Wholesalers - how easy is it for new business to buy from them?

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Hi there. I am in the very early stages of starting my own venture selling things online, possibly ebay and/ or my own website and through fairs.

How do you go about buying products through wholesalers? Is it just a question of ringing them up? What will they want to know about me?

As a new business will they be interested in me? I don't really know what to do first and would be really grateful for some advice. Thank you

Hi, it is quite difficult to find wholesalers but when you do there is not usually a problem although some have mimimum order values that are quite high. Some will want a vat no. and are not interested if you fall below the vat threshold.

It really depends on what you want to sell. There is a magazine called Trader which advertises wholesalers, they also have a website. There are various wholesalers around the country where you can just walk in but not where I live

I will say though be very careful about what retail value is put on an item. You will often find that it will not sell for that especially on e-bay.

I have been selling on ebay for a few years as a business seller. When I am doing it full time have made a £1000 a week I don't often buy wholsale because of these problems. I usually sell designer goods which I purchase at retail during sales.

If you can tell me what type of goods you have in mind I will let you know if I know of any?

I mostly had no problems with wholesalers (all online), the only one that wouldn't sell to me were selling items to another shop in our town and wouldn't let me sell them too - was very annoying! Try The Wholesaler

They may ask you to set up a trade account with them. I sell my products wholesale and I ask for business details and then require the first wholesale order to be paid Pro Forma (ie up front). I then offer 30 day invoices, but I know some companies offering wholesale will ask for the first 3-5 orders paid pro forma before you'll get a credit account.

I have also been asked to provide trade references on behalf of my stockists to other wholesalers so this may be a requirement (can be a bit of a catch 22 though!)

Just get in touch and ask, as different wholesalers may have different practices. Other websites to peruse are www.wholesalepages.co.uk/ and www.dailytrader.com/

thank you all for your advice. I had already had a look at the wholesaler and will look up the other suggestions too. I think it is going to be a case of biting the bullet and giving them a ring. Each has their own criteria etc.

As I said it is in the early planning stages but I plan to sell a mixture of fairtrade, eco and good quality second hand toys. I'll let you know how I get on!

Lynli - not that i expect you to share tradesecrets obviously , but was the £1000 profit or turnover?

I ask because i have an ebay business mainly selling craft items, but on the occasion when ive bought on spec items that seem very cheap retail (so say in sales), ive always ended up only just making a profit on resale on ebay or breaking even, ie molton brown stuff rrp £22 bought for 99p and sold for circa £2.20, so not really worth it.

am i doing something very wrong??!