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Retail Strategies & Supplier Insights
Discover the strategies and insights you need to thrive in the competitive retail landscape. Retail Strategies & Supplier Insights delivers expert advice, actionable tips, and the latest industry trends tailored specifically for retail suppliers. Whether you’re looking to boost sales, recover profits, or navigate retailer relationships, our blog is your go-to resource for success.
Cyber Monday Chaos: E-Comm Deductions That Stick
Cyber Monday has become the Super Bowl of online retail.
In 2024, U.S. shoppers spent $13.3 billion online on Cyber Monday, up 7.3% year over year—the biggest single online shopping day ever recorded. During the peak hours of 8:00–10:00 p.m. Eastern, consumers were spending about $15.8 million per minute.
Jon Allen
5 days ago4 min read
Black Friday Setup: One Bad File, Thousands of Refunds
From the outside, Black Friday is all about doorbusters. From your side of the table, it’s about something way less glamorous: data integrity.
Jon Allen
Nov 213 min read
Food Brokers 101: Timelines, Not Fairy Dust
If retail felt slow this year, you’re not imagining things. Big banners plan category resets months ahead; most categories are refreshed at least annually.
Jon Allen
Nov 172 min read
Are Your Product Photos Costing You Sales?
Product photography isn’t decoration. It’s conversion, returns, and compliance—rolled into pixels.
Jon Allen
Nov 142 min read
Private Label’s Surge: How Brands Still Win
Private label (store brands) isn’t “coming.” It’s here—growing, confident, and better funded than ever. In 2024, U.S. store brands set record shares and surpassed $270B in sales; 2025 projections push even higher.
Jon Allen
Nov 122 min read
SNAP Whiplash? Protect Sales and Margin Now
SNAP is moving. Not just the dollar amounts—but timing, eligibility, and how shoppers use those dollars. If you sell food and beverages, you’ll feel it. Some of it will be a breeze at your back. Some of it? A headwind.
Jon Allen
Nov 108 min read
Private Label: How Suppliers Can Ride the Wave
Let’s be blunt: private label isn’t a “recession play” anymore. It’s a structural shift in how baskets are built.
Jon Allen
Oct 224 min read
Navigating Walmart Readiness with Expert Guidance
Entering the Walmart marketplace is like setting sail on a vast ocean filled with opportunity and challenge. For consumer packaged goods brands and suppliers, Walmart represents a treasure trove of potential sales and growth.
Jon Allen
Oct 94 min read
Unlocking the Benefits of CPG Broker Solutions
Navigating the retail world can feel like trying to find your way through a dense forest without a map. You know there’s a path to success, but the twists and turns can be overwhelming.
Jon Allen
Oct 74 min read
Retail Deductions 101: Terms, Causes & Solutions
“Retail deductions” are amounts a retailer withholds from your invoice—usually for shortages, compliance issues, pricing discrepancies, freight/OTIF misses, or after-the-fact (post-audit) claims.
Jon Allen
Oct 65 min read
Understanding the Impact of a Government Shutdown on Retailers and Suppliers
If Congress misses the October 1 funding deadline, parts of the U.S. government will shut down. Essential services will keep running, but...
Jon Allen
Sep 294 min read
The Hidden ROI on Retail Deductions
Retail deductions aren’t a one-time clean-up—they’re a tax on sloppy hand-offs. A strong food broker earns their keep long before the first PO by preventing the errors that become chargebacks: mis-keyed price files, barcode hiccups, promo mismatches, late/short deliveries, and compliance misses.
Jon Allen
Sep 292 min read
Your Product Photos Are Killing Conversion (Here’s How to Fix Them)
Shoppers buy the image first, then the product. Low-quality product photos don’t just hurt conversion—they can trigger returns, bad reviews, or even compliance flags.
Jon Allen
Sep 252 min read
Elevate Your Brand with Expert Product Photography
What is Product Photography? (Simple Definition)
Product photography is the disciplined process of planning, lighting, styling, and capturing images of a product, allowing customers to evaluate it online or in print.
Jon Allen
Sep 244 min read
Retail Deductions 101: Terms, Causes & Solutions
“Retail deductions” are amounts a retailer withholds from your invoice—usually for shortages, compliance issues, pricing discrepancies,...
Jon Allen
Sep 245 min read
What Is a Food Broker? (And When You Should Use One)
A food broker is a contract sales representative who connects food and beverage manufacturers with retail buyers—think grocery chains, club stores, mass, and specialty.
They don’t buy or own your product; they sell it, manage the relationship, and help move it through existing retail channels.
Jon Allen
Sep 234 min read
Food Broker Advantages: Why Small Brands Need Representation to Compete with Giants
For every small brand dreaming of shelf space at Walmart, Kroger, or Target, the reality is clear: the competition isn’t just tough—it’s...
Jon Allen
Sep 81 min read
Retail Compliance Cheat Sheet: How to Avoid Costly Chargebacks Across Walmart, Kroger & More
Every retailer has its own compliance playbook. Walmart wants one format. Kroger another. Target? Completely different. For suppliers,...
Jon Allen
Sep 41 min read
Retail Deduction Recovery Strategies: How to Minimize Losses When Deduction Deadlines Shift
Retail deductions are frustrating enough when they’re predictable. But what happens when the rules change—when a retailer quietly shortens the dispute window or introduces new deduction codes with little warning?
Jon Allen
Sep 31 min read
The Path to Profit: The Cost of Listing Your Products on Walmart Marketplace
This blog will walk you through the various expenses you must consider when listing your products on Walmart's digital shelves.
Jon Allen
Aug 2, 20234 min read
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