As the winner of a 69th annual Retailer Excellence Award, David Bellow of Oakwood Outfitters in Texas knows a thing or two about making his store a destination spot. Part of his strategy is by adding private-label options to his assortment. “Private label is an excellent way for Oakwood Outfitters to further establish our identity,” Bellow said.
In addition to comforting brand names, storeowners would be wise to add new private labels to their product mix, which add uniqueness to their assortment and help reinforce the store brand. The key is to find awesome manufacturers that create high-quality products and are willing to work with you on creating custom branding.
“Private labeling makes our business not seem like a mom-and-pop operation, but as a polished gem that customers want to do business with,” Bellow continued. “I would say that a critical part of private labeling is developing a logo that is professionally done. We private label everything from pickles, salsa and stuffed olives to clothing and cutting boards.”