Ankorstore success guide

This article is for brands. It brings together best practices to grow your sales on Ankorstore, question by question.

Independent retailers expect 2 things from a brand: products that sell well in store and reliable service.

In this guide

1. How do I know where to start?

2. How do I make my store and catalogue attractive?

3. How do I get my customers and prospects to order on Ankorstore?

4. How do I earn retailers' trust?

5. How do I sell more?

6. How do I track my results?

7. I can't find the answer to my question

1. How do I know where to start?

Your AI assistant shows you the priority actions for your brand every day. You can open it from any page of your brand account with the "Ask my assistant" button at the top right of the screen. It is currently in beta.

You can ask it questions about your sales, customers, campaigns or discounts. It analyses your activity and flags, for example:

• retailers who are late placing their reorder compared to their usual pace;

• product pages to complete (missing images, descriptions that are too short);

• products where the margin offered to retailers is lower than in your category.

The suggestions at the bottom of the conversation are updated every day. They are sorted by priority based on your situation. Your conversations are saved in the History tab. You can start a new one at any time.

2. How do I make my store and catalogue attractive?

A complete store ranks higher in search results and convinces retailers faster. This matters even more at launch: retailers can filter by "New brands", and that is often where they discover you.

My brand story

Your brand story helps retailers get to know you and talk about you to their customers. We recommend at least 800 characters, in short paragraphs. Points to cover:

• when and where the brand was created, and what inspired you;

• who runs the brand and how your products are made;

• your best-selling products and the type of customers who buy them;

• what sets you apart: values, labels, local production, awards.

You can update it at any time. A brand story that is enriched regularly is valued by our algorithm.

You can also add an introduction video to your brand page. To do this, go to "Add an introduction video", paste a YouTube link, then save. A short video of your workshop, your team or your products in use helps retailers picture your brand in their store.

My product pages

• Title: start with the type of item (candle, face cream, notebook), then the variant and main feature.

• Description and selling tips: a short opening paragraph, then 5 bullet points (dimensions, material, origin, care, packaging), with the keywords retailers search for. Explain how to display the product in store (placement, product pairings, seasonality) and the key selling points to share with customers. We recommend at least 600 characters.

• Photos: add several images without text or logos, including lifestyle, detail and packaging shots. Photos on a plain white background only are less engaging. The media library in the product form lets you reuse your images. Also add photos of the packaging, certificates or labels, composition and product label.

• Complete information: add variants, country of manufacture and any useful information (ingredients, best-before date).

My attributes and tags

Retailers often refine their searches with filters: handmade, made in France or in Europe, organic, vegan, eco-designed, etc. A product without the right attribute does not appear in these filtered results, even if it matches the search.

• Add relevant tags to each product, for example bestseller, organic or vegan: they work directly as filters for retailers and highlight your best-selling products.

• Stay accurate: an attribute that does not match the product disappoints the retailer on delivery and can affect your reviews.

My catalogue

• Add new products regularly and group your products into collections.

• Create a starter pack so new retailers can test your assortment.

• Set an accessible minimum order value: 80% of brands on Ankorstore have a first-order minimum below €150. A minimum that is too high holds back first orders. A retailer who has tested your products comes back more easily. You can set a separate minimum for reorders, as well as your free shipping threshold, in your shipping settings.

• Offer prices that leave retailers a sufficient margin. Price recommendations are shown in the price section when you create your product pages.

• Keep your stock up to date: out-of-stock products discourage orders.

Do you sell on Shopify? You can connect your store from the Products page to import your catalogue and sync your stock. Learn more about the Shopify integration

3. How do I get my customers and prospects to order on Ankorstore?

Your existing customers are your first lever: the more they order via Ankorstore, the more visible your store becomes to other retailers. For contacts you add to My Network, only the 3% payment fee applies, never the acquisition fee. Learn more about the pricing model

Adding my contacts to My Network

My Network is your customer relationship tool. We recommend importing your existing customers and prospects before their first order: a contact added afterwards may already have triggered an acquisition fee. An email address is enough to add a contact.

You can then follow their activity: visits to your store, products added to their cart, orders. Once connected to your brand, your customers find it easily with the "My brands" filter.

Go to My Network · Learn more about My Network

Why should my customers order via Ankorstore?

Your existing customers may ask why they should change their habits. Here are the benefits to present:

• Deferred payment at 30, 60 or 90 days depending on their eligibility, with no impact on when you get paid.

• All their brands in one place: one account to order, track deliveries and find their invoices.

• Shipping services, and for Ankorstore Plus members, shipping fees covered below your free shipping threshold with most brands.

• Your offers and discounts, visible directly in your store.

