Wednesday 3 August 2011

How To Find A Wholesaler

Working with the right wholesaler is essential to the success and growth of any retailing venture. A good wholesale supplier can help conserve resources in terms of reduced overhead as well as effective time management, just as working with the wrong one will cost you.

Locating A Wholesale Firm

From stuffed animals to zippers, every product under the sun has a specific set of wholesale distributors in charge of conveying it from the manufacturers to individual sellers. While certain suppliers do sell random items depending on what they can acquire at bargain rates, most cater to a specific market niche, such as craft supplies or gardening equipment.

Although traditionally, wholesale suppliers stayed closer to the retail markets they supplied than the manufacturing sites, the growing ease of online commerce and e-procurement have prompted an increasing number of these wholesalers to set up shop nearer manufacturing bases in mainland China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, many of whom offer drop shipping services to the growing population of casual and semi-professional online sellers using e-commerce platforms such as eBay. Here are a couple of ways to locate wholesale suppliers and drop shippers: 

Online sourcing directories: Online sourcing directories are a great platform for locating effective sourcing leads. The trick is to choose reputable trade portals, such as eSource, rather than the many free directories or even those that offer fantastic profits or instant returns. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it generally is. Trustworthy trade portals, such as eSource, make it a point to carefully investigate their members to weed out fraudulent and nonprofitable suppliers.

Online search engines: A key word-specific search on popular search engines, such as Google, can help locate wholesale firms. The Google AdWords keyword tool is a great application for generating effective combinations of keywords.

Trade exhibitions and industry meets: Visiting trade symposiums is a great way to cultivate industry contacts and find suppliers. Registering in advance and having a valid business licence and tax ID will help establish your credentials as a serious buyer and increase the chances of closing a deal.

Trade publications: Trade journals often have specific sections devoted to industry-specific advertising. These pages are a good source for finding local wholesale suppliers, although locating the right supplier will require a significant amount of patience and meticulous research.

Once you have located a potential wholesaler, verify the business's credentials carefully before proceeding further. E-commerce transactions are especially vulnerable to online fraud, and there are a number of fraudulent companies that prey on careless or inexperienced buyers.

Some of the methods for verifying the authenticity of a seller include financial checking and business and phone number and address verification.

To conclude, today online retailing is going global, with buyers and wholesalers around the world coming together online. When it comes to e-commerce, the opportunities are truly limitless.

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More

 
Design by Free WordPress Themes | Bloggerized by Lasantha - Premium Blogger Themes | Free Samples By Mail