Sourcing Success – Where to Buy Wholesale Products To Sell Online

eCommerce has steadily grown yearly, which will continue over the next decade. Statista’s report on online shopping shows that retail eCommerce sales are reaching new heights, at over 20% of all retail sales. So, to get into the retail business, you need to focus heavily on selling online. This means that your product procurement has to be as efficient as possible. What many startups and new business owners ask is where to buy wholesale products to sell online for their retail business.

In this article, we will go over the 3 different places to find your wholesale products: online wholesale marketplaces, trade shows and trade publications, and finally, finding local suppliers for your business. In addition, we will also share how you can effectively sell your products online.

5 Online Wholesale Marketplaces To Buy Wholesale Products

Online wholesale marketplaces are great places to start buying your wholesale products. However, there is a colossal choice paralysis because there are so many online marketplace choices. Here are some that you should consider for your business:

1. Faire
2. Alibaba
3. Wholesale Central
4. SaleHoo
5. DHgate

Marketplace#1 Faire

Faire is one of the largest online marketplaces out there. Here, retailers find the products they buy in bulk for resale. Many product options are available, especially for the ones you can’t find on other marketplaces. However, Faire’s best feature is the curated product recommendations based on your searches. 

This product recommendation opens you up to many brands and suppliers selling on Faire. The more you search and buy, the more chances of finding new suppliers increase. For your business, it gives you more options to look for new products and suppliers that can become your new business supplier. It keeps the competition high and gives you many supplier and product options. Additionally, you can find new wholesale products to buy and sell online through this product recommendation. 

Faire is also great for first-time buyers looking for the right supplier for their business. First, you have what is known as the net 60 payment structure. You have up to 60 days to pay the supplier for the product you buy. This gives you enough time to test the product, see how it sells for your business, and experiment with the products for future orders.

Faire is suitable for new buyers because of the free shipping and returns. Free shipping significantly reduces the cost of your order. And if there are product defects or you simply don’t like the product, the brands also handle product return costs. 

Faire provides a risk-free opportunity to test out new brands and suppliers. If you are starting out your new low-cost business idea, this online marketplace is a great starting point for your product procurement needs.

Marketplace#2 Alibaba

Where Faire lacks is its presence worldwide. Faire has a limited set of countries to which it sources products, mainly Western countries. However, if you want to source products from anywhere worldwide, Alibaba’s online marketplace is your solution.

Alibaba connects wholesalers to businesses and individuals to suppliers globally, where a majority are from China. Alibaba provides a platform to contact these suppliers where you can buy in bulk for cheap and sell from your business.

The advantage that Alibaba provides is its extensive catalog of product types. All of the items, from vehicle parts to furniture, are available for purchase on Alibaba. This ensures you can find the product you want to sell online.

Since Alibaba ships internationally, your lead times will be longer than usual. But rest assured that your orders are protected. Alibaba has a review system to verify sellers and showcases this on the supplier’s store page. Your payments are secured, and product qualities are guaranteed. Additionally, you can make large bulk purchases without problems from Alibaba.

Marketplace#3 Wholesale Central

Alibaba has many product options for you, but they have limitations in their niches. That is where Wholesale Central is great for finding obscure product niches. Wholesale Central connects you to an extensive supplier database that is out there to find items that are hard to obtain. 

Wholesale Central also provides access to closeout suppliers. Businesses often go out of business and sell their remaining inventory at the cheapest prices possible. You could take that and turn it into an opportunity for profits. All you have to do on Wholesale Central is search for the product you are looking for, and the website provides you with a list of suppliers that sell those products.

Wholesale Central also has a request feature for niche products that are difficult to source. Suppliers won’t always have the products in hand, but if you request a niche product, the suppliers will contact you to see if they can source it. Wholesale Central is perfect for businesses focusing on niche markets and needing access to sources that can provide the products.

Marketplace#4 SaleHoo

If you are starting out, SaleHoo is a great place to source your products. They have a list of over 8,000 suppliers from around the world. These suppliers are also reputable brands with whom you can negotiate prices for your product procurement.

