You've probably heard that big retailers tend to shy away
from one-product companies. Fact is, chain stores feel that with
the large amount of internal paperwork required to add a new
vendor, it's not really worth their time to bother with a
one-line company.
But that doesn't mean it's impossible to get the
attention of big retailers with only one product. Case in point:
Christopher Carter, 38, founder of Storm Master Corp. of Parker,
Colorado, whose Gutter Pump has successfully made it to the shelves
of Home Depot stores. It was certainly a lucky break-penetrating
large retail stores, even on a regional basis, is big business.
Carter expects 2001 sales to hit $400,000, and 2002 promises to be
even better, as Home Depots in several other regions are expressing
interest in carrying his product.
How'd he do it? Before his big break, Carter sold his
product mainly to independent hardware stores in the Northwest.
Home Depot took notice when shoppers familiar with the Gutter Pump
started asking for it by name in the company's stores. If
there's one thing big retailers hate, it's losing the
business of customers ready to buy. But more on that later.
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Originally published in the November 2001 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine
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