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Anyone ever lie to wholesaler/distributor/manufacturer?
 

So I have been turned down lately by a couple of wholesalers since I don't have a brick and mortar store and only sell online. I don't understand why they dislike the fact of only selling online as long as I can move the product. So what's to stop someone from lying and saying they have a store location? I doubt they check on it... What do you think. Oh yea and when they ask for you website what's to stop you from giving some else's??

it's pretty easy to check it. google earth

It's also pretty easy to act innocent and give them the cash they want. I have had multiple distributors ask a few simple questions and then leave you alone as soon as you start throwing down cash. All they need to really see is how serious you are.

Only companies I ever have problems with is those who have strict warranty policies. They have to be able to track all of their products.

They can google earth it, and see the nearest similar store near me lol

]Majority of suppliers have interns.

These kids sit at a desk, bored brainless. They get instructions to check if everything is on the level with wannabe sellers.

Here's the rub. A seller might actually be doing well & making money. But soon as the supplier gets word that everything is not on the level, the game is over.

Seller can then be left with no stock, no money and a heap of grief.

Onus is on a seller to prove to a supplier they are worth the risk.

:juggle:

Yea... Money talks... How do they track their products? You mean the type of products that have to be registered like pc's etc?

Makes good sense. Basically keep up with their expectations until you actually do have a brick and mortar lol. Thanks guys, I'm going to sleep on the idea a few nights and see if I can convince myself that it's not too deceiving of an act and then take it from there.

Think outside the box.

Don't go overboard in stealth

The Dark Side need not be touched.

:juggle:

To give you an idea of how easy it really is, I have picked up products I like at Wal-Mart and need in volume. Went home, found their contact number for distribution. Gave them a ring from a random number, said I like your products and I need them in volume wholesale. Here is my credit card number...

In a few days, stuff is at my door. Don't be shy or nervous about it. Just sit down one day, grab some products you like and give them a ring. As GreenBean stated, some people you will talk to are literally just ignorant interns with nothing to do.

Wow as simple as that seems it's still very impressive. Are these popular brands or newly established ones? They don't want all the paperwork etc.?

If potential suppliers are giving you the cold shoulder it could be for one of two reasons:

1) They believe you are too small time to be worth their while. Wholesalers make very little money on each individual item and they still have to pay their sales reps and packers that deal with your order. To make a profit they need several thousand in orders from each customer per month. If they perceive you to be small time then they perceive you to be a potential loss.

2) The other reason is they have certain standards required of them from the manufacturers. Manufacturers have the most power so they can boss you and the wholesalers around. Some manufacturers require things like their retailers have a brick and mortar location. The reason for this is a person that sells out of a store is perceived to maintain a higher level of customer service and professionalism then someone who sells out of their house. The reason they have such policies is to preserve the positive reputation of the brand. They are afraid that a person selling out of their house may not provide the best customer service surrounding the brand like taking returns on defective units, demonstrating the proper way to use the device, etc. If a brand loses its reputation for quality it becomes worthless. Furthermore some of these brands have contracts with exclusive online retailers and can't just let anyone sell them online. You see all the time in wholesale contracts a clause prohibiting you from selling the goods online that you obtained from them.

Your best steps to avoid this problem is to start out dealing with the smaller/less exclusive suppliers first and building a reputation for yourself to work your way up.

OR

If you want to take the fast track, try making yourself look more professional. Incorporate, get a dedicated business line, rent a virtual office, maybe even an answering service. Register your business on YELP, Manta, Local.com, google maps, etc. Approach them with the confidence of someone who already has an extremely successful business with many suppliers. The key is to appear that they need you more then you need them. Then they will believe that you are big time and the rep that you are speaking to will believe that he just scored by signing you on as a customer.

One more thing. Never lie to a supplier. Lying is an ugly word when associating it with a relationship that you want to maintain for the long term. You just tell them the truth as it applies to your best interest.