SaleHoo lets its customers connect to your Shopify store to enable dropshipping. With this, your business does not have to worry about inventory management since the suppliers will take care of it. All it takes is one click; your store can access products from the SaleHoo Shopify dropshipping application. In doing so, you can focus on marketing the products.

Along with buying products, you can access SaleHoo’s market research tool to find the best product from the best suppliers. This reduces the time needed to focus on market research, and you can market your products more effectively to gain higher sales instead.

Marketplace#5 DHgate

DHgate is another online marketplace that connects you to Chinese suppliers. Instead of large orders from Alibaba, DHgate allows your business to order in much smaller quantities. Each supplier gets a review from other buyers, so you vet the suppliers before purchasing. DHgate ensures fraud protection by holding your payment until you are completely satisfied with the products you received.

The smaller quantities will help your business if you are just starting out. It makes inventory management much more accessible, and the significant financing options help make payments more manageable. There is also a BNPL or buy now pay later feature so you can first receive the product before paying it. Access to DHgate is free, so you run a low risk of buying from here. Just ensure you check your products as thoroughly as possible before confirming the payment with DHgate. 

Creating Connections From Trade Shows And Trade Publications

Online marketplaces are not the only place to find where to buy wholesale products to sell online. There are other options, such as trade shows and trade publications. They are invaluable resources for your business to expand your network find suppliers, and stay updated with industry trends. Here is what each of them has to offer: 

Trade Shows

Trade shows or trade fairs are exhibitions where suppliers showcase their products and services to potential buyers like you. These events bring together industry professionals, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers under one roof. It provides the perfect place to find new suppliers and industry experts to connect to. 

Attending trade shows allows you to:

• Explore a wide range of products trade. Whether you’re in the fashion, electronics, or home goods sector, there’s likely a trade show tailored to your niche. New products or innovations are likely to be exhibited here as well. That is why trade shows provide the perfect environment to find the right supplier for your business.
• Connect with local suppliers. Online marketplaces don’t have the best reputation, with extended lead times and bad actors in the industry. But trade show puts you in the same room as local suppliers. You can talk to these local suppliers and form a closer relationship to help your business grow and expand in the local market.
• Foster and create new vendor relationships.  Meeting suppliers in person fosters trust for successful business relationships. You can engage in direct conversations with suppliers to ask about MOQs, customization options, market reach, etc, and many more questions in person.
• Stay updated on new industry trends. Trade shows often feature seminars, workshops, and keynote presentations covering topics relevant to your industry. These sessions can give you valuable insight into B2B market segmentation trends, innovations, new business practices, and resources to help increase your sales.
• Source unique products. Discovering unique or niche products at trade shows can give businesses a competitive advantage in the market. You can find new products to sell for your business and showcase exclusive or limited-edition items from suppliers. 

Trade Publications

Where trade shows are in-person, trade publications provide a more consistent update on what is happening in the industry that you are selling in. Publications like magazines, journals, and online blogs are easily accessible and give you much information. These publications also offer a wealth of resources for you to expand your supplier base through:

• Supplier Directories: Many trade publications feature comprehensive supplier directories, listing companies across various product categories and industries. These directories provide valuable contact information and brief profiles of suppliers, making it easier for you to identify potential suppliers. If you are subscribed to region-specific publications, you can find suppliers close to your business, making buying wholesale easier.
• Product Showcases and Reviews: Trade publications often feature product showcases and reviews, highlighting new or noteworthy items in the market. These insights can help you identify promising products and connect with the suppliers for procurement using their contact information.
• Industry Insights and Analysis: Through trade publications, you gain in-depth analysis and commentary on industry trends, market dynamics, and regulatory developments. Staying informed on these topics will help you succeed in getting the right products for your business.
• Networking Opportunities: Some trade publications host networking events, forums, or online communities. You can regularly find supplier representatives here to converse with and ask about their products. You are finding new suppliers to buy from, and you can also engage with subject matter experts to better understand what products will best suit your business venture.

