How to Find Amazon FBA Wholesale Suppliers

‍When you source products in bulk, which Amazon wholesale sellers do, finding a profitable Amazon FBA wholesale supplier is a must. Successful products and reliable suppliers are the two pillars of your wholesale business. If you’re not sure where to find the best wholesalers for Amazon FBA, read our recommendations that work.

How to Find Wholesalers for Amazon FBA?

When researching a profitable product, you must find a place to purchase it.

Since wholesale sellers’ business is to resell bulk products with maximum profit, they approach the brands or manufacturers directly to get the best possible price. The profit in wholesale comes from the difference between the wholesale and retail prices. When you buy products in bulk, the manufacturer or supplier will prioritize the order and offer the wholesaler a discounted price.

However, you should remember that most of them have a Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ), and some brands keep it very high.

Depending on the volumes you are ready to buy, you can contact a brand or manufacturer for bulk orders, or a middle-man, such as a wholesaler, distributor, or retailer, for smaller orders.

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Vetted ways of finding product wholesalers

• approach the brand directly;
• search wholesale directories;
• look for a supplier from China;
• visit trade shows;
• contact distributors.

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Approaching the brand directly

The best way to receive profitable sales terms is to get in touch with the brand owner directly. When you talk about a brand, what comes to your mind is Apple, Louis Vuitton, or other big guys. It’s not easy to deal with them, they have stiff distribution networks and high entry barriers, and chances are that they’ll simply ignore your inquiry.

However, brands are not necessarily top-rated businesses. A much better option is to reach out to medium-size or small brands. They offer much more flexible terms.

Where to look for the brand

• Data Axle - database of every registered business in the United States;
• ThomasNet.com - searchable database of US suppliers;
• Wholesale Central - directory of wholesale companies and wholesale trade shows in the US.

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How to contact a brand

Select a brand owner, search for that brand, find their website and contact information on Google, and check their requirements for a wholesale account.

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Note. Keep in mind that many brands are restricted on Amazon. It means that you need to ask for Amazon approval to sell them. You can check if you are eligible to sell the brand in your Seller Central. The fact that the brand is restricted doesn’t necessarily mean that every item in the brand is gated, but it’s better to check it before selling a specific product.

There are seller tools that can check brand restrictions immediately. Seller Assistant App shows product restrictions right on the Amazon search page.

Wholesale directories

A wholesale directory is the online database of wholesale suppliers of different product categories. It’s a good source of finding wholesale suppliers for profitable deals.

10 top wholesale directories

• BAOlink;
• Greatrep.com;
• Top Ten Wholesale;
• Closeoutcentral;
• ToyDirectory.com, Inc.;
• Wholesale Directory;
• Wholesale Hub;
• Wholesalers4u.co.uk;
• Wholesale Made In USA Vendor Directory.

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How to contact wholesale suppliers?

Wholesale directories typically offer the option of searching by category. In most cases, they give you the wholesale supplier’s contact information. Reach out to discuss the terms and conditions of the cooperation.

Looking for a supplier from China

Due to essential price differences, China is an excellent source of wholesale products for Amazon – the prices on the Chinese market are way lower. However, you need to be aware of certain risks related to product quality, unreliable suppliers, and the possibility of bumping into dishonest resellers. On the other hand, selecting secure payment methods and verification processes help mitigate these risks.

Top 10 places to look for wholesale suppliers from China

• Alibaba;
• 1688.com;
• AliExpress;
• Taobao;
• Made-in-China;
• Dhgate.com;
• Global Sources;
• Banggood;
• Chinabrands;
• Chinavasion.

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How to contact a wholesale supplier from China?

Most platforms with Chinese wholesale offers have options to contact business owners and chat online. You can reach out to the wholesale supplier and discuss order terms the same way as you do in any e-commerce business. However, it’s essential to ensure that the supplier understands English and is familiar with Amazon’s shipping requirements.

Visiting trade shows

One of the best ways to meet suppliers and distributors to discuss product sourcing is through a trade show. You’ll save time on ‘cold calls’ by speaking to the supplier rep in person. It’s much better than sending out dozens of e-mails with a request to approve you as a reseller and open a wholesale account.

It’s also a great way to build relationships with vendors. It matters when negotiating order terms.

10 top trade US shows

• ASD Market Week (wide variety of vendors at competitive price points);
• LA Market Week (curated selections of men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel);
• JCK Show (fine jewelry and gems);
• Los Angeles Spring Cash and Carry Show (cash and carry purchases);
• COSMOPROF (the cutting edge of beauty);
• NