Archive for January, 2007
« Previous EntriesGK Designs - Wholesale Sterling Silver Jewelry
Monday, January 29th, 2007GK Designs was founded more than 15 years ago, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at their designs. Instead of old, dated pieces, their site features a variety of cute and contemporary designs in both silver and gold. Here’s a sample:
Much of the jewelry by GK Designs has a slightly upscale charm bracelet kind of feeling. That’s great if you own a store, because a design with a casual look and broad appeal will nearly always outperform fancy diamond necklaces. And of course, the investment and overall risk will be much smaller than if you go out and buy a lot of diamond necklaces.
If you want to find out more about wholesale pricing on GK Designs pieces, get in touch with them at:
GK Designs
49 W.24th St,
5th floor
NY. NY 10010
Phone:
914-637-7077
212-414-4038
fax:914-576-2761
Sales (at) gkdesigns (dot) com
Being Belisi - Designer of Fine Apparel
Thursday, January 25th, 2007Belisi is a high-quality fashion apparel line by Peter Belisi. It actually has the look of clothing that’s much more expensive than it looks. That’s not the major focus of this post, though. Instead, it’s recently come to my attention that they have a Belisi fashion blog now.
Instead of the usual self-promotional corporate garbage, Being Belisi is full of tips and pictures. Obviously, their own line is central to the focus of the blog, but they have useful tips on tying neckties and dressing well. If you’re interested in staying on top of trends, you should check it out. If you’re interested in reselling their products, you can contact them through their website.
Baby King - Wholesale Bibs, Bottles, & More
Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007It might surprise you to know that I don’t think about babies all that much. I don’t have one, and no one I’m close to has one, so that whole crazy baby paraphernalia realm is just not on my radar. That said, it’s definitely a market with profit potential, and I shouldn’t leave you guys out in the cold. And so I give you, Baby King.
Baby King sells pretty much all the little stuff that you might need for a baby - clothing, bottles, bibs, shoes, photo albums, dishes, etc. While their page doesn’t do a very good job at showcasing that fact, I’m sure that they’d be happy to hook you up with more information if you get in touch with them and offer up some information about your business. They do mention on their site that the minimum order is $500. Sadly, there are no good pictures for me to post here.
If you want to get in touch with Baby King, give them a call at:
Baby King
182-20 Liberty Ave
Jamaica, NY 11412-1012
Phone - (800)424-BABY
Fax - (718) 465-8267
As a bonus, you can also check out the pet side of Baby King, named - you guessed it - Pet King.
Xubaz - Functional Scarves, Wholesale
Saturday, January 20th, 2007Depending on where you live (or where you sell), winter wear can be good business. Now, while a lot of people skip the scarf thinking that they’ll never use it, Xubaz has a practical scarf solution. The Xubaz scarf comes with pockets so you can keep - well, something - in your scarf. Take a look:
If you want to get in touch with Xubaz about buying their scarves at wholesale prices, you can reach them at:
XUBÁZ™
310 South Convent Ave
Tucson, Arizona, 85701
Phone: 866-699-8229
Books - A1Books and other evils
Friday, January 19th, 2007I’ve had a few questions about reselling books, but I have to tell you - books are a tough one. To be certain, you can use a wholesale source like Baker & Taylor if you have a resale license. They can usually get you a fairly reasonable wholesale price. You could also go straight to each manufacturer, and you might manage to get a rate of about 50% of the suggested retail price. That method is very time consuming, and you’re still not likely to be able to compete with many of the big competitors like A1Books.
Perhaps the easiest way to get into books is to seek out large wholesale lots of used books. At 5 to 10 cents for each book, you can do very well with a “real” brick and mortar store, or moderately well in an online store. And of course, there’s always the thrill of discovering the occasional very valuable book in your lots.
If there are any more specific questions, feel free to ask. If I don’t know, I’ll do my best to see if someone else does.
This post is sponsored by Encyclocentral
Product Sourcing - One of My Favorites
Friday, January 19th, 2007Every once in a while, I happen upon a store that is great for sourcing products. They have a good variety of the kind of product that I like, they offer good pictures, and they tell you who makes the product. MatterMatters.com is one of those sites.
MatterMatters.com carries a variety of fun novelties and home decor products, and every product’s individual page tells you the name of the company that it comes from. If you’re looking for those types of products, check them out. Once you’ve got the company name, it’s just a matter of simple Googling.
Princess Potions - Wholesale Bath and Body Products
Friday, January 19th, 2007Everyone knows that bath and body products are popular among us girls. Unfortunately, outside of the big corporations (The Body Shop, Bath and Body Works), there aren’t a lot of recognizable brand names. That may change soon, though, if Princess Potions has anything to say about it.
When I first looked at Princess Potions products, I thought that they were meant for tweens (kids between kid age and teen age). If you look, you’ll see what I mean:
Anyway, they’re not really aimed at kids. I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with kids using their products, but Princess Potions has been marketing their line at celebrity events like the Golden Globes and the Emmy Awards.
