Retail Ready Made Easy

Stephen Gould produces point-of-purchase displays for the best-selling Nutribullet and Magic Bullet line of blenders and manages all the complex processes required to get their products onto the shelves of leading retailers.

The Challenge

Competition for shelf space at stores like Costco, Walmart, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond is fierce. If you can get a purchase order, the next hurdle is the exacting specifications for product displays and packaging. Each retailer has their own detailed style guide with requirements based on shelf size, height, product category, and region. Failure to comply can lead to fines or delisting. Even shipping requirements vary between retailers. Producing displays for multiple stores quickly becomes a complex logistical challenge with no room for error.

Stephen Gould has built a reputation for managing intricate overseas supply chains and delivering point-of-purchase displays that meet retailer specifications every time. Thanks to our track record, Walmart’s style guide includes Stephen Gould as a recommended supplier. The makers of the Nutribullet and Magic Bullet blenders came to our Los Angeles office looking for a partner with experience creating custom supply chains and orchestrating vendors every step of the way, from manufacturing and assembly, to packaging and shipping.

Each Nutribullet and Magic Bullet display features a motorless version of the blender along with all its accessories and printed inserts. It may look simple, but bringing all the pieces together and getting it into stores is deceptively complex.

The Solution

Stephen Gould’s long-standing relationships with suppliers and factories in China allows us to give clients full visibility into all phases of manufacturing and fulfillment. Members of our L.A. team are in frequent, often daily, communication with their counterparts in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. They produce custom reports for all stakeholders that clarify timelines, responsibilities, and benchmarks. The goal is a surprise-free client experience.

For the blender displays, the L.A. team created a full turnkey solution from design to distribution. Depending on the season, there could be anywhere between two and ten different displays in various stages of production. Stephen Gould designers have become experts on each retailer’s style guide, adapting each display type to meet each chain’s specifications.

One of the biggest challenges during production is coordinating all components from external suppliers. Every piece, from the PETG plastic base, to the motorless blender, as well as all printed labels and inserts, need to arrive at the same time so that the displays can be efficiently assembled at our partner facility in Shenzhen. Each supply chain has built-in redundancies to make sure that one supplier’s delay doesn’t affect the larger operation.

The L.A. team also oversees production of the protective packaging for shipping. All packaging is designed to ensure maximum protection at a cost-effective price point. They work closely with their vendors in China to produce the corrugated packaging and die-cut foam inside the box. Each detail, down to the bar code printing, has to be perfect to meet retailer specifications. Our team understands the level of detail required to keep the product in pristine condition during its long journey from the manufacturing facility to the store shelf.

Even with an experienced team, mistakes occasionally happen. What’s important is our response. When a vendor delivered a run of plastic with a slight yellowish tint, the L.A. team knew that it would not meet the client’s standards. They proactively informed the client that they rejected the out-of-spec material and already had an alternative supplier ready. Though production was delayed, they arranged to put the displays on a faster cargo ship so it would arrive on time. Even though our team had to absorb extra costs, it was important to communicate to the client that they would go to bat for the quality and integrity of every single one of their displays.

The Result

The success of this partnership stems from Stephen Gould’s ability to create custom solutions for our clients. We don’t do one-size-fits-all approaches. The L.A. team’s supply chain relationships and deep involvement in all aspects of production gives clients invaluable transparency. Their ability to lead others in meeting strict retailer guidelines to ensure flawless execution has made them trusted advisors to the Nutribullet and Magic Bullet team.