10 Tips On How To Choose The Right Supplier To Sell Online

When selecting suppliers for your online business, the right supplier will bring you success. Here are some essential tips to consider when choosing the right supplier:

1. Quality of Products: Ensure the supplier offers high-quality products that meet your standards and align with your brand image. Request samples or product specifications to assess the quality before committing.
2. Reliability and Reputation: Choose suppliers with a proven track record. Research supplier reviews, testimonials, and ratings from other businesses to gauge their reputation and reliability.
3. Price Competitiveness: Compare prices among different suppliers to ensure competitive pricing. This will allow for reasonable profit margins for your business, but always ensure you prioritize quality over cost to maintain customer satisfaction and avoid issues with product returns or refunds.
4. Shipping and Lead Times: Evaluate the supplier’s shipping methods, lead times, and delivery reliability to ensure timely order fulfillment. Consider shipping costs, transit times, inventory and order tracking efficiency to meet your expectations.
5. Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs): Determine whether the supplier imposes MOQs and assess whether these quantities align with your business needs and budget constraints. Negotiate MOQs if necessary to accommodate your inventory requirements.
6. Communication and Support: Choose suppliers that offer transparent and responsive communication channels, such as email, phone, or online chat support. Effective communication is essential for addressing inquiries, resolving issues, and maintaining a collaborative relationship with the supplier.
7. Flexibility and Customization: Assess the supplier’s flexibility and willingness to accommodate custom orders, product modifications, or branding requirements. A supplier that can adapt to your needs can help differentiate your products and enhance your brand identity.
8. Compliance and Certification: Ensure the supplier complies with relevant industry regulations and standards, such as product safety, environmental sustainability, and ethical sourcing practices. Request documentation or certifications to verify compliance with regulatory requirements.
9. Location and Logistics: Consider the supplier’s location and proximity to your target market to optimize shipping costs, transit times, and inventory management. Choose suppliers with efficient logistics networks or fulfillment centers to streamline order processing and delivery.
10. Payment Terms and Conditions: Review the supplier’s payment terms, including payment methods, credit terms, and refund policies. Negotiate favorable payment terms and conditions that align with your cash flow and financial capabilities.

Taking Advantage Of A Bulk Order App On Shopify To Improve Sales

Now that you know where to buy wholesale products to sell online, it is time to focus on the selling part. There are many e-commerce platforms to choose from where you can sell your products online. Shopify is an excellent online selling platform.

But native Shopify options are pretty limited. Figuring out the display settings with limited options will not help you stand out from the competition. To do that, you need extensive coding knowledge to get that perfect display for your product page. It is both time-consuming and very expensive to hire a Shopify expert. 

That is why Shopify has the Shopify app store, which makes it easy for a business owner like yourself to start selling how you want to. Here is an example of a bulk order app with a customized variant display option to bring out the best of your product and the shopping experience in your store:

Here, you can see how all the variants are displayed together. As you can see, there are two distinct variant options: sizes and colors. On Shopify settings, you would not have these many options available because Shopify has a restriction of 100 variants with only 3 options. But this app allows your store to bypass that and include as many product variants as possible.

All the variants being shown on one page give you another advantage. Customers have all the options available to them and can select the quantity of each variant they want to buy. This is great for both business-to-business (B2B) customers but also business-to-customer (B2C) stores. The app provides your store with the versatility to cater to other businesses and individual customers.

Customers can either select the quantity with the plus and minus buttons or select the quantity field to type what quantity they want. The in-stock badge right below the selection buttons ensures customers know how many product variants are available. This gives customers confidence in their purchases and reduces shopping errors.

Once the customers are satisfied with their selections, they do not have to add all the variants individually. Instead, they can click the add to cart button at the bottom to add all the variants simultaneously. This simplifies the shopping for bulk ordering customers and reduces the mistakes of adding the wrong amount of a variant.

With just one app on Shopify, you are making it easier for customers to shop on your store and increasing your sales simultaneously. That is what a bulk order app with product variant options gives your store the advantage of succeeding in the eCommerce marketplace.

Bottom Line

There are many places to buy wholesale products. Your business can utilize online marketplaces to buy your inventory, or you can meet suppliers and vendors in-person in trade shows. You can also use trade publication magazines to find suppliers and see the latest trends in the industry. With this, you now know where to buy wholesale products to sell online to ensure your business success!