Sales to Gas Stations/Convienence stores

I have merchandise that would be best sold to gas stations and
convenience stores. Does anyone know how these stores buy their
non-food items? How would I go about selling to them?

Any knowledge in this area is welcome.

Jim

Yes...find out where the corporate office are and pitch them direct.

EX: 7-11's are owned by Southland Corporation, and so on...

"JT" <jimnews@ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:c554pv013ac@enews2.newsguy.com...
>
> I have merchandise that would be best sold to gas stations and
> convenience stores. Does anyone know how these stores buy their
> non-food items? How would I go about selling to them?
>
> Any knowledge in this area is welcome.
>
> Jim

I was not clear about my posting. I was talking about independently
owned stores such as Citgo stations in which the owner is responsible
for all in store merchandise. Any ideas?

Q. How do I wholesale wares for to the convenient store market?

A.
I'll take a jab at this one...

I don't know what the item is.. but firstly it should be a good hot item
with some stats to prove it. If you bought the product the source should
have some stats or testimonials.. if it's your baby, develop it
yourself..or at least a convincing explanation as to why it should
move.. or sale.

Compile the research showing the popularity of the product as a Product
Brief. Along with this document, draw up a sample contract and have it
available when you go to make the sale. Within the agreement be sure to
state what promises you are making about keeping backup product stocked
on your end and providing timely restocking to the store as needed.
Include a few business references etc. and a bit more formality than
actually needed.

Show up at a time when business is slow and the owner is there.

Presentation of yourself and the product is important. Make sure the
point of purchase display pops (looks fantastic). The packaging and the
display stand makes a co-branding statement with the store. The stand
needs to make his store look better than it does without it, but it
should use floor/ counterspace sparingly at the same time.

Have the actual display or the photos at hand to prove its a top-shelf
styled product.

When entering the store, products to the right sell more than to the
left (all else equal) and those at the counter outsell everything
else... so go for a flawless front counter display (of an impulse item)
if you can.

If you get into one store, you stand to get into several at a time as
there are strong cliques among station owners, along lines of ethnicity
as well as corporate affiliation and sometimes spanning both, so make
each sale count.

Depending on the product and its popularity, you may want to start off
as a test, sale on commission, brand to the host store, or toss in co-op
advertising for the hosting market plus the product on your medium and
on your dime as a bonus incentive. Example:

NOW AVAILABLE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everlast-ing (boxing glove shaped) Air fresheners... by Championship
scents Inc.

"Knock out Staleness 1 Round!"

::Now Available AT SUPERGAS Marts of Palm Beach!::

Show the Owner the AD Sheets so he will know you mean business. Most
likely he'll appreciate the consideration.


Chances are that if you have anything worth it's salt .. these
strategies will get you in the door.



~zion~

"JT" <jimnews@ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:c5agcb01utg@enews2.newsguy.com...
>
> I was not clear about my posting. I was talking about independently
> owned stores such as Citgo stations in which the owner is responsible
> for all in store merchandise. Any ideas?

Many of them get their merchandise from a distributor or warehouse...usually
one for liquor, another for dairy, a third for tobacco, and another for
candy and food items. You want to find which distributors carry
complimentary items, e.g. if you have a lighter, then work on the tobacco
distributor...ask a few stores who they use, they shouldn't mind telling
you. There should also be a trade organization for convenience store
distributors...be prepared, however, as the retail will be based on an extra
level of markups, e.g.:

Your price to the distributor: $0.50
x distributor margin (20%)...distributor price to retailer: $0.625
x retailer margin (50%) ...$1.25

......in other words, work backwards from what retail you think will sell the
product (because without turn, margin means squat) to determine your price
to the distributor...and, for God's sake, make sure you have a intro. promo
in place, e.g. "for the first 30 days, buy 9 cases, get the 10th free" sort
of special.

Dave

Bypassing the fax issue (way too many comments on that already), I suggest
finding other factors that your business are better than others on top of
price, such as delivery time or handling of defect product. Making a no
risk offer at the end of your ad helps as well.

Ivan
http://www.ActiveImprovement.com
+ Maximizing Your Return On Marketing Investment

--
Best Regards,
Ivan Lim
916-428-7446
www.ActiveImprovement.com
"JT" <jimnews@ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:c554pv013ac@enews2.newsguy.com...
>
> I have merchandise that would be best sold to gas stations and
> convenience stores. Does anyone know how these stores buy their
> non-food items? How would I go about selling to them?
>
> Any knowledge in this area is welcome.
>
> Jim
>