1. business and industrial
2. business operations
3. business plans

Dot Sample
Express® Program
Build, manage and ship efficiently.
The Dot Sample
Express® Program
Start!
DOT PICKS UP PRODUCTS
STOCK AND SLOT
DOT EXPRESSWAY
At the manufacturer – including
items that ship as samples
Items are stocked on shelves,
ready to fufill orders
Brokers/reps place orders
“Given the complexity of our business,
and the multiple temperature states, we
find that Sample Express® provides us
with a convenient, efficient and reliable
Imagine a sampling program where there are no lost, late or
forgotten orders. Where you know exactly who has ordered
samples, what they were ordered for, and where they were
delivered. Where there are no hidden costs and you can ship
”
means of sampling our products.
Kurt Schuitema
one case — or 1,000 — with a simple online ordering system.
general mills
Wherever and whenever your customer requires.
“Sample Express® provides really nice
It’s a manufacturer’s dream. And it’s why we created the
data in reporting on what samples are
”
being ordered, when, and by whom.
Steve Kobylczyk
nestlé professional
Dot Sample Express® Program.
A simpler approach to ordering and tracking samples.
Sampling is an excellent way to introduce your customers to new products. But getting
your samples into their hands can be a real challenge. The Dot Sample Express® Program
takes the pain out of your sampling process, optimizing efficiencies and reducing costs.
DIRECT
Ships to rep or business
DISTRIBUTOR
Ships on a Dot order for reps
and brokers to pick up
Confirmation email
WAREHOUSE
BROKER’S OFFICE
Picks case, inner pack or unit
Large orders are stocked
at a broker or food show
is sent to complete the order
SAMPLE EXPRESS® OFFERS YOU:
Reduced expense.
Simple ordering.
Dot processes your orders quickly and ships them efficiently,
eliminating lost, late or forgotten orders.
Enter your order into our exclusive online system and
we’ll send your samples to the address you indicate in the
timeframe you choose. We’ll train your brokers, reps and
customer service team to use the program, too. And if
anyone has questions about their samples, we’ll answer
their calls so you don’t have to.
No hidden costs.
If you’re moving your samples through distributor pulls,
you’re likely paying extra for picking, packaging, processing
and more. Dot eliminates hidden costs and provides detailed
monthly reporting on all sample orders.
Efficient shipping.
With Sample Express®, your orders are delivered as needed to
fit your timetable or budget.
Accountability.
Sample Express® offers detailed tracking, so you always know
who ordered your samples, for what purpose, where the
samples went and when.
Sustainability.
Sample Express® reduces waste, trims miles, and uses
environmentally friendly packaging materials.
Sample Express® delivers with flexible
options — and without hidden costs.
ROUTE 1
FULL CASE
INNER PACK / UNIT
Small Package Delivery
Small Package Delivery
Order-to-destination time:
Order-to-destination time:
Fast! Your choice from ground delivery to next-day.
Fast! Your choice from ground delivery to next-day.
Order minimum: 1 case.
Order minimum: 1 inner pack or unit.
Advantage: Enjoy direct-to-door delivery
Advantage: Break the case and ship as little as one
at Dot’s discounted rates.
single product for less waste and greater savings on
high-value items.
Sample Express® eliminates these costs
from your sample program.
Sample Express® eliminates these costs
from your sample program.
Order processing
Picking
Labeling
Routing
Sample inventory carrying costs
Packing (including packaging materials)
Customer support
Reporting
Order processing
Picking
Labeling
Routing
Sample inventory carrying costs
Packing (including packaging materials)
Customer support
Reporting
What you’ll pay with Sample Express®
What you’ll pay with Sample Express®
Net product cost
Dot bills you back the cost we pay
Net product cost
Dot bills you back the cost
we pay per inner pack
Fulfillment
Dry: $10, Frozen: $18
Shipping/
Transportation
Based on product shipped,
shipment method, delivery speed
Fulfillment
Dry: $10 for first pack,
$1.50 for each additional pack
Frozen: $18 for first pack,
$2 for each additional pack
Dry shipment: $10 + net
product cost + shipping cost
Shipping/
Transportation
Based on product shipped,
shipment method, delivery speed
Total Sample Cost
Through Dot
Frozen shipment: $18 + net
product cost + shipping cost
Total Sample Cost
Through Dot
Dry shipment: total fulfillment +
net product cost + shipping
Frozen shipment: total fulfillment
+ net product cost + shipping
Send a single product or enough to stock a food show efficiently and at a lower cost
than your current sampling program. With Dot, there are no add-on fees for order
processing, picking, labeling, routing, packing, inventory, reporting or customer support.
ROUTE 2
ROUTE 3
MID-SIZE SHIPMENT
BY THE TRUCK
Delivered to a Distributor
Carrier Order to a Brokers Office or Food Show Site
Order-to-destination time:
Order-to-destination time:
Quick! Just 2-4 days.
Just 5-10 days.
Order minimum: 10 cases combined across multiple
Order minimum: 25 cases by temperature combined
supplier product lines.
across multiple supplier product lines.
Advantage: Your samples ship on their own pallet in a
regular Dot delivery to distributors, where they’re stocked
and ready for pick-up. Combine multiple product lines, if
needed, to meet the order minimum.
Advantage: Stock your broker’s storeroom or get samples
to a food show. With our carrier option, you can combine
multiple product lines to meet the order minimum.
Sample Express® eliminates these costs
from your sample program.
Sample Express® eliminates these costs
from your sample program.
