In: Homepage|Last Updated:

Wholesale suppliers are your business partners. A great one will propel you to success and a bad one can shut you down.

Few manufacturers will sell direct so to find wholesalers contact a few of the leading manufacturers in your industry to learn the leading wholesale dealers. Ask them for a recommendation and then follow-up with your own research. Merchandise cost and shipping speed are essential things to look for.

In order to buy items wholesale, a wholesale license is required. Depending on the state where the business is located, the license can be called a seller’s permit, a resale ID, wholesale ID, retail ID or a resellers license.

The wholesale industry is large and about 50 of the largest wholesale distribution facilities generate 25% of industry revenue. Wholesalers serve retailers and other service businesses through a variety of distribution channels and supply chains. At the top of the chain are manufacturers which include importers or exclusive distributors who also sell to wholesalers. Next are wholesalers or regional distributors who distribute the goods locally and brokers or jobbers who deliver goods to local small businesses.

A wholesale purchase is almost always done in bulk. Because of that the wholesaler pays …

Read More

In: Retailing Tips|Last Updated:
Winning Pitches: 2 Ways RangeMe is Bringing Brands and Buyers Together In-Person

Most of you are familiar with RangeMe as an online product discovery platform that helps emerging brands boost their exposure with retail and foodservice buyers. But what you may not know is that RangeMe also gives brands the opportunity to pitch their products in-person directly to buyers.

That’s right – RangeMe subscribers can get private, pre-scheduled and distraction-free meetings as part of two unique initiatives: RangeMe Live and RangeMe Discovery Hub, both of which are held at parent company ECRM’s category-specific Sessions. 

RangeMe Live is for Pro subscribers, and offers three free 20-minute face-to-face meetings annually as part of the subscription benefits. RangeMe Discovery Hub is available to RangeMe subscribers of all subscription tiers, and delivers the complete ECRM Session experience with a full schedule of private buyer meetings at special pricing for first-time RangeMe brands. 

Together, these offerings enable RangeMe subscribers to bridge the divide between digital and in-person buyer engagement, and provide a natural progression for brands as they grow their reach from local distribution to regional, national – and eventually – global distribution. 

realsy

“To get in front of buyers at retailers this big is huge, and you literally have a room with them face to face,” …

Read More

In: Dropshipping|Last Updated:
15 Top Print-On-Demand Companies (And How To Choose One) in 2024

Print-on-demand companies make it easy for anyone to start an online business from home. You can use their services to:

Launch an online store with custom merchandise Start a clothing line with no startup capital Monetize social media followings with unique products Expand existing businesses by offering new product lines

There are many print-on-demand sites to choose from, so picking the right one is important. What should you look for when choosing a print-on-demand service?

In this article, we’ll look at the important things to think about when picking a print-on-demand service and review 15 of the top POD companies in 2024.

But first, let’s make sure we’re on the same page—what exactly are print-on-demand companies?

Start selling online now with Shopify

Start your free trial

What are print-on-demand companies?

Print-on-demand (or POD) companies are businesses that provide a complete ecommerce fulfillment solution—this includes sourcing and storing products, printing products and packaging materials, and shipping orders to customers. 

Print on demand works similar to dropshipping. All you need to do is create eye-catching designs, configure your products, and sell them online—a print-on-demand company will take care of the rest!

→ Click Here to Launch Your Online Business with Shopify

…
Read More

In: Dropshipping|Last Updated:

Do you have an idea that feels like “the next big thing?” Or maybe you’d like to build on an existing idea to tweak or enhance it. When it comes to the product development process, there are plenty of use cases where it can be applied. And for the entrepreneurs and businesses that apply it well, the outcomes can be incredible.

But there’s a big obstacle: For many, the product development cycle can be wildly intimidating and even mysterious. It can be hard to know what applies where and which steps to take at the right time.

In this article, we’ll go over the basics of the process, some examples, and six key steps to product development, including:

Idea generation Product and market research Product and business planning Prototyping Sourcing and manufacturing Product launch

Start selling online now with Shopify

Start your free trial

What is product development?

Product development refers to the overall process of taking a product from concept to market. This includes conceptualizing the item, identifying customer needs, collecting feedback, building the product roadmap, and launching the item. For some companies, product development covers revamping an existing product and introducing an old product in a new market. …

Read More

In: Retailing Tips|Last Updated:

Growing your business to a household name is the dream of every entrepreneur. However, achieving this level of recognition requires more than just ambition; it demands strategic planning, resource allocation, and often, significant financial investment. Access to capital isn’t always easy to come by, however. In fact, a study by U.S. Bank found that eighty-two percent of small businesses fail because of cash flow problems, and twenty-nine percent run out of cash.

Without sufficient funds to invest in inventory, marketing, and infrastructure, even the most promising ventures can struggle to gain traction. Meanwhile, the right financing strategy can provide the resources needed to grow and thrive.

Securing the right funding product 

Whether you are growing through retail, wholesale channels, ecommerce marketplaces, or your DTC website, being able to fund your growth is an essential part of being successful. There are many options to finance your production runs but not every one of them is the right option for every business. It’s important to ensure you fully understand the pros and cons of the funding solutions you may be considering.

Inventory Financing

Inventory financing can offer swift funding even for newer businesses or those with less-than-perfect credit, with funds typically available …

Read More

In: Retailing Tips|Last Updated:
RangeMe Review: How Due Diligence & Custom Offerings Land 2×4 Nutrition On Retail Shelves

Nothing irks a buyer more than a brand that goes into a meeting unprepared. In fact, the most common advice I hear from buyers with regards to supplier meeting prep is, “Do your homework.” You should have an idea about the buyer’s organization, the markets it serves, and – whenever possible – actual boots-on-the-ground experience at its locations. Then, present accordingly.

Some brands take it a step further. They do all of those items recommended above, and then tailor both their pitch and their offerings to that particular buyer. When that happens, it’s gold. 

2×4 Nutrition is a great example of this, and has reaped the benefits with broad placement of its products at national retail chains. In this post, we’re going to show you how they did it for a recent Walmart Open Call.

About 2×4 Nutrition

Michael Lebhar

2×4 was founded on the idea of making nutrition accessible to everyone, everywhere. It offers a line of supplements based on liposomal technology that provides fast absorption into the body. The brand started with the basics such as Vitamin C, Vitamin D, zinc and magnesium, then added multivitamins and now offer supplements that address specific need states.

Having already seen …

Read More

In: Dropshipping|Last Updated:
How to Start a Reseller Business: Tips and Ideas for 2024

A reseller business can be a great option for first-time entrepreneurs. With this business model, you don’t need a revolutionary new product idea to start your own ecommerce business. In fact, you don’t even have to manufacture your own products, meaning it’s less of a hassle to get the business started. 

Interested? Then read on to learn the meaning of “reseller,” why you should become one, and how to start a reselling business online.

Start selling online now with Shopify

Start your free trial

What is a reseller?

A reseller is a person or company that buys products from different suppliers and sells them to their own customers (usually at a profit). Resellers often provide some value-add in terms of the customer experience, which enables them to mark up the price of the items they sell. This could be something as simple as an in-depth product description, a customer loyalty program, or live chat support.

Sourcing products isn’t necessarily easy and often requires a large capital investment. Resellers are able to navigate this by purchasing products only after they’ve made a sale and have been paid by the customer. Think of reselling as a form of dropshipping, where …

Read More