Okay first off, 3 blog posts in one day? Yah, seems I’m chatty but I promise this will be the last one. And now for the reason why I’m here again.
I’m super excited to be hosting a Q’n’A with a wholesaling pro (her products are in 100s of stores all over the world) on my blog very soon. I have actually spoken with her on the phone before and can tell you she has a wealth of knowledge in this area. So, I’m super excited she accepted my invitation. I’m keeping quiet on who it is for now but all will be revealed soon.
As my next big venture is wholesaling, I have a lot of questions myself, but I wanted to invite you to ask your own. Obviously, she won’t be able to answer every single one, but if there’s a way for me to merge questions I will. And if all don’t get answered, I will most certainly find another guest that can.
So, if you’re considering wholesaling your product line soon, get your questions in. Kindly put them in the comments below rather than tweet them to me so that I can easily aggregate them. Cheers me dears!
Photo Credit: amortize
This is exactly the biggest question in my mind right now. Glad that you’ll tap into the expert’s mind.
I’d like to know if one should start out retail first just to test the market before getting into wholesale. Or can one simply start with wholesaling?
What are the common challenges for wholesaling vs retailing? And how did she tackle them?
thanks for all the great work!
i am seriously considering getting started in stationery – and feel like wholesale will be an important part of things. i’m wondering what the buying seasons are for stationery typically in the usa and canada. and do folks buy outside of these windows? i’ve googled but couldn’t find this info.
Great idea Adele – this is going to be so helpful. Here are my questions to add to your growing list:
1. what is the best way to approach wholesalers? Is email too passive? Dropping into the the store too forward? What is the best way to make those first connections?
2. When it comes time to take an order what do I need to ensure that I come across as professional? Will they be looking for any small business number or tax number? Beyond the line sheet is there anything else I’ll need to have prepared?
Can’t wait to read the interview!!
Cheers,
Bess
Ooh, I can’t wait to read this interview. Wholesaling is something I’ve considered off and on for a while. I know it would a huge step, but I think it might be better for me than strictly retail.
I would want to know basics because I have very little clue on how to start:
-What was the first thing*s* she did to get started?
-How did she find a list of stores that would even be willing to carry her items? I mean…I know you can’t just call up the big box stores. Did she google, phone book, friends?
-Did she ever sell retail? If yes, does she still? If yes, what made her take the ‘wholesale leap?
-When she started did she work mainly online/in-person/phone? Granted, times have changed…still, I’m interested in the answer.
That’s all I can think of, ATM. Eeep! Will be eagerly awaiting. (no pressure!)
I’m on the verge of wholesaling too, and as a graphic designer, I have one very big question that is holding me back from contacting stores/reps : what does a good linesheet / catalog look like? I can’t find any examples online!
Also, does one typically need to wholesale @ 50% of retail, or can you “creep up” to 60% / 70% & still attract purchasers?
Can’t wait for this post! I have products that I would like to wholesale.
hi adele!
i am definitely looking forward to this post/interview! i was wondering if the person you’re interviewing has some insight on wholesaling not only paper goods, but small goods (particularly fabric goods) as i would be interested in finding out the differences between different products vs minimums/pricing, etc.
i always enjoy reading your posts!
I am interested in this topic.
I would be interested in how she got her start as a wholesaler did she approach stores on her own or did she have a sales rep(s). If sales rep them how did she find the rep? Where is the best place to start?
Great topic! Thanks! Can’t wait to read this post!
I’m planning to wholesale soon too. I’d love to know how to choose minimums, how to package goods for display in retail shops and how many products you should have before considering approaching stores. Thanks Adele!
I am right on the verge of wholesaling too, so this is great timing! I’ve done quite a bit of research, but have a couple questions:
I’d like to cut down on the amount of paper/catalogs generally used for wholesale. If I created an on-line wholesale ordering area of my website, would retailers use it?
I’d like to use compostable packaging/cello bags for my stationery products, but I’ve read that some retailers don’t like how they can turn yellow. Will using these products put me at a disadvantage?
Thanks so much Adele! Can’t wait to read the post.