Hi All,

I've been actively looking to increase my range of products and have been searching for a supplier of niche giftware items.

However, I have found that serveral potential suppliers already sell their products online - themselves via Ebay and Amazon. Either through a variation of their name or their actual trading name.

Doesn't this defeat the purpose of being a wholesaler? I mean you would be competing with them directly online. If you are selling via a physical retail store I suppose this would be ok. But for many would-be traders, Ebay and Amazon is usually the way to go especially if you dont have a store.

Any thoughts?

It only becomes a problem when the wholesaler is retailing products for around the wholesale price.

If they are selling at a fair retail price then its no different to any other competition in my opinion.

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I am currently retailing but i am looking into wholesaling as it simply gives me more buying power.

I won't be killing retail price and only making a small markup on the wholesale.

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Wholesale Starter Packs Only £150 MOQ. Toys, Games, Baby Etc.

I have seen that wholesalers that also retail do make a decent markup. However, in most cases they are already an established online retailer with excellent ratings/feedback.

I won't be killing retail price and only making a small markup on the wholesale.

TSP, if you were making a small markup on wholesale price, would that not put potential resellers off? For example, If they wanted to sell your products online and you are already established. Or how about a reseller undercuts your online retail prices with stock he purchased from you. You would be in a better position to counter-undercut. So where is the benefit for the reseller?

Unless the wholesaler has items they dont retail themselves and reserve for resellers. That would make sense.

Im just looking at this from a perspective of selling online. A retail store in say a shopping centre would not have this issue. Just those who want to use online market places like Ebay or Amazon.

Because, as has been said on here many times price is not everything.

If you word your products better, offer a better service you may get the sale even if you are slightly higher in price.

Or you may just get the sale anyway.

The point is the reseller will be getting them for a better price anyway.

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Wholesale Starter Packs Only £150 MOQ. Toys, Games, Baby Etc.

Yes, I understand price is not everything. Other things like customer service and professionalism are important.

Its just competing directly with the supplier as a retailer which can put a reseller off. But I guess that's all part of trading

In the end it is up to you to buy or not buy. No matter how you look at it, you ARE helping your competition. You are helping them achieve a better buying price, so they will either make more on their own sales, or lower their selling price to be more competitive.

That does not mean you cannot also make a profit. If they are offering a true wholesale price that is competitive with other sources and then offer a bit more, in terms of quicker order turnaround time, quicker delivery, etc. you should consider them. But you must always keep in mind they are also your competition.

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