What type of small business do you run (or want to run)? Consultant, freelancer, professional services, or retail. If you are selling retail, either online or a brick and mortar store, then you need products to sell. Now, you could produce your own products and sell them. But it that’s not an option then you are going to need to find a few good wholesale sources for products.
Before I get to the sources, let’s talk about what wholesale is. Most people assume that you buy directly from the manufacturer. This usually is not the case. Manufacturers generally work with distributors who then sell wholesale to retailers like you. The problem here is that there are a lot of scammers out there who are claiming to be wholesalers but in fact are just middle men.
It works like this, let’s say the manufacturer is ABC Trinkets Inc. They make great trinkets. They sell to a distributor called DEF Distributors. Ideally, you want to buy from DEF Distributors. However, sometimes an unsavory company, let’s call them GHI Wholesale, buys from DEF Distributors and then claims to sell wholesale to you. The problem is that, in order to make a profit, GHI must sell higher than wholesale.
So, we want to buy from the closest source to the manufacturer as possible. Here are some quality wholesale sources for your small business. Now, I would love to be able to give you small US based distributors. But I couldn’t find that data. However, I am giving your some paid sites where you can get those lists if you join the site. I’m also going to include some sites which let you purchase from Chinese suppliers. This is a good starting point for your search.
Worldwide Brands
Features a very comprehensive list of legitimate wholesale sources and dropshippers. The cost for access is $299 for lifetime access. This isn’t a bad price considering the quality of sources you get.
SaleHoo
Salehoo is a supplier directory that is used by many eBay and Amazon sellers use Salehoo to find suppliers. Salehoo has over 8000 suppliers in 150 categories. So you should be able to find something to sell. SaleHoo costs $67/year and has a 60 day money back guarantee.
Alibaba
Alibaba is a Chinese based company that connects Chinese exporters with companies all over the world. There are many products/sources listed on Alibaba. However, you should be careful of low quality products and scams.
Global Sources
Global Sources is similar to Alibaba. It connects you with Chinese suppliers and features a large selection products and suppliers.
These are just a few sites that can give you quality wholesale sources for your small business. Just like anything else on the internet, be careful. There are plenty of scams out there so exercise due diligence.
How do you get products for your business? Leave a comment below.