Wholesale suppliers play an essential role in making every business successful. They are responsible for providing only the best products for the target market to consume. Having zero knowledge on how to find a wholesale supplier fitted for you is one common fear for many starters in the business world. And if you happen to be one of them, then you have nothing to worry about.
Here in Strikingly, we definitely got your back. So, sit back, relax, and be ready to learn awesome tips and tricks on how to get the best wholesale supplier for your online business. To start off, let’s get to know what wholesale is all about.
Image taken from Dr. Chai
What is Wholesale?
Wholesale or wholesaling is a method to sell it in bulk instead of marketing small quantities of products. Wholesale suppliers usually buy products directly from a manufacturer and then sell them to a business owner at a discounted price. The business owner then resells these products to retailers at a higher price to consumers.
Image taken from Hayashida Rice
A wholesale distributor does not necessarily need to operate a physical store like many businessmen. Their main role is to ensure that businesses receive high-quality inventory for their customers to buy. A wholesale supplier is generally the bridge between manufacturers and resellers.
Now that you understand what a wholesale supplier is, where to find a wholesale supplier that best fits you?
Where to Find a Wholesale Supplier?
Finding the best wholesale distributor is another challenge after starting your own business. There would be many choices, but only a few could be the best partner for you. If you are still wondering where to find a wholesale supplier that’ll help you fulfill your needs, we collected these top three awesome online marketplaces just for you.
1. Salehoo
Salehoo is a wholesale supplier who has been in the industry for more than fifteen years. It is one common choice internationally among business owners. This wholesale distributor has access to more than 1.6 million product categories worldwide. Just what a good place to find your best match, right?
Salehoo primarily distributes clothing products towards the market. If you want to get exclusive access to their wholesale supplier database, you might need to prepare a certain amount of fee. They also offer annual and lifetime fees depending on which type you wish to get. If you plan to have long-term access to their wholesale supplier database, then getting the lifetime plan is the best for you. Another great idea about this wholesale supplier marketplace is that you can claim a refund once you are not satisfied with the products or shipping policy rules being offered to you.
One reason why many businesses have been partnering with Salehoo is that they have an impressive wholesale supplier record. It is considered as one best option to find the best wholesale supplier which possesses genuine professionality. Products offered here are shipped faster and do not require complicated order requirements. You can also find branded products from manufacturers like Disney and Sony. A variety of wholesale distributor product categories are also included in their website to help businesses improve their profit margin.
Salehoo also does have a lot of awesome features to help you find a wholesale supplier that you need. Among them are the following:
- Guaranteed high-quality product brands well-known in USA
- Huge range of wholesale product categories
- Reliable wholesale supplier support business starters
- Faster shipping
- Lower order quantity requirements
- Training sessions and educational tools for business owners
- Awesome wholesale supplier platform experience
2. AliExpress / Alibaba
Both AliExpress and Alibaba are operated by one company. Alibaba is mainly a B2B firm that provides businesses across Asia with their wholesaling needs. If you are planning to run your own business, finding a great wholesale supplier with Alibaba is highly recommended. On the other hand, Alibaba functions as a B2C online platform made for the market. It possesses a wide range of product categories at an affordable price.
Alibaba and AliExpress are both suitable places to find the best wholesale supplier. They have a wide range of online business directories and exclusive connections to wholesale distributors across the globe. They even own a built system that lets consumers find the best wholesale supplier through the help of customer feedback, ratings, reviews, and even transaction levels posted on their online platform.
Among the other features of this wholesale supplier website are:
- Wholesale suppliers who passed strict standards
- Fully authenticated wholesale distributors
- Secured payment services
- Wide access to wholesale suppliers worldwide
- Highly-functional online platform design
- Multi-payment options
3. WholesaleCentral
WholesaleCentral is an online platform that is primarily designed to help both a wholesale supplier and a retailer. It is one platform perfect for retail product sellers looking for a great place where to find a wholesale supplier for their business. Every wholesale supplier is sorted into different market-leading categories making it easier to find your best match. Their wholesale distributor website platform is even designed to give you an option to get top-selling products by showing you a “trending items” category.
Joining WholesaleCentral also gives you the privilege to get free shipping vouchers on your first purchase from your chosen wholesale supplier. You can even track down their daily bonus sales through browsing their “deals and deals” section. WholesaleCentral also lists their top wholesale distributors to help you find a wholesale supplier which guarantees a top-level performance.
