Product Sourcing
Published October 16th, 2008
Whether you are opening a brick-and-mortar store or creating an online e-commerce site, you’re going to need a variety of products from a multitude of manufacturers. While it may seem overwhelming to set up accounts with so many vendors, there are definitely some easy ways to simplify the process.
First, you will need to decide what types of products you want to carry. It’s best to be flexible with brands, colors and sizes, as that will open up your opportunities when dealing with suppliers.
Wholesale product sources
*Manufacturer: Most times buying direct means a high minimum order. Usually manufacturers will... Read more
Tags: advice, Carrie Hinkel, Product Sourcing, source, tips, vendors, wholesale, wholesale vendors
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Published October 15th, 2008
Some of eBay’s most successful sellers specialize in surplus, overstocked or closeout merchandise. You can earn large profits if you buy carefully, but, it is important to buy only desirable merchandise.
Surplus, or closeout merchandise, is merchandise sold at a large discount because it did not sell at full retail for some reason.
Usually retail merchandise shows up at closeout dealers because it wouldn’t sell in a store. This could be for many reasons:
Seasonal goods
Store closing or bankruptcy
Obsolete goods replaced by newer products
Customer returns after the holidays
(not warranty or defect returns)
Another category of merchandise... Read more
Tags: auction-sellers-resource.com, buying surplus, closeout merchandise, ebay, ebay power seller, Product Sourcing, Skip McGrath, source, sourcing closeouts, surplus
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Published September 25th, 2008
If you want to make a profit by buying and selling wholesale clothing, there are a few important things that you will need to know. You can’t just take a leap into the business unaware of what you should buy and what customers are looking for. Many wholesale businesses will fail because they went into business blindly. Follow these three suggestions and you are sure to be a success.
Odd Sizes can be a Good Thing
When you are purchasing wholesale clothing you have to realize that the odd sizes can be a very good thing. First of all odd... Read more
Tags: articlebiz.com, brent crouch, clothing suppliers, cross selling, jillian distributors, Product Sourcing, source, suppliers, wholesale, wholesale clothing
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Published September 24th, 2008
Specialty retailers looking for new ways to source products may want to consider visiting local live auctions on a regular basis. The wares are always changing, and while finding products may seem like a needle-in-the-haystack quest, the rewards can be nothing sort of amazing. From a caseload of unopened mp3 players to valuable antiques whose beauty is hidden under a layer of dust, live auctions can hold a treasure trove of products for retailers.
The types of items that can be found at live auctions
The goods being sold at auctions can make some retailers truly giddy with excitement when... Read more
Tags: advice, auction houses, auctions, Carrie Hinkel, Product Sourcing, source, sourcing products, tips
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Published September 15th, 2008
Did you know Halloween is the second most popular holiday (after Christmas) in terms of decorating and celebrating? With so many Halloween enthusiasts young and old alike, the year long anticipation for the holiday culminates in an excellent opportunity to increase revenue through costume and party item sales.
Using statistical information, recent surveys and targeted polling as resources, Halloween-News.com predicts the following Halloween trends for 2008:
Adult Costumes
This years movie to watch for will include Batman: the Dark Night, Indiana Jones and The Terminator. Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas are always present. You’ll still see a surge... Read more
Tags: adult costumes, adulthalloweencostumes.com, halloween, halloween-news.com, holiday, Hot Trends, party decorations, Product Sourcing, Rebecca Button, seasonal, source, trends
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Published September 8th, 2008
Las Vegas was recently host to one of the largest trade shows in the wholesale industry. The MAGIC Marketplace is full of the latest clothing and apparel from top designers and brand names. Fashion shows, booths and exhibits are in rich supply and it’s the perfect place to source products for either a brick and mortar or online retail store.
While all the booths received some attention, it was clear that there were a few that everyone clamored to get a glimpse of. Street and urban wear were the belles (okay, booths) of the ball and the following list highlights... Read more
Tags: air walk, ASD, bang-on t-shirts, bullseye brand, dickiesgirl, dyseone, ed hardy, goWholesale, Hot Trends, la ink, MAGIC Show, Product Sourcing, product trends, raw blue, Rebecca Button, retail trends, source, tap out, trinity products
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Published August 6th, 2008
If you’ve decided to sell name brand products in your store, you’re in luck. Because of the popularity of certain brands, they are easy to find and buy at wholesale prices. However, there are some very real risks to look out for when trying to source your products.
Important things to know about brand-name product sourcing
1. Fake “factory authorized” distributors : It is a must that you buy your products from distributors that have been authorized by the manufacturer to wholesale their products. Most brand-name manufacturers will not sell directly to you, so you will need to go through... Read more
Tags: advice, brand name, Carrie Hinkel, Product Sourcing, source, tips, wholesale
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Well hopefully you don’t have one single supplier! If one of your major suppliers does in fact notify you that they are closing their doors, there’s no need to panic. Simply contact your other supplier(s) and speak with them about the possibility of you moving more business their way. Determine if they can handle the new demand and talk about pricing options with them (as they may offer a discount for more business). Also remember to contact the supplier that is going out of business and ask if they have any products that they can still supply you. If they... Read more
Tags: advice, Product Sourcing, Rebecca Button, small business, source, Starting a Business, suppliers, tips, vendors
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So what is a permanent wholesale mart anyway? Well, quite simply it’s a year round trade show (here is an example ). Business owners looking to find products can go to these marts to find a vast and varied selection any time they need to. This flexibility is one of the many advantages to using a wholesale mart to source products. Other benefits include an optional on site sales rep to assist you, a buyers directory of suppliers and product lines as well as supplier contact information, and finally at various points throughout the year some marts will host additional... Read more
Tags: goWholesale, Leeia Ladipoh, mart, Product Sourcing, tips, wholesale, wholesale mart
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Going into a retail business for yourself means taking risks with your money and your future. Not only do you have to worry about finding customers and keeping positive cash flow, you have to keep a steady supply of merchandise. This means finding a reliable supplier or distributor. But with just as many fraudulent or overpriced suppliers as there are legitimate distributors, committing to a supplier can be a scary thing.
Good business sense can help you avoid many of the scams out there, but there is no way to avoid them all. Fortunately, a scammer’s charade is never impervious.... Read more
Tags: advice, jennifer ratliff, Product Sourcing, source, supplier red flags, suppliers, tips, vendors, warnings
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