The Science of Contacting Suppliers When You're Starting a Business

The Science of Contacting Suppliers and Manufacturers When You're Starting a Business

17 min read

Countless entrepreneurs keep their entrepreneurship dreams on hold because they’re unsure of how to deal with suppliers.

If you are just about to start your e-commerce business, you probably hesitate to approach suppliers too because you’re not sure if they’ll take you seriously.

In truth, suppliers are business owners like yourself. They want the same things as all businesses do: more sales, less risk, and reliable payments.

The risk appetite for suppliers depends on four things:

The size of the order in dollar terms
The past relationship with the buyer
The payment terms for the order (upfront payment equals lower risk)
크기, reputation, and seriousness of the buyer

For new businesses, 공급업체를 참여시키는 것은 단순히 위험에 대한 노출을 줄이는 문제입니다.. 이를 수행하는 가장 쉬운 방법은 선불로 지불하는 것입니다.. 공급업체는 돈을 받는 한 비즈니스의 규모나 연령에 신경 쓰지 않습니다..

선불 결제 외에, 당신은 또한 당신의 정당성을 보여줄 수 있습니다:

회사 이메일 주소 사용 ("yourname@yahoo.com" 대신 "yourname@website.com")
웹사이트 보유. 간단한 무료라도 인스턴트 사이트 도움이 될 것이다.
귀하의 비즈니스를 통합하고 필요한 경우 세금 번호
전문가를 이용하여, serious tone in your emails
Knowing what you want. Being clueless is a clear sign of an amateur business owner.

Below, we’ll show you how to deal with different suppliers based on your business model.

How to Approach Wholesale Suppliers

In the wholesale model, you buy products from a large supplier at low rates. You then sell them to customers at retail rates. Wholesalers might carry a single product-type (such as socks) or a range of products from different brands.

제품에 대한 비용을 선불로 지불하기 때문에, 도매업자의 위험은 거의 존재하지 않습니다..

훌륭한 웹사이트가 있든 없든 상관없습니다. 판매자가 돈을 받는 한, 그 사람은 기꺼이 당신과 함께 일할 거예요.

사실로, 많은 도매상이 온라인 매장을 운영하기도 합니다.. Amazon에서 구매하는 것처럼 이 상점에서도 구매할 수 있습니다..

이 도매 공급업체는 다음에 판매합니다. Ecwid 인스턴트 사이트

쇼핑 과정은 여타 전자상거래 상점과 동일합니다.. 장바구니에 제품을 추가할 수 있습니다., 배송 세부 정보를 입력하고 결제하세요.. 어떤 경우에도 귀하의 비즈니스 세부 정보를 전혀 묻지 않습니다..

하지만, 모든 도매업체가 동일한 방식으로 운영되는 것은 아닙니다.. 일부는 제한된 수량만 주문할 수 있는 고객 대면 웹사이트를 운영하고 있습니다. (낮은 1 안건) ~에 소매가. 도매 가격을 받으려면, "도매" 계정을 만들어야 합니다. 이 경우 세금 정보를 제출해야 하는 경우가 많습니다..

~에 DyeMurex.com, 도매 계정을 만들어야 합니다. 도매가를 얻다. 소량 구매도 가능해요, 하지만 소매가를 지불해야 할 거예요.

염료Murex, a t-shirt wholesaler, requires a US tax ID to access wholesale pricing

To create a wholesale account at Dyemurex, you need a US tax number. If you are outside the US, you have to have a valid website and/or social media presence. This requirement will vary from supplier to supplier and country to country. Consult your country’s local tax laws on how to get a tax number.

Not every wholesaler maintains websites where you can order products. And few wholesalers offer their best possible rates and sales terms through their websites. In such cases, you have to communicate with wholesalers directly and strike a deal. Here’s how to do it.

1. Find a sufficient number of wholesale suppliers

Step one is to find a number of target wholesalers. 미국에서, you can use websites like WholesaleCentral.com 그리고 TopTenWholesale.com to find wholesale suppliers. You can also use TSNN’s search to find trade shows and visit suppliers in person.

2. Filter the reliable ones

Before you spend any time communicating with wholesalers, evaluate whether they fit your requirements and standards:

Check whether they carry the exact products you want.
Check if they have stated their minimum order quantities (MOQ) 및 가격. This is usually negotiable, 하지만.
Check their reviews on Better Business Bureau by searching for the company name (for US, Canada or Mexico based businesses).
Google their company name to check for fraud reports, reviews and comments from existing customers.

