Candid Advice from Former Sephora, Nordstrom & Neiman Marcus Merchants

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If you've ever wondered what actually matters to retail buyers, beyond the pitch deck and the product, we went straight to the source.

Our team at Constellar includes former buyers/ merchants  from Sephora, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. They've spent years on the other side of the table, deciding which brands get shelf space, which get marketing support, and which partnerships actually work.

Jacquelyn, Leslie, Taylor and myself sat down for a candid conversation about what makes beauty brands easy (or difficult) to work with, where the real opportunities lie for emerging brands, and what it actually takes to break through in today's retail landscape.

Here’s what we unpacked- 

The Foundation: Get Your Admin Right (Or Everything Falls Apart)

It's not glamorous, but it's essential: the administrative basics can make or break your retail relationship. It’s essential to do this ahead of time so you’re not rushing around picking up the pieces later. 

UPCs, barcodes, pricing information and chargeback documentation, these might seem like minor details, but when they're wrong, the entire system breaks down.

"If you pick up a hairbrush and it scans as a blowdryer, you're charged the wrong price. The chain up to the brand and down to the customer is all wrong. Merchant teams need accurate information to do their jobs, when that breaks down, everything falls apart."  Jacquelyn Roemeling, Former Merchant at Neiman Marcus. 

Retailers need to plan their seasons and budgets. If your details aren't buttoned up, you won't be included in marketing plans, launch calendars, or promotional windows or additional opportunities that come up during the active season. The more organized you are on the details, the better positioned you are in the long run.

Critical Paths & Deadlines Matter

For new launches, especially around key retail moments like holiday, merchants plan months in advance. They need sampling timelines, SKU numbers, product details, and commitments and they need them early, at least 6-9 months before the launch.

"As a buyer, you recognize these challenges because you've lived through them. It's not difficult to create UPCs and get details upfront. When brands are chronically late on deadlines, we start building in extra buffers, adding time, and hounding them for made-up dates just to get what we need doesn’t help build the relationship, and we begin  to prioritize partners who are more reliable. Those partners then become first pick for additional opportunities as they arise, simply because they consistently deliver on time. "  Taylor Wilson, Former Merchant at Sephora

Being on time isn't just polite, it's strategic. It signals that you're a reliable partner worth investing in.

Being Easy to Work With Opens Doors

Here's something brands underestimate: being easy to work with gets you more opportunities.

Participating in sampling programs, gifting merchants' products, showing up for in-store events, providing gratis for gift boxes, these gestures build goodwill and make buyers want to champion your brand internally. But don’t be afraid to negotiate when you do participate in these buyer lead requests. Ask for reporting from the sampling program or request prime space for your in store event.  Being easy to work with doesn’t mean being a doormat, it means being a partner to your merchandising team.

As Taylor explains, the best brand partners I’ve worked with have been responsive, flexible, and easy to collaborate with. In turn, they tend to get more space, more focus, and more consideration. It’s not always the volume drivers that get prime placement. We remember the brands that make our jobs easier and we reward them with opportunities when we can. 

Exclusivity & Limited Editions: Know When It's Worth It

Retailers love exclusivity, but not all exclusivity is created equal. Limited editions and exclusive launches can be powerful tools for securing shelf space particularly with retailers like Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus yet they only work when used strategically. 

"You always have to ask yourself: is the juice worth the squeeze? For smaller brands in particular, offering an exclusive SKU can sometimes limit the very distribution they need to grow. However, when exclusivity is tied to a larger commitment, such as an Anniversary exclusive that carries through into holiday with larger quantities it can absolutely pay off.” Leslie Mayeda, Former Merchant at Nordstrom. 

When exclusivity isn’t the right lever, smaller brands should focus on where they can add the most value: showing up differently through founder-led events, sampling programs, gifting for personal shoppers, and store associates. 

As Leslie explains, growth often comes from leaning into your strongest angle and building from there.

