Wholesale items are available all over the internet. But how to you know that you are hooking up with a reputable wholesale supplier? Here are a few tips to consider when buying wholesale items:
1. Check to ensure that the address given on the website is real. Is it located in an area that you would expect to find a wholesale supplier? Stay away from distributors who are working out of residential areas and low-rent sections of town.
2. Make sure that the vendor is giving you a valid phone number. A legitimate vendor will have a landline. Mobile lines are convenient but should not be the sole phone access for the company.
3. Do a little due diligence on the domain name. Is it registered to a company? Was it registered for a minimum of 3-5 years? Most solid companies will register their domains for multiple years.
4. Call the company. Do they identify themselves as company personnel? Can they answer your questions? Are the customer service representatives knowledgeable about the merchandise, sales terms and refund policies?
5. Will the company sell or give you samples? Most companies will provide samples so that you can test out the product, especially if you are planning to buy in bulk.
6. Are the products in stock and ready to be shipped? If everything that you want to order is out of stock and the vendor wants you to pay up front before they will bring it in stock, get away as fast as you can.
You can avoid these frustrations when buy wholesale products if you use a trustworthy wholesale distributors directory. There are many available but, just like with wholesale suppliers, you need to find the right one.
SaleHoo is one the top wholesale directories around. They use a 3-tier rating system to verify all of the vendors prior to listing them in the directory. Along with access to 8,000 pre-screened, verified suppliers, liquidators and manufacturers, you get access to their member forum which is often frequented by eBay Powersellers. In fact, some members consider the forum to be the most valuable aspect of the SaleHoo membership.