Once you are fairly certain that you’re dealing with a reputable company, proceed to the next step.

3. Communicate your requirements

This is the part where most new entrepreneurs hesitate, especially if they don’t have a website or store.

The trick is to portray confidence. You don’t have to lie, but it doesn’t hurt to project an image of being slightly bigger than you are. Your objective is to get the best possible deal, 결국.

This confidence is conveyed in the length, 음정, and content of your communication. Be concise and exact in your messages. Make it clear that you know what you want.

Contacting wholesale suppliers email example

This wholesale email template works because it is clear and professional

There are a few tactics you can use to make your emails more persuasive:

Order volume: Wholesalers are a volume business. The higher volume you buy, the more negotiating power you have. Lure them in by asking for prices for a range of order quantities (말하다, 100-10,000).
Don’t email yourself: Most larger retail businesses have purchasing agents to handle procurement. In your email, identify yourself as “purchase manager” or “purchase agent” instead of “founder/CEO”.
Use a company email address: Even if you don’t have a website, you can still get an email address at your own domain (like “firstName@company.com”) using services like Google Apps.

Once you have the information you need, you can negotiate for better terms such as Net-30 payments (i.e. payment for goods after 30 days of receipt) 또는 주문량이 많을수록 가격이 낮아집니다..

도매업자는 때때로 낙하 배송 서비스도 제공합니다.. 다음 섹션에서 이를 처리하는 방법을 보여 드리겠습니다..

직송 공급업체에 접근하는 방법

직송은 제조업체 또는 도매업체의 소매업체 역할을 하는 경우입니다.. 직접 물건을 구매하고 보관하는 것보다, 고객에게만 제품을 판매하는 경우. 귀하의 직송 파트너가 주문 처리를 담당합니다., 일반적으로 자신의 브랜드 이름으로.

종이에, the higher involvement of drop shippers means higher requirements from retailers as well. In reality, the intense competition among drop shippers means that drop shippers have to fight hard to win over retailers.

This intense competition has led to the fragmentation of the market into two categories. This brings us to the first tip.

1. Understand who you’re dealing with

The options include drop shipping aggregators and wholesale drop shippers.

Dropshipping aggregators are websites that give you access to hundreds of drop shipping suppliers from a single platform. Examples include Syncee, Spocket, Sup Dropshipping, Doba, 세일후, 등. These aggregators usually charge an upfront fee to access the suppliers. They also offer plugins and APIs to easily import products into your store.

Here are a few things you must know about dealing with drop shipping aggregators:

Easy sign-up: Aggregators are easy to sign-up with and require only an email. You don’t have to have a store, website or even a business email to get started.
Higher prices: Since you can’t negotiate with individual suppliers, you will have to pay the fixed price offered by the aggregator. This usually means higher prices and thus, lower profit margins.
Monthly fee: Most aggregators charge a monthly fee. This can eat into your margins if you’re just starting out.

Dropshipping aggregators are an easy way to start selling. 하지만, use them only as a stop-gap approach. Once you have a proper store and a history of sales, it is better to approach individual drop shippers and get better deals.

Wholesale drop shippers are wholesalers who also offer drop shipping services to a select few retailers. A vast majority of drop shippers fall in this category. 대개, they cover a single product-type such as knives or sports gear.

To work with these drop shippers, you’ll have to create a wholesale account and provide your business information. You get access to the catalog only after the drop shipper approves your account.

대부분의 소규모 직송 업체는 일회성 할인 사냥꾼을 방해하기 위해 이렇게 합니다.. 일부 낙하 배송 업체는 다음과 같습니다. 매그넘튜닝 심지어 가입 페이지에서도 이 내용을 언급합니다.:

MagnumTuning은 할인 쇼핑객을 억제하기 위해 각 애플리케이션에 대한 승인을 요구합니다.

대량의 초기 주문을 하거나 보증금을 보내면 많은 직송 업체가 기꺼이 승인 요구 사항을 면제해 줄 것입니다.. 판매자 허가증이나 판매세 번호가 있으면 도움이 됩니다..

가입 절차가 더 어렵지만, 직송 통합업체보다 훨씬 더 나은 요금을 받을 수 있습니다..

티셔츠 인쇄와 같은 일부 산업에서는, 드롭 배송업체는 더 쉬운 요구 사항을 가지고 있습니다.. 예를 들어, 인쇄용 수량에 관계없이 모든 소매점에 무료로 액세스할 수 있습니다. (그리고 Ecwid와 통합.)

