Digital technology has touched almost every facet of the business environment, but wholesale shopping is largely done the old-fashioned way. There’s a strong possibility that you’ve actually called a supplier personally and made a request within the last year or two. While there’s nothing wrong with this, there are a number of ways you can use computer software to make the buying process much easier.
1. Use A Dedicated Software Package
General-purpose applications are almost always the right way to go when trying to solve a problem. Imagine if photo editing programs had to be redesigned every single time someone developed a new type of digital camera, and you’ll quickly realize why this is so. Nevertheless, installing a wholesaler program might be a good idea if you represent a small business that’s going to be making many repeat purchases from the same place. These applications make it easy to track shipments and help to make sure that you get everything on time even if you happen to place large orders from overseas distributors. Many such applications run in any modern browser, so you probably won’t have to worry about compatibility either.
2. Create A Complete List Of Potential Suppliers
It’s tempting to simply come up with a short list of the largest competitors in any given space and forget about everyone else. Unfortunately, this is a recipe for disaster since it’s never smart to focus on only doing business with a relatively small number of clients. There’s an old adage that goes you should only ever do about 10% of your total sales with a single organization, since you’ll want something to fall back on if said organization runs into trouble. The same should apply to making serious purchases.
Modern computer software applications make it extremely easy to create massive databases. Look at individual supermarket wholesale distributors who emphasize sales to independent small businesses. There’s no reason you can’t have lists that include literally hundreds of firms. Small cooperatives and family supply companies often have lower overheads than bigger firms, so they might be in a position to offer you a much better price as a result.
3. Search Through Existing Databases
No matter what kind of products or services you hope to order wholesale, there’s probably already some kind of spreadsheet or text file loaded with information for you to use. Some firms are actively reskilling wholesale company staffers so they can work in more types of positions than otherwise possible. Nearly every wholesaler also has their own catalog, which is easy to search through online. Don’t forget about these resources. Check if what you’re planning on buying has a reorder number. Getting more of them in bulk could be as easy as typing this number into a single search box and tapping the enter key.
Most importantly, you’ll want to keep an open mind while you shop. You may discover that there are far more suppliers in your particular space than you ever realized, so it pays to shop around before you open your wallet.