C35 - Private Label: Competitor or Customer?

A 7% price increase at the end of the year, then 25% less at the tender three months later. If you were the buyer, what would you think?End-of-year negotiations are stressful, uncomfortable and tricky. But they are also the moment you have your buyer's full attention to talk about the year ahead and the partnership. So please don't waste it on a price list.In this episode, I share the advice I'm giving right now to the clients I support through their end-of-year negotiations:Why prioritising your accounts is the first move, and why skipping it costs you time, credibility and your next dealHow to map your retailers on the Kraljic matrix: strategic, problematic, ordinary and wolfBeing honest about where you really stand: a delisting letter says more than your own opinionClearing the problematic quadrant first: move it to strategic, or accept that it becomes ordinaryFeeding the wolf: how to reactivate an account with a strong fitGoing beyond the transaction: rebates, range reviews, digital content and promotionsWhy a tender coming in 2027 changes what you should do nowNext week, I'm speaking at the Virtual DIY-Summit: Friday 20 November, 10:00 to 13:00 (Berlin time), online and free. diysummit.org/virtual-diy-summitAnd the first episode of Category Hunting is out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NvL34_4CoAAMore on retail strategy for DIY and home improvement suppliers: www.la-revolution.frChapters:00:00 Are you taking your buyer for a fool?01:23 Prioritise first01:52 The Kraljic matrix03:45 Be honest about where you stand05:22 Clear the problematic accounts07:24 Ordinary, wolf and strategic11:07 Don't just bring a price list12:55 Tenders in 2027: don't widen the gap16:45 Before you go

It looks like your safest customer. Big volumes, a big name, a big slice of your turnover. And yet, line by line, it is the account draining your margin.In this episode, I share a recommendation I made recently to a supplier I work with: walk away from one of its biggest accounts. Years of concessions, no price increase passed, and a buyer still pushing on price. To bring the account back to a normal margin, one that allows reinvestment, it would need a 42% increase. And that is before the year-end rebate and the marketing support costs.Walking away is only half of the decision. The other half is what comes next. When a supplier leaves, the retailer’s organisation often closes the door on the brand, and that is unfortunately how it usually happens. So the strategy starts before the exit: building with the retailer’s competitors, keeping the brand visible in the market, until the retailer realises it cannot afford to be without it.We talk about:Why turnover and profit contribution give you two different rankings of your “strategic” accountsHow an account slowly drifts into loss, one concession at a timeWhat a buyer’s attitude tells you when your margin is already goneHow to prepare a walk-away: capacity, reinvestment, timing, and the conversation with the buyerWhy working with the competitors keeps your brand visible, and puts you back in a position of strengthNegotiation season is the moment to ask the question. Which of your accounts would pass the test?More on retail strategy for DIY and home improvement suppliers: www.la-revolution.fr

Your retailer asks you to produce their private label, you decline. Then the exact same product lands on the shelf, 30% cheaper than your brand. Frustrating? Absolutely. But private label keeps growing across Europe, and the question every supplier now faces is simple: is it a competitor or a customer?In this episode:Why private label is no longer just an opening price point, and how to map where it sits in your key accountsWhy retailers don’t commoditise categories, they make them evolveHow to readapt your brand: speed, scarcity, seasonalityIntegrating private label into your own assortment, and why your cost structure is the starting pointWant to build your private label or brand strategy with European retailers? Let’s talk: www.la-revolution.fr

Are you expanding into new markets before fully exploiting the ones you already serve?Should you follow a sales rep into a new country, or build on existing retail partnerships? Can a stronger brand concept unlock new growth? And what can a B2C business teach us about market development?In this episode, I share real-life business cases involving UK and German suppliers expanding into Europe, US brands entering European markets, Indian and Chinese manufacturers competing in private label, and a B2C development strategy I worked on.From marketplaces and brand positioning to market selection, discover why the best next step isn't always the most obvious one.Before choosing your next country, ask yourself: are you chasing new markets or creating new opportunities?Explore more at www.la-revolution.frRead my latest article: Growing in a Limitless World: Why DIY Strategy Starts with the Customer

When a retailer launches a marketplace, suppliers often see a threat: lost control over pricing, channel conflict, and the risk of becoming just another product among thousands.But what if they’re looking at it the wrong way?In this episode of The Retail Revolution Diary, I explain why marketplaces can be much more than another sales channel. They can become your strongest tool to build demand, prove your product’s potential, and make your next retail negotiation easier.We explore how to build a focused hero range, create content that sells without a salesperson, work with content creators, and avoid the traps of margins, algorithms, and channel conflict.The real opportunity? Walking into a buyer meeting with sales data, customer reviews, and proof that people already want your products.Because the marketplace isn’t the destination. It’s your proof.The real question is: Does your brand exist without the buyer?

