Archive for February, 2008
More Home Decor Wholesale Ideas
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008In any field, it’s important to try to figure out what you can do that’s different from your competitors. For a gift store I like to visit, that meant including some “minor” home improvement items. Instead of just selling cards and flowers and books, she also stocked simple items like wall decals, cabinet pulls, fan pulls, and door knobs. The new additions increased her foot traffic significantly.
So, if things aren’t going as you hoped, look around your business and try to figure out what might work for you. There’s always something that could be done differently.
Should You Purchase a List of Wholesale eBay Suppliers?
Sunday, February 24th, 2008As a professional buyer for several years now, my answer - It depends. Yes, you’re spending money, and yes, there’s always a chance that you won’t get what you thought you were getting. It happens to the best of us. Even still, it may be worth buying a wholesale supplier list in a couple of situations:
-Your time is worth something. Trust me when I say that it takes many hours of searching to get a comprehensive list of good suppliers. If you’d rather spend the time narrowing down a list rather than creating one from scratch, then by all means, buy a list of potential wholesale or drop ship suppliers.
-You don’t know what you want to sell. If you’re not sure what you want to sell, having a list of wholesalers will definitely make it easier to browse and narrow things down. You may find that being able to speak to the suppliers first helps you to locate an industry that’s easiest for you to navigate. It may also help you locate a niche you never thought of like light fixtures or Japanese lunchboxes.
-You’re lazy. There’s nothing wrong with that, either. Maybe you’d rather spend the time doing something else for your business (or just enjoying life). Who cares? If you have the extra cash to buy your list and save time, good for you.
Now, it’s true that I’ve talked about a ton of wholesale suppliers here on the blog. That may be enough to get you started, especially if you’re interested in giftware products. If not, give this wholesale list a try. SaleHoo has been around for a while now and they’re one of the few companies that actually lists full names of people who have been happy with their memberships.
What if You Can’t Buy in Bulk?
Monday, February 18th, 2008When you’re first starting out (and perhaps for even longer), some manufacturers’ minimum purchase requirements can seem completely unreasonable. I’ve heard of some as steep as $30,000 on an initial order with monthly $10k minimums after that. That’s certainly not something that most small businesses can agree to.
In some industries, there may be alternatives like directbuy. Directbuy lets you join as a member and enjoy wholesale prices at their showroom. While it’s targeted to home design products, similar businesses exist in other industries, too.
New Age Product Ideas
Saturday, February 16th, 2008Capturing the new age crowd can require some imagination. Vegan and vegetarian friendly products are always great, and it’s not that hard to find foods that fit the bill. To amp it up a bit, try also including some vegan shampoos or soaps.
You might also try alternative medicines like aromatherapy or herbal treatments, but don’t overlook something like a colon cleanser, either. Both types of products can do very well, particularly if you offer a comfortable shopping experience.
What other ideas have you come up with that let you work a niche more fully than the usual products?
Dealing With the Slow Season
Saturday, February 16th, 2008Once the Christmas and Valentine’s Day holidays are over, things tend to slow down in the gift retail business. It’s the beginning of a 6-month period of reduced sales that culminate in the need for even more inventory to start the holiday season. For me, it’s important to use some kind of budget software so I don’t find myself coming up short in September when I’m placing all my holiday orders.
What do you do to make sure that things work out? Or do you just hope and pray?
Yankee Candle Fragrance Fans Wholesale
Tuesday, February 5th, 2008You might not realize it, but Yankee Candle offers wholesale pricing for retailers. This is especially cool in light of one of their latest products, the fragrance fan. Instead of requiring an open flame, they’re great for spreading great scents in areas that are restricted from flames.
While the fragrance fans aren’t available on their website, I suspect that they’re available in most of the standard scents. So, whether you want your rooms to smell like a candy stores or Pigeon Forge cabin rentals, you’ll be covered.
To get in touch with them, contact Yankee Candle at (413) 665-8306.
Checking Online
Monday, February 4th, 2008If you do a lot of business online, you’ll probably find it worthwhile to set up an online checking account. I receive a lot of payments through PayPal and I like to transfer it over to my online checking account. I hate dealing with my “real” bank if I can help it. The lines alone are enough to keep me away. After I got a paper check in the mail last week, I ended up spending 45 minutes in line waiting to deposit it.
What kind of solutions have you come up with for organizing your business finances online? Do you do everything the old fashioned way? Have you figured out a good way to handle actual paper checks, or do you just try to avoid them?
A Wholesale Request
Sunday, February 3rd, 2008A friend of mine wants to start a hardware store. Obviously, it’s not going to be easy to compete with the giants like Home Depot and Lowes. Those places have nearly ruined the retail landscape and they’re filled with employees who are occasionally informed, but who definitely haven’t made hardware their life.
Perhaps I’m just spoiled because I grew up in a small town where the hardware store owners loved their job and considered it their calling, but I would love to see this guy succeed. He’s currently looking for wholesale suppliers of the items below. If you have any good tips, please leave them in the comments. He would be infinitely appreciative.
Faucets
Bathroom Vanities
Tiles
Hand Tools
Paint
Wallpaper
Wood
Caulk
He’s put together a great list of suppliers so far, but there are definitely some things missing. Again, I appreciate any contributions!
Sea Glass Jewelry Wholesale
Sunday, February 3rd, 2008While the more jaded among us may scoff at sea glass, I think it’s beautiful. I’m sure I can’t be the only one, especially since Austin Design has been making and selling jewelry made of the glass since 1987. Their items would be great for a seaside gift shop, but I suspect they’d also do very well in boutiques and tourist shops in any part of the country.
Even better, your purchases support independent artisans in the Outer Banks area. These are not cheap pieces that are made in China for a penny each. If you’re interested in contacting Austin Design, the contact information is below:
Austin Design
434 . 832 . 7000
110-B Duncraig Drive
Lynchburg, VA 24502
Affiliate Summit West - 2008
Sunday, February 3rd, 2008Is anyone else going to make it to the Affiliate Summit West this month? I’ve been giving it some thought, but it’s an awful lot of money to invest for such a short period. I wouldn’t go unless I were going to buy the full pass, and that’s well over $1k. Of course, it’s usually possible to offset that a bit by seeking out a cheap hotel Las Vegas style, but the total will still be at or above $2k if you have to buy food and airfare.
I may still bite the bullet, though. If you’re going to be in town then, feel free to drop me a line. Industry conferences are always a good time.