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 time.

Retail operates on its own calendar. Planogram resets happen once or twice a year for most categories. Seasonal items are planned months (sometimes a full year) in advance. Miss those windows, and your shot at getting on the shelf might not come around again for 12 months.

Take a fictional example: a gourmet hot cocoa brand with a holiday-focused product line. They meet a buyer in September—just as holiday assortments are being finalized. It’s too late to get in for the coming season, and by the next reset, the buyer’s priorities have shifted. That’s an entire year of lost sales, simply because the timing was off.

This is where a seasoned broker is invaluable. We know when buyers are reviewing categories, when they’re open to off-cycle item swaps, and when they’re watching for breakout trends. A broker can also spot “gap fill” opportunities—like when a product is discontinued mid-season and the buyer needs a quick replacement.

In retail, timing isn’t just important—it’s everything. And if you miss it, no amount of hustle will pry open that door until it swings again.

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