Where is the supply. How to find a manufacturer or supplier of goods for your idea

In 2017, the volume of Chinese goods on the world market amounted to $2,157 billion, which is 42% higher than in the United States. Such growth is largely due to the possibility of direct cooperation with suppliers of products from the light industry sector, which offer low prices and loyal transportation conditions not only for large wholesalers, but also for small wholesalers and retail buyers. The domestic market is no exception, where clothing suppliers from China with free shipping are presented as very profitable partners for both traditional stores and dropshippers.

How to choose a clothing supplier from China and what to look for

In any business, a lot depends on the supplier, and the further he is from you and the higher the language barrier, the more difficulties can arise on the way to concluding a successful deal. If you are interested in Chinese suppliers, you can choose several options for cooperation:

• Work through domestic intermediaries. The advantage of this method is the absence of a language barrier problem (full Russian-speaking support), as well as relatively high guarantees that the goods will be of high quality and delivered on time. On the other hand, the final cost of the goods will not be the lowest, and the intermediary will need to pay an additional commission (2-10% of the delivery amount).
• Using multi-user sites of mini online stores (AliExpress, Taobao). This format is suitable for small wholesale and retail purchases. Its advantage is a huge number of suppliers with a wide range of prices for the same type of products. The disadvantage is the difficulty in determining the reliability of the selected supplier. Suitable for retail outlets, as well as online stores with the purchase of goods or dropshipping.
• Cooperation with classic online stores (Tinydeal, Dealextreme). Wholesale and retail stores that have their own websites offer slightly higher prices compared to multi-user sites, but also value their reputation more, forming an assortment of higher quality products. Here there is the possibility of using loyalty programs, more reliable and faster delivery, and most importantly, it is more real to return the funds in case of loss of the parcel. Suitable for shops with pre-purchase of goods and dropshipping.
• Conclude a contract directly with the manufacturer. This format of cooperation will allow you to get the lowest price, but it is more difficult to find a direct supplier and negotiate with him. The manufacturer has its own requirements, including: the minimum volume of purchases (MOQ), the region of supply, high contact (knowledge of the language, quick response to correspondence, the ability to come to negotiate).

When choosing a partner, it is also important to know that China's main clothing manufacturing plants are located in Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai, and therefore, the closer your supplier is to these regions, the lower the cost of production.

Clothes of Chinese brands and copies of world brands

In China, two types of branded clothing can be bought at a bargain price - local brands and copies of famous world brands. At the same time, both of them are often of very high quality and in demand among buyers.

Top Chinese Clothing Brands

If you are interested in a supplier of branded clothing from China to open a large retail outlet or even an entire network, you can contact directly Chinese manufacturers, the best of which are the following brands:

• Sprandi- sportswear and footwear;
• Artka- women's youth clothing;
• Bosideng- high-quality demi-season clothing;
• Saint Angelo- youth clothes of extravagant style;
• Romon- business style clothes for men and women;
• fun time- children's clothing of high quality.

Many of them work both with direct export deliveries abroad, and through intermediaries of multi-user sites and wholesale and retail stores. This is very convenient if you are planning to work on dropshipping or you are interested in ordering small wholesale lots (sizes) for online stores or small retail outlets. For each site, you can also make a selection of the best brands with the highest reputation using the internal ranking system. So, the best brands on AliExpress with free shipping are:

• Miegofce- demi-season women's clothing;
• Li Ning- one of the most famous sportswear brands in China;
• MISSORD- elegant lingerie;
• youth- youth clothes;
• simplee- women's clothing of classical style;
• ICEbear- demi-season clothing;
• Pioneer Camp- men's clothing.

How to find a supplier of quality copies of world brands

If you are planning to sell copies of European and American branded clothing, you need to understand that in China you can buy items that are indistinguishable from the original, as well as complete garbage. To determine the quality of a copy in the professional field, a special marking A + (identical to the original) and A (medium quality) is used. All other goods made under the global brand most often turn out to be unsuitable goods.

Finding such manufacturers directly is very difficult, and unnecessary, because it is better to sell fakes through small points. To find replicas on multi-user sites and in wholesale and retail online stores, you need to know one feature. So, if you enter the correct brand name into the search, you will find the products you need, but they will turn out to be original, which will affect their cost. To find a replica, for example, on Taobao, you need to enter the first letter of the brand name and the hieroglyph 家 into the search. In this case, the internal search will give you all brand variations starting with the given letter. In some cases, you can use the search with modified characters, for example, instead of the capital letter I (i) small letter l (L), and also add the words replica, copy, etc.

Best Suppliers for Dropshipping and Online Stores

If your store is dropshipping or you are looking for a unique assortment for a small online storefront, it is better to pay attention to wholesale and retail stores that offer their customers free shipping, convenient loyalty programs, and, most importantly, more unique products. The fact is that selling goods taken from AliExpress and Taobao sites, which are well known to most buyers, is no longer so profitable for online stores today, since a significant part of users know how to order goods directly and will be little interested in your offer.

