Building a strong business depends on making steady profits while meeting customer expectations for quality products and an active buying experience. Choosing the right swimsuit manufacturer or supplier is one of the most important steps you can take to achieve these goals -- making less-than-ideal choices can be a drag on your bottom line. The following tips can guide you through the process of finding the best source of products for your business.
A business that buys products from swimsuit wholesalers and swimsuit manufacturers and sells them to other businesses. Swimsuit wholesalers don't run shops; Instead, they provide inventory that you sell to customers.
You need to find a wholesale swimsuit distributor:
Connect you with the swimsuit manufacturers and products your business needs
There are prices you can afford
Serves your geographic area
Reliable, trustworthy and easy to use
Before finding the right wholesale company to work with, you need to know what you are selling. Once you know what you're looking for, you can start looking for the right swimsuit wholesaler to supply your business.
1. Know the distribution channels in your swimwear industry
Products can be transferred from swimwear manufacturers to swimwear retailers in a number of ways. Not all swimwear wholesalers serve the same market. Understanding the distribution channels and supply chains of your swimwear industry can help you with wholesale suppliers for your retail or online business. Different types of swimwear wholesalers include:
Swimsuit manufacturer: For some products, you can purchase directly from the swimsuit manufacturer. Boutiques usually buy from small (and sometimes one-person) swimsuit makers.
Importer/Exclusive Swimwear Distributor: The company may have the sole right to import and distribute products in a particular country/territory. Some may sell directly to swimwear retailers, while others sell to smaller local swimwear wholesalers, who sell to stores.
Bathing suit Wholesalers/Regional Bathing Suit distributors: There are usually regional bathing suit wholesalers who receive boxcar sized lots and sell them to local bathing suit wholesalers, who then sell them to small businesses.
Jobbers: These people deliver daily to local grocery stores and retail stores.
Some swimwear retailers will shift enough volume to bypass temporary workers, or in the smaller swimwear industry, importers will sell directly to swimwear retailers. Each swimsuit industry has its own unique distribution channel, which then varies by product, region or country/region.
2. Domestic and foreign swimwear products
For novice sellers, the main advantage of partnering with a supplier or swimsuit manufacturer based overseas, often in Asia, is that labor costs are significantly lower than elsewhere, reducing overall expenses. Some of the better overseas manufacturers will create quality products and ship them in a timely manner. However, the drawbacks of using a foreign-based swimsuit manufacturer can be daunting, especially for inexperienced sellers. The extra time involved and greater potential losses may offset the advantage of lower labor costs. Some potential risks to be aware of include:
Lower quality products. If you don't verify the quality of the product, you may find yourself with a lot of returns to deal with.
Counterfeit goods and other copyright violations.
Consumers reject poor working conditions.
Limited communication time in the day, and possible difficulties related to language and cultural differences.
Shipping products takes longer, which is especially important if your competitors offer fast delivery.
Some overseas swimwear manufacturers will require a larger minimum order before accepting your business.
Select swimsuit manufacturers offer reliable quality standards, easier communication, stronger consumer protection, and are more likely to have the flexibility to adapt their products to meet your needs, even if it involves multiple back-and-forth.
3. Try the swimsuit manufacturer first
Paying the swimsuit wholesaler will cut into your profit margin. To remove the middleman from the equation, you can start at the source.
If you sell branded goods, please contact the swimsuit manufacturer directly. They may sell to you based on minimum order requirements. If you are too small for them, or if they only sell through established distribution channels, please ask them for a list of reputable swimwear distributors you can contact.
The fewer people you have to pass, the lower your costs, making you more competitive in the marketplace. When you contact the swimsuit manufacturer, ask for samples of the products you intend to sell. This will allow you to look at it and check the quality to make sure it's something you want to sell.
4. Make productive first contact with wholesalers and suppliers
Start contacting a wholesale swimsuit distributor, using the list, phone book list or wholesale catalogue you have obtained from the swimsuit manufacturer you would like to know:
Their minimum order requirements
Their wholesale unit price
They supply the area
You can make an initial contact by phone or email and then follow up by phone if you need more information or would like to move forward. To find the best match for your business, be honest about what you're looking for and don't try to sound bigger than you really are.
Don't be afraid to let the person you're talking to know that you're researching and looking at other competitors. This can help you get a better price, even if you start small.
5. Make your online search specific
If you do an online search, don't just search for generic swimwear wholesalers or swimwear distributors. Be sure to include keywords from your product or niche. Try the product name, model and brand name. If any potential swimsuit distributor you find doesn't have an email address or phone number available, you can do a Facebook or linkedin search to find the contact information for the site owner.
The more potential swimwear wholesalers you find, the more you will be able to compare stores and understand normal swimwear industry prices and get competitive quotes.
- Check the major B2B marketplaces
There are many large B2B marketplaces online where you can purchase a large number of products at low prices. Alibaba is one of the largest B2B markets, importer and wholesale distributor other B2B markets include:
Global Sources (US)
Buyer's Zone (US)
EC21 (South Korea)
EC Plaza (South Korea)
Busy Trade (Hong Kong)
Find markets that serve your country or region. B2B marketplaces for specific swimwear industries; These can serve either a country or a global community of swimwear retailers.
7. Look at them up close
When you find a swimsuit manufacturer or supplier that seems to meet your needs, get to know them better before making a commitment. If possible, visit their factories and meet their representatives. If you can't visit in person, try scheduling a meeting using Skype or another video chat platform. Ask for samples of products you want to sell or ask them to create prototypes of your custom products. Try to understand how to work with them and try to build long-term partnerships for greater business success.
Your first wholesale supplier may not be a long-term supplier. Creating the perfect supply chain is an evolution that involves a lot of trial and error.
