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How to sell your product to physical US retailers
Find your ideal retailer
The first step in getting your product into US stores is nailing where your target customer actually shops. You may be dreaming of getting your products onto the shelves of big-box retailers to reach their millions of customers. But consider whether this foot traffic will actually translate to real profit. Your products may be better suited to a more curated, smaller retail store with a highly aligned customer base.
This is where you need to do your research on target demographics, margins, commission rates, returns policies – the details that’ll tell you which retailer is actually the most profitable for your brand.
If getting Target or Walmart to sell your product is still the goal though, jump to the supplier portal section below for the direct application link.
Know where to contact them
Now you know who to contact, the question is how to actually get noticed by them. In-person industry events can be great to speak to a real person and meet valuable contacts. But you are limited by your location here, so this is best suited to brands already based in the US. Search online for events specific to your industry. You can use a list like this directory of the top 30 trade shows in the US as a starting point.
Social media can also be a great research tool to find and contact smaller retailers in your niche – and see how customers are reacting to them. Search through relevant hashtags and groups to discover retailers, and send a DM or check their bio for contact information.
Supplier application portals for popular retailers
The largest retailers in the US have their own supplier application portals and processes, as they receive so many enquiries.
- Walmart’s qualification process starts here.
- Target has a supplier intake form here.
- CVS’s supplier process starts here
- Walgreens’ new vendor application page can be found here.
- Lowe’s supplier application starts here.
- The Home Depot’s product submission page can be found here.
How to approach retail stores to sell your product
To stand out from all the other brands in that retailer’s inbox, you need to perfect your pitch. We’ve got a whole blog on this here, but the topline is:
- A strong retailer pitch leads with the specific value your brand brings to that retailer, backed by sales statistics, social proof, and projected growth data.
- You also need to explain why you’d be a good fit. Mention aligned values and customer crossover.
- Include a friction-less next step to get in contact. For example, ‘click this calendar link to schedule a call’.
Before getting in contact, ensure your pricing structure is competitive, without undercutting your margins.
Your first meeting
If you’ve made it to this step: congratulations. The hard work of getting your store noticed is over. But it’s not time to take your foot off the pedal yet. There are a lot of important terms to discuss in your initial meetings, before signing any agreements.
Make sure you’re on the same page about payment timelines, commission, pricing, shipping, returns, contract length, promotion – every step of the sales process. You should be completely clear on what is your brand’s responsibility, and what’s the retailer’s responsibility.
How to sell your products to online US retailers
As reported by Chain Store Age, the US is the second largest e-commerce market in the world, and it’s only expanding. A report by Grand View Research found that US e-commerce is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.9% between now and 2033. So it’s a logical market for online stores to explore.
Selling online is also largely considered an easier way to enter the US market, as you don’t have barriers like rent or slotting fees. You can get your product to market instantly. Online sales can also be used as proof of concept to later expand to physical stores as well.
Syncio Marketplace is the easiest way to sell your products to online US retailers. The marketplace is a directory of thousands of quality online stores that are actively wanting to connect with brands. Filter results by product category and location, selecting the US. Once you find a store you’d like to contact, just click ‘invite to connect’ to get in touch, or let the invitations come to you.
Popular US retailers on Syncio Marketplace
These are just a few of the stores that you can contact on Syncio:
- Todd Snyder is a prominent menswear retailer that’s well suited to luxury accessories brands.
- PAZ Lifestyle is a curated hub for ethical homewares, apparel and beauty. They’re ideally suited to artisanal and sustainable brands, and can help expand their reach.
- Beautiology is a one-stop-shop for all things beauty. They’re perfect for sustainable, fair-trade and cruelty-free skincare, hair and makeup brands.
- Green Living Supply sells outdoor furniture and garden supplies. They’re on a mission to help the National Forest Foundation so they’re the perfect value-aligned retailer for eco brands.
- Society of Cloth is an apparel and accessories retailer that bolsters ethical, emerging designers.
- Lily & Onyx stocks everything from gifts to homewares to entertainment. Their store is a curated lifestyle experience that’s perfectly structured for how customers are searching now.