Such suppliers of clothing from China are also convenient for an online store because here you can purchase test samples with the opportunity to receive compensating bonuses and a discount for a subsequent small-scale order (size). When selecting partners in this direction, it is better to choose sites that deal exclusively with clothing, which will become an additional guarantee of product quality. So, a good assortment and free delivery in the CIS can be offered to you by the following stores, which also support the Russian language:

• A. W. Bridal- clothes for newlyweds, wedding dresses, accessories and shoes. The store actively cooperates with dropshippers, offering favorable conditions and fast delivery.
• Vancl- a clothing store, as well as shoes and accessories. The peculiarity of this store is not only its own production, but also its own brand, which is in demand in many countries of the world, including the domestic market. The company does not cooperate on the dropshipping system, but you can buy back the goods to provide your own warehouse with free shipping.
• Milanoo.com- clothing store and carnival costumes from Hong Kong. The company cooperates with dropshippers, provides free shipping and carries out wholesale deliveries to the CIS countries.
• Clothing-Dropship- Chinese wholesale and retail store, which is a dedicated warehouse. It is a direct supplier, created from a clothing factory and offering a huge selection for a wide range of customers.

Large wholesale clothing suppliers from China

There are quite a lot of manufacturers who are ready to work with large wholesale deliveries in China, but in order to find the right one, you need to know some features of the Asian business. First of all, reliable suppliers will not look for you on their own, because the demand for them is very high, and in most cases, foreign partners, for the sake of a profitable deal, are ready to come to them themselves.

How to find a wholesale supplier from China

To find a major supplier, you can use the following options:

• Personal connections. You can talk to Chinese acquaintances who work in trade in your city or in a neighboring city (for example, in markets). Most of them, at least, have acquaintances who can give you information or even help (for a fee) to arrange supplies.
• Search for suppliers on specialized forums. In some cases, to search for a Russian-speaking partner, you can simply advertise on business forums (biznet.ru, bkrs.info, biznet.kiev.ua, newhuanet.com) about finding a supplier of a certain category of goods.
• Domestic activities for doing business with China. In large cities of Russia, seminars and forums on organizing business with Chinese partners are often held, where you can not only find suppliers, but also get useful advice from more experienced entrepreneurs.
• Contact through the official websites of branded clothing manufacturers. To do this, you will need a good knowledge of English or Chinese for correspondence and negotiations. This is one of the best options, because you can order not only existing models, but also tailor a batch according to certain criteria.
• Chinese fairs and exhibitions of manufacturers regularly held in China. The most popular and largest event in this area is the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, which takes place twice a year. You can also visit the following fairs: East China Fair, Yiwu Consumer Goods Fair and Kunming Export-Import Fair. Since such events are very large-scale, in order for the visit to the exhibition to be effective, it is important to focus on the chosen direction. So, for example, if you are only interested in suppliers of women's clothing from China, then you do not have to attend major events. You can choose more specialized ones like Shanghai China Fashion Fair or Hong Kong Fashion Week.
• Online databases of wholesale suppliers. This method is most convenient if you do not have the opportunity to travel to China in person.

Top online platforms of wholesale suppliers from China

If you are ready to make your first wholesale purchase today, the easiest way is to use online sourcing resources. As a rule, all types of offers are presented on general sites, and therefore you will either have to find free delivery by personal selection, or request such a service during negotiations. To work directly with China, you can use the following services:

• Alibaba- the largest database of clothing suppliers from China in the wholesale direction with a Russian-language website (tolerable translation). The choice of a partner here is based on internal ratings and reviews. You can buy as a batch of just two items, and up to several hundred thousand. At the same time, the cost changes significantly. For example, when buying up to 100 units, a dress can cost about $8, and more than 500 units can cost $5. Alibaba's subsidiary site is the 1688.com service, where, subject to knowledge of the Chinese language, you can find many very interesting and profitable offers. The disadvantages of this site are high competition (a lot of stores and dropshippers make purchases here), the need to choose from the existing range and not the lowest wholesale prices.
• cn.made-in-china.com- a global base of China manufacturers and suppliers in various industries. The site is entirely in Chinese, but for initial orientation, you can use the translation from Google. Another drawback is that the prices are indicated in yuan, but on the other hand, detailed descriptions of goods (with measurements) are presented here, as well as data from the factories that make clothes, up to the physical address and photographs of production and storage facilities.
• cn.china.cn- another base of manufacturers and suppliers of China in Chinese. Here you can also find information about manufacturers (address, range of products, novelties, types of materials, size range and measurements), up to the year the company was founded. As with Alibaba, there is the possibility of obtaining a lower price depending on the volume of shipments.
• Hktdc.com- a common database of Chinese companies, where clothing manufacturers are also represented. Here you can find not only large wholesalers, but also enterprises that are ready to manufacture small batches. For example, T-shirts can be ordered from 50 pieces, and carnival costumes from 10 units.
• kidsnet.cn- suppliers of children's clothing from China. On this site you can both find manufacturers of children's clothing and view announcements of thematic exhibitions taking place in China.

