Get your brand into Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s.
The Item Group offers the best Costco broker you can hire, the deepest sales data you can receive, and the fairest contract terms you can find.
- Ship to
- Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's
- Pack
- Club-sized, priced to win
- Status
- Buyer-ready
- Velocity
- Meets thresholds
We've managed Club brokers. We've worked for Club brokers. We know what works and what sucks.
Founded by entrepreneurs at heart, industry stalwarts and data lovers, The Item Group wants to work with the best established and emerging CPG brands.
In return, we give you our best work and, ultimately, profitable success at Costco, Sam's, and BJ's across grocery, snacks, refrigerated, frozen, deli, sundries and OTC.
What we handle
In the club channel, you aren't managing wide sales pipelines; you are managing high-stakes, multi-million-dollar regional and national programs by Item. Your Costco & club broker need to handle complex packaging specifications, high-volume pallet logistics, localized “treasure hunt” rotations and rigorous data analysis.
Item research
We'll fully vet your item through research, competitive analysis and consumer trends.
Sales strategy
We craft sales strategies that match what you have to offer Club with what Club wants from you, down to pack size and price point.
Direct selling
Our inside knowledge and our ability to navigate Costco are what make us successful. We sell so we all win.
Buyer presentations
We build the item story buyers and merchants ask for: pack, price/oz, margin, and why members will put it in their carts.
Item setup
Vendor paperwork, item agreements, and compliance details handled before they turn into delays.
Roadshows and demos
Planning, staffing, and tracking for in-club events that turn a test into a repeat order.
Promotions
TPDs, instant savings, and promo calendars timed to your production, so a big event doesn't leave you short.
Sales data
The deepest sales data you can get: weekly velocity by region against category benchmarks, with a clear read on what to do next.
From start to velocity
Most club items start as a regional test. Here's how we get you there and what happens after.
Fit check
We look at your item, pack and costs and tell you honestly whether club is the right move now.
Build the case
Pricing, pack-out, samples and a one-page story the buyer can take into their own meetings.
Buyer meeting
We bring you to the buyers who own your category, and we're in the room with you.
Regional test
Launch, roadshows and weekly tracking so the test reads clearly, good or bad.
Scale
More regions, more clubs, and the promo plan that keeps velocity where buyers want it.
Where we sell
Three warehouse retailers, three nuanced ways of buying: we know the buyers, the calendars, and what a healthy item looks like in each.
Costco
Regional, national, and international programs, roadshows, demos, & TPDs, and the member value Costco buyers screen every item for.
Sam's Club
Item tests, digital activation, in-club demos, and promotions coordinated across a large national footprint. Get on the same page as the merchants.
BJ's
A strong and growing club retailer with its own assortment, pricing and promotional rhythm. Merchants want their business known.
Built by a club channel sales leader
The Item Group was founded by Dean Wright, a CPG expert with over 12 years selling into Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's Wholesale Club.
He has sat across the table from club buyers, launched items, and grown velocity after launch. The Item Group gives growing brands that same experience without the cost of building a club team in-house.
Placements secured in
- Costco
- BJ's
- Sam's
- International
Our Rate Structure
The Item Group is both a brokerage and a consulting firm. Once we agree on the best approach for your business, our compensation will be a one-time consulting fee, a retainer, a commission, or a combination of these. What you are investing in is the intelligence and hands-on experience behind the work, the club-channel knowledge that would take years to build on your own.
Select a tile that best describes where your current Club distribution and category breadth are today.
| Club distribution | One category | Two to three | Four or more |
|---|---|---|---|
| NoneNot yet sold in Club | Retainer | Retainer | Retainer |
| RoadshowsSelling through in-club roadshows | Retainer | Retainer | Retainer |
| Periodic rotationsRotating in and out of clubs | Standard Commission % | Standard Commission % | Standard Commission % |
| EverydayEveryday placement in clubs | Low Commission % | Lower Commission % | Lowest Commission % |
| ConsultingResearch, advisement, & strategy | Consulting fee | Consulting fee | Consulting fee |
Every brand is different. Tell us about yours and we'll confirm your rate before you sign anything.
Are you ready for growth?
Seven questions, about two minutes. Answer honestly and you'll see where you stand and what you need to grow in the club channel.
Is your brand ready to grow in club?
Tell us a little about your item. We'll reply within two business days with an honest take on fit and next steps.
Prefer email? hello@theitemgroup.com