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Seller FAQ

Selling on HotSauceDepot.com

Why should I become a seller?

Hot Sauce Depot has been around for over 15 years, and we have an established customer base that includes both retail and wholesale users. Our customers range from consumers to retailers, restaurants, and more. By becoming a seller at HotSauceDepot.com, your products will be seen by your targeted audience: People who are already looking for hot sauce, BBQ sauce, and other fiery foods. Your products will be in front of our thousands of wholesale customers, who are always looking for new and unique sauces for their patrons. 

If you choose to use our fulfillment services, we will store your product, process your orders, and ship your packages for you from our warehouse in North Texas. Then your products become eligible for our "Flat Rate Shipping" and "Free Shipping over $70" promotions for retail customers, which is especially attractive to seasoned chiliheads who want to be the first to discover the next big thing. A benefit to using fulfillment services through our marketplace instead of that other, super-big, generic online marketplace is that you do not have to ship your products in ready-to-ship packaging. You'll also likely see fewer chargebacks as any damages would be on us: We packed it, and we are responsible for getting it there.

Expand your reach to include all of Hot Sauce Depot's retail customers, and, if you choose, our wholesale customers, too!


What kind of products can I sell?

You can sell any type of product that's within the realm of the fiery food industry. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Hot sauce 
  • Salsa
  • BBQ sauce
  • Wing sauce
  • Dry rubs, spices & seasonings
  • Marinades, jerks & steak sauces
  • Drink mixes (NO alcoholic beverages)
  • Spicy snacks such as jerky, hot nuts, popcorn, chips & other treats
  • Have something else- ask us!

How do I become a seller?

You can become a seller in 3 easy steps:

  1. Apply for a seller account here and wait to be approved as a seller (usually between 1 - 2 business days).
  2. Once approved, log in and set your store preferences.
  3. Upload products to your catalog and start selling.

Do you offer fraud protection?

We'll handle any fraud issues on our end. We may need to contact you for additional information on the purchase as we complete our fraud inquiry, but you still get paid for your order.

Pricing

How much does it cost to sell on HotSauceDepot.com?

This all depends on whether you are doing self-fulfillment or Hot Sauce Depot fulfillment.  At this time we are only offering HSD Fulfillment, but self-fulfillment will be available soon.  The costs involved for the two fulfillment options are outlined below, along with the benefits of each.

How much does it cost to participate in Hot Sauce Depot's Marketplace with Self-Fulfillment?  (Self-Fulfillment coming soon)

The cost to sell through our marketplace is 15% of product sales, plus 3.5% of the shipping charges to cover merchant fees.  This allows you to sell as many of your items as you wish, with no additional charges and no monthly fees.

The marketplace fee includes:

  • Inclusion on our website with full search- You will be listed on our website and show up under all applicable categories and in search results, just as though we were distributing your products through traditional distribution.
  • Brand Page- Your store will be listed on our Hot Sauce Brands page, and all of your products will be listed on your personalized brand page.
  • Credit card fees and Credit Card Fraud Coverage- We absorb the credit card processing fees, and if something gets past our card fraud protection we take on this cost.
  • New Items Listing- When you add new items you will be listed on the front page of our website under New Products.
  • Occasional Featured Items Listing- We rotate our Featured Items, and will randomly select marketplace items to include in the Featured Items listing on our home page.
  • Sale Items inclusion- Put your product on sale and be listed in our On Sale page along with a sale banner attached to your product on every page that it is seen.
  • Be seen by our large list of wholesale customers- By offering wholesale pricing on your products you also gain access to our vast group of re-sellers and restaurants.

How much does it cost to participate in Hot Sauce Depot's fulfillment program?

HSD Fulfillment includes all Marketplace benefits, plus those outlined below.  There is an additional 6% selling fee when you participate in HSD fulfillment, as well as a nominal storage fee based on how much product you store in our facility. The storage fee is based on the square footage of space needed to house your item(s). Feel free to contact us for more information.

The HSD Fulfillment fee includes:

  • Packing of product and packing materials- You do not need to pre-pack items individually as with other fulfillment warehouses.  You can just send us your product in bulk cases and we take care of packing.
  • Breakage Coverage- We are packing your products, so we also take responsibility for breakage and ensure that the customer is taken care of at our expense
  • Shipping- By participating in our fulfillment program your products can be shipped with all of our products, and those from other vendors on our marketplace.  This means that the customer can use our Flat Rate Shipping and Free Shipping options, meaning that your products will sell better than if they must be shipped separately, as would be the case in self-fulfillment.


What are the benefits to participating in Hot Sauce Depot's fulfillment program?

Inclusion in our marketplace is a great way to be seen by a vast group of both retail and wholesale customers who are specifically interested in the products that you have to offer.  This expands your list of potential customers and brand recognition dramatically.  Why, then, would you want to spend the extra money to use Hot Sauce Depot Fulfillment?

  • No special packaging required- Unlike some marketplaces, you do not need to invest time and money into special packaging when shipping us your product, or packing each item in a ready-to-ship pack.  Just ship us your cases and we take care of the individual item packing
  • Be part of our shipping promotions- Shipping cost is the number one reason that customers abandon their shopping cart.  By using HSD Fulfillment you become part of our Flat Rate Shipping and Free Shipping programs, so your products will not have a separate shipping cost from the rest of a customer's order.  This is the best way to make sure that customers do not remove your items from their shopping cart.  This is especially true with our wholesale customers.  Stores and restaurants want one-stop shopping where they can get all of their products in one place to reduce time and shipping cost.  Capitalize on this by having us warehouse your products to ship with the other items that a customer orders.
  • We cover breakage- Glass breaks.  Unfortunately, the cost to ship a replacement product is usually higher than the cost of the product itself.  Reduce your losses due to breakage by having us take care of it.

Can I fulfill my own orders and ALSO participate in the fulfillment program?

Unfortunately, there is no way to participate in both simultaneously. This may change in the future, but for now you must choose between selling through the website or utilizing our fulfillment services.

Is there a subscription fee?

There is no subscription fee.

Sell Your Spicy Stuff

How do I manage my seller account?

Please refer to our Seller Knowledge Base for account management questions.

How do I add products to my catalog?

Please refer to our Seller Knowledge Base for account management questions.

How do I send my products to Hot Sauce Depot?

Package your products appropriately to ensure that they arrive to us undamaged, but it is not necessary to ship in damage-proof master cartons or pack items individually for shipping to the customer.  Hot Sauce Depot will ensure that outgoing shipments are packed appropriately.

Send your products to:
Hot Sauce Depot
Fulfillment Program
5951 Park Vista Circle, #125
Keller, TX 76244
(817) 750-2739

How do I know when I have a sale?

You will receive an email notification when you have a sale. To process your order, log into your account and manage your orders from your Orders dashboard. You can find detailed information on how to process your orders in the Seller Knowledge Base.

How do I get paid?

If you are not using our fulfillment services and are simply selling through our online marketplace, you can request a payout through your seller dashboard. You'll receive your payment through your PayPal account. You can find more information about how to request a payout in the Requesting a Payout section of our Knowledge Base.

Don't see your question answered here? Check out our Seller Knowledge Base or feel free to contact us to ask us directly.