned down by a brand representative at a trade show, and we were disappointed, but grateful for the explanation we were given. Our website was successful, professional, and very well-thought of within the industry. We had the right target market and price point, but he turned us down because we were too 'niche'. He was correct in his surmising that our website would not have served the future direction of the label. Although the current season seemed a perfect match this was temporary, and the seasons coming after this would not have suited us at all.

Do not be afraid to say ‘no’, or ‘not unless you can make some specific changes’ if it doesn’t work for you.

Working with the right businesses is crucial to the onward development of your brand. I hope my advice will help you to find some wonderful websites to work with at your next trade show. Many of the questions I suggest you ask yourself apply to bricks and mortar stockists too, so you can apply them across the board.

Have a look at our other Trade Show Tips for more handy tips and ideas.