Intermediaries of wholesale deliveries of clothes from China

If the main problem for you is the language barrier, the easiest way to order the supply of clothes from China is to contact intermediaries. However, in this case, you will have to incur additional costs. Each intermediary differs in the range of services and features of the transaction. For example, for the CIS countries, the following options are available:

• Asiaoptom.com- wholesale clothing store with a minimum order of $500. On this resource you will not receive information about the supplier and his contact details. On the other hand, if you like a certain thing and it is in demand among your customers, each supplier is assigned a serial number, which you can save in your personal account so that if you re-order, you do not waste time searching. Small and large wholesale orders are possible, which allows you to get more favorable prices. There is no free delivery on this resource, but on the other hand, the intermediary company takes care of the settlement of issues with customs fees.
• Chinaoptom.com- search services for suppliers in China, as well as the sale of a ready base of manufacturers for a small fee. Also, through this intermediary, you can order goods on s.taobao.com.
• optim-consult.com is a Moscow-based company providing services for the selection of suppliers in China, paperwork and transaction support, including translation of correspondence and negotiations. The price for services is from 2% of the cost of the goods of the first delivery.
• 4youglobal.com.ua- the company selects offers from Chinese manufacturers, while you just need to tell the manager the category you are interested in, for example, suppliers of men's clothing from China. After that, you will receive suitable options, and, if necessary, product samples. The company's services are paid, but delivery when choosing an economy class is completely free, regardless of volume. The company works with deliveries to Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

For many entrepreneurs, free shipping clothing suppliers from China seem to be the most attractive option, since they provide high savings. On the other hand, when concluding such a deal, you should be prepared for the fact that tracking the delivery will not always be correct, and in some cases tracking will be available only between China and your country. Leaves much to be desired and the speed of receipt of goods. Also, free shipping has such disadvantages as a high risk of damage to the goods during transportation, which often happens with small wholesale lots and test samples.

You will learn how to find a reliable supplier from China and get in touch with him directly (without intermediaries), as well as who can help you find suppliers

Trade in Chinese-made goods has made thousands of people millionaires. Right now, many small, medium and large firms, as well as private entrepreneurs, are engaged in the profitable resale of Chinese products. Do you want to join their number? Read our articles on doing business with China!

With you is Denis Kuderin, an expert of the HeatherBober magazine on financial issues. I'll tell you what's good suppliers from China and how to search for them correctly, why it is important to attend thematic commercial exhibitions and whom to choose for beginners - intermediaries or manufacturers of goods.

And you will also learn what they teach at specialized master classes on business with China and where to find such classes in order to get a really high-quality and full-fledged training.

1. Suppliers from China - we are looking for reliable business partners

Thinking of starting your own business but don't know where to start? Listen to the advice of knowledgeable people - start by trading in Chinese goods, and then figure out what to do next.

Business with China is reliable, moderately simple and affordable, while guaranteeing a stable income (if you act reasonably and competently). It is likely that you will like this business so much that you don’t even have to re-profile the business - you will simply expand your sphere of influence and develop new markets.

Products with the familiar “Made in China” inscription in the Russian Federation account for approximately 80% of all light industry goods. A significant part of electronics, household appliances, gadgets and smartphones sold in Russian stores is made in China.

Goods from China are not the same as they were 20-25 years ago. Products have become more qualitative, aesthetic, durable. Some products cannot be distinguished at a glance from their European counterparts. However, their cost is an order of magnitude lower, which opens up excellent prospects for business.

You don't need to be an economic genius or a graduate of a trade institute to understand how everything works in the Russian-Chinese market.

The business scheme boils down to three key points:

1. Find a supplier with the best prices in China.
2. Buy a product and deliver it- in the Russian Federation or another CIS country.
3. Implement at a premium- and it reaches 500-700% in many positions.

Thousands of Runet online stores that we use more and more often (according to statistics) sell mainly Chinese goods. In fact, their owners act intermediaries between ordinary buyers and mass Chinese manufacturers goods.

In the scheme presented above, all points are important, but the key stage is the first: find a supplier. The profitability of your business directly depends on the manufacturer, its prices, the quality of its products, the convenience of delivery.

Starting a business with China is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. I anticipate some skepticism: But what about customs, certificates, documents, taxes?

In fact, each of these issues is part of a long-established pattern of commercial trade. If tens of thousands of entrepreneurs succeeded, then you will definitely succeed.

And remember: narrow-minded skepticism (and not at all the customs authorities) is the main obstacle to successful commercial activity.

Business with China is a long and well-established scheme that can bring you a decent income.

The number of products supplied from China to the markets of the CIS countries is constantly growing. And wholesale prices are still low. It is possible that your initial business setup costs will pay off after the first resale cycle.

I will list all the advantages of trading in Chinese products:

• Low cost. The markup on domestic products reaches 50-60% at best. And in the case of Chinese products - 300 and even 1000% for some items.
• Large selection of goods. Chinese companies produce everything in the world - from baby diapers to the most sophisticated electronic equipment. The choice of direction for trading is limited only by your imagination.
• Chinese manufacturers are aimed exclusively at selling. The competition in China, with a population of one and a half billion, is colossal. Every customer is dear to sellers. Therefore, they are always ready to make an individual discount, provide documents, photos, videos, product descriptions.
• Favorable terms of delivery. You will work directly with manufacturers, shipping will cost you much cheaper.

