Finding A supplier

I chose to sell art products because I have an interest in painting and have always enjoyed messing about in the creative sphere. After a hard days work it’s always nice to unwind and I find painting, even though I’m very bad at it, to be relaxing. I thought if I were going to set up a business it would be better if I sold products I had some knowledge about. Although I recognise that this is not essential to setting up a business. You can soon educate yourself about the merits of any product.

Finding the right supplier was quiet difficult. If you search the internet by googling wholesale sites for whatever product you are looking for it soon becomes clear that most so-called wholesale sites are really retail masqarading as wholesale. I’d say the majority of the so-called wholesale sites on the net are retail sites.

From my experience, wholesalers don’t advertise themselves on the net, and even if they do they don’t have on-line shopping carts. So finding a true wholesaler is quiet challenging and requires some heavy research and creative thinking. Once I found my first real wholesaler, I applied for a catalogue and waited expectantly for it to arrive. The wholesaler called me and told me that he would deliver it within a few days.

I was eagerly looking forward to the catalogue arriving, envisaging hundreds of products at low prices so I could make a good mar-up on them. The catalogue arrived one Wednesday and as soon as I arrived home from work I opened it and sat down to read it. The products were great, the range of products large, it seemed perfect until I looked at the prices.

Now I know wholesalers don’t give things away but the prices this wholesaler were charging were ridiculous. A ten-minute search on the net revealed that I could buy the same items cheaper from on-line retail stores. As an example one product they were advertising at wholesale prices was only 7 pence below the retail price. Seven pence return on a £5.00 investment was not what I was looking for.

The other products were all priced similar. The scope for mark-up was limited. I don’t know who used this wholesaler but I soon decided that I wouldn’t be. So it was back to researching. I soon found another one. I phoned up and explained what I was doing and they were happy to send me a catalogue. I knew that I was onto a winner this time when the sales executive I spoke to told me wholesale discounts ranged from 35% to 50% with monthly offers that went up to 70%.

Again, I waited eagerly for the catalogue to arrive. When it did and I glanced through it I knew I had found a true wholesaler. The prices were better than I expected leaving plenty of scope for a decent mark-up. I was in business and I immediately drafted my first order, which arrived very quickly. The crucial part of my business was now ready to launch. I had established a good supply. Over the coming months, I would need to find other suppliers but for the time being, I had the stock to begin trading.

Finding the right wholesaler is the first part of setting up a business. It does take a little researching and you may end up going down some dead ends but perseverance usually pays off in the end. Remember a genuine wholesaler will want to sell to you, after all they are in business to sell. Just because you are just starting trading, it doesn’t mean that you have to accept anything that is put in front of you. If the prices aren’t right then move off and find someone else.