Retail Readiness Checklist
20 questions to answer before a national retail pitch.
The real test is not whether a buyer likes the product. It's whether the business can support the order, protect margin, and earn the reorder.
Economics
- What gross margin does the retailer receive at the expected shelf price?
- What is your contribution margin after freight, allowances, commissions, returns, markdowns, and promotions?
- How much working capital is required before the first meaningful payment arrives?
- What happens to margin if the retailer asks for a launch discount or lower opening price?
- What is the downside case if sell-through lands 30% below plan?
Assortment and buyer story
- Why does this product belong at this retailer for this customer?
- Which SKUs earn the first placement, and why?
- Does the price architecture work beside the likely shelf competitors?
- What evidence shows the item will move beyond DTC audiences?
- Can the story be understood in ten seconds at shelf or online?
Operations
- Are packaging, barcodes, case packs, dimensions, and labels retailer-compliant?
- Who owns routing-guide compliance and chargeback prevention?
- Can inventory and production support opening orders plus replenishment?
- What service level can you maintain during a promotion or viral spike?
- How quickly can you isolate and correct defects, shortages, or late shipments?
Launch and sell-through
- Who owns the launch calendar from item setup through the first 90 days?
- What marketing will create demand at the retailer, not just on your own site?
- How will weekly sell-through, inventory, returns, and store-level gaps be reviewed?
- What is the intervention plan if velocity misses expectations?
- What result must be true for the retailer to reorder or expand doors?
If several answers are assumptions, pause before the pitch.
The $2,500 Retail Readiness Review pressure-tests these questions against your actual brand, target retailer, economics, and timing.
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