What are the benefits for me of managing my customers on Ankorstore?

• Guaranteed payment: you are paid 2 days after delivery is confirmed, even if the retailer pays at 30, 60 or 90 days.

• No acquisition fee: for customers added to My Network, only the 3% payment fee applies.

• Everything in one place: orders, payments and messages with your customers are managed from your brand account.

• Better follow-up: My Network shows each customer's activity and lets you follow up with campaigns.

• More visibility: every order placed via Ankorstore improves your store's visibility to other retailers.

Finding new prospects outside Ankorstore

This step happens outside Ankorstore: you find the stores to approach yourself, then add them to My Network to follow up with them. Start by defining your target:

• the type of store (concept store, delicatessen, home decor store, bookshop, etc.);

• the geographical area;

• the size (single store or small chain);

• the end customers of your products.

Then look for their professional email addresses:

• Google Maps and business directories: search for "concept store Lyon" or "delicatessen Bordeaux", then check the Contact page or legal notice on each store's website.

• Instagram and LinkedIn: independent stores often list their website or contact details in their profile. Hashtags such as #conceptstore or #independentshop are a good starting point.

• Trade shows: note the contact details of stores that visit your stand and add them as soon as you are back.

• An AI assistant: ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini can help you draw up a first list of stores by city. Remember to check each piece of information.

Tip: keep a simple spreadsheet (store name, city, website, email, status: to contact, contacted, replied) and set yourself a regular target for new contacts. Make sure you follow the rules in force on commercial prospecting.

Following up with my prospects

It often takes several contacts before a first order. Here is a possible schedule:

A prospecting email template

An effective prospecting email is short, personalised and focused on the store you are contacting. You can start from this template:

Subject: Stocking [Your brand] in your store

Hello [First name],

I came across [Store name] while looking for partners in the [sector] sector. Your selection matches our brand's style.

I'm [Your first name], founder of [Your brand]. We offer [one-line description]. We are on Ankorstore: you can order easily and benefit from deferred payment depending on your eligibility.

Would you be available for a quick call this week? I can also send you our catalogue and a selection of our bestsellers.

Have a great day,

[Your first name], [Your brand] [Link to your Ankorstore store]

Once your contacts are in My Network, you can also email them from Campaigns, with the help of the AI email generator. Create a campaign

Contacting my customers regularly

• Email campaigns: choose a segment (existing customers, prospects, items in cart, store visitors), start from a template and schedule the send. You can add a promo code in 1 click. Learn more about campaigns

• WhatsApp: contact your retailers directly from My Network.

• Messages: reply quickly to retailers' questions. This is often what triggers a first order.

A possible pace: your loyal customers 2 times a month, your whole base and your prospects once a month, your new customers 1 month after their first order.

Preparing the order for my customers

A customer places an order by phone, by email or at a trade show? You can prepare their cart with prepared orders, including from Messages, then send them the link. They just need to confirm.

Promoting my Ankorstore store

Your unique link is available on the Promote your shop page. You can share it everywhere: the stockists page of your website, your Instagram bio, your email signature, LinkedIn posts, prospecting emails. You can also add the Ankorstore widget to your website. Orders placed via your link do not trigger an acquisition fee. Go to Promote your shop

4. How do I earn retailers' trust?

Reliable service brings retailers back and improves your visibility: our algorithm favours brands that ship quickly and without errors. Reviews left on your orders are visible to all retailers. The quality of your service therefore becomes a selling point.

The 4 benchmarks to follow

Good habits

• Check your orders every day: 10 minutes at a set time is enough to confirm new orders. This first confirmation reassures the retailer.

• Set a realistic shipping lead time: a lead time kept 95% of the time is better than an overly ambitious promise. You can change it in your shipping settings.

• Add a tracking number: the retailer can follow their parcel. The tracking number also lets your payment be triggered without waiting for the retailer to confirm receipt. Understand the payment system

• Check each parcel: use the order as a packing list to check products, sizes, colours and quantities. Careful packaging prevents breakage.

What should I do if something unexpected happens?

Let the retailer know via Messages, then choose the solution that suits your situation:

• Replace items with equivalent products, with the retailer's agreement. This agreement is essential: the retailer cannot refuse the change once it is saved.

• Split the order: ship what is available right away, then the rest as soon as it is back in stock. The cost of the 2nd shipment is on you.

• Postpone the order if all items will be available within 3 months: update the shipping date. A postponement announced in advance does not affect your ranking, unlike an unannounced delay.

• Remove unavailable items, including individual units for products sold in packs.

• Cancel the order only if no other solution is possible.

