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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.
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
Retail Deduction Software: Why Tools Need Humans to Win
Let’s be real: retail deduction software is essential. But software surfaces claims; experts recover dollars. Winners use both.
Jon Allen
Sep 232 min read
Retail Deduction Recovery: Getting Paid What You Earned
Imagine this: you ship a $250,000 order of frozen entrees to a major retailer. A few weeks later, the payment arrives—short by $15,000. The code on the statement says “shortage,” but your warehouse confirms the pallets were shipped in full.
Jon Allen
Sep 171 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
Promotions Gone Wrong: When Retail Discounts Hurt More Than They Help
Promotions feel like a win-win. Shoppers get a deal, sales lift, and the retailer’s happy. But not every promo helps. Some destroy margin without driving lasting volume.
Jon Allen
Sep 21 min read
Food Broker Insights: Adapting Fast When Compliance Standards Shift”n
Just when you think you’ve nailed a retailer’s compliance playbook, the rules change. Maybe the OTIF (On Time, In Full) window gets...
Jon Allen
Sep 11 min read
Your Product Photos Are the First Sales Pitch—Are They Strong Enough?
Before a shopper reads a single word about your product, they see your image. Online, that image is your handshake, your elevator pitch,...
Jon Allen
Aug 291 min read
The Freight Trap: How Shipping Errors Become Chargebacks
Late trucks. Wrong pallet configs. Missing paperwork. Each slip turns into a deduction. And the math adds up fast. A $300 error on a truckload? Multiply that by 200 loads a year, and you’ve lost $60K before you know it.
Jon Allen
Aug 281 min read
90-Day Rule: Why Waiting Too Long to Dispute Deductions Costs You
Retailers are relentless about deadlines—especially when it comes to deduction disputes. Many give you just 90 days from the deduction date to submit your case. Miss that window, and the money is gone forever.
Jon Allen
Aug 271 min read
Why Timing Is Everything in Retail (And How a Food Broker Gets You in at the Right Moment)
In retail, you can have the perfect product, perfect price, and perfect pitch—and still lose the sale because you pitched at the wrong...
Jon Allen
Aug 261 min read
The Three Questions Every Retail Buyer Asks (Even If They Don’t Say Them Out Loud)
Walk into a buyer meeting and you’ll hear the usual questions: What’s your case cost? Can you meet our OTIF standards? How do you support...
Jon Allen
Aug 211 min read
5 Common Mistakes Companies Make with Retail Deduction Recovery
Recovering retail deductions can be complex, but most brands lose money due to avoidable mistakes. Here are the five most common missteps:
Jon Allen
Aug 141 min read
How to Avoid Becoming the Retail Buyer’s Backup Plan
You thought your buyer loved you. You thought you were locked in for resets and features. Then a new competitor shows up—and just like that, your item disappears from the set.
Jon Allen
Jul 231 min read
The Deduction You Didn’t See Coming—Because It Hit Post-Audit
There’s nothing quite like the surprise of a post-audit deduction. You close the books thinking everything’s in order… and six months...
Jon Allen
Jul 31 min read
What is a CPG Broker?: Retail 101
Discover how a CPG broker can help your brand grow by bridging the gap between manufacturers and retailers and managing retail relationships
Jon Allen
Nov 7, 20243 min read
Chargebacks and Disputes: Retail 101
Imagine you're with a friend who just started supplying to a big retailer. They lean in, looking frustrated, and say, "I just got hit...
Jon Allen
Nov 7, 20242 min read
Why Small Brands Need the Right Broker to Compete with Giants
Learn how small CPG brands can compete with giants by partnering with Woodridge Retail Group for tailored strategies and retail success.
Jon Allen
Oct 1, 20243 min read
Scaling Your Brand Faster: The Strategic Advantage of Food Brokers
Discover how partnering with a food broker can accelerate your brand's growth in the competitive food industry.
Jon Allen
Sep 12, 20243 min read
Five Retail Insights from Walmart’s Q2 2024 Earnings That You Can Use Now
Walmart’s Q2 2024 earnings report shows how American shoppers navigate today’s marketplace and can help you improve your strategy.
Jon Allen
Aug 15, 20242 min read
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