What really changes when you move from the European DIY market to Australia?In this episode of The Retail Revolution Diary, I’m joined by Tony Walker from Bunnings to explore the differences he observed through his experience in competitor insight at the Australia’s leading home improvement retailers.We talk about what European suppliers should consider before entering the Australian market, from market dynamics and price competitiveness to the role of brands and private label.A fascinating conversation about what looks similar on the surface, but works very differently once you get closer to the retail reality! If you’re a supplier thinking about Australia, or simply curious about how DIY retail strategies differ across markets, this episode is for you.Thanks so much Tony for sharing your insights! www.la-revolution.fr

Believing your retail buyer will reply to your first email with “Yep Michel, this offer is perfect, let’s crack on and implement it next month” is madness.A great product doesn’t automatically make a great retail offer.In this episode, I share practical tips to help you build offers that actually resonate with retail buyers: speak their vocabulary, build around their needs, give them options, make the commercial logic clear, and make it easier for them to say yes.Because your offer shouldn’t be built around what you want to sell.It should be built around what the retailer needs to buy. www.la-revolution.fr

In this episode, I’m opening the door to my next big project: my new book.I’m sharing the first concept of the book as a first glimpse into the thinking behind it, starting with a simple idea: our world is more open than ever.Markets, relationships, marketplaces, information, suppliers, customers… geographical and traditional boundaries are disappearing.And yet, many suppliers still operate as if their world were limited to the customers, markets and relationships they already know. Why?If you want to discover where this book is heading, you can read the Introduction and Echelon 1 through the link below. https://1f12-fiorella.systeme.io/newbook-fiorellaorigliaWelcome to the beginning of the journey.

Negotiation season always feels heavy.The same pressure. The same questions. The same battle over price, timing and competitiveness.But what if the real problem starts before the meeting?In this episode, we look at how suppliers can move from defending a position to actively shaping the negotiation.We explore:Why preparing around one number puts you on the defensiveHow two scenarios can change the buyer conversationWhere hidden negotiation leverage sits inside your organisationWhy the best negotiations start with questions, not pitchesAnd why creating value is not enough if that value is not visible to the retailerThe goal isn't to “win” the negotiation.It’s to arrive with enough options, internal flexibility and clarity to build a better outcome for both sides. www.la-revolution.fr

In this episode, I break down how suppliers can make a strong first impression in a first buyer meeting with a retail buyer in DIY, home improvement, and large retail.If you sell to retailers and want to improve your supplier pitch, this episode explains why a first meeting with a buyer should not be a long company presentation. Instead, it should be a focused conversation built around the buyer’s category priorities, timing, internal decision-making process, and next steps.Drawing on my experience as a former buyer at Kingfisher and ADEO, I share a practical structure suppliers can use before and during a first retail buyer meeting:- what to send before the meeting,- how to present your company without boring the buyer,- which questions to ask a buyer,- how to understand category priorities,- how to identify who influences the decision,- and how to leave the meeting with a clear and useful next step.This episode is especially relevant for suppliers, manufacturers, exporters, and private label partners trying to win meetings with retail buyers, category managers, sourcing teams, and DIY retailers.If you are preparing for a buyer presentation, a supplier meeting, or a first conversation with a retail buyer, this episode will help you avoid the mistakes that kill buyer interest and show you how to sound more relevant, more prepared, and more credible.Topics covered in this episode include first buyer meetings, retail buyer meetings, supplier meetings, DIY retail, home improvement retail, category manager conversations, sourcing strategy, supplier presentations, and what buyers expect from suppliers.