Ecwid 및 Printful과 함께 배송할 수 있는 제품 유형

귀하의 비즈니스가 준비되면, 배를 떨어뜨리고 싶다면 이 방법이 맞습니다. Ecwid를 사용하는 경우, 당신은 사용할 수 있습니다 도매B2B 직배송 업체와 더 쉽게 통합할 수 있는 앱.

또한, 더 확인해 보세요 직송 서비스 귀하의 Ecwid 매장과 통합될 수 있습니다..

2. 올바른 질문을 하세요

Here are a few questions you can add to the email template shown above if you contact a potential drop shipper:

What are your shipping costs and policies?
What kind of payment methods do you accept?
Do you offer an API or automated method to place new orders?
What brand name will the order be shipped under?
Will your (the drop shipper’s) name appear on the packaging?
How long does it take to process and ship an order to {your primary market}?
Can I use your product images and descriptions on my website?
What kind of tax information and permits do you require from retailers?
What is your policy for damaged and returned products?

Besides wholesalers and drop shippers, you can also source products from manufacturers.

How to Approach Manufacturers

Manufacturers are companies that can:

Help you make your own products, 또는
Sell you their manufactured products at wholesale prices.

Manufacturers are different from wholesalers and drop shippers in that they have high order requirements and significantly lower prices. Since each order is made from scratch, most manufacturers require an upfront payment to cover the manufacturing cost.

The upfront payment means that most manufacturers are very flexible in who they work with. The nature of manufacturing is also such that it attracts a lot of entrepreneurs trying out new ideas who might not have websites or sales.

따라서, most manufacturers are easy to work with as long as you meet their minimum order requirements.

There are a few things you should keep in mind when approaching them.

1. Ask about minimum order quantity (MOQ) and deposit

Manufacturing costs go down as the volume increases. 따라서, MOQ is one of the most important metrics when dealing with manufacturers.

Ask about the manufacturer’s MOQ in the first email you send them. Don’t waste time dealing with a manufacturer who has higher MOQ than your requirements.

If you’re taking the Alibaba route, most manufacturers would list their MOQ on their profile itself.

Most manufacturers on AliBaba will show their MOQ on the product page itself

Some manufacturers might be wary of dealing with new businesses who are only interested in the minimum possible order volume. To get around this problem, ask for prices for a range of order volumes (말하다, MOQ to 50,000 units).

또한, ask what kind of upfront deposit will the manufacturer require to kick start production (and the refund process in case of a dispute).

2. Ask about manufacturing capacity, 배송, and packaging

제조 능력과 배송 시간은 제조 파트너를 선택할 때 중요한 두 가지 요소입니다.. 이에 대해 묻지 않으면 제조업체에 위험 신호가 발생할 수 있습니다..

그래서 당신의 이메일에, 다음에 대해 물어보세요:

하루에 생산할 수 있는 수량
제품이 배송되는 곳/배송되는 곳
예상 배송 시간 및 사용된 운송업체
그들은 어떤 종류의 포장을 사용할 것인가?
모든 사용자 정의 (포장이나 제품에) 제공
부가 가치 서비스 (Amazon FBA 판매와 같은) 제공

3. 샘플을 요청하세요

어떤 진지한 사업도 없이는 제조업체를 선택할 수 없습니다. 제품 샘플을 요청합니다.

제조사들은 이를 기대하고 있다.. In your email, 제품 샘플을 요청했는지 확인하세요. 이는 제조업체를 평가하는 데 도움이 될 뿐만 아니라, 하지만 그것은 또한 당신이 사업에 대해 진지하다는 것을 보여줄 것입니다.

4. 회사와 공장에 대해 더 물어보세요

여기에는 다음이 포함됩니다:

회사의 나이
직원 수
공장 규모와 위치
공장 사진

가능하다면, Skype로 공장 견학을 요청하세요. 다시, most legitimate manufacturers will be happy to provide this information.

To Sum Up

Whether you are looking for a wholesale supplier, a dropship supplier or a manufacturer, remember to do the following:

Get a free 인스턴트 사이트.
Do not make a deal with the first supplier you find.
Portray confidence and professionalism.
Ask a lot of questions.
Negotiate to get the best deals.

온라인 판매

Ecwid 전자 상거래, you can easily sell anywhere, 누구에게나 — 인터넷과 전 세계에서.

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Jun 9, 2023

About the author

Jesse is the Marketing Manager at Ecwid and has been in e-commerce and internet marketing since 2006. He has experience with PPC, SEO, conversion optimization and loves to work with entrepreneurs to make their dreams a reality.