If you’d like to get in while they’re still relatively unknown in the flyover states, contact Princess Potions at:
Princess Potions
P.O. Box 4833
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Phone: (408) 879-0987
Fax: (408) 879-0988
The Future of Event Planning
Thursday, January 18th, 2007In the past, trade shows were a huge logistical mess for almost everyone involved. A new software, RegOnline Event Registration Forms, hopes to change that. They offer ways for all the various participants (exhibitors, attendees, and sponsors) to register online and comment with any particular questions or requests that they might have.
I mention this because I think that it’s the future of tradeshows and other major events - so it’s something that people like you and I will probably be seeing a lot of. I went through their online demo, and I was really pleased to see the level of event personalization that it allowed for. Instead of just registering online, it lets you tell it whether you’d like an event packet mailed afterwards, and it lets you add comments for the event hosts if you want to. Obviously, these features would vary by event, but I see a lot of potential there.
The only thing I didn’t like was the part that asked about company sales volume. I realize that questions like that are pretty standard, but if the registrations felt like surveys instead of tools to help improve the experience, I would become wary of similar registrations in the future.
If you’d like to try it yourself, check out this sample event. What do you think?
Charles Sadek Import Company - Decor Wholesalers
Wednesday, January 17th, 2007Honestly, I wouldn’t have covered Charles Sadek Import Company if it weren’t for this picture:
What can I say, I’m a sucker for parrots (As I’m typing this, I have one sitting on my head). Anyway, Charles Sadek Imports carries a lot of frilly decor items like vases and ceramics and tableware. They also have a truly unusual line of accent lamps that would look very dignified in a home library with lots of leather bound books and dark wood.
Variety Distributors, Inc. - General Merchandise Distributor
Wednesday, January 17th, 2007While some products are cheaply and easily obtained from their manufacturers, other products are manufactured by big-name companies that won’t give a small business the time of day (unless you want to make regular purchases of $30k or more). For items like that, you should seek out a general merchandise distributor like Variety Distributors, Inc..
VDI bills itself as the most complete variety store distributor in the country, and they carry anything from pet supplies to hardware to candy and just about anything else that you’d find in a store like Wal-Mart. They currently work with over 2000 stores nationwide, and they boast a 94-96% fill rate.
If you’re interested in contacting VDI, you can get in touch at:
Variety Distributors, Inc.
609 7th Street
P.O. Box 728
Harlan, IA 51537
phone: 712.755.2184
fax: 712.755.5041
variety (at) varietydistributors (dot) com
Eklund’s Ltd. - Gift Importers
Tuesday, January 16th, 2007The products at Eklund’s Ltd. make me feel like I’m home again for a long winter stay. They sell flags, plates, mugs, vases, and more, but this image is probably my favorite:
I just want to grab that little bird and kiss him in the face. I don’t know that I’d ever buy the flag, but luckily, most of the images are available on most of the different products.
I don’t have a whole lot to say about Eklund’s, since there’s really not much to their page. It’s simple and functional and lets you see the product line without logging in. That’s always a good thing.
If you want to get in touch with them to find out more, you can do so at:
Eklund’s Ltd.
1701 West Saint Germain Street
Saint Cloud, MN 5630
Tel: (320) 252-1318
Fax: (320) 252-9397
E-mail: mail (at) eklundsltd (dot) com
Doing Business Abroad
Tuesday, January 16th, 2007 Business Broad Wholesale Product SourcesDepending on how you wish to expand your business, you may find yourself conducting business abroad. While that can sound exotic and fun, it can also be a HUGE legal headache. I’ve had a bit of experience with importing products from Asia, and it’s not a nightmare I care to repeat any time soon.
To minimize the craziness, there are firms like Harris & Moure International Law Firm for small businesses. Rather than catering exlusively to huge companies, they work with the little (and medium-sized) guys. If you don’t believe that they’re good guys, check out their China law blog. As professional blogs go, it’s extremely well written and informative.
As time goes on, it’s going to be harder and harder to get a competitive edge as a small business. Going international may be exactly what it takes to find better sources, find new target markets, or just expand. Finding a good international law firm can help you navigate the potential problems (and trust me, there are plenty of them).
JDW Distributors - Online Food Distibutor
Tuesday, January 16th, 2007I really like JDW Distributors. Actually, it might be more a matter of hating most of their competition, but either way, they’re worth mentioning. JDW sells a variety of gift, snack, and beverage items. They’ve got hot cocoa, chocolate, gift baskets, and a ton of novelty items like this delicious-looking Jelly Belly Valentine’s Day set.
With JDW Distributors, there is no secrecy. Nobody expects you to give away the secrets of your ancestors or fill out 10 hours of paperwork just to preview their product line. Prices are conveniently displayed online, so no creepy rep is going to show up at your place of business if you decide not to buy. It’s simple.
If you want to get in touch with JDW Distributors, you can do so at:
JDW Distributors
612 N. Eckhoff St.
Orange, CA 92868
800-783-9870
Fax # 714-634-4424
Old School vs New School Marketing
Tuesday, January 16th, 2007 Business Broad Wholesale Product SourcesBefore the internet, advertising and marketing a product could be EXTREMELY expensive. You had print media or television/radio, and perhaps a few odd methods like event sponsorship, t-shirts, etc. Depending on what you needed your customers to do (like remember a phone number to call you), it could be very tough to get your message across and get someone to your business.
