Working with a product broker can be extremely effective and cost efficient for your company, as long as you pick the right one! It is important, especially during these tough economic times, that you do not get stuck with a product broker that over promises and under delivers.

A product broker’s scope of business should be limited. It is nearly impossible for any one company to claim that their expertise is broad enough to encompass all retail or even 2 or 3 retailers. Every retailer has unique buying procedures, a unique way they require offers to be presented, and a unique preference in forms of contact.

Working with “all retail” makes it impossible to have an in depth understanding of these unique processes and to establish relationships with the buying staff. The company you work with should have daily interaction with the retail buyers and should have the same focus on a daily basis.

Consider this: 2 men compete for a position in the NFL. One man specializes in football and practices the sport every single day, while the other plays basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, and football. Who would be more likely to be successful? It goes with the saying: Jack of all trades, master of none.

The same can be applied to a product broker. It takes great concentration, commitment, and daily training.  Trust in the product broker with the right retail focus. Don’t risk cutting your opportunities short by working with an unqualified retail broker that promises too much. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!