bulk buying?

manhattan

ever since i was a lad,i have always found ways of making money either by buying something then selling it on for a profit or noticed certain market trends and made money there.

i consider myself very good with money,and i have a good business sense,but in the past i have been too scared of taking any big risks and i now realise you need to take a certain risk to really make something.

now,i have decided to look further into starting a proper online business,either via a website and/or possibly ebay.(i have a very good knowledge of ebay)


firstly i just need some advice on the best way to go about contacting various companies about purchasing in bulk and reselling their products.


im not talking about wholesalers or trade places,but straight from the company who makes them.

how hard is it to get to deal with these companies as a new business?

how do i get them to take me seriously?

how do i go about their prices? is it worth trying to negotiate a better price?

i am planning on taking a risk by buying in large bulk, selling cheap (with a minimal profit) but generating lots of sales.
i have a large amount of money set aside for this new business, and for buying in bulk.

any help would be great!

crompton

why don't you try dropshipping...Dropship Forum

manhattan

thanks crompton, i will have a look now.

MalcolmCooper

It's always a bit difficult to build supplier relations from scratch but they do want good business and if they see that you're serious and you'll at least start off by paying up front you should have no problems.

I suggest you go to the trade exhibitions and talk to suppliers there. By far the biggest and best such exhibition is:

http://www.springfair.com/ The Spring Fair at the NEC. It is vast and if you want to see it properly one day isn't enough.

There is a smaller version that starts TOMORROW!!! Well worth getting registered and getting along to.

http://www.autumnfair.com/

crompton

why dont you see if any of your relatives have makro cards, they have some good deals on electricals and other stuff

manhattan

so do you think i would be taken seriously if i say i will be paying in advance?

i will have around 4 or 5k to spend,to start with.

i have a few items in mind that i would like to sell,so when the kids are back at school in a few days i will start phoning a few companies.

MalcolmCooper

Yes, I'm sure if you speak confidently and ask about minimum order levels etc. and say that you are not looking for credit facilities you should do fine with most suppliers.

The toughest to get trading with are the big brand owners. Things like big name watches you'll have no chance with for example.

ericthekidstoner

half up-front and half on receiving actual goods should secure you decent deals with genuine suppliers

if you're dealing with small companies, always check them out before handing over any cash

observer_2

manhattan wrote:

im not talking about wholesalers or trade places,but straight from the company who makes them.

how hard is it to get to deal with these companies as a new business?

how do i get them to take me seriously?

how do i go about their prices? is it worth trying to negotiate a better price?


any help would be great!

It all really depends on what market you are going to get involved in. What are you thinking of selling?

soolin

Where are you planning to sell, if you are looking at an online place then make sure you check completed prices on ebay before you commit to spending money. Many people check ebay automatically before they buy elsewhere and prices can in many cases actually be cheaper than wholesale, so you must be able to compete with them.

I agree with previous posts about finding a niche, look for something you know and can get from a unique source. If you look to sell something already popular you will find it hard to compete, but find something completely different and you might be OK.

Unfortunately the question 'what can I sell and where do I source it' is asked several times a month on the ebay forum and anywhere that advertises or attends shows is likely to already been picked up by the competition, if you can find something easily, then so can the competition.

Soo

manhattan

thanks,i have already checked out the completed lisitng items. i will be selling on ebay they are high sale volume, items so i would be looking to sell between 20 and 50 items a day(high turnover minimum profit) the other sellers are turning over this amount everyday.

these items are very popular,and will certainly sell but there is competition,but lots and lots of customers so it all depends on what price i can get the product for by buying in bulk.