183: Getting a New Hardware Product into Retail Stores
Yohan Jacob, founder of RetailBound, explains how emerging hardware brands can leverage retail stores for legitimacy and volume, drawing on his 30 years of experience as a buyer for Sears and OfficeMax. He argues that retail is not dead but has evolved into an omni-channel model, offering physical touchpoints and impulse buy opportunities that online sales cannot replicate. Jacob advises startups to start small, perhaps via retail marketplaces like Walmart or Best Buy, to prove sales velocity and supply chain reliability before negotiating broader shelf space. He emphasizes that long-term profitability comes from scaling volume to negotiate lower manufacturing costs, rather than expecting high margins on initial small orders.