Off-Price Retail Guide — TJ Maxx

How to Sell Your Clothing Brand to TJ Maxx

How TJ Maxx and Marshalls buyers actually buy apparel, how to get in front of the right buyer, and what to have ready before you pitch.

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Yes, a growing clothing brand can sell to TJ Maxx. But TJ Maxx does not buy the way a boutique or a department store buys, and most first pitches fail because the brand shows up ready for the wrong kind of buyer.

TJ Maxx and Marshalls belong to The TJX Companies, the largest off-price retailer in the world. Their buyers want the right product at the right price, available now. This guide explains how they buy, how to get in front of them, and what to have ready before you do.

For the full off-price playbook, including Ross and Burlington, read our guide to getting your clothing brand into off-price retail.

01

How TJ Maxx buys

TJ Maxx buyers shop the market every week for the current season, so timing and availability matter more than a beautiful long-range plan.

Weekly, not seasonal
TJX has long told investors its buyers are in the market virtually every week, buying close to need for the current selling season.
Huge, but specialized
Roughly 1,200 buyers work with about 21,000 vendors, many of them new. Each buyer covers a narrow category, so you pitch the buyer for your category, not “TJ Maxx.”
Price first
The customer expects brand and quality at 20% to 60% below department-store prices. Your cost has to leave room for that.
Flexible on assortment
TJX has said it will buy less than a full run of styles and sizes, and does not ask for markdown money or return privileges. That flexibility is the trade for a sharp price.

In practice, buyers want product they can see, priced right, shipping soon. Our experience matches this: moodboards and swatches no longer open the door; stock ready now or within one to two months does.

02

Two ways in: closeouts and made-for programs

Most growing brands get in through a made-for program, not closeouts.

Closeouts
Excess or canceled stock you already own. The buyer sees finished goods, sizes and quantities on hand. Low risk, but reorders are rare.
Made-for programs
Product built for the buyer at an agreed price. The buyer sees a line sheet, a buyer deck, samples and a delivery date. Higher risk, but this is where reorders and long relationships come from.

With a made-for program the buyer commits before the goods exist, so your line, specs and delivery plan have to look certain.

03

Getting in front of a TJ Maxx buyer

Registering as a vendor and getting bought are two different things. The portal sets up your account, but a buyer still has to want the product.

1
Find the right buyer
Buyers are split by category: ladies’ activewear, men’s tops, kids’. Pitch the one who buys what you make.
2
Get introduced
The fastest door is a warm introduction from a vendor, rep or factory that already sells to TJX.
3
Work with an off-price rep
Independent reps who already sell to TJ Maxx and Marshalls can get a line seen quickly, usually for a commission.
4
Register when a buyer asks
Complete TJX’s supplier registration once a buyer is ready to place an order. Its supplier diversity program mainly covers what TJX buys to run the business, not merchandise.
04

What to have ready before the appointment

Walk in with a focused line, a price that works, and proof you can deliver.

✦
A tight line
A handful of proven bodies in sell-through colors, not your whole collection.
✦
Off-price costing
Your cost, your wholesale price, and the ticket price the buyer can hang next to a “compare at” price.
✦
A line sheet
Every style, colorway, size range, fabric in plain words, price and delivery date on one clean page. Line sheet design
✦
A buyer deck
Ten to twelve slides: who the customer is, the line, why it sells, and how you will deliver. Buyer presentations
✦
Samples or stock
Real product the buyer can touch.
✦
Factory-ready tech packs
So the bulk matches the sample and a reorder matches the first run. Tech pack development
✦
A delivery and reorder plan
Ship dates, capacity, and how fast you can repeat a winner.
05

After the purchase order

The order is the start, not the finish. TJX runs on electronic orders and strict shipping rules, and mistakes cost money.

EDI
Orders, ship notices and invoices travel electronically. Most small brands use an EDI provider; setup typically takes two to three weeks.
Routing and labels
Cartons ship to TJX distribution centers with the required labels and paperwork.
Ticketing and packing
Tickets, carton packs and prepacks follow the purchase order exactly.
Compliance
Late, short or mislabeled shipments can bring chargebacks and hurt your next order. A brand that ships clean gets the reorder.
FAQ

TJ Maxx questions

Can a small brand sell to TJ Maxx?
Yes, if the price, product and delivery work. TJX buys from about 21,000 vendors, including new ones every year.
Does TJ Maxx buy from new brands?
Yes. Buyers care less about how long you have existed than whether you can ship the right product on time.
Is selling to TJ Maxx the same as selling to Marshalls?
Both belong to TJX. A program sold to one can end up in both.
Do I need stock ready to ship?
It helps a lot. Buyers buy for the current season, so goods that are ready now or within one to two months are easier to place.
Will selling to TJ Maxx hurt my brand?
It can if your full-price customer sees the same product marked down. Many brands sell a made-for line that does not compete with their full-price collection.
What do I need before contacting a buyer?
A focused line, off-price costing, a line sheet, a buyer deck and production you can count on.
Getting ready for a TJ Maxx appointment?

We have spent 20+ years building lines, line sheets and buyer decks for apparel brands selling to major retailers. Book a free 20-minute intro call and we'll tell you what your line and deck need.

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