The variety of offers increases the room for commercial maneuvers. You do not want to trade in consumer goods, order exclusive goods or products of brands that are not yet represented in Russia and neighboring countries.

There are millions of suppliers in China. The goods are produced both at large factories in industrial cities, and in remote villages in the provinces of Fujian, Gansu or others. The more serious the suppliers, the higher the prices (and quality). And vice versa.

Decide what is most important for you - to earn a reputation as a reliable seller of Chinese goods or to make a quick business on low-quality consumer goods and "close shop".

Tip 1. Read the information about the manufacturers on the packaging

A simple idea for those who do not trust Internet sites. Go shopping with the goods of your profile, study the information about the manufacturer on the product packaging.

Sometimes labels tell a lot of interesting things about the product itself and about the manufacturer. It is not necessary to buy a product - take photos of labels on your phone and study them at home.

If you are looking for a supplier via the Internet, carefully study its contacts, website, domain, details, registration documents and any mention of the company on the network.

Businessmen usually keep the coordinates of reliable suppliers in secret. But if you show ingenuity and perseverance, you will surely succeed in finding out useful information.

As an option, play a curious buyer and get real facts about the supplier out of the manager. Or buy a product and study the information in the attached documents. Another method is to request a quality certificate from the seller or find one on the store's website.

Thematic exhibitions are held both in China and in the CIS countries. Promising and developing companies do not spare money for promotion and search for partners: they will definitely exhibit their products at such events.

What is a good way: you have a real chance to get acquainted with a representative of the company in person and discuss preferential terms of cooperation. Other pluses - you immediately see product samples, do not waste time on phone calls and correspondence.

Tip 4. Attend specialized workshops

The Internet is full of specialized sites for business training, but not all of them offer really high-quality, useful and professional programs. So that you do not waste time and money in vain, I suggest using an expert recommendation - Necessarily take training from Evgeny Guryev.

Among my acquaintances who trade in Chinese goods, there are people who have personally been trained in Guryev's master classes and built their business on the principles that they learned at this school.

If you want to start successfully, sign up right now for a free master class "Business with China". Learn how to get started, how to sell, how to find suppliers and how to find an original business idea.

Interesting nuances about finding a supplier in this video:

4. Where to find suppliers from China

Overview of popular and moderately reliable sites for finding suppliers.

Study the functionality, compare, analyze.

1) Alibaba.com

Alibaba is one of the most famous sites for wholesale purchases of Chinese goods. The site was founded in 1999. It works on the principle of B2B - "business for business". The range of goods is huge, the prices are low, there is a Russian-language version.

And here is easy navigation and a quick search for goods, there is information about each supplier and the possibility of issuing a free trade guarantee.

2) Global Sources

The resource is one of the leading companies for safe and fast purchases of bulk goods in China and some other Asian countries. Almost 1.5 million customers worldwide, including well-known international retailers. Unfortunately, there is no Russian version.

3) Made-in-china.com

A large platform, the main task of which is connect buyers from all over the world and Chinese sellers. Huge selection of categories, quick search, trusted suppliers. The site has all the conditions for convenient and profitable e-commerce.

Services comparison table:

5. Conclusion

To run a successful trading business, you need reliable suppliers from China. To find them, and then successfully launch commerce, visit specialized sites, exhibitions and take training in thematic master classes.

Question for readers

What trade niches do you think are the most promising for the Russian market?

We wish you a profitable and long-term business! We are waiting for your comments and ratings. Do not forget to share links to the article with your friends on social networks. See you soon!

Finding suppliers is a mandatory step in launching any online store. The supplier can be the manufacturer of the goods or the dealer. At the beginning of business development, you can contact intermediaries who will supply goods in small lots. The only question that can arise is where to find a good supplier with whom one could work on mutually beneficial terms.

How to contact clothing suppliers?

Today, the search for suppliers of children's, women's and men's clothing is already a well-established process, because Internet commerce does not stand still, but creates its own mechanisms and ways of interaction between different market players. There are proven options to help an entrepreneur connect with suppliers:

1. Thematic Internet portals, catalogs, databases with links to intermediaries and manufacturers. Searching the Internet takes a minimum of time and effort, since information in catalogs is usually conveniently divided into topics.
2. Search output. Referring to search engines, add the word “wholesale” to the product name. Don't stop at the first page - explore everything up to 20, because some manufacturers and suppliers, including good ones, do not pay due attention to website promotion and therefore do not get into the TOP of the issue.
3. Traditional directories, reference books, magazines
4. Competitive suppliers. If you like your competitors' products, it's worth finding out who their supplier is. Do a little research - ask the store manager, examine the packaging and warranty documents, request quality certificates.
5. Package. In offline stores, you can see packages, boxes, labels on clothes and shoes with information about the dealer or manufacturer. Contact them and find out the terms of cooperation.
6. Local clothing manufacturers
7. foreign suppliers. Often clothes are shipped from Turkey and China, where low purchase prices allow for a favorable margin. Trade in imported goods will be subject to customs and shipping charges.
8. Industry events - exhibitions, fairs and conferences where you can get acquainted with manufacturers or intermediaries.

