How Do I Find A Wholesale Clothing Vendor?

Posted on September 25 2020

How Do I Find A Wholesale Clothing Vendor?

 

The fashion industry is constantly evolving and can be extremely competitive. If you’ve thought about starting a company or brand for clothing you may be wondering where to start. Well, the easiest way to get started is by buying your clothing wholesale. This can be a little bit confusing if you are new to the world of fashion, so here are some tips on how to get started with wholesale. 

Do Some Research

The first step in anything is doing the research. You don’t want to dive into selling clothing without any background information beforehand. This could lead to rookie mistakes and losing profits. The perfect supplier will have prices that you can afford, is available in your location, and is reliable to work within the long term. 

To find a supplier, you can start by searching online for one that fits your business needs. You can search for terms like, “wholesale supplier” or “supplier for wholesale clothing”. You may have to do a little digging to find what you are looking for and comparing different suppliers side by side. If you are looking for a specific product type or brand, include it in your search for a supplier.

Another option for researching a supplier is word of mouth. There are a lot of people in the industry who are keen on wholesale buying. If you have a friend or a coworker you can ask them what supplier they would recommend. 

If you don’t personally know anyone who runs a business, you can also use social media as a way to find information. Look for different forums online that are about vendors and where to find the best ones. 

If you don’t like shopping around for vendors online you can go to local trade shows in your area. This way you are able to test out the products for yourself. 

Different Types of Wholesalers

It is helpful to understand that not all wholesalers serve the same market. There are four main types of distribution channels. Manufacturer, importer distributor, regional distributor, and jobbers. 

Once you find a wholesale vendor that you want to buy from, read some of their reviews online. Don’t buy from a company that has no customer reviews, as this can be a red flag of a scam. 

MOQ

An important step to finding a clothing vendor is finding out what their minimum order quantity is. You will need to keep this in mind if you pick them because the amount they have listed will be the amount you’ll have to order at once. If you are just starting out and have a small budget you won’t want to pick a vendor that requires you to buy hundreds of items right away. Although, suppliers usually offer a better price for a large order, so it may be worth it to invest. 

You’ll want to buy an amount that allows you to retain your profit margins. Make sure that you are ordering the right amount of items so that you are still making more money than you’re spending. 

Shipping Times

The next thing you’ll want to think about is how long the vendor will take to ship your items. This will be key in your process because once an order is placed for your business, you’ll want to get it shipped to your customer as soon as possible. Another thing to inquire about is the payment terms that the vendor expects, which can vary. 

Advantages of Buying Domestic

You may be wondering if it is better to buy from overseas or in the United States. Well, there are several benefits to buying in the U.S.

  • Faster shipping times: If you buy products locally you’ll save yourself time and won’t be waiting months for your orders.
  • It can save you money: Items that haven’t traveled overseas are less likely to be damaged or lost during delivery. This means you won’t have to reorder a lost shipment that never arrived.
  • Customer service is better: When you buy from people in the U.S and need to discuss a shipment over the phone, there will be less miscommunication between parties. 

Dropshipping

If you don’t want to have a large inventory of items that may never be sold, you might want to consider dropshipping. Dropshipping is where you can purchase stock on an order basis. So when you get an order from a customer, the wholesaler will ship it to the customer for you. This can save you a step in the process and can also save you a lot of money. 

Make sure the wholesale vendor that you pick knows all about their products. This is important for your customers to know so they aren’t shopping blindly. This is also a good way to know that the vendor is going to deliver quality results when selling to you. If the vendor is unable to answer your questions about the products, they might be trying to downplay how bad it really is. 

Quality Over Quantity

It may be tempting to go with the cheapest possible option for wholesale to maximize your profits. But over time this can be damaging to your company. If you order material that is cheaply made and falls apart easily, then your customers will leave bad reviews and people will not want to buy from your store anymore. 

Providing quality clothing to your customer will keep them coming back and they’ll even recommend you to others so that your business can grow. Having loyal customers is one of the keys to a successful store.

What Should I Invest In?

When you select a vendor you’ll want to make sure you purchase items that will sell quickly. Some of the most common styles for online clothing are denim, floral, neon, bohemian, and athleisure. Some of the most popular colors to buy are black, white, red, gray, and yellow. 

Every shop is unique and you can brand it however you would like, but you should always keep yourself informed on the latest trends. This will ensure that you’ll be one step ahead of the competition. 

Before completely committing to a vendor, order some samples if you are able to. Some vendors offer discounts for samples. This is a good way to know what your customers are getting and checking to make sure the vendor’s products are what they say they are. 

In Summary

Finding the perfect wholesale vendor can take time so it is imperative to be patient. If you are willing to put in the work, it can drastically increase your profits and your inventory. Doing your due diligence with research is the best place to start, and finding a vendor that supports your specific needs. Consider the things that are the most important to you, and look for a vendor that fits the bill. For example, if you have a limited amount of space and cannot store a lot of inventory, look for a vendor that offers dropshipping. 

Starting your own business is a learning experience. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and get messy. Being successful in the fashion industry can involve a lot of trial and error, so don’t be nervous to fail. 

Sources:

1.https://www.goodstuffapparel.com/blogs/fashion/wholesale-discount-clothing-store-the-world-of-opportunities-for-retailers

2.https://www.goodstuffapparel.com/collections/dropship-collection

3.https://www.goodstuffapparel.com/collections/denim

4.https://makeyourboutique.com/how-to-find-wholesale-clothing-vendors-and-suppliers-for-your-online-store

5.https://www.thebalancesmb.com/what-is-a-wholesaler-2948311

6.https://ecommerce-platforms.com/glossary/wholesaler

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