To get into US retail, a brand pitches the right buyer before that buyer's annual category line review, with a one-page sell sheet, a price ladder that leaves room for retailer margin and promotions, retail-ready packaging with GS1 barcodes, and evidence that American shoppers already buy the product. Most brands earn that evidence first through independent stores on Faire, online marketplaces such as Walmart Marketplace or Target Plus, and their own Amazon and direct to consumer sales.
This guide covers how US retail buyers work, line reviews and buyer calendars, the sell sheet, slotting and chargebacks, EDI, retail media, starting with independents and marketplaces, and how to build the case from online data. It draws on work with companies from Europe, South America and other regions entering the US, and on running our own Amazon and Shopify brands.
How US retail buyers work.
A US retail buyer owns a category, such as snacks, pet supplies or small kitchen appliances, and is measured on that category's sales, margin and inventory turns. Each item on shelf has to earn its space against the item it replaced. Buyers usually work with a category manager or planner and increasingly with retail media and e-commerce teams, so the decision to add a product involves more than one person.
Buyers are not looking for good products in the abstract. They are looking for items that fill a gap in their assortment, bring in new shoppers, carry a better margin than what is on shelf, or come with enough marketing support that the risk is low. Your pitch has to answer which of those you are.
Line reviews and buyer calendars.
A line review (also called a category review) is the scheduled point, usually once a year per category, when a retailer decides which items stay, which go and which new items enter. Planograms are reset on a set schedule after the review. If you pitch after the review has closed, the next real opportunity may be a year away.
Timelines run long. A buyer may review submissions many months before the product reaches shelf, because the retailer needs time for item setup, packaging approval, purchase orders, production and shipping. Ask each buyer or broker directly for the review window in your category, and plan production so you can fill an opening order on the retailer's date, not yours.
How to prepare the retail pitch, step by step.
Slotting, chargebacks and EDI: the operating cost of retail.
Slotting fees are payments some retailers, especially in grocery, ask for to place a new item on shelf. Related costs include free fill (free product for the first shipment to each store), introductory discounts and ongoing promotional funding. Not every retailer charges slotting, and terms vary by retailer and category, so ask early and build it into the ladder.
Chargebacks are deductions a retailer takes from your payments when a shipment breaks its rules: late or early delivery, short shipments, wrong labels, missing advance ship notices or pallets that do not meet the routing guide. They are how many first-year retail programs lose money. Read the vendor compliance manual and routing guide before the first purchase order.
EDI (electronic data interchange) is how large retailers send orders and expect documents back. The core transactions are the 850 purchase order, the 856 advance ship notice and the 810 invoice, with GS1-128 shipping labels on cartons. Most brands use an EDI provider or a 3PL with EDI built in rather than building it themselves. Getting EDI wrong produces chargebacks automatically.
Start with independents on Faire, then marketplaces like Target Plus and Walmart.
Few brands should start with a national chain. A staged path builds proof at each step and keeps inventory risk manageable.
| Route | What it is | Who it suits | Main tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faire marketplace | Wholesale marketplace connecting brands with independent retailers, with payment terms offered to retailers | Gift, home, beauty, food, apparel and specialty brands | Low-risk store signal and reorder data, but small orders and a commission on marketplace-sourced orders |
| Walmart Marketplace | Third-party seller marketplace on walmart.com with an application process | Brands with competitive pricing and reliable US fulfillment | Large online reach and a path to Walmart buyers, but price competition is intense |
| Target Plus marketplace | Invite-only third-party marketplace on target.com | Brands whose assortment and brand standards fit Target's guest | Strong brand context, but access is by invitation and curated |
| Regional chains and independents direct | Buyer by buyer selling to regional grocery, specialty and outdoor chains | Brands building velocity in one region | Real shelf data quickly, but slow to scale and service |
| National big-box shelf | Line review placement at a national retailer | Brands with proven velocity, supply and marketing budget | Large volume, but slotting, chargebacks, EDI and markdown risk |
Faire gives brands a wholesale storefront where independent retailers order, often with payment terms that Faire extends to the retailer while the brand is paid by Faire. At the time of writing, Faire charges a higher commission on orders from retailers it brings to you and a lower or zero commission on retailers you bring through your own Faire Direct link; check Faire's current terms. Reorder rates from independent stores are useful evidence for larger buyers.
