How to find a wholesaler for your business online

If good wholesale suppliers are easy to find, everyone will use them. But finding good suppliers for your business on the Internet takes time and effort. One problem is that wholesalers don’t advertise themselves in the places you used to look for them. The other thing is that they tend to do business with traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. Some wholesalers look to eBay or e-commerce sellers.
What can you do to overcome these challenges? Other sellers have done the following:
1. I rented a kiosk in an antiques center and used it as a business address so that wholesalers could ship goods there
2. They registered themselves in the phone book for more credibility
3. Have Tax ID and Trade License ready in case these items are required
To find wholesalers, look around. The web is the logical place to start. The Chinese wholesale market Alibaba is an increasingly popular place for sellers looking for merchandise. Another possibility found on eBay is through the Wholesale category. Another excellent resource is Worldwide Brands, which maintains a database of wholesale suppliers sorted by the type of merchandise they offer.
But ask around, too. Often, you find wholesalers by word of mouth. Sometimes you find products you like and are reasonably sure that you can sell them online. Going directly to the manufacturers is worth a try, but the manufacturer will likely not sell directly to you.
Producers are used to selling to wholesalers and not directly to eBay sellers. By wholesaling, they reduce the prices of the wholesalers as well as the retailers who sell their products to the public. You are better off approaching wholesalers.
Lots of companies online advertise themselves as wholesalers. Many say they drop off their merchandise – in other words, they ship what’s purchased directly from their wholesale facility so they don’t actually have to deal with the merchandise and may never see it.
Sound too good to be true? In many cases this is the case, and you should always use a healthy dose of caution when looking for wholesale suppliers. eBay sellers usually find these suppliers only verbally: Instead of responding to an ad or visiting a website, they ask someone who knows someone…you have the idea.
If you’re not in the business of selling goods or services that you make yourself, find a steady stream of merchandise that you can sell online. Your goal is to find a wholesaler who can provide you with quality items at very low prices. You can then raise the prices and make a profit while keeping the prices low enough to make them attractive.
In general, the best wholesale items are the small things that can be packaged and shipped cheaply. On eBay, things like figurines, ornaments, stationery, and other small gifts are usually sold by PowerSellers along with antiques and occasional collectibles.

Here are some rules for finding items to sell:
1. Try them yourself. Purchase some items yourself to start with or order samples from a wholesaler. (Resist any attempts by the wholesaler to sell you, say, 10,000 items for a supposedly cheap price immediately.) Take a few items for a test drive. It’s easier to convince others to buy what you like.
2. Try to sell many small items at a low price instead of selling a few large items. Instead of computers or printers, consider selling computer memory chips or printer ink cartridges, for example.
3. Ask for references. Talk to business people who have previously worked with the supplier. Ask how reliable the supplier is and whether prices are subject to fluctuation.
When you are looking for items to sell, try to build your own hobbies and interests. If you collect model cars, try developing parts, paints, and side components online. You will find the process more enjoyable when you deal with products that you love and know well.