How to choose a clothing supplier in Kyiv, Moscow?

First, we advise you not to limit yourself to a single partner in order to avoid disruption of supplies: it may go bankrupt, significantly raise purchase prices, change the assortment, etc. Do not risk, do not jeopardize your sales - focus on 3-4 suppliers at once to insure yourself.

If you have found a database of intermediaries, then proceed to the selection stage. Pay attention to the following criteria:

• purchase price of goods per unit and lot
• quality and range of products
• the minimum number of units of goods that must be taken in a certain period
• frequency of updating the product base, informing about new arrivals and price changes
• availability of necessary certificates and documents for the goods
• methods of payment and delivery of clothes to your warehouse
• possibility to defer payments
• supplier's warehouse location
• terms of payment for packaging
• conditions for a return or exchange if the product turned out to be defective
• availability of discounts
• Establishment of contact, speed of feedback, presence of a responsible person
• clothing supplier reviews

Enter the collected data in a table - it will be easier to compare.

Options for cooperation with clothing suppliers

There are three schemes for interaction with suppliers of any product, not just clothing:

Sales from your warehouse. The easiest and most reliable way, but it requires certain investments to rent a warehouse if you don’t have your own premises. So you can personally control the quality of the goods that your customers receive.

Dropshipping sales. With this scheme, you do not need your own warehouse. In this case, you will work under the order: an order has been received in your online store, you redirect it to the supplier along with the customer’s data, to whom the goods are shipped directly, without your mediation. You earn on markup. Material

Today we will consider a question that worries many aspiring entrepreneurs - how to find suppliers for an online store.

When looking for suppliers for an online store, many questions immediately arise: how to conclude a contract correctly, how to protect yourself from deception by unscrupulous companies, and, of course, how and where to find a supplier for an online store. We want to tell you about.

The first, most banal, but nevertheless very important advice for beginners: take your time! Of course, you literally can’t find a place for yourself from impatience to open your online store as soon as possible and show it to the whole world. Also, you don't want to miss out on time, potential customers, profits, and you just can't afford to delay the process for any length of time. Do not rush, concluding a contract in a hurry with the first supplier that caught your eye, you risk not only being left without profit, but also running into a big loss due to overdue delivery dates and forever losing any desire to ever again

Where to look for suppliers for an online store

Where to look for them? Let's look at the main sources:

Search engines

Open your favorite search engine and enter a query using the template: product+wholesale. This seemingly banal method can bring very good results.

When choosing, evaluate the assortment, prices, terms of cooperation (if they are indicated on the site). Write down the options you like, later you will need to write off or call his representatives to clarify the details.

At this stage, the main thing is to try your best not to judge a supplier by their website. Many sites will look like they were made decades ago, they will repel you and literally force you to leave, but do not be alarmed, this does not mean at all that the products of this supplier will be of poor quality or that the terms of cooperation will not be profitable. Remember, most likely the head of such an enterprise is very far from web design, website development, and indeed from IT in general, he did not have the task of creating a popular Internet portal and it did not make sense to spend money on design and development.

Online directories of wholesalers

Demand, of course, gave birth to supply, and in the search you will definitely find online catalogs of wholesale suppliers. Suppliers in them are conveniently divided by product type to facilitate the search. Here are some of these online directories:

Printed products

It also makes sense to pay attention to printed products. Often in magazines, suppliers place advertisements for the wholesale sale of goods. In such magazines you can find what is not on the Internet. Look in thematic publications, for example, an advertisement for the wholesale sale of fishing nozzles will most likely be in the Fishing magazine. Do not neglect also the newspapers with advertisements.

Exhibitions and conferences

Professionals gather at various conferences to show themselves, look at others and conclude profitable partnerships. There you can meet real wholesale sharks and newcomers who want to make a name for themselves. Organizations often offer discounts and options for interesting cooperation at such events.

In addition, everyone is open to conversation and will be happy to answer your questions regarding the supply and range of products, give you samples of goods, and maybe even present you with souvenirs or samplers. You will surely return home in a great mood from the opening prospects for the development of your store.

Factories and manufacturers

It is possible that in your city there is a small factory that, in addition to all kinds of parts that are not very necessary for the average consumer, produces water filters, for example. Which you, in fact, decided to sell. A significant advantage of purchasing from a manufacturer at a lower price than from distributors, which we talked about in the first three paragraphs.

But, of course, there are also disadvantages:
- there are not so many factories in Russia whose products can be easily sold through an online store;
- the vast majority of large manufacturers will refuse dubious cooperation with a beginner and not very well-known, and even an electronic store.

Chinese marketplaces

Taobao.com, Alibaba.com, Dealextreme.com, Aliexpress.com- a paradise for those who love all sorts of necessary and not-so-necessary things at a very low price, but the quality of these things is always a mystery until you get them. You can buy very cool stuff at a ridiculous price that you can sell at a profit, or you can get a product of such quality that it will not even be worth even the pennies that you spent on it. Therefore, until you find worthy representatives of the market among the Chinese variety, each of your orders will resemble a game of roulette.
But the process of making a purchase on such sites is very simple. Many of them are even translated into Russian, so it will not be difficult for you to choose goods and place an order.

