The Other Edge of Wholesale Product Supply
May 22, 2008
There may very well be more than one edge to the world of wholesale and dropship supply. Now, what does that mean? How can there be more than one edge to something? That is sort of like saying that there is more than one edge to a coin, and that is close to what we mean in regard to wholesale and dropship product sourcing.
There is the “edge” that is popularly presented through the rather small but aggressive Internet marketing community. That perspective presents wholesale product sourcing as something that occurs almost entirely online and seems to be limited to selling popular consumer items, such as electronics. The Internet marketing community also presents buying wholesale goods as a means to get rich quick, hence it’s interest to the IM (Internet marketing) crowd.
Then there is the other “edge,” which is the real world of wholesale and the real world of dropshipping. This world may be accessible online, but for the most part exists offline, or at least exists more prominently offline. Because product manufacturers and distributors provide the source of goods, they have less concern with online promotion and really have almost nothing to do with the general hysteria that seems to infect Internet marketing.
However, many people-you, perhaps–begin their search for information about sourcing wholesale goods and locating wholesale distributors on the Internet. So, with that in mind, we’ll offer a few suggestions. First, however, we’d like to mention that ecommerce, and by that we mean essentially moving your offline shop online, is real business, not a gimmick to make quick money. Ecommerce rubs shoulders with Internet marketing because of the use of the Internet and their use of the Internet as a direct marketing tool.
Real wholesale contacts are best made at trade shows and wholesale associations. In my opinion, they are not best made online, but that’s not to say you can’t do it, and if you have a real knack for networking, it might work out very well for you.
Ok, the tips. Check out www.bnfusa.com. They appear to be legitimate wholesale dropshippers of a variety of consumer items. You won’t find flat screen TVs, but you may find items that will well. Next, take a look at www.naw.org, the National Association of Wholesale Distributors. If you are serious, you will find a pretty comprehensive list of the wholesale associations in the United States. By th is means, you will be able to make contacts in a great variety of manufacturing areas. Through personal contact, you’ll be able to work out dropship arrangements. But again, this requires either pre-existing business know how, or at least a willingness to jump on the learning curve.
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