IDGEFor makers getting into retail stores
Find the stores that fit what you make.
IDGE finds the retail stores most likely to carry your product, helps you write the outreach, and keeps every conversation in one place, so no store you talked to gets forgotten.
Free while IDGE is in pilot. No card needed.
Built for makers ready for store shelves
Sauces, snacks, baked goods, drinks and specialty diets.
Online, at markets or from your own shop, with product ready for a store shelf.
Candles, soap, body care and gifts.
How it works
From “I think stores would like this” to a list of likely buyers and email drafts you review and send yourself.
- 1Tell us about your products
Add your company, your products and your prices, or upload the product list you already keep.
- 2Get your market-fit report
IDGE researches your category and ranks the kinds of stores and buyers most likely to fit, with the reasons why.
- 3Reach out with emails that sound like you
See which stores and buyers are most likely to fit. IDGE drafts an email in your voice; you edit it, confirm the person knows you or has agreed to hear from you, and send it yourself, one at a time, from your IDGE address or your own Gmail.
- 4Keep every buyer in view
Track who you contacted, who replied and what’s due next, so no conversation goes cold.
Everything between “I make this” and “they stock it”
Every U.S. county scored 0 to 100 for your kind of product from public Census and USDA data, with the buyer types to call first.
Thirteen kinds of buyers checked against what you have today: ready now, almost, or blocked, with the exact fix and its source.
Real stores in each county from the USDA retailer list, so you reach out to a place, not a category.
Which channels fit your product, scored on demand, margin, capacity and readiness.
See which stores and buyers are most likely to buy from you, and why. Ask follow-up questions as you go.
Drafts in your writing style, with your signature and a follow-up schedule. You review and send each one yourself.
New-vendor forms to fill out and next steps for each store, with the links in one place.
A printable line sheet and a price ladder that shows where your margin holds up.
Upload a sales spreadsheet and see your best products, months and customers.
Never lose track of a buyer again
Every store you’ve talked to, what they said, when to follow up, and when they’re due to reorder — in one place. When a buyer replies, IDGE drafts your response and waits for you to send it.
Free while we pilot
IDGE is working with a small group of makers right now. While that lasts there is no charge and no card to enter. Sign up, then book a short onboarding call and we will set up your account with you, go through your first report together, and hear what you need.
How email works in IDGE
IDGE does not send anything on its own and has no mailing lists or bulk sending. You send from an IDGE address made from your company name, or connect Gmail; if you do, IDGE asks Google only for permission to send email from your own account (the gmail.send permission). It cannot read your inbox.
- ✓Emails are sent one at a time, from your IDGE address or your own Gmail, and replies come back to you.
- ✓You see and approve every message — the recipient, subject and body — before it goes out.
- ✓For every email you confirm the person has a relationship with you or your business, or has agreed to hear from you.
- ✓Every email includes your name, a way to reach you and an unsubscribe link.
- ✓When someone unsubscribes, they are blocked from every IDGE email, from every IDGE user.
- ✓Each account has a daily sending limit, and we can pause sending on any account that breaks the rules.
Details are in our Privacy Policy and Terms.
Questions
Who is IDGE for?+
Small product businesses that sell direct today, at markets, pop-ups or online, and want to get into stores. It started with food and beverage makers, and it works for candles, soap, gifts and other goods too.
Do I need a barcode, insurance or a distributor first?+
No. The “Who can I sell to?” page checks you against each kind of buyer, marks each one ready, almost or blocked, and names the one fix that unlocks the most of them, so you can start where you are.
How does IDGE send my email?+
By default IDGE sends from an address made from your company name, like yourcompany@mail.idge.company, and buyer replies come back to IDGE with a copy emailed to you. If you would rather send from your own Gmail and connect it, IDGE asks Google only for permission to send email on your behalf and for your email address. It cannot read your inbox. Either way IDGE sends only the emails you write or approve, one at a time, every email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can disconnect Gmail in Settings at any time. Details are in our Privacy Policy.
Will IDGE get me orders?+
IDGE helps you find the right buyers and reach them well, but it can’t promise sales. Getting into stores takes time, and you should check every store it suggests before you reach out.
Ready to get into stores?
Free while we pilot. Find your first stores this week.
Get started free