How to get your cleaning products into retail stores
Cleaning buyers compare challengers directly to national brands and private label on price per use. Safer-ingredient brands win space when they back up performance claims.
What cleaning products buyers look for
- Performance versus national brands
- Safety and ingredient transparency
- Price per use
- Point of difference versus national brands
- Price-value against private label
Why pitches get turned down
- Green claims without proof
- Hazmat shipping requirements
- Price premium without performance data
Retailers to target for cleaning products
Each retailer weighs these differently. Your pitch should too.
Walmart
Everyday low cost and a price that holds without deep promos.
Target
Differentiation and trend relevance.
Kroger
Category growth and a fit within the set.
Costco
A member-value offer: a discount versus other retailers or a unique bulk pack.
Dollar General
Price point that works in small-box discount.
How Vice CPG helps cleaning products brands
Free readiness audit
Send us your website and the retailer you want. Our team reviews your brand the way a buyer would and emails you a one-page scorecard of what's ready and what's missing.
We build your pitch
Our AI drafts and our retail team finishes a buyer-ready deck, sell sheet and pricing model for each retailer, built around that buyer's checklist.
We take you to the buyer
Pitch it yourself, hand it to your broker, or let our done-for-you team make the introduction, prep you and join you in the room.
Questions
What do retail buyers look for in cleaning products?
Cleaning Products buyers focus on performance versus national brands, safety and ingredient transparency and price per use, on top of the basics every buyer checks: velocity, margin and supply reliability.
Why do cleaning products pitches get turned down?
Common reasons include green claims without proof, hazmat shipping requirements, and price premium without performance data.
Do I need a broker to sell cleaning products to retailers?
Not always. Brokers bring relationships and account management, usually for a commission on sales. Many brands pitch directly or combine a broker with tools like Vice CPG to prepare retailer-specific pitches, pricing and promo plans.
When should I pitch my cleaning products to a retailer?
Most retailers review each category on a set schedule, often once a year. Pitching ahead of that category review, with your data and paperwork ready, gives you the best chance. Ask the buyer or your broker for the review calendar.
Related categories
Guides for your next pitch
How to Pitch a Retail Buyer (and Win the Line Review)
How to pitch a retail buyer: when category and line reviews happen, what buyers want to see, how to structure a retail pitch deck, and how to follow up.
How to Make a Sell Sheet Retail Buyers Actually Read
What a sell sheet is, what to put on it, the layout buyers expect, and a real example. Plus a free sell sheet template for CPG brands.
Wholesale Pricing and Retail Margin: How to Price a CPG Product
How to set wholesale and retail prices for a CPG product: keystone pricing, margin vs markup, what retailers and distributors expect, and a worked price waterfall.