Remember to update your stock afterwards. Retailers appreciate transparency, even when things don't go as planned.

Manage your order · Split an order · Manage your claims

5. How do I sell more?

Discounts and Ankorstore events help you attract new retailers and trigger reorders.

• Offer discounts: retailers can filter and sort products by discount. The Discounts & offers page brings together your discounts, volume discounts, promo codes and your participation in Ankorstore programmes and events. Go to Discounts & offers

• Create promo codes: for a first order or a follow-up, to share in 1 click in your email campaigns.

• Take part in Ankorstore events: Ankorstore Days and seasonal operations attract many retailers. You can sign up from the Discounts & offers page. During the event, keep your stock up to date: available products are better highlighted.

• Follow up on carts to convert: the Carts to convert page shows retailers who added your products to their cart without ordering. The "Cart with your products" filter in My Network gives the same information for your contacts. A personalised message, possibly with a discount on the first order, is often enough to close the sale. Avoid sending repeated follow-ups that get no reply. Go to Carts to convert · Tips for following up on carts

• Add free items: a sample or free item can be added from the order details. It is a simple way to introduce a new product.

• Refresh your assortment: new products give your customers a reason to come back, and you a reason to contact them.

• Enter your exact address: retailers can search for brands "Near me". An exact address makes you visible to stores nearby.

Building loyalty with my best customers

• Personalised discounts: from the Discounts & offers page, you can offer a dedicated discount to a retailer in your network, or to retailers with a cart in progress. This discount ranges from 1% to 70%, flat or tiered. The retailer is notified by email and on the platform.

• Repeat offer for Ankorstore Plus members: Ankorstore Plus is the subscription for retailers who order regularly. You choose a discount from 5% to 20%. It is triggered automatically when a member reaches €500 excl. VAT of purchases from you in a quarter, and remains valid until the end of the following quarter. You can change or stop it at any time.

Good to know: your discounts cannot be combined. The most favourable discount for the retailer applies.

Manage your discounts · Learn more about Ankorstore Plus · Learn more about the Repeat offer

6. How do I track my results?

You can track your results from your brand account: the Dashboard for your sales and visibility, My Network for your customers, and Campaigns for your sends. Regular tracking helps you spot what works and anticipate a slowdown.

My dashboard

The Dashboard brings together your key indicators in 3 tabs. On each tab, you can select a period and, for the first 2, compare year on year. The Tips button gives recommendations based on your figures.

• Revenue: your total revenue, number of orders, new customers and average order value, with a chart of your monthly gross revenue. You can segment these figures by order history or customer origin. Comparing 2 periods shows the effect of an event, a discount or a campaign.

• Visibility: the average number of monthly visitors to your store and a monthly chart of unique visitors and orders. The Visitor types view shows who views your store. Store viewed but rarely ordered from: work on your product pages, prices and offers. Store rarely viewed: focus on your campaigns, events and sharing your link.

• Product Performance: for each live product with orders or views in the period, the number of orders and units sold, net revenue, views and available stock. Out-of-stock products are flagged. You can sort the table by sales, revenue or views. This is the starting point to choose which products to highlight, complete or restock.

Go to the Dashboard

My customers in My Network

For each contact, you can see their order history and recent activity: store visits, products added to cart, adding your brand to favourites. Filters help you identify your best customers, those who haven't reordered for a long time and interested prospects. You can also export your contacts as a CSV file.

My campaigns

Statistics for each campaign (open rate, clicks) remain available for 90 days. By comparing your sends, you can identify the topics, segments and offers your retailers respond to.

Key indicators to track

A simple routine

• Every day: confirm your new orders and reply to your messages.

• Every week: check your AI assistant's suggestions and follow up on carts in progress.

• Every month: review your sales and products, identify customers to contact and plan your next campaign.

The "Proven Success" badge

Your most reordered products can earn the "Proven Success" badge, visible to retailers. Conditions:

• ordered by at least 3 different retailers within 6 months;

• among the top 15% most reordered products in its category;

• reordered within 2 months.

The badge is updated every month.

Asking my AI assistant

Your assistant helps you interpret your figures and decide on your next actions. Example questions:

• "What are my best-selling products this quarter?"

• "Which retailers haven't reordered for a long time?"

• "Which product pages should I complete first?"

• "Are my prices attractive compared to my category?"

• "How have my sales changed compared to last month?"

Related articles

• Create campaigns on Ankorstore

• Stimulate your customer base with My Network

• Follow up with retailers who have items in their cart

• "Proven Success" badge

7. I can't find the answer to my question

Our customer service team can help you. Contact customer service

Further reading

• How do I onboard my brand?

• What is the pricing model?

• Manage your order