Target Plus is Target's curated third-party marketplace, open by invitation rather than open application at the time of writing, so it tends to follow brand visibility rather than lead it. Walmart Marketplace accepts applications, and sellers based outside the US should confirm current eligibility and documentation requirements before applying. Both let you show big-box sales data before a shelf conversation.
Retail media is now part of the deal.
Most large US retailers run their own advertising networks, such as Walmart Connect, Target's Roundel and Kroger Precision Marketing, alongside Amazon Ads. These sell sponsored search placements on the retailer's site and app, display, and offsite audiences built from the retailer's shopper data. Buyers increasingly expect a new brand to fund retail media to drive trial, and the plan often comes up in the line review conversation.
Treat retail media like any paid channel: set a budget per store or per item, measure sales lift and return on ad spend in the retailer's reporting, and keep it tied to in-stock status. Advertising an item that is out of stock at the shelf wastes the budget and frustrates the buyer.
“A retail buyer is not buying your product. They are buying less risk in their category, and online sales data is the cheapest way to prove the risk is low.”
Build the case with Amazon and direct to consumer data.
Amazon and your own store produce the evidence buyers ask for before they commit shelf space. Amazon Business Reports and Brand Analytics show units, conversion rate, search terms and repeat purchase behavior. Shopify order data shows where buyers are, which matters to a regional chain. Reviews show product satisfaction at scale. Put these into a one-page summary with units and rates, not just revenue. Our Shopify versus Amazon guide covers how the two channels differ.
Sequence matters for foreign brands. Since the US suspended duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value parcels in 2025, shipping individual orders from abroad now carries duties and entry requirements at the time of writing, so most brands import in bulk to a US 3PL and serve Amazon, their store and wholesale from the same inventory.
What usually goes wrong.
- Missing the line review window and waiting a year for the next one.
- A price ladder built from the home market that cannot absorb retailer margin, slotting and promotions.
- No marketing support after launch, so the item misses velocity targets and is dropped at the next review.
- Chargebacks from EDI errors, late shipments and label failures that erase first-year margin.
- Opening too many doors too fast, then running out of stock or paying for markdowns on unsold inventory.
- Channel conflict: Amazon or DTC pricing undercuts the retailer's shelf price and the buyer notices.
Where the introduction stops and the work begins.
A buyer meeting is one step. The work that decides the outcome is building the price ladder, producing the online sales record, setting up EDI and compliance with your 3PL, planning retail media and keeping online pricing consistent with the shelf. We coordinate with your attorney, accountant and customs broker on the legal, tax and import questions and run the commercial and marketing side ourselves. Building that path is work Theory Road does through our US retail and distribution program, alongside our e-commerce and Amazon work.
How do I get my product into US retail stores?
Start by proving demand online or in independent stores, then pitch the category buyer before the annual line review with a sell sheet, a price ladder with room for retailer margin, retail-ready packaging with GS1 barcodes and a marketing support plan. Many brands use a broker who already calls on the buyer. Plan for EDI, chargebacks and possible slotting costs.
What is Target Plus and how do you get on it?
Target Plus is Target's curated third-party marketplace on target.com. At the time of writing it is invitation only, so there is no open application. Brands usually get noticed through strong brand presence, marketplace sales elsewhere and retail visibility. If invited, expect requirements on assortment, fulfillment speed, pricing and customer service, so check Target's current partner terms.
Is Faire worth it for new brands?
For gift, home, beauty, food and specialty brands, Faire is a low-risk way to reach independent retailers and collect reorder data that larger buyers respect. The tradeoff is commission on orders from retailers Faire sources and smaller order sizes. Bringing your own retailers through your Faire Direct link lowers the cost; confirm current commission terms on Faire before you plan margins.
What are slotting fees and chargebacks?
Slotting fees are payments some retailers, mainly in grocery, charge to place a new item on shelf. Chargebacks are deductions retailers take from your payments when shipments break their rules, such as late delivery, wrong labels or missing advance ship notices. Both come out of your margin and should be built into your price ladder before you accept a purchase order.
Do I need EDI to sell to US retailers?
Most large US retailers require EDI for purchase orders, advance ship notices and invoices, along with GS1-128 carton labels. Smaller independents and Faire orders usually do not. Most brands use an EDI service provider or a 3PL with EDI built in, and test it before the first order, because EDI errors trigger automatic chargebacks.