Getting a product onto a shelf usually starts with consignment or a pop-up rather than a permanent listing, because those carry less risk for the store. Understanding which arrangement you are being offered matters, because consignment means you keep ownership and the risk of unsold stock, while a wholesale purchase means the store carries it and pays you less per unit.
Price for whichever arrangement you accept before you accept it.
Know which arrangement you are in
Consignment: the store displays your stock, takes a commission on what sells, and returns what does not. Your money stays in stock on someone else’s shelf.
Wholesale: the store buys from you outright at a lower price and sells at its own margin. You are paid sooner and lose control of the retail price. Pop-up or rented space: you pay for the space regardless of what sells, which is a fixed cost and a real risk.
Price for retail before you approach
A retailer needs to make a margin on your product. If your direct-to-customer price leaves nothing for them, there is no arrangement to be had, and discovering that in the meeting wastes the introduction.
Work out your true cost per unit including packaging, transport and your own hours, then work backwards from a realistic shelf price to see whether wholesale is viable at all.
What stores ask for
Consistent supply in agreed quantities, packaging that survives handling, a genuine barcode from the official numbering organisation for anything scanned at till, and correct labelling where required.
Registration with current annual returns at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission is needed to invoice a store properly, and food products need a Certificate of Acceptability for the premises where they are made.
Use the small placement to earn the larger one
A single store or pop-up that sells well produces the thing a larger retailer actually responds to, which is sales data. Track units sold per week, which lines moved and at what price.
That record is more persuasive to a national buyer than any pitch, and it also tells you whether scaling is a good idea before you commit to the volume.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between consignment and wholesale?
On consignment you keep ownership and the risk of unsold stock. In wholesale the store buys outright, pays you less per unit and carries the risk.
What does a pop-up actually cost?
A fixed fee for the space regardless of sales, which makes it the riskiest of the three arrangements.
How should I price for retail?
From your true cost per unit, working backwards from a realistic shelf price to check the retailer’s margin leaves you a viable one.
What do stores require?
Consistent supply, durable packaging, a genuine barcode for scanned items, correct labelling, and a registered business to invoice from.
How do I move from one store to a chain?
With sales data. Units sold per week and which lines moved is more persuasive to a national buyer than any pitch.
Further reading
Originally published in September 2018. Updated September 2026 into guidance on getting a product into retail rather than a single success story.