How to find and contact online US retailers through Syncio Marketplace
Step one: install Syncio to get started
Shopify stores can install Syncio through the Shopify app store. WooCommerce stores can install Syncio as a plugin following these steps.
Once you’ve installed Syncio, you’ll be prompted to create your store’s marketplace profile. Showcase your brand by adding great photos and a link to your store.
Step two: find a compatible US retailer on Syncio Marketplace
Click into the marketplace tab from your Syncio dashboard and search for your ideal partner store. Turn the location filter on for the US and select the product category you’re looking for. Scroll through the results and click into the stores’ sites for more information.
Step three: invite US stores to connect
Once you’ve found a store you’d like to reach out to, simply click ‘invite to connect’. Send your first message to them directly, and enjoy a much higher response rate than a cold email or DM (around 95% of which go unanswered, as found by Gmass).
Check your inbox for the retailer’s answer. When they’ve replied, have your first meeting and start strategically planning your partnership.
Step four: Sync your products and boost your sales
The next step is to sync up your inventory levels seamlessly with Syncio. To do this, the retailer needs to:
- click into their ‘stores’ tab and select your store from the dropdown menu.
- select which of your products they’re selling and click ‘sync’.
Once products are synced, both your store and your retailer will be updated on stock levels in real-time, avoiding stockouts, overstocking and overselling. Put simply, Syncio automates the tedious bit so you can focus on growing to new markets.
Step five: scale to more US stores on Marketplace
There’s no limit to the number of stores you can connect with on Syncio Marketplace. Use it as a tool to grow to new geographic markets and experiment with new niches at a low risk. We’ll take care of the inventory tracking for you, so there’s no complicated spreadsheet for you to juggle when working with multiple retailers.
“Our first dropship experience using Syncio was with this small multibrand online shop in the US, which was an amazing opportunity because that shop is still relatively small but they have a very very loyal customer base. I think that gave us the confidence to further explore the US as a market.” – Alexandra Staufer, JAKOB
What products are US retailers searching for?
You can almost always carve out a niche for your products, if you know how to position your brand and who to collaborate with. That said, there are a few specific product categories that are growing rapidly in the US, which you can leverage. Explore this list if you’re at the concepting stage and looking for some inspiration.
- Clothing is the highest-demand product category in the US, generating $373B in revenue as of 2026, as reported by Statista. Analysing our own merchant data, 57.5% of all searches on Syncio Marketplace were for apparel and accessories stores.
- Beauty products, particularly fragrances, are growing steadily in popularity in the US, as part of a wider consumer pattern favouring small luxuries, reported by Circana.
- Pet supplies in the US are growing at a CAGR of 4.8%, as 71% of US households now own a pet, according to research by Gordon Brothers.
- Wellness products like supplements, sleep-related items and fitness equipment are huge in the US. In fact, the Global Wellness Institute reports that the US is the world’s largest wellness economy. Research from McKinsey shows this industry growing by 4-5% every year.
How much does it cost to sell your products through US retailers?
Costs like commission and chargebacks depend heavily on the retailer you choose to partner with, so read the fine print closely before you collaborate. As a ballpark, a typical e-commerce commission rate is around 5-12%, as reported by Qobra.
Physical big-box retailers don’t tend to charge commission, but some charge slotting fees. Think of this as like rent for the shelf space your products occupy. Again, there’s no set number for this, as it depends on the retailer’s policy. Research by NIQ shows this usually sits around $250-$1,000 per new item, per store.
How much will US tariffs cost your store?
When selling into the US from overseas, tariffs are another cost consideration. Currently, tariffs are 10% for most international products, as reported by the BBC. There are a few exceptions like upholstered furniture which are taxed 25%, according to Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs. These taxes are now blanket rules regardless of which country you’re selling from. This is a cost that can be partially baked into your prices, or even absorbed by your retail partner, depending on your arrangement.
Ready to start selling in the US?
The easiest way to cut through the competition and get your product into US stores is through Syncio Marketplace.
Big-box retailers in the US receive an enormous volume of supplier applications, and even if you do get through this process, there can be hidden costs like slotting fees.
Selling online has much lower barriers to entry, and can be a more accessible way to establish your store’s presence in the US. Collaborating with a US online store can provide you with local expertise and a ready-made customer base.
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