For Sephora & Ulta: It's Not About Paying for Space. It's About Partnering on Campaigns

It’s a bit of a common misconception that you can just buy your way into visibility at major retailers. However, as Taylor shared, at retailers like Sephora and Ulta, you can’t expect to just buy a front table or an endcap, and place your product there. These coveted placements are more about following the retailer’s plans, and if your brand has something that fits, then you may be offered a spot. Every marketing moment is curated by brand marketing teams in partnership with their merchants. It’s extremely important to understand the retailer's calendar, so your internal team can plan around those key moments,  this way your brand will always have something to pitch for placements, and hopefully land a few.

Brands that succeed in these doors are the ones who look for white space and are able to respond quickly to market opportunities. As at some point, legacy brands plateau or tap out. For smaller brands in the category, there's so much runway to be different and capitalize on what the bigger brands aren't doing. 

Smaller Brands Have a Secret Weapon: Speed & Agility

Here's where emerging brands have a genuine advantage over the giants: you can move fast.

When a new ingredient trends or a consumer need emerges, smaller brands can pivot quickly, adding that ingredient to a formula, launching a limited edition, or creating a timely gift set. Bigger brands are often stuck in layers of hierarchy and slower decision-making.

And as Jacquelyn explained,  when you have a great relationship with your retailer and can respond quickly to what's trending or what customers are searching for, that's incredibly powerful. Smaller brands have quick decision-making, agile teams, and less bureaucracy. You can do things in weeks that would take a legacy brand months. Use that to your advantage.

For Independent Retailers: Lead with Testers & Flexibility

If you're working with independent or specialty retailers, here's what moves the needle: free testers.  "A lot of bigger brands don't offer free testers anymore, but for indie stores, testers are absolutely key, especially in fragrance, where we might have customers sampling 400 to 500 purchases a day. That's how you move products in these stores." Jacquelyn

Another win for smaller brands? Flexibility. Don't force indie retailers to carry your full range. Let them curate what works for their customer base, rather than being forced into carrying everything. This will make a huge difference and build loyalty to your brand. 

And yes, pitching to indie stores might feel like a pain, and be really arduous but it can pay off if you are persistent. It's less about heavy lifting and more about building genuine relationships with your retail partners.

The Bottom Line: Be Buttoned Up, Be Responsive, Be Strategic

There were a few things that we spoke about and were unanimous on:

✅ Get your administrative details right. UPCs, timelines, pricing - these are non-negotiables.
✅ Be easy to work with. Responsiveness and flexibility open doors.
✅ Move quickly. Smaller brands can capitalize on speed and agility in ways big brands can't.
✅ Know your angle. Whether it's exclusivity, sampling, or indie partnerships, play to your strengths.
✅ Build relationships. Merchants champion brands they trust and enjoy working with.

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Want to navigate retail partnerships with confidence? Constellar's team has decades of combined experience on both sides of the table. If you need support and you’r’e ready to build smarter retail strategies, email us hello@constellar.cc 

Thanks to our contributors - 

Jacquelyn, is a US Retail Director, she loves fragrance and has spent her career since she was a merchant at Neiman Marcus working on the brand side. She has supported brands like Byredo, Diptyque, Cire Trudon and Amouage with their US strategy and sales and is an expert in both speciality, independent and luxury retail. She now brings that knowledge and support to others and helps high growth beauty and fragrance brands navigate the US market and scale successfully. 

Leslie, is a former Nordstrom merchant who specialized in prestige fragrance and men’s grooming. She’s since worked across every corner of the business from boutiques and salons to major retailers like Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus and has deep experience in everything from 3PLs to store support. Today, she helps brands turn their vision into reality, guiding them to execute clear strategies and reach their growth goals. Leslie loves seeing brands thrive when the pieces all come together and she’s known for making complex retail challenges feel manageable.

Taylor, is a US Retail Director, is a  former digital merchant at Sephora US, where she developed firsthand understanding of how to grow brands at this coveted retailer. Since then, she’s support numerous brands with retail sales and marketing including Sunday Riley, Supergoop, Dime Beauty, and more. Taylor thrives on helping brands excel with top-tier retailers and loves nothing more than seeing a brand she supports succeed in the market.

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