How to do business with wholesellers?

**hockey97** · 05-29-2009 06:08 PM

HI, I been contacting many distributors and wholesellers for big corps.

I been looking for computer parts that are the latest stuff.

I keep contacting many of their distributors and I usally get nowhere.

Any ideas where I can go and how to deal with wholesellers or deal directly with the manufacturers .

**bananaman** · 05-29-2009 07:58 PM

Wholesalers/distributors only sell to businesses, at wholesale prices, who then sell the items to consumers at retail prices(or whatever price they want to sell at).

For you to be able to buy from a wholesaler, you need to be a registered business. So you will need to register a business name, and if you're in Australia, an ABN(Australian Business Number).

Wholesalers are very protective of their prices. If you phone up and ask what are the wholesale prices for particular items, they will deflect your question and give as basic information as they can, to the point of being totally rude or useless. This is because they don't want their competition trying to discover their wholesale prices.

Some wholesalers are easier to deal with, some are impossible. The better ones make you fill in an application form about your business, and then create an account for your business on their website. This allows you to order stock. With the bad ones, you'll be too frustrated with their service(lack of) to even want to order from them - how they make money is beyong me. I am saying that from my own experience.

The only thing you can do is contact the manufacturer to see if they have more than one distributor for a product, then try to contact them all.

Good luck!

**RepRep** · 05-30-2009 03:31 AM

Originally Posted by bananaman

For you to be able to buy from a wholesaler, you need to be a registered business. So you will need to register a business name, and if you're in Australia, an ABN(Australian Business Number).

Is that true for European ones too?

**entrepreneurrebel** · 10-13-2009 10:23 PM

Wrong to bananaman. Large corporations can be setup direct to manufacture or distributor. But normally only when they a great buying power and the ability to do run rate business. Run rate business is purchasing each month a certian amount of product. Normally 200 and more.

Do not call up asking for pricing. Call the new account department and let them know what corporations you work with and how much business. What you somewhat explain sounds like a big corp CO-OP.

**eileen521** · 10-14-2009 01:43 AM

In fact it is not that difficult to find a wholesaler who supply the right products you need.As long as your order are large enough, most of wholesalers will quote you the favorable price, no matter you are a company or personal buyer.Actually we are such wholesaler from China，we wholesale and retail most items with no minimum order, hope you are going to find it helpful

**armenh** · 10-14-2009 02:51 AM

Originally Posted by eileen521

In fact it is not that difficult to find a wholesaler who supply the right products you need.As long as your order are large enough, most of wholesalers will quote you the favorable price, no matter you are a company or personal buyer.Actually we are such wholesaler from China，we wholesale and retail most items with no minimum order, hope you are going to find it helpful

If most wholesalers were doing business the same way as you, that would lead to consumers getting wholesale prices. Do you eliminate this by charging an upfront fee for your wholesale services? Many manufacturers do not want this and put limitations and quota's a business must reach in order to be able to purchase from their listed distributors. The stricter the terms of a distributor the better it is for a retail business. This way there is less competition and you are able to sell your products for a higher profit margin.

**juanaballerina** · 10-14-2009 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by hockey97

HI, I been contacting many distributors and wholesellers for big corps.

I been looking for computer parts that are the latest stuff.

I keep contacting many of their distributors and I usally get nowhere.

Any ideas where I can go and how to deal with wholesellers or deal directly with the manufacturers .

You are lucky, men. Hope some one recruit you for cooperate with you. God bless you and good luck.