ppd491@leah.Albany.Edu (Peter P. Donohue) (02/07/90)
I am just wondering how small startup firms are able to get their
products on to the shelves of dealers. I realize that most of the
hardware and software for sale come from companies that have been around
for a while, but there must be some avenues open for new blood.
A few basic questions that I am looking to find answers for: How
does one go about marketing a product to the national software chains
such as Babbages or Electronic Boutique? Does anyone know of the names
of contacts or buyers for companies like these? Where do you get the
names of contacts at? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Pete
--
Peter P. Donohue
ppd491@albny1vx.bitnet . "Education is a journey,
ppd491@leah.albany.edu . not a destination..."m1tdg00@fsrcs1.fed.frb.gov (Taegan D. Goddard) (02/08/90)
] I am just wondering how small startup firms are able to get their
] products on to the shelves of dealers. I realize that most of the
] hardware and software for sale come from companies that have been around
] for a while, but there must be some avenues open for new blood.
] A few basic questions that I am looking to find answers for: How
] does one go about marketing a product to the national software chains
] such as Babbages or Electronic Boutique? Does anyone know of the names
] of contacts or buyers for companies like these? Where do you get the
] names of contacts at? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
]
] Pete
]
One place is:
Software City, 111 Galway Place, Teaneck, NJ 07666
800-222-0918 or 201-833-8510
Speak to Woody Lisswood, Director of Marketing and Buying
Usually these chains will not take a product unless it has received
good press reviews and is advertised heavily. It is no easy chore to
get your product into the big chains, but you may have some luck at the
smaller mom & pop software stores.
I have many of the same questions as you have, and would like to get some
of my own products into the retail stores. I currently use the shareware
technique for some of my programs, and another is being published by
a company in Pittsburgh, but even they have limited success getting their
products into retail distribution channels.
I've been told you need to go through a distributor to get into the stores.
Who are these distributors, and how do I contact them?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taegan D. Goddard, 4420 N 7th Street, Arlington, VA 22203
------------------------------------------------------------------------warren@.cs.pdx.edu (Warren Harrison) (02/11/90)
Getting a retail chain to actually carry your products "on the shelf" is almost impossible for a small company. In most cases, you probably wouldn't be able to support the volume it would require anyway. If Egghead carries a couple of copies at every one of their outlets, you're probably looking at more copie sthan you'd normally sell in a year. What they *will* do however is place special orders from you if someone wants to buy a copy. *Maybe* if they get enough such orders, you might be able to get them to start stocking your product (you can hope anyway). Many companies have accounts, etc. with retailers like Corporate Software and Egghead. It is less hassle for them to buy your product from the retailer than it is to buy it from you, so they'll order your product from teh retailer, give them your address & phone and the retailer will call you up and place an order. Sounds kind of inefficient, but you'd be surprised how many outfits do business this way. Expect to give the retailer between 30%-50% discount on your retail price. How can you do this? Well, when you get an order (or you can even place an order yourself for your own product just to get the ball rolling), suggest they go through Egghead - you won't make as much, but you'll start building up a distribution channel (plus it adds some to your credibility when you tell someone they can buy your product thru Egghead). If you are trying to distribute a programmer's tool, try Programmer's Shop and Programmer's Connection (get their address out of any Computer Language or Dr. Dobbs Journal). They love to do drop shipments (and so should you). It takes a long time to get retailers interested in your product. If you really want to contact the "right" people try and make the PC trade shows (eg, COMDEX) and try and meet as many people as you can. Good luck. Warren ========================================================================== Warren Harrison warren@cs.pdx.edu Department of Computer Science 503/725-3108 Portland State University