With the advent of the internet, pay-per-click advertising made things a little easier. You could bid on the keywords you want and directly track performance. Unfortunately, many keywords have gotten very expensive over the years, making that a poor choice for some businesses.
To get the best return on investment, smart business owners are turning to a variety of search engine optimization techniques. Depending on the keywords chosen, SEO can result in clicks that are dramatically cheaper than pay-per-click clicks. Even if you don’t know how to do it yourself, you can hire Search Engine Placement Services like Search-Placement.com and still come out ahead. Once the biggest part of the work is done (backlink building, waiting on Google, assessing competition, etc.), it’s mostly a matter of maintaining your status, which is not all that difficult.
If you want to build your business online, you’d be crazy to overlook SEO. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check out Search-Placement’s SEO blog. Their SEO joke made me groan, but it’s good stuff.
Chicago Textile Online - Furniture & Accessories Wholesaler
Monday, January 15th, 2007I’m just a little too excited about Chicago Textile. I love all the bright colors and fun pieces in their collection, and I’m finding it really hard to keep from grabbing my credit card and going nuts on one of their online retail partner’s sites. What can I say, I’m a sucker for color - especially this gorgeous argyle messenger bag:
Anyway, Chicago Textile is a pretty cool company. They have modern looking storage cubes, stain resistant fabrics, and that fun new line of bags. Their Puff Chairs look pretty comfortable, too:
If you want to get in touch with Chicago Textile about reselling their products, you can reach them at:
Chicago Textile
4500 S. Kolin Ave.
Chicago, IL 60632
Phone: (773) 890-5445
Fax: (773) 890-5449
Email: sales (at) chicagotextile (dot) com
Their webpage gives the following instructions: “If you are a retailer you can request a catalog and price list by faxing a request on a company letterhead to 773-890-5449. Please include a Federal Tax ID Number”
Gourmac / Hutzler Manufacturing - Housewares Wholesalers
Sunday, January 14th, 2007I know I already covered Boston’s cute kitchen gadgets the other day, but Gourmac is just too good to resist covering. They sell a variety of fun and inventive kitchen stuff like cookie cutters, storage, and gadgets. Much of it would go well in a kitchen, gift, or general merchandise store. And of course, a variety of e-commerce sites could carry Gourmac products.
My favorite is below - I just love cookie presses:
To get wholesale pricing, you can contact Gourmac / Hutzler Manufacturing at:
Gourmac Inc.
4 Grace Way PO Box 969
Canaan, CT 06018
phone: 860-824-5117, 800-243-7700
fax: 860-824-5116
email: sales (at) gourmac (dot) com
More Closeout Merchandise - Jacobs Trading Company
Sunday, January 14th, 2007Since I got several happy e-mails with my last closeout posting, I’ve got another one for you. Jacobs Trading Company is a great closeout source if you’re willing and able to buy by the truckload (you’re looking at 5-figures with most companies).
The Jacobs Trading Company website is very simple but it is functional. Because of the nature of their business, they don’t list specific products and availability. To get that information, you can either call them or sign up for their notifications on certain product types. They deal in all kinds of stuff like furniture and domestics, kitchen supplies, electronics, and clothing - given the right amount of capital, they could very easily fill most of a the needs of a small business.
If you want to get in touch with Jacobs Trading Company, you can reach them at:
Jacobs Trading Company
13505 Industrial Park Blvd.
Plymouth, MN 55441
Phone:
(763) 843-2000
Fax:
(763) 843-2101
Essential Living Foods - Wholesale Organic Food Distributor
Friday, January 12th, 2007Organic foods are huge, but it can be tough to track down all the different suppliers, especially once you venture outside of the basic stuff like granola and organic potato chips. Essential Living Foods is a company that specializes in importing organic food products from South America. They’ve got stuff like cacao powder, dried fruit, figs, olives, and more.
If you want to get in touch with Essential Living Foods, you can reach them at:
Essential Living Foods, Inc.
12304 Santa Monica Blvd, # 218
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: 310-571-3272
Fax: 310-571-3274
Kole Imports - Dollar Store Wholesaler
Friday, January 12th, 2007Over the last 10-15 years, dollar stores have been very popular. While many are owned by chains, a good number are still independently owned and operated. If you’re looking for dollar store wholesale merchandise, a place like Kole Imports can hook you up.
Kole Imports deals in a variety of imports, but they’re also open to closeouts, so there’s a good selection of merchandise. If you want to get in touch with them, you can reach them at:
Kole Imports
(800)874-7766
email (at) koleimports (dot) com
If you want to open a dollar store but you haven’t yet done so, they also have a very helpful reference section on their site.
Restaurant Design
Friday, January 12th, 2007If you are opening a restaurant or adding a restaurant addition to your store, design is of the utmost importance. Even the best food can seem bad in the wrong environment. Restaurant interior design is something best left to professionals if you are uncertain about what you’re doing. Quantified Marketing Group (the sponsor of this post) offers restaurant design tips and and services for those who need them.
« Previous Entries