Both. It will surprise you either way. You just need to get some practice in and you will see. Sure, some people will turn you down. You will need to get used to that and move on. It is a trial and error game, but with our horrible economy, cash rules them all more than ever before.

Most people are afraid or too lazy to put this kind of effort in. Then they come to this forum begging for people to give them everything like a winning lottery ticket. Don't be one of them and you will be successful.

Right on unkown - I have gone to sources too and just lay it out for my interest.

I have used pob`s to receive though rather than home address...

Why not just say PO Box?

:spy:

Seriously? Yes bosslady - po box :)

Lots of non-English readers wonder what some words are.

Not all bi-lingual like you

:peace:

Entiendo Senorita :P

Że jest dobry

:cheer:

julle twee moet trou

Dont worry I am not one of the lazy ones. I am just here for insight and to rattle my brain. I see where the lazy ones end up... In a sad place..lol

In response to your 2nd point about Manufacturers wanting retailers to have a brick and mortar store to maintain great customer service, they should realize that an established ebay (as trivial as it may sound to large companies) account with flawless feedback (which is widely open and available to public scrutiny and visibility) shows an immense sign of great customer service. It is not easy to please these buyers and they have the upper hand in every case. It is much easier to please a person in person and most people avoid confrontation and choose not to make complaints. That's just my 2 cents though and your point is still correct 100%, I just think they are blind to the potential of selling to online/ebay retailers (of course after pre-screening seller accounts). Or who knows maybe they just dont have the resources or time to pre-screen and prove ownership of ebay accounts...


And you are right about lying, it is an ugly word. I will stick to being honest, I believe in karma and hard work paying off. Thanks for the input!

I sure do lie to my suppliers....I tell them that they have the best prices around :P :cheer:

On a serious note: No... No I don't lol

If it's a big timer that I know will give me issues, then I go that extra step. For most of them, I just say that my home is the safest place possible to receive thousands of dollars worth of products. It's really simple, just sound professional and legitimate when talking to the representative.

Although, once you get past the part of them not really fact checking you or your business in any way, it pretty much becomes a guarantee that they will ship to whatever address you tell them to. This has been my experience every time.

The goal is to make the call, explain yourself and your interests in a few sentences, then get to prices and payment. Once you successfully make it to the payment part of the conversation, you go full steam ahead and you are in control from that point on throughout the rest of your business relationship with that company.

I think you misunderstood my point about not lying to suppliers. You should definitely reread my last statement.

Nope I got you, that was just my way of saying I read you loud and clear :thumb:

I have dealt with a lot of wholesalers. I had all different types really.

I needed to fax over my Inc. documents to show that I am a real business.

-Some would let me order just 1 or 2 items.
-Some required you to have a store front location and order $20,000 per month.
-One I remember required me to order a truck load each month of $100,000.
-Some would not let me sell because of my name they said that the business name has to relate to the stuff I am selling. I made the business name my last name so I can sell anything from PC's, auto accessories, to jewelry, to anything else that makes money and sales.
-Some wanted to come visit my store location (I hung up on the spot).
-Some didn't want me to sell out of my house when yet their company owner started out of the garage also!
-Some didn't care as long as you had the money.
-Some wanted to see a website
-Some wanted a booklet of my products or things I was already selling to make sure I am worth of their product.
-Some just didn't care as long as you had an INC./Co./Ltd./DBA/LLC./some type of business registered, and the cash/visa.
-Some said I had to order every 2 weeks even if I didn't need anything I still had to place orders.
-Some who didn't even ask for any business documents, just the phone number and address, at times a company name or not.

Just really depends on the products really. I had some who said I needed to order $60,000 per month to $100,000.

90% of the time I would just contact them to find out what their price was, and how much it would be with a large bulk order so I can see if it was worth it or not. Just mostly research, at times I would just buy stuff for myself at a cheaper price if I could, and for my friends at a lower price then stores by half off. And then their friends would ask where they got it and the would give them my number and I would make a sale from time to time like that.