Sales from a brand or supplier to a retailer or distributor, before the product is sold to the final customer.
Sell-in describes the supplier’s sales into a retail or distribution relationship. Commercial teams may present products to retailers, forecast launch quantities and review the resulting sales alongside stock held by those accounts. This separates the brand’s transaction with its trade customer from the retailer’s later transaction with the person who uses the product. Strong sell-in alone does not establish how quickly shoppers are buying the merchandise. Reviewing sell-in together with retail sales and stock helps an account team judge whether further supply is appropriate for that retailer.
In job listings
Christian Dior’s National Account Manager posting in London required presenting new launches to retailers to secure appropriate sell-in. It also called for monthly reviews of retail sales, sell-in and stock cover with each retailer. This placed the term within account management and distinguished it from the retailer’s own sales. Search local jobs for “buyer”.