Competitor's suppliers

If you're enamored with a competitor's products and somehow figured out who's supplying them, you might want to try partnering with that company.

What's the plus? You get a trusted supplier whose product quality you are sure of.

However, if you hope to catch up and overtake the opponent's store in this way very quickly, then this is a deliberately failed idea. You certainly will not get the same favorable terms of cooperation at the initial stage. After all, a dark horse, which is not yet known to anyone. Learn Zen and move towards your goal confidently, but calmly, without trying to cut off rivals at all turns.

Foreign suppliers

One of the most costly options in terms of time, effort and money is foreign suppliers. However, nothing is impossible, especially if you are fluent in a foreign language. The search process is the same as in the case of Russian wholesalers and manufacturers: search engines, thematic directories, forums, conferences.

One of the significant problems is the low level of confidence of foreign suppliers in Russian stores due to widespread rumors (not always groundless) about dishonest ways of doing business by Russian entrepreneurs.

The best way to gain trust is to personally visit the supplier or meet him at the exhibition. But this, as you understand, entails rather big material costs, which a novice entrepreneur cannot always afford. In addition, the trip does not guarantee a successful outcome of the negotiations: you may be refused or set absolutely unfavorable conditions for you, for example, an overwhelming amount of the minimum purchase.

Another trouble that awaits everyone who imports goods in bulk to Russia is its customs clearance. It is far from always that a beginner can delve into all the regulations that accompany this process. As a result, the goods may get stuck at the border, and you will lose money, time and hope.

Cooperation with a foreign supplier is an opportunity to receive really high-quality goods at a very low price. This is a chance to stand out from the competition. But first, weigh your strengths and knowledge, it may be worth postponing communication with foreign companies until you gain the necessary experience.

List of questions for suppliers

Having done the search work, you had to choose several companies in which you see potential partners.


It's time for the semi-finals: each company needs to be called and asked a lot of questions. Many will be tempted to simply send out letters with these questions to suppliers and wait for a response, but this is not exactly the right maneuver. Most likely, emails are answered by customer support managers, not “salespeople”. They may not answer all questions or answer incorrectly. And your task is to get complete and as specific information as possible. Therefore, do not be lazy and do not be shy - call. Collect all the companies and their answers to the questions in one table so that you can easily compare the results later.

So here are the questions to ask:

What is the cost of goods per unit or per lot?

What is the minimum lot of products for the purchase?

Is this a general figure for the entire order, or does each product also have its own minimums?

What are the minimums to purchase for a specific period, for example, what is the minimum order per month?

Where are the warehouses with the goods?

What are the terms of delivery? Is there transport for delivery? If not, how are the goods shipped?

What guarantees does the supplier provide if he delivers?

Are there product certificates?

What are the ways to pay for an order?

What are the terms of payment? Are advance or funded payments required?

Can I use deferred payment?

Are there any discounts and what are the conditions for their provision?

Do I need to pay a security deposit?

How often is the goods delivered to the supplier? Do they send product update notifications?

Does the supplier send notifications of product price changes?

Are notices sent to stop deliveries of any products?

How is marriage defined? What are the conditions for returning and exchanging defective products?

Can I return or exchange illiquid products? On what terms?

Be confident. You are, after all, the owner of the store. Even if it's just opening. Feel free to talk about your project and plans.

The manager who will talk with you should feel that you understand the product, its cost and terms of delivery, and you cannot be deceived.

At the end of conversations with wholesalers, your table will be filled with data, on the basis of which it is already possible to draw conclusions. 3-4 companies with acceptable terms of cooperation for you have probably made it to the final. It is up to you to choose one of them or build partnerships with several. In any case, remember that in a telephone conversation, each manager seeks to present the conditions of work with his company in the best possible light.

Only at the stage of concluding a contract, you will be able to see the pitfalls that you have not noticed so far, so be careful and good luck in finding a reliable supplier!

How to find suppliers for an online store. We recommend watching a positive and informative video about suppliers and working with them.

One of the most important factors for is the right choice of suppliers. Your profit, the quality of the goods sold and the number of complaints and returns from customers will depend on this.

Before you start searching for a product in which you will work. This will significantly affect the strategy of doing business and building relationships with suppliers and customers.

Provider- this is a legal entity or an individual entrepreneur engaged in the sale of manufactured or purchased goods to other legal entities, individual entrepreneurs, as well as individuals to use it in business activities or for other purposes not related to personal, family, home and other similar use , including an organization, an individual entrepreneur, carrying out activities for the import of goods from abroad for its subsequent sale.

Where can I get goods for sale in the online store?

Most often, independent production of products is used by those who consider the sale of goods as a hobby or. With your own hands, you can produce a variety of goods, ranging from jewelry to body care products. In the case of hand made, you will only need to purchase consumables.

Among the advantages of this type of production of goods are low initial costs and complete control over product quality and prices. The disadvantages include spending a lot of time directly on the manufacture of goods. This can become an obstacle to business development and scaling. In addition, the range of products will be limited by your skills and abilities.

