You have options on how to get your product to market when you want to start a business. You can always make the product yourself, but other options may be more advantageous for you, your business, and your finances.
One of those options is private label products. Before you make a final decision, though, you need to learn everything you can about private labeling and how it works to be sure it is the right fit for your business.
The Basics of Private Labels.
Private label products are all over the market. You can find them in pretty much every industry. According to Business.com, personal label products make up about 25% of the market in the U.S.
A private label product is a product made specifically for you by another company. You can customize the product as you would like and work with the manufacturer to develop something unique that is available only for your business to sell.
For example, let’s say that you want to sell private label lotion. You would work with the manufacturer you choose to create the lotion based on your ideas and the needs you wish to meet for your potential customers. When you sell the product, you put your brand name on it. Consumers will see it as your product, not the manufacturer’s product.
Because you won’t make your own products, your job becomes focusing on building your brand and handling the business aspects of your company. It frees you up to create a solid brand that consumers can’t wait to get their hands on.
How It Works.
It can help to get a complete picture of how selling private label products would work for your business. There are a few steps in the process:
- Secure a manufacturing deal
- Create the product
- Sell the product
Secure a Manufacturing Deal.
The process begins when you secure a deal with a manufacturer. You will want to do your research on manufacturers. Make sure that you choose a company with experience in creating your product. You want to know the manufacturer can create a high-quality product.
Do not be afraid to research companies. You need to check into everything about them because you are creating a partnership. Anything the manufacturer does will impact your business, so you must ensure you make the right choice.
Create the Product.
Once you have your manufacturing deal, you can work with the manufacturer to create your product. You may heavily involve yourself in customization or be more hands-off. It is up to you and the deal you made with the manufacturer.
Once you have the formula or blueprint for your product, the manufacturer gets to work. You don’t have anything to do during this step in the process. The manufacturer will handle everything.
It will ensure the quality and safety of the product. When manufacturing is complete, the company will package it for you and ship it to you.
Your manufacturer may put your label on the product for you, or this may be a step you need to handle on your own. It depends on your agreement.
Sell the Product.
Once you receive the product and make sure the labeling is correct, you can get your product on the shelf to sell to consumers.
The Pros and Cons.
Selling private label products is not the answer for every company. However, it could be the best choice in some situations. To help you know if this would work for you, it is a good idea to consider the pros and cons.
Pros.
The advantage of selling private label products is that it gives you the ability to sell a product that you would not be able to make yourself. Perhaps you have budget limitations that prevent you from manufacturing the product, or you don’t have the experience or knowledge to make it.
Since the manufacture handles making the product for you, it leaves you to focus on the other aspects of your business. You can build up your brand and work on marketing so that once you have the product to sell, you can get off the ground quickly.
Private label products can also give you higher profit margins. You won’t have expenses for manufacturing beyond what you agree to pay the manufacturer, which is going to be much less than it would cost to build a manufacturing facility of your own.
You also don’t have to keep a large inventory on hand. You can order what you need so that you can have very little inventory to manage or store.
Cons.
One of the downsides to private label products is that you do give up some control. Since you don’t manage or oversee the manufacturing, you need to have complete trust in your manufacturing partner.
You also have to follow their rules, which may mean you have to wait for shipments due to shipping schedules, or you have to order a minimum amount of product regardless of what you really need. You are somewhat at the mercy of your partner and must rely on them to handle an important aspect of your business.
Why Manufacturers Like It.
Private labeling is not only beneficial for you, but the manufacturers like it, too. Entrepreneur explains that manufacturers can focus on what they do best and not have to handle the other aspects of selling a product. They won’t have to market it or find customers. This is great for a manufacturer who has a high-quality product to sell, but that doesn’t want to deal with the retail process.
Because it is mutually beneficial, private labeling is something that works well in many different industries. It lets everyone work on whatever it is they excel at while also making it possible to provide the market with goods.
The Bottom Line.
Deciding to go with a private label product for your business can be an excellent move if you know what to expect. It is important to go into the process with an informed point of view so that you know what to expect and can make the most out of it.
