Dealing with Wholesalers the Easy Way
by Danny Brown on January 30th, 2008
If your business involves selling goods to your customer, you’re going to have to deal with wholesalers. Whether you’re an eBay Power Seller or a business with customers worldwide, if you have products to sell, you’re going to need stock.
However, many small businesses are often afraid of working with wholesalers. There could be a variety of reasons for this - feeling unsure of wholesalers in general, perhaps thinking that they will be looking to overcharge, getting scammed, etc. While this may be true of some wholesalers, it’s like this in any business - you will always get a mix of good and bad. Despite this, the majority of wholesalers are fair and looking to aid your business as much as theirs.
Here are some tips to help dealing with wholesalers go a little smoother:
Meeting Wholesalers for the First Time
The key thing here is to be aware of the fact that they’re business people as well, and probably need your business just as much as you do theirs. Therefore, instead of feeling as if you’re the one that needs all the help, be confident and think along the lines that any wholesaler would be pleased to be associated with your business.
Like any business deal, the best approach is always face-to-face. If you can’t do this at all, then obviously a phone-call or email message will have to suffice. However, to give you a better idea of who you’re dealing with - and for the wholesaler to see you’re on the level as well - meeting in person is far preferable. You can start by going to wholesale trade shows [link to http://www.gowholesale.com/trade_shows/] to meet wholesalers, and then arrange to visit their facilities.
By visiting the wholesaler’s facilities, you’ll also be able to gauge what type of operation they have. This is particularly important for the well-being of your customers - if you know that your wholesaler is responsible and has excellent stock and back up facilities, there’s less chance of your customers being disappointed when their order’s delayed.
Making an Impression
If you go to your meeting looking to pin down a wholesaler to the largest supply chain at the lowest price, chances are you’re not going to get very far. Instead, keep an open mind and be open to negotiations on both parts. Even if you have to pay the full rate now, once you both have a solid working relationship, you’ll find that you’ll be receiving special offers and discounts on your normal rates. It’s all about building the foundations to a long and successful partnership.