A profitable option for purchasing products for an online store can be the manufacture of goods in factories and factories to order. You can search for a manufacturer both in your own country and abroad, which often comes out cheaper. Most often, the choice falls on Chinese and Taiwanese companies, which can be accessed through the Alibaba platform.

Ordering goods from the manufacturer is suitable for those who have a unique idea and are confident in their success. The advantages of this method of supplying products are the low cost of goods and quality control. However, you need to remember that manufacturers require an advance and a minimum order quantity. As a result, a trial batch of goods can cost you several thousand dollars. In addition, when working with third parties, you will need some time to establish contacts and overcome legal and language barriers.

Wholesale purchases

This type of purchase of goods is characterized by a relatively simple process. You purchase finished goods from other manufacturers or wholesalers (dealers, resellers, distributors) at a wholesale price and retail at a higher cost in your store. This business model is less risky than in-house production. You will buy products that have already been tested by the market and get rid of the need to make a large minimum order.

Bulk purchases are suitable for those who want to have a large assortment of goods. It is also a great way to promote domestic brands in other countries. Often manufacturers are not quick and do not sell their products abroad. You can take advantage of this omission and become a large wholesaler with good turnover.

When choosing this method of purchasing goods, remember that you will have to compete with other stores. In addition, the price and terms of delivery of products will depend on the manufacturer. Also, with a large range of brands, you will have to contact a large number of suppliers, which takes a lot of time.

Dropshipping

This term refers to the direct delivery of goods that do not actually belong to you. An order will be arranged through you and sent to your supplier (manufacturer or wholesaler). That, in turn, will ship the goods to the client on behalf of your store. Your profit will be the difference between the cost of goods from the manufacturer and the price for the final buyer.

Dropshipping is one of the best options for beginner online stores. You will not need to purchase goods and store them. There is also no risk of buying products that no one will need.

If you decide to engage in this particular type of trade, then keep in mind that this is a highly competitive business. Also, do not count on a large margin per unit of goods. In order to get a good profit, you will have to increase sales volumes, which is not always possible at the start. If the supplier for some reason cannot deliver the goods on time, you will have to communicate with the buyers and resolve this problem.

It's no secret that the number of orders in online stores is growing every year. Moreover, experts predict that this figure will increase in the next few years. Now you can order almost anything online, be it a T-shirt or even a car. However, some niches are much wider than others and are in high demand among buyers.

According to Statista, online sales grew by 9% to 1.66 billion people. The total turnover of online sales amounted to $2290 billion, which is 23% more than in 2016. According to experts' forecasts, by 2021 the turnover will increase by 95%.

According to the Data Insight agency, in 2017 the most popular categories of online stores in Russia were appliances and electronics (27%), clothing and footwear (21%), department stores (18%), home goods (11%). Less demanded goods were auto parts (6%), as well as goods for children (3%), food (2%), beauty and health products (4%).

Despite this, even the most unpopular niches showed a steady increase in orders. For example, in 2015/2016, the growth in sales of food and pet products was 63%, beauty and health - 51%, goods for children - 49%, goods for home and repair - 34%.

Export of goods abroad

As for the sale of goods to other countries of the world, according to the same agency for 2017, in the countries of Eastern and Western Europe, the most popular products were clothing and footwear (40%), home goods (27%) and electronics (9%) . Books (8%) and collectibles (7%) were also in demand.

Suppliers of goods for your online store can be:

• Manufacturer. This is a direct supplier that you can work with directly. As a rule, cooperation directly with the manufacturer of goods is more profitable and reliable. The absence of intermediaries and extra links makes it possible to purchase products at lower prices and offer good buying conditions to your customers.

The manufacturer can be both domestic and foreign. Each product category has its own leaders and proven companies. The manufacturer does not have to be a large factory. Sometimes it can be representatives of medium and even small businesses. The advantage of working with a manufacturer is long-term cooperation and more favorable conditions compared to distributors. However, not everything is so simple here. Often, large manufacturers do not want to cooperate with small shops, since their orders are quite small on an industrial scale. Because of this, store owners have to build relationships with intermediaries who make large orders.

• Distributor. In most cases, goods are purchased not from manufacturers, but from large intermediaries. Usually distributors offer simple and flexible terms of cooperation. But the cost of production in this case is higher than that of the manufacturer.

Such companies work with any stores, so you can choose any volume of orders. In addition, distribution companies often work with several manufacturers, so they offer a good selection of brands.
The downside of such a supplier may be overlaps with the delivery of goods and delays in the transmission of information about new positions.

• Exclusive supplier. To more effectively promote their products among customers, some major manufacturers give their representatives the exclusive right to represent their products. These exclusive suppliers offer lower prices than regular distributors and are also willing to provide favorable purchasing terms. However, start-up entrepreneurs may have problems here. Large enterprises try to work with large buyers and do not conclude contracts with small companies. In this case, you will have to purchase goods from ordinary distributors.

If you do not yet have an established supplier base, then the logical question arises where to find them. Today, there are many options for finding potential manufacturers and suppliers.

Search engines

One of the easiest and most affordable ways to find a supplier of goods is to search Google, Yandex and other search engines. You can enter several options for queries, for example, “men's hats to buy in bulk” or “men's hats to wholesale suppliers”.

