Buying wholesale bath and beauty products can help keep your company’s costs down. Buying products directly from a manufacturer lets you find factory-rate prices, but while this may look like a good deal, it isn’t always practical. Working with wholesalers is a better option for many hospitality providers.
What Is a Wholesaler?
Manufacturers make bath and beauty products on a grand scale. The manufacturer deals in such large volumes of their products they often have a minimum order. Minimum orders are a problem for businesses that don’t need to use that much of a product.
Manufacturers also prefer to operate in areas that give them easy access to space and raw materials. Locations that are good for the factory owners make it hard for small businesses to get access to them.
Wholesalers are a bridge between manufacturers and hospitality providers. A wholesaler buys products from the factory and re-sells them at bulk rates. A business that works with a wholesaler can get the products they need at low prices without having to meet the manufacturer’s minimum order requirements.
How to Find Wholesale Bath and Beauty Products
Here are several effective strategies to find a supplier of wholesale bath and beauty products:
Internet Searches
The best way to find a wholesaler through an Internet search is to select your keywords carefully. Choose keywords specific to your search. A general inquiry like “wholesale towel suppliers” can be an excellent place to start, but sometimes you will need to refine your search. You can refine your search by using more specific keywords like “wholesale California towel supplier” or “wholesale microfiber towel supplier.” More specific keywords will give you better-targeted results.
Getting the names of the wholesalers from an Internet search is an excellent first step, but you will need to contact and vet these suppliers individually; sometimes, you will find a scam posing as a legitimate wholesale supplier.
Wholesaler Directories
Wholesaler directories are platforms that list multiple wholesalers. Some of these directories may not come up in an Internet search. Directories categorize wholesalers by product and industry, which makes it easy to find a supplier for precisely what you need.
Some wholesaler directories are free, but others require a subscription fee. They are both valid, but directories that charge a subscription fee are often able to better curate and vet their lists of wholesalers. A paid directory that verifies suppliers before listing them can be helpful in your vetting process.
Pay attention to the directory’s rules and what documents you may need to register. Some directories won’t let users connect with their listed suppliers right away. A subscription fee can also be a barrier for startup companies.
Online Marketplaces
An online marketplace is a digital platform that connects buyers and sellers. Some online marketplaces list wholesalers.
You can browse or search for bath and beauty products on an online marketplace and filter your results to display suppliers. Many online marketplaces have rating and review systems that can help you vet the suppliers you find.
Online marketplaces list thousands of suppliers, but it isn’t always easy to tell the difference between wholesalers, trading companies, and manufacturers.
Trade Shows
Wholesalers visit trade shows to find new customers. Visiting a wholesaler’s booth at a trade show lets you interact with them directly. Wholesalers usually bring samples of their products for you to evaluate. You can talk to suppliers on the spot and potentially even work out a deal.
Visiting a trade show can be expensive. You will often have travel, hotel stays, and other costs in addition to the price of tickets to the show. Trade shows are also annual events and waiting for the next may be an impractical choice for your business.
Sourcing Companies
A sourcing company is a service that specializes in finding suppliers for other businesses. A sourcing company can help you find wholesale bath and beauty product suppliers, but it is another layer of overhead. You will also need to find and vet the sourcing companies.
Find a Wholesale Supplier Today
Finding a wholesale bath and beauty supplier that is a good fit for your business takes time and research, but finding a good supplier is a great way to improve your business and potentially save money. Start your search for a bath and beauty wholesale supplier today.
