[persabytes]

Hello, im starting an online business. However when i called my suppliers they said that they dont sell to anyone who doesnt have a brick n mortar store. Now i dont want to get a retail store unless absolutly neccessary. Can anyone give me a lowcost alternative to the traditional retail location.

[crackah]

your home, I highly doubt they will come and check it.

I maybe wrong, but its always worth a shot.

[bostonbrian]

Most often they will ask for pictures of your store front or have a local representative come to meet with you at your location... so it is important for some companies' image to only deal with brick-and-mortar businesses. Find other suppliers without this requirement if you are dead-set on only selling online, or rent out a legit store front to get the suppliers you need.

[crackah]

I think its stupid for them to limit themselves like that.

The internet is the future of retail, and they are pushing themselves out of that market.

silly people.

[dfveteran]

Actually, its not so stupid. If they let home business buy things like cell phones or video game consoles, it would put major retail stores out of business. Home business can charge much lower fees than retail stores. Retail stores have to pay overhead, employess, insurance, etc.

To the manufacturer, retail stores are their bread and butter. So they won't jeopardize the relationship between retail.

Yes, it's stupid. But its how manufacturers keep their business afloat. To the manufacturer, it's business as usual. Home business don't bring in the business that retail stores will. Plus it can narrow it down to who screwed them over, if there is fraud going on when they only sell to retail stores. If they sold to home business as well, it would be much harder to track down con men, which would in turn give the manufacturer a bad name.

I hope this explains it to you Crakah Take care

[rogercbryan]

Originally Posted by persabytes

Hello, im starting an online business. However when i called my suppliers they said that they dont sell to anyone who doesnt have a brick n mortar store. Now i dont want to get a retail store unless absolutly neccessary. Can anyone give me a lowcost alternative to the traditional retail location.

What type of product are you going to be selling? Is it direct from a major manufacturer?

If you have a garage and a creative mind you may be able to get yout 'store' going easier then you think. With that being said do you want to risk your supply connections by breaking their rules.

I would consider either a store front or another supplier.

[crackah]

Originally Posted by dfveteran

Actually, its not so stupid. If they let home business buy things like cell phones or video game consoles, it would put major retail stores out of business. Home business can charge much lower fees than retail stores. Retail stores have to pay overhead, employess, insurance, etc.

To the manufacturer, retail stores are their bread and butter. So they won't jeopardize the relationship between retail.

Yes, it's stupid. But its how manufacturers keep their business afloat. To the manufacturer, it's business as usual. Home business don't bring in the business that retail stores will. Plus it can narrow it down to who screwed them over, if there is fraud going on when they only sell to retail stores. If they sold to home business as well, it would be much harder to track down con men, which would in turn give the manufacturer a bad name.

I hope this explains it to you Crakah Take care

Yeah I guess it does, but that wont stop the home businesses getting the goods and selling them as there are plenty of other wholesalers who will sell to them.

[persabytes]

Yeah, the manufacture imposes these rulles on all their wholesalers, so i think you may be right about them requiring a picture or a rep to come to the site. So i think i will probably be looking for a Brick n mortar. I was wondering however does brick n mortar imply a storefront or would renting space in an office building suffice.

[bostonbrian]

Originally Posted by persabytes

I was wondering however does brick n mortar imply a storefront or would renting space in an office building suffice.

I would talk with the suppliers before you make any decisions. They may be very specific.

[phppoddotcom]

Try to find a supplier who doesn't have such restrictions.