Get ready for the fact that the results you need can only be found on page 10 or 15 of the search results. Many suppliers and manufacturers do not pay much attention to promotion on the Internet. Because of this, search engines display their sites on the last pages, and at the beginning they offer the services of resellers with optimized sites and inflated prices.

For this reason, you should not pay attention to the "beauty" of the site and its convenience. It is much more important to find information on how to contact company representatives, get a price list and terms of cooperation.

Although print publications are no longer as popular as they used to be, they can still provide useful information about suppliers. As a rule, such advertising is placed in special blocks.

You can also try to purchase a thematic edition related to the theme of your online store. It is likely that in it you will find contact details of suppliers of goods. Some publications post PDF versions of their magazines on the Internet, which is very convenient. In addition, in the printed edition you can find announcements about holding industry fairs and conferences.

It is most convenient to learn about such events in thematic magazines or websites. Large exhibitions attract a large number of suppliers offering their goods. Often they have stands with product samples and advertising catalogs with them.

This is a fairly efficient and convenient way to find a supplier. On the forum you can communicate with the direct representative of the company, find out the terms of cooperation and ask for the necessary contacts.

Exhibitions are also a great chance to get to know your competitors and find out what they have achieved. Also here you can meet newcomers in your field and understand what they want to offer customers.

Perhaps in your area there is a production that produces exactly the products that you need. In this case, you do not have to look for suppliers for a long time. You can come directly to their office or request a price list and terms of cooperation by e-mail.

A significant advantage of such cooperation can be a lower cost of goods than distributors. However, the option of working directly with the manufacturer is not always possible. Firstly, not all companies are ready to sell their products through online stores. Secondly, a large manufacturer may simply refuse to work with a start-up store that no one has heard of yet.

It is possible that representatives of other online stores will not give you information about their suppliers. However, you can still try to get the names of the companies. First of all, you need to study the photos on the site. They may have vendor watermarks that no one thought to remove. You can also request information about warranty service, which is often provided by suppliers. Finally, you can ask for quality certificates, which may also contain dealer seals.

The advantage of this method of finding suppliers is that their goods have already been checked by others. You can safely order a trial batch for your store and see if it will be popular with customers.

In the shop

Go to the store and take a picture of a sticker with information about the importer or supplier of the goods you are interested in.

On specialized Internet sites

There are several Internet sites in Belarus where you can find a supplier. All companies are divided into thematic directories to facilitate the search process.

Most popular resources:

In Russia:

In Europe:

In America:

• Find out the sample cost. Before ordering a product, you may need a sample to study. Specify its price and the possibility of obtaining a discount.
• Check the unit price. Be sure to ask about the cost per unit. Find out how the price will change depending on the volume of the order.
• Ask how long your order will take. An important factor is the lead time for your order. Perhaps the supplier will indicate too long terms that will not suit you.
• Find out the terms of payment. Many companies require full prepayment for their products. By specifying this item, you will know how much money you need to purchase the goods. Also, do not forget to ask about the terms of payment in the framework of long-term cooperation.

To prevent potential suppliers from ignoring your request, it is important to follow a few rules for making a request:

• Write a short text. Nobody likes to read long emails, so keep your request short and to the point. Write the questions above to show the supplier that you are serious.
• Don't ask too many questions. It is unlikely that company representatives will want to answer 20 questions that you asked them. Try to find out only the most important things that will help you form an impression about this supplier.
• Do not insist on a very small order. If you specify too small an order quantity in your request, you most likely will not receive a response. To quickly find out the minimum order quantity, call the supplier or send a short request by e-mail.
• Smart text. Be sure to check your letter for grammatical and stylistic errors. If you are writing to a foreign supplier, it is better to write the request in English.

Once you have a few responses from suppliers in your hands, you can start comparing them. As you communicate with company representatives, compare important parameters:

• The cost of production per unit;
• Cost and minimum order quantity;
• Minimum order for a particular product;
• Minimum order per unit of time;
• Location of the warehouse with the goods;
• Terms of delivery and availability of transport;
• Supplier warranties;
• Product certification;
• Methods of payment for the order;
• The presence of a deferred payment;
• Conditions for obtaining discounts;
• Frequency of deliveries;
• Availability of a security deposit;
• Notifying the customer about price changes and termination of supplies;
• Conditions for the exchange and return of illiquid goods;
• Supply of promotional materials;
• Financial participation in the promotion of a brand or products in your region;
• Detailed description of the delivered goods.

For ease of comparison, you can make a table, thanks to which you can quickly analyze the points of interest to you. Also try to follow a few tips:

• Try not to stop at one supplier, but build relationships with several partners.
• It is easier and more convenient to start working with domestic companies and dealers from neighboring countries.
• If you decide to cooperate with foreign suppliers, in particular from Asia, try to find as much information about them as possible.
• Feel free to ask questions that interest you so that in the future there will be no disagreements and omissions.
• Try to build trusting and long-term relationships with partners. Subsequently, this will help you receive discounts and great offers, as well as reduce the risk of interruptions in delivery and return of goods.