Selling on ebay? Find a reliable wholesaler. For free.
It’s often far simpler to buy wholesale than it is to find a wholesaler online. But when you do find them, they are worth the time and effort. This post reviews some of the most trusted websites that can give you access to wholesale goods at bargain prices. You’ll also get tips on how to avoid getting ripped off by a seller who doesn’t have as much inventory as they say they do, or who has vastly inflated prices even though they aren't selling any products.
The second half of this post is devoted to what you should know about buying from Ebay sellers, including how to save money by being savvy and how much money eBay guarantees sellers can make from their goods. As it turns out, you can get free access to wholesale goods at bargain prices, and save a lot of money in the process.
Here is each website I’ll cover (click on the name to learn more about it):
Amazon – Well known for its consumer retail marketplace offering, Amazon also has an amazing AmazonBasics section. Even better, they have an entire business-to-business marketplace section: AmazonSupply (read this guide). Alibaba – This site is what most people think of when they hear "once source for wholesalers". It's been around since 1999 and has thousands of sellers as well as millions of products. BizRate – Not only is BizRate a great way to get an idea of wholesalers, it’s also a great place to find the price you should pay for goods. The entire process is done online and the rates are guaranteed (a rarity in retail) EBay – Whether you’re selling or buying, eBay is one of the best places on the internet to get high-quality goods at good prices. Amazon Marketplace – This section of Amazon has thousands of wholesalers who sell products from their own warehouses. This is different from Ebay since there are no auctions here - they simply have many, many sellers with different price points. Here is the official page. DistribuTECH – This site is super easy to use and has a great search engine that will help you find exactly what you are looking for. It's also free to join. They provide access to a large number of wholesalers, who are hand picked by them and must pass an evaluation or screening process, so the site is high quality and trustworthy.
Now that we’re caught up on where you should look for wholesalers, let’s take a look at how to be sure all those numbers are legit.
How to Use the Numbers
What all good wholesalers have in common is they are in large supply chains. The best way to tell if a wholesale website is legitimate is often by looking at the number of products they offer vs. those available online. Here's how to do that:
1) First, you have to be sure that you’re dealing with a wholesale wholesaler and not an online retailer who just happens to sell their products through wholesale chains. Some sites claim their prices are the same as Amazon, but often it’s not because they sell fewer items or because Amazon doesn't charge high prices there.
2) Is the site able to state how many products they have in stock? If a wholesaler claims a certain number of items for sale, they should be able to say how many of them are actually available. If they don’t there’s reason to doubt the validity of their numbers.
3) Does the site have an email address that you can send a message to ask questions? If you can’t reach someone directly either by phone or email, it’s likely that you won’t be getting any help from them if something goes wrong with your order. The only exception is if the website has no contact information whatsoever and relies on their own review system in order to trust it.
4) If you find a site with many products, but the prices are low, it’s likely that they simply have very little inventory and they don’t actually sell that many goods. This may just mean there is no stock, or that their suppliers seem to sell old goods that are not in great condition. The lower price may be because the goods aren’t in very good shape or because the company doesn't have much stuff to sell at all.
5) Finally, if you're buying from a wholesaler who's selling items at high prices, it doesn't mean you will save money when purchasing directly from them. If a wholesaler is selling at high prices it can be because they have limited selection, and therefore fewer products to sell. Beware of this scenario as it may result in you paying more for fewer goods if you choose the wholesaler's option over Amazon's or another retailer's pricing.
In most cases, the best route to take is to use a comparison shopping website such as BizRate or Yahoo Shopping. These sites will provide you with average prices based on auctions and all types of sales happening online. Then you’ll know what the item should cost and you won’t have to worry about whether or not the price is good.
If you’re buying from a wholesaler using the internet, it’s crucial that you look at the product stack’s review as well. Sites like eBay are notoriously bad about filtering out fake reviews - don't be fooled by them! When looking at product reviews in particular, make sure they are posted by people who have bought the item in question. If someone only has 1 star for their review, but they have had hundreds of good purchases this means nothing and could just indicate poor customer service or that the items are not actually in great shape.
The Bottom Line
Wholesale websites may look like retail websites, but they’re not meant to be used as such. They are a completely separate part of the process and one in which most people get stuck. If you’re looking for wholesale goods or want to see what a wholesaler can do for your business, I hope these examples and tips will help you reach your goals.
Conclusion
If you want to cut out the middleman and see what it’s like to be a wholesaler yourself, check out my detailed guide on how to get into wholesaling.
What other questions do you have about wholesaling? Let me know in the comments below!
Image Credit: 1, 2, 3.
This guide was written for Wholesale Factory by Andrew Zisserman and does not represent the position of any university or company. It's sole purpose is to make you aware of wholesalers in different parts of the world. The opinions expressed here are those of Andrew Zisserman and not necessarily those of his employer.