Among the other best features of WholesaleCentral include:
- Organized category of high-performing wholesale suppliers
- Options for faster product locating
- Ratings
- Reliable support for both wholesale supplier and retailer
- Excellent product selection
Tips and Tricks on How to Find the Perfect Wholesale Supplier
Still having trouble understanding all about wholesaling? You’ve got nothing to worry about. Here in Strikingly, we want nothing but the best for business starters like you. So, to help you equip yourself with only the right ideas on how and where to find a wholesale supplier for your business, we listed these useful tips for you.
∙ Know Your Channel
Understanding your chosen niche is a key idea in finding the best wholesale supplier for you. Before you look for places where to find a wholesale supplier, it is important that you know what you are exactly looking for. There are tons of wholesale supplier categories in the world of ecommerce. Different industry specifications, different distribution channels.
Among the most common types of channels are manufacturers, importer or exclusive distributors, regional distributors/wholesalers, and jobbers.
Knowing where you fit among these types would make it easier for you to find the best wholesale supplier for your business and ensure that you can provide what your market exactly wants.
∙ Gather Contacts
Now that you’re done understanding your niche, it is now time to build your contacts. Make a list of all your prospective wholesale suppliers. Create a cohesive directory including the wholesale supplier name, contact numbers, email address, and even social media accounts if they do have one. You can also make your contact list more detailed by including their minimum purchase order requirements for each transaction, their unit prices, other manufacturing partners in which you’re interested, and the specific regions they primarily supply.
Image taken from Fujimi
You can begin your own wholesale supplier listing by getting their initial contact information first. If you then decide to continue transacting with them, you can start asking for other information you wish to know about them.
One pro tip: In finding the best wholesale supplier for your business, honesty is fundamental. Always be your honest self when you talk to your potential wholesale supplier. Tell them what you exactly need and what you really want to get from them. Don’t try to impress or intimidate them by acting higher or lower than you are. In this case, you will not just be able to get authentic products, but most importantly, build a stronger relationship between you and your chosen wholesale supplier.
∙ Join Trade Shows
It may not seem like it, but trade shows are one holy grail for searching where to find a wholesale supplier. Trade shows are usually used as powerful tools in growing any business. Events like these are one great opportunity for those who want to meet more clients. It is also a beneficial occasion for those who want to venture into other business fields.
When you join trade shows, you are given a chance to connect to many reliable and high-class distributors. As someone looking for the best wholesale supplier, attending a trade show might be the answer to your problem. You can freely speak and communicate to dozens of manufacturers and wholesale suppliers, all in just one place in just one single day. Attending trade shows also saves you from the hassles of traveling from place to place and getting the wrong information online just to communicate with other wholesale distributor companies.
∙ Widen Your Network
Being in the business world requires you to be active. If you want your business to succeed, you must establish a strong foundation. One way to do that is through widening your network. You don’t just sit back and wait for clients or investors to come to you. Instead, you should always be open in communicating and transacting with them. This is very important, especially when you want nothing but the best wholesale supplier for your business. When you have a trusted and built connection, it will be easier to find the best wholesale supplier without breaking too much sweat. Participate in different online forums which fall in the same niche as you. This will help you have a solid source of free information once you need it for your business. You can even get free help and advice from business people who have the same experience and market strategy as yours—all hassle-free.
Image taken from Mantra
∙ Try and Learn
Finding the best wholesale supplier isn’t as easy as you think. There will be times where you’ll feel hopeless because none of your prospects fit your criteria. You can even experience something more than that (well, hopefully not). But one truth about business is that you’ll never grow if you don’t take risks. It’s a game of survival where you can either choose to stay caged or break the barriers and shine among the rest.
Don’t be afraid of meeting a lot of wholesale suppliers for your business. Just keep going, and who knows, after a few tries, you’ll finally stumble on your perfect match.
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Find Your Best Match with Us!
The business world is vast. It changes from time to time, making it hard for entrepreneurs to establish a strong foundation. If you seek to stand out among the rest, you must have your own unique identity. How to do that? Simple. Build your own website.
Strikingly is not just a website building company. We don’t just make websites for people to browse and look into. We build websites not just to help businesses earn money, but most importantly, we build websites to help them grow and achieve their goals. You can never go wrong in showcasing your business with us. So, what are you waiting for? Start your own website today and meet other awesome businesses in your preferred business field! After all, you can never discover something unless you try, right?
Want to know more about website building? Chat with us today.
