One of the most important, yet challenging, aspects of starting a business is deciding on which wholesaler you want get your products from. Part of having a profitable business will depend on the success or failures you encounter in this process.
We here at Wholesale Cutting Boards have an in-depth understanding about these business partnerships. This month, we decided to share our experience and knowledge with those who are looking to learn more about wholesaling and supplier-vendor relations.
Our aim is to let you know exactly what you need to look for and know about your wholesaler as you move forward. Let’s start from the wholesaler’s side of the story and then shift our focus over to the vendor’s.
Understanding what the wholesaler is looking for and how that affects you will greatly increase the odds of landing a deal that is mutually beneficial. They serve as the middleman, buying products by the thousands monthly to connect you, the vendor, to the manufacturer.
Since the wholesaler’s bread and butter is selling in bulk quantities, they are more receptive to large orders. If you’re looking for an order under 20 items, you may not be able to get the pricing you need in order to turn the best possible profit.
Generally, the larger the order you place, the more flexible they will be with the pricing. A fair wholesaler will often let you make the first order outside these parameters—like a sample order—just so you can get a sense of the product and other related factors, like packaging and shipping.
Now that you know where the wholesaler is coming from, you can start to do your research. There are a few signs that you should look for to tell the difference between a good and a great supplier.
Before even reaching out to a wholesaler, you can get an idea about their business by looking at their website. Do they have good articles showing that they are a trusted and knowledgeable source for that product? Are you able to find reviews and testimonials that support and confirm the legitimacy and professionalism in their partnerships?
Next, you can reach out to them and get a quote for what you need. This will also give you an idea of how long the lead time is. If this is too long, you might want to go ahead and take your business elsewhere.
Are they approachable and offer excellent customer service? Are they genuinely looking to build a partnership that is beneficial to both parties? You will get a good sense of whether they’re customer oriented or not after the first call with a sales representative.
One last thing to remember is the wholesale supplier location. The further away you are from your supplier, the more it will cost to ship. But pricing and quality factor into this equation so make sure that you take all these things into consideration.
Your first order will tell you a lot about the wholesaler. How does the packaging look? For example, our high-quality, hardwood cutting boards are shipped in boxes that are designed to protect them during the ship process. What about the quality of the product? Does it arrive as it was advertised? Are they shipping damaged and faulty products? You should be attentive to consistency and the amount of time that it takes to receive the product.
Choosing the right wholesale is the first step to creating a functional and profitable business. Here at Wholesale Cutting Boards, we ensure customer satisfaction with every client relationship.
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