One of the biggest jobs that face any retail business whether they sell online, mail order, or they own a "Real" shop is the ask of finding real wholesale suppliers.
And in fact sourcing them online can be real hard as you need to weed out the "fake" between the "real" lists, and also the real suppliers as there are sadly some fake ones out there who will put up a few pictures and take your money and run.
But those are few and far between but they do exist so you need to keep an eye out for them.
Make Contact The simplest way to make the first approach is pick up the telephone and give them a ring.
Speak to them, ask questions and if they are local or within easy driving ask if you can come and visit them.
If they are too far away or they are overseas, you can either fly there, or ask if they have a local representative you can contact.
Quite often if they are from overseas you will find that may be at a Trade Show in your area where you can go and visit.
When you speak with them you can ask for things like; How do you order? Minimum order value, How long it takes it receive your order etc.
Trade Shows If you look in your Trade Magazine you will often see a list of Trade shows that you can go and visit.
Also you can contact your local exhibition centers and ask for a list of Trade Shows, from these details you can make contact and find how you get tickets.
Now most Trade Shows are free of charge to go to, and you will need to provide proof you are a business.
Each show will be different so make contact and find out what you need to do to get tickets.
Wholesalers You will find most of the major towns and cities will have a business area, and within these areas there will be wholesalers who will sell to you at a discount.
To find these again look in your own trade magazines or you can look in something like the yellow pages.
Again suppliers will ask you to prove you are a business, so give them a ring before you go and find out what you need to bring.
Once you have opened an account at a wholesaler you will be able to go as often as you like to look at new stock and also buy stock.
Become friends with these wholesalers and they will become one of your best product sources, for as long as you are honest and open with them they will sometimes give you advance warning of new product lines coming onto the market.
And in fact sourcing them online can be real hard as you need to weed out the "fake" between the "real" lists, and also the real suppliers as there are sadly some fake ones out there who will put up a few pictures and take your money and run.
But those are few and far between but they do exist so you need to keep an eye out for them.
Make Contact The simplest way to make the first approach is pick up the telephone and give them a ring.
Speak to them, ask questions and if they are local or within easy driving ask if you can come and visit them.
If they are too far away or they are overseas, you can either fly there, or ask if they have a local representative you can contact.
Quite often if they are from overseas you will find that may be at a Trade Show in your area where you can go and visit.
When you speak with them you can ask for things like; How do you order? Minimum order value, How long it takes it receive your order etc.
Trade Shows If you look in your Trade Magazine you will often see a list of Trade shows that you can go and visit.
Also you can contact your local exhibition centers and ask for a list of Trade Shows, from these details you can make contact and find how you get tickets.
Now most Trade Shows are free of charge to go to, and you will need to provide proof you are a business.
Each show will be different so make contact and find out what you need to do to get tickets.
Wholesalers You will find most of the major towns and cities will have a business area, and within these areas there will be wholesalers who will sell to you at a discount.
To find these again look in your own trade magazines or you can look in something like the yellow pages.
Again suppliers will ask you to prove you are a business, so give them a ring before you go and find out what you need to bring.
Once you have opened an account at a wholesaler you will be able to go as often as you like to look at new stock and also buy stock.
Become friends with these wholesalers and they will become one of your best product sources, for as long as you are honest and open with them they will sometimes give you advance warning of new product lines coming onto the market.
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