Posts Tagged ‘importers.com’
Finding Product Sources Using Trade Lead Sites
Friday, November 30th, 2007
Part of the success of any small business is being able to take advantage of as wide a range of resources as possible. One great resource for any small business is a trade lead site.
We will take a look at what trade lead sites are in this article, along with ways that they can help you to grow your business - both in terms of selling and sourcing.
So What Are They?
Trade lead sites are websites that are dedicated to information exchange on the behalf of small businesses. There are quite a few free trade lead sites, as well as those which small businesses must pay for in order to obtain information from.
Trade lead sites usually act as huge hubs for small businesses; they can be used to find new business contacts, source products, even to find new customers. They also usually provide quite a lot of information about the economic climate.
Just as there are a couple options when it comes to free or paid trade lead sites, there are other variations in the style of trade lead sites available. You can select a trade lead site that operates on a national level, or one which includes companies that operate globally.
There are also industry specific trade lead sites. The biggest sites generally break down their contact information by category, so it is a bit easier to find.
Using a Trade Lead Site to Source Products
If you are looking to use a trade lead site to source products, you will probably have to spend a little bit of time getting used to the site first. As we mentioned above, they can have a wealth of information, so you will need to be able to find the areas where you might be able to source your products, and then spend some time sorting through the options to find the right source option for you.
You may notice that most trade lead sites list primarily companies from other companies, so if global sourcing and importing is an avenue you want to explore, trade lead sites are an excellent option. Just make sure, as with any supplier you’re interested in, to do your research .
Once you do find product sources (and it can be as easy as selecting an “offers to sell” option), all you have to do is compare prices on the same or similar goods to see which will best suit your business.
Examples of Trade Lead Sites
As you have probably already gathered from this article, there are a lot of different types of trade lead sites. In addition to paid subscription or not, there are sites which require a registration and others that you can just browse.
One of the most comprehensive trade lead sites we have come across is Premier Business Club. Not only are all the usual ingredients present, but there is also a running tally on the offers to buy and the offers to sell listed (not surprisingly, and this holds true for most TLS, it is the business equivalent of dating sites when it comes to numbers, with sellers outnumbering buyers. Great for sourcing, not so great for finding customers). There are lots of other trade lead sites out there - here are some more examples:
* Importers.com (import/export leads and information)
* TradeBoss.com (worldwide B2B trade listings)
Trade lead sites are not that difficult to find on the web, and the one you choose will, of course, depend on your own preferences. They can be a great way for small businesses to source products - and savvy or niche providers will also find new customers.
Tags: export, import, importers.com, Leeia Ladipoh, Product Sourcing, source, trade lead sites, trade listings, tradeboss.com
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