Trade Talks Tuesday: B Gifted on Wholesale Readiness, Commercial Growth and Reaching the Right Retail Buyers

Creating a great product is one thing. Turning it into a commercially sustainable business — with the right pricing, margins, routes to market and retail relationships — is another.

That is the space Fi Burge, founder of B Gifted, knows particularly well. With more than 25 years of experience across the gift and design-led industry, Fi has worked across product development, sales and retail, with experience spanning independent businesses and major UK names including John Lewis, M&S, Boots, Hobbycraft and Dobbies.

For this edition of Trade Talks Tuesday, we spoke with Fi about what it really means to be wholesale-ready, choosing the right routes to market, the value of industry communities, how physical and online trade shows can work together and why getting in front of more buyers isn't necessarily the answer.

About Fi Burge, B Gifted & The Product Place

Fi Burge is an independent consultant supporting product-based businesses with product development, commercial strategy, wholesale and retail growth through B Gifted – The Concept to Store Consultant.

With more than 25 years' experience in the gift and design-led industry, Fi has worked across the product journey, from early concepts in design studios through to sales and retail. Her experience includes working with independent retailers as well as leading UK names including John Lewis, M&S, Boots, Hobbycraft and Dobbies.

Fi is also the founder of The Product Place, a growing community connecting independent brands, makers, designers, retailers and industry experts to share knowledge, build relationships and create new opportunities.

B Gifted: https://bgifted.co.uk/
The Product Place: https://www.theproductplace.co.uk/

Through B Gifted, you work closely with independent product businesses at different stages of growth. What do you think is the biggest challenge brands face when trying to move from having a great product to building a commercially successful business?

Having a great product is only the starting point. You need to understand where it sits commercially.

Who is your customer? Where do they shop? What are they prepared to pay? And does your pricing work for both you and the retailer?

I often say to my clients and workshop attendees that creativity gets a product started, but commercial thinking is what helps turn it into a sustainable business.

You see a lot of emerging brands and new ideas. What separates the businesses that are genuinely ready for wholesale from those that may have a great product but aren't quite ready to work with retailers?

Being wholesale-ready is about much more than having a lovely product. Your pricing and margins need to work, you need to understand lead times, minimum orders, packaging and delivery, and you need to be able to supply consistently.

Most importantly, look at your business through the eyes of the buyer. They're not just asking, "Do I like it?" They're asking, "Will it sell to my customer base?"

I have many clients who come to me after successfully selling their products directly to consumers and want to consider B2B. The important question starts with the margins. If the margins don't work for trade, it takes us down a different path — and that's fine.

Independent brands now have more routes to market than ever before, from direct-to-consumer and marketplaces to wholesale and physical retail. How should a small brand decide where to focus its time and resources?

Start with your customer. Where are they naturally discovering and buying products like yours?

You don't need to be everywhere. Direct-to-consumer, wholesale, marketplaces and physical retail can all have a place, but trying to do everything at once can quickly become overwhelming.

Test, learn and understand what's working before investing more time and money.

Regular check-ins on your product range are vital too: identify the areas that need attention and the areas with potential to grow.

You created The Product Place to bring independent product businesses together.

How important are community and collaboration when you're building a business, particularly in an industry that can sometimes feel quite competitive?

Incredibly important.

Running a small business can be isolating, and it's easy to assume everyone else has everything worked out! That was one of the reasons I created The Product Place. I wanted somewhere people could share experiences, ideas, contacts and challenges without feeling they were competing with one another.

I've seen first-hand how a simple conversation or introduction can create an opportunity.

Trade shows have traditionally been an important route for brands looking to meet buyers and grow wholesale. What role do you think they play today, and how do you see physical shows working alongside digital platforms and online sourcing?

I still believe trade shows are incredibly valuable, particularly within the gift, home and lifestyle industries.

We've all seen attendance drop and some shows become smaller, so introducing other trade platforms creates another opportunity.

A buyer might discover you online, meet you at a show and then continue ordering digitally. It's all part of the same journey.

In today's busy, 24/7 world, finding the right trade event for your business is key.

Online trade shows are fantastic too, as long as exhibitors engage with enquiries and build the buyer-seller relationship so that each business can understand the person behind it.

From your experience, what's one thing brands consistently underestimate when trying to get their products in front of retail buyers?

They really must remember to do their research and preparation.

Buyers are busy, with continual demands on their time and decisions, so my advice would always be: give them a reason to take notice.

Understand what they already stock, their customer, their price points and why your product genuinely belongs in their store.

I'd rather see a brand approach ten carefully researched retailers than send the same generic email to hundreds.

It's not just about getting in front of a buyer. It's about getting in front of the right buyer.

If you could give one piece of advice to an independent product business looking to grow over the next few years, what would it be?

Don't rush growth for the sake of growth.

Understand your numbers, listen to your customers and retailers, research your market and make decisions that are right for your business — not because you've seen another brand doing it.

Growth doesn't always mean getting bigger. Sometimes it means becoming clearer, more confident and more focused.

The growth will come if the foundations are strong.

Key Takeaways

• A great product is only the starting point. Sustainable growth requires an understanding of customers, pricing, margins and commercial positioning.

• Wholesale readiness goes beyond the product. Lead times, minimum orders, packaging, delivery, margins and reliable supply all matter to retail buyers.

• Brands don't need to be everywhere. Routes to market should be selected according to where the target customer actually discovers and buys products.

• Community can create commercial opportunities. Conversations, introductions and shared knowledge can be particularly valuable for independent businesses.

• Physical and digital sourcing can complement each other. A buyer's journey may begin online, continue at a trade show and develop into an ongoing digital ordering relationship.

• Targeting matters more than volume. Ten carefully researched retailer approaches can be more valuable than hundreds of generic emails.

• Growth isn't simply about getting bigger. Stronger foundations, greater clarity and better commercial focus can be equally important measures of progress.

Fi's perspective is a useful reminder that building a product business requires creativity and commercial discipline in equal measure. From pricing and margins to wholesale readiness and buyer targeting, the decisions behind the product can ultimately determine whether it becomes a sustainable business.

And as the routes connecting brands and retailers continue to evolve, the opportunity isn't necessarily to be present everywhere. It's to understand where your business belongs, reach the right people and build relationships that can grow over time.

Want to Reach More Retail Buyers?

Looking to put your brand in front of independent retailers like the ones featured in

Trade Talks Tuesday?

Email events@xpofairs.com to book a demo and discover how The Gift Fair UK helps brands connect with qualified buyers all year round.