The following is a Guest Blog by Retailbound
In the era of online shopping, many product startups ask an important question:
“Why bother selling to retail stores at all?”
After all, the logic seems sound — if you can sell directly to consumers through your website or Amazon, why deal with middlemen? Some even believe it’s only a matter of time before brick-and-mortar retail stores disappear altogether.
But not so fast. Despite all the headlines about the rise of e-commerce, retail stores are far from dead. In fact, they remain one of the most powerful channels for growing a product brand — especially for startups looking to build credibility, visibility, and scale.
Retail Stores Are Still Thriving
Yes, online shopping has grown quickly in recent years, but physical stores still dominate consumer spending. Even after years of pandemic-related disruption, in-store shopping continues to bounce back strong.
For instance, Black Friday foot traffic recently rose12.5%, and overall store visits are up more than 7.6% since 2019.While digital sales are growing fast, they still make up only around 5% of total retail, compared to nearly 20% for in-store sales.
The takeaway?
If you’re only focusing on e-commerce, you’re leaving a massive opportunity untapped.
Why Selling to Retailers Still Matters for Product Startups
Selling directly online — through your website, Amazon, or social media — is important, but retail partnerships offer unique advantages that are hard to replicate digitally.
Here are three powerful reasons why selling in retail stores should be part of your growth strategy:
1. Immediate Access to Your Target Demographic
When you sell online, you have to attract every customer yourself — through paid ads, SEO, influencer marketing, and social media. That takes time, money, and expertise.
Retailers, however, already have an established and loyal customer base. By getting your product on their shelves, you instantly gain access to a pre-qualified target audience.
In essence, you’re piggybacking on their marketing power and consumer trust — which saves you money and lets you focus more on product innovation, fulfillment, and scaling.
If you negotiate exclusive placement or limited distribution, you can even secure a captive audience for your brand —something that’s nearly impossible to achieve in digital-only channels.
2. Retail Partners Help You Scale Faster
When you sell only through your own website or Amazon, you’re responsible for everything — marketing, logistics, sales, customer service, and fulfillment. Scaling that operation can be incredibly challenging for a small startup.
Retail partners, on the other hand, make growth much more manageable. With a single purchase order, you can expand into new markets, new regions, and new customer segments.
By leveraging the built-in reach of established retailers, you can scale revenue without proportionally increasing your workload. That means more time to improve your operations, develop new products, and manage your business strategically.
3. Retail Presence Builds Credibility and Boosts Online Sales
Few things add legitimacy to a young brand like seeing its product on the shelf of a well-known retailer.
For consumers, it’s trust by association — if they trust the store, they’re more likely to trust your product. Being in retail stores adds instant credibility that no online ad can match.
Even better, retail presence enhances online performance. When shoppers research your brand online and see your products available at major retailers, they’re more likely to buy — whether in-store, on Amazon, or directly from your website.
It’s the perfect example of how retail and e-commerce can complement each other in an effective omnichannel strategy.
The Bottom Line: Retail Isn’t Dead — It’s Evolving
Selling in stores isn’t for everyone, but it’s certainly not outdated. For many consumer product startups, retail is the missing piece that can accelerate growth, boost credibility, and create a lasting competitive edge.
If you want to maximize your success, don’t think“ either/or” — think “both/and.” An omnichannel approach that includes e-commerce and retail stores will help you reach customers wherever they prefer to shop.
Ready to Launch Your Product in Retail?
If you’re thinking about expanding into retail stores, our team at Retailbound can help. Since 2008, we’ve helped hundreds of product brands successfully launch, manage, and grow in retail — from national chains to boutique stores in both the U.S. and Canada.
Contact us today to learn how we can help your brand get retail-ready and grow through strategic partnerships.
About the Author
Yohan Jacob is the President and Founder of Retailbound, a full-service retail channel management consultancy. Retailbound helps product brands of all sizes launch and scale in more than 150+ retailers across North America.
From retail strategy development and buyer engagement to sales management and channel marketing, Retailbound bridges the gap between product creators and major retailers — helping brands drive growth both in-store and online.
