TIPOS DE COMPETENCIA

CHAPTER 10

Wholesaling Products to Retailers

There are more than 2.6 million retail gift stores in the United States and Canada, according to InfoUSA.

The profit potential for importers is staggering!

Granted, most retail business owners prefer to purchase products from companies they’ve worked with in the past and people they have relationships with.

But that’s true with almost every business in existence.

However, very few retail business owners will pass up the opportunity to make more money, and that’s what you bring to the table.

Retail business owners will tell you which products they are most interested in receiving quotes for.

You can scour Alibaba.com for those products, obtain a quote from the exporting company, and in turn submit a quote to your retailing customer.

For example, one of the largest and most successful international gift shows for retailers today is the New York International Gift Fair. There are more than 2,800 exhibitors and 45,000 attendees.

Most of the attendees are retail business owners and chains.

New York International Gift Fairhttp://www.nyigf.com

Most of the attendees would be very responsive to receiving quotes for products from you.

One of the hottest product sectors in the retail industry is known as Home goods.

Home goods include home improvement products, furniture, consumer electronics and home fashions.

The service you can provide to retail businesses is invaluable. You can obtain products for these companies at a fraction of what they’re currently paying.

On top of that, retail business owners won’t have to replace their current product wholesalers — which is a great selling point and a unique proposition.

If you focus on the retailer’s customer and hot products you will have more business than you could possibly handle.

What’s more, you won’t have to compete with the importers that work with the retail giants (unless you want to).

In most cases, the small to medium-sized retailers will be your target market.

Here’s a list of the products that retail gift stores purchase on a regular basis (according to RetailNet):

20-ounce tumblers (for drinking) Tortilla makers

Espresso makers Splatter screen (for cooking)

Ice cube trays Wood salad bowls

Wood handle barbeque brush Colored pencils

Sidewalk chalk Giant coloring books

Flashing necklace CD lens cleaner

Batteries Balloons

Birthday party supplies Fly swatters

Emergency rain ponchos Men’s personal electronic trimmer

Scissors Beach mat

Camping knife Hands free cell phone headset

Pet toys Painted vase

Retail News indicated recently that there are more than 22,000 products sold in retail business around the world!

The opportunities for import entrepreneurs who want to sell products to retail business owners are unlimited.

What’s more, you can start out small, with almost no capital, and build your business part-time.

Additional resources

Retail Industry

http://retailindustry.com Retail Forward

http://www.retailforward.com RetailNet

http://www.retailnet.com Chain Store Age

http://www.chainstoreage.com The Retail Bulletin (UK news) http://www.theretailbulletin.com

CHAPTER 10: Wholesaling Products to Retailers

Retailer Management

http://www.retailernews.com/archives.html

America’s Gift Show (excellent online resource for importers and retailers) http://www.americasgiftshow.com

NRF Annual Conference and EXPO (The BIG Retail Event) http://nrfannual06.expoexchange.com

Approaching retailers is easy! The best prospects will be the retailers that already purchase products from importers, or wholesalers.

In addition to the resources listed above you can also contact mailing list brokers that specialize in managing lists of retail business owners. A quick search on the Internet or Yellow Pages will produce hundreds of potential brokers.

Once you have obtained a mailing list of retail business owners you can send them a simple letter of introduction. Almost everyone in business today has a website. You can include your website address in your letter. If you don’t have a website that won’t be a problem. You can build and post one on the Internet in no time flat. We’ve included some resources below to help you do just that.

Here is a sample letter that could be used when contacting retail business owners:

Premium Gift Wholesale Co.

361 Ocean Drive Suite 322

Miami FL 33139 Date

Ms Jessica Doe XYZ Retail

1111 Jackson Blvd.

Kansas City KS

Dear Ms Doe:

My name is John Brown. I’m the founder and President of the Premium Gift Company in Miami, Florida.

We import thousands of products and gift items from around the world, and wholesale them to retailers at deep discounts.

I’ve been to your website — so I’m familiar with your products and customers.

Would you be open to reviewing some of our products and prices?

No one will call you (unless you want us to)!

CHAPTER 10: Wholesaling Products to Retailers

You can submit your request for specific products/prices via our website, email, fax or 24 hour voice mail system.

We’ve been in business since 2002 — and we currently serve 103 retail businesses just like yours.

We would love an opportunity to be of service to you!

Please call, write or stop by our website today.

Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

John Brown

Premium Gift Wholesale Co.

http://www.premiumgiftwholesale.com (800) xxx xxxx

[email protected]

P.S. We offer free shipping to your business for the first 6 months. That means there are NO shipping charges whatsoever for the first 6 months. All the more reason to give us a try!

In the next chapter we’ll show you how to become an import middleman!

CHAPTER 10: Wholesaling Products to Retailers