How to talk to distributors ?

[alliyyang]

How should you approach maufacturers and distributors over the phone whose products you are interested in distributing or retailing? It would be my first deal, and I'm thinking about what to say. The main weakness I have is no trading history, and I am wondering how to represent this, either to state it if asked, or brush over it and go onto my distribution plan and contacts I have/mentors. How would you appraoch this issue? Is it just a case of try to wing it, if it doesn't fly then go to another distributor/product until you find one who'll let you take on their product with no history, thus getting the
trading history for your next approach?

I called a distributor and was asked questions about what locations I'm currently servicing at the moment, whether I was thinking of going for a specific market with their product... basicallly he assumed that I am an established wholesale distributor. I have answers to these questions, just not about trading history. I replied that I'm at a preliminary stage and it would depend on pricing, and that I think it's a good product with no distribution in my area. He also mentioned a distributor in another region, probably to see if I knew about it. The sales rep asked me to email him my plan for distribution then he'd give it to the right guy who could give me pricing.

[JohnnyBudZ]

Yeah, well sometimes even distributors want to make sure you have EVERY little thing, from your TAX ID to your BUSINESS PLAN. I can't tell you how exactly to speak with them if i dont know what industry your in.

From your signature it looks asif were talking about handbags...?

[pboychuk]

From experience, I would suggest staying away from the "big guns" at first, When I was just starting off, and into apparel and accessories, I went to a show at the America's Mart, hoping to find a hookup for designer jeans and whatnot. So I went to the "rock and republic " booth and basically they humiliated me.

From that I learned that these stupid designer companies only care about keeping their prices super inflated, and thus i left that market. But, the kind of distributor I like is one who is more concerned with selling their product than saving face. Yes there are sometimes restrictions because they have contracts and such to limit where you can sell and for how much or whatever, but otherwise, your goal is to get the product and sell it right? Not to do a research report on how you are going to do that.