It’s the holiday season! It has been said that wholesale shopping during this time of the year will look a little different, especially considering concerns over continued supply chain bottlenecks and inflation. According to the 2022 Global Consumer Behavior Report of Astound Commerce, it realized that consumers would be more conscious about prices and become more forward-thinking as the holiday season approaches, so they are more likely to shop between two to six months ahead of the season to avoid supply chain hassles and the rush for limited inventory.
Shopping earlier will mean earlier demand from retailers who are more likely to place more diminutive and more frequent orders on items ready for shipping. To offer help for independent brands like yours so you can prepare better, here are the tips you need to remember to set that brand apart, capture the early demand, meet the needs of retailers, and reach new buyers. In short, you will be learning about how to make your wholesale shopping experience less stressful.
Tip # 1: Go For The Right Platform
Several online platforms today offer the best wholesale shopping without issues, problems, and hassles. One of them is GoBiz USA. It is a B2B wholesale marketplace created to re-architect the supply chain in the United States to become a more cost-effective and beneficial solution for enterprises to small businesses. GoBiz USA’s marketplace consists of thousands of high-end packaged consumer products available in quantity in the United States. It offers world-class shipping rates and strategic product placement across the United States, enabling them to become one of the top resources for purchases at the enterprise level. GoBiz USA also offers a membership that will make your wholesale shopping experience more efficient and effective. You can check out the GoBiz USA FREE Business Member Registration on that link.
Tip # 2: Reflect On Industry Trends
If you are wholesale shopping as a retailer, you would want to look at the current industry trends to inform those purchases. Along the way, be sure to keep an eye out for well-known industry wholesalers with credible reviews and the best pricing.
Tip # 3: Create An Attractive Collection
Collections or curated sets of products organized neatly are strategic tools that will help buyers find your newest or bestselling products. Plus, including a seasonal collection can quickly pique the interest of retailers who are shopping during the holiday season.
Here are two easy-to-implement ideas. First, you can create collections around the holiday and winter-themed products or products that also make for fabulous gifts. Use keywords that retailers search for in your product titles, such as “holiday.”
Second, curate a “high-sell-through” or “staples” collection framed around items that you know shoppers will always want. The more evergreen your selection is, the better.
Tip # 4: Assure Retailers With The Latest Information
With so many retailers currently browsing products for the holidays, now is the perfect time to double-check if what you provide them are up-to-date and accurate information.
You should also keep your order minimum low to increase the chances of your items showing up in a filtered search by potential buyers and retailers clicking through your brand page. In addition, keeping your case quantity low will help increase the chances of new retailers trying out your products.
Also important is making sure your product photography is updated. Photography creates that first impression for your brand, so it is vital that your imagery reflects your care for your product. If your imagery is not updated, take advantage of this holiday season to refresh. If you are adding holiday-themed products to your catalog, consider staging a different photoshoot that reflects these items’ seasonality.
Tip # 5: Share Accurate Shipping Information
Informing your customers when they can anticipate their shipment to arrive is very crucial, especially during this holiday season. To ensure your buyers know what to expect, you must update the lead time on your brand page to be as precise as possible when sharing shipping dates. If you are concerned about unexpected details in shipping as the holiday approaches, consider encouraging your retailers to plan and purchase their holiday inventory earlier.
Constant and clear communication is key, especially when it comes to holiday shipping. Plus, providing top-notch customer service during this incredibly busy season will create repeat customers year-round.
Tip # 6: Determine Your Needs And The Quantities
Buying wholesale will save your business some money, but that does not mean you will spend carelessly. To make the most out of your wholesale shopping, it is best that you reflect on which products your business needs and in what quantities.
First, you can look at your sales trends and history. Ask these questions. Are there items going out of style or season? Will you need wholesale quantities? Being mindful of your orders is the best way to maximize your wholesale investments.
Second, consider where you will store your materials. Do you have an ample storage area to show your bulk purchases before they get to your stores or office? If you do not have one, how will you obtain this space?
You would also want to determine whether the products you buy have a good shelf life. Indeed, you do not want to bulk order only for half the items to go bad.
Tip # 7: Try To Optimize Your Order
Learn to narrow down the number of your wholesale purchases by optimizing your order each time. Here, timing is everything, so make sure you do a wholesale order when your shop requires an order of many different products, not just one.
There are more tips on how you can successfully shop wholesale, as well as tips for businesses to succeed in this regard, such as:
- Enticing your shoppers with promotions
- Networking to gain insight into the best wholesaler
- Enhancing your marketing channels
- Comparing prices between wholesalers
- Comparing inventories between wholesalers
With those tips, you can turn your wholesale shopping into a hassle-free experience.