Order processing
Picking
Labeling
Routing
Sample inventory carrying costs
Customer support
Reporting
Order processing
Picking
Labeling
Routing
Sample inventory carrying costs
Customer support
Reporting
What you’ll pay with Sample Express®
What you’ll pay with Sample Express®
Net product cost
Dot bills you back the cost we pay
Net product cost
Dot bills you back the cost we pay
Fulfillment
$7.50
Fulfillment
$10
Shipping/
Transportation
Included
Shipping/
Transportation
Included
Total Sample Cost
Through Dot
$7.50 + net product cost
Total Sample Cost
Through Dot
$10 + net product cost
SAMPLE EXPRESS® FORMULA FOR SAVINGS. How much can you save by switching to Sample Express®?
1. F ind the difference between the net product cost
and your cost of goods sold to determine the
Manufacturer’s Revenue Adjustment. An internal
accounting adjustment of this number is needed
to account for the true cost of goods.
2. C
alculate the savings using this formula:
3. Compare this cost to what you’re
Total Sample Cost through Dot
paying for your sampling
minus Manufacturer’s Revenue Adjustment
program now.
equals Manufacturer’s Total Cost
Sample Express® reveals what other
sampling programs don’t.
Frustrated by the lack of detail in your sample reporting? Sample Express® gives you
specific information in more than 20 different categories to help you track exactly
how much you’re shipping, how much you’re paying, where your goods are going
and who’s handling them along the way.
SAMPLE EXPRESS® REPORTING INCLUDES:
Delivery Date
Know exactly when your samples reach your recipient.
User Name
See who’s placed each order so you can follow up with ease.
Brokerage (if applicable)
Find out which brokers and locations are placing sample orders.
Dot/Manufacturing/UPC Numbers
View details for each order.
Description
See which items customers are sampling and how often, so you can
focus on the items driving your business.
Case/Each
See case and inner pack details to determine the most efficient
method for ordering.
Received Quantity
Find out how many of your items shipped.
Cost Breakdown
View your total cost, along with details such as net product cost, extended
product cost, fulfillment cost (picking, packing, labeling, administrative),
and FedEx/shipping cost, if applicable.
Shipment Method
See whether your items shipped by small package delivery, by Dot truck to
a distributor, or via common carrier.
Recipient
Track your samples to a rep’s home or office, to a restaurant, chain account,
school or distributor to see where your budget is going.
GL Codes/Notes
Access this special section to see budget information and account notes from
your sales team to better understand your costs and manage your budget.
This breakdown is part of every Sample Express® invoice, so you can easily track your spending and plan your budget
with greater accuracy. With Sample Express®, you have all the details you need to make your sampling program a success.
Simplify sampling even more with Dot’s custom services.
Autoships introduce products
when you’re ready to launch.
Kits make a big impression with
a little something extra.
Shipper displays showcase your
product and boost sales.
Autoships, sometimes called a “forced
shipment,” allow you to send a sample
to a group though no sample has been
requested. You might use autoships to
put a new product in your sales team’s
hands or to share a product with a group
of distributors or operators.
Kits allow your products to break away
from the pack — literally! Instead of
shipping by the case, kits allow you
to combine inner packs into a single
shipment or send samples along with a
value-added item, such as point-of-sale
materials, recipes or product literature.
Shipper displays are a great way to
make a splash in a crowded marketplace.
But building the displays and managing
the shipments on your own can be
inefficient and costly.
Dot can manage your autoships with
ease. All it takes is a completed request
from the supplier. Dot will ship your case
or kit to its destination using either
small shipment delivery or, for larger
orders, a common carrier.
Use kits to launch or autoship your
products. It’s easy with Dot! You provide
the product, quantities and collateral
materials, and we’ll do the rest. We’ll
stock your kit with a Dot number to pull
as needed to fill your orders. And you
can choose any of Dot’s three shipping
methods to efficiently reach your
customers. All for about $3 per kit.
“Dot also has sample kit building capabilities that we have utilized that has
”
saved us money getting important innovation samples to our end customers.
Hal Langston
unilever food solutions
Let Dot streamline your shipper
promotions by managing the process
from start to finish. We’ll assemble your
shippers and take care of transportation,
ordering, inventory, handling, tracking
and billing. Plus, we’ll deliver with
shorter lead times, reducing the gap
between shipper supply and demand.
Your customers will enjoy the faster
service, and you’ll be more satisfied,
as your product spends more time
displayed in stores.
LEARN HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE
YOUR SAMPLING PROGRAM WITH
DOT SAMPLE EXPRESS®.
Contact Lance Musick, Senior Business
Development Manager at:
[email protected] or 217-773-4411.
SM
Our Brand Promise: What does it mean for you?
We’ll treat you the way we’d want to be treated. Dot is family owned and
operated, and our values reflect that. We act with integrity and respect for our
customers — not only as business partners, but as people.
If there’s a better way, we’ll find it. Dot was first in food redistribution because our
founder saw a need and filled it. We continue that pioneering spirit today, developing
creative solutions that help our partners work smarter, faster, better.
We’re here to support your growth. We know that if we can simplify your business,
increase your market share, or boost your profits, we’ve not only helped your business,
we’ve helped ours. So we keep our focus on service to keep you coming back for more!
Burley, ID
Distribution Center
Mt. Sterling, IL
Headquarters
Cambridge City, IN
Distribution Center
Liverpool, NY
Distribution Center
Williamsport, MD
Modesto, CA
Distribution Center
Distribution Center
Vidalia, GA
Distribution Center
Ardmore, OK
Distribution Center
St. Louis, MO
Corporate Sales Office
Dot Foods, Inc.
One Dot Way, P.O. Box 192 | Mt. Sterling, IL 62353
1-800-366-3687 | www.dotfoods.com
©2012 Dot Foods, Inc. All rights reserved.
® Registered trademarks of Dot Foods, Inc.
SM
Service Mark of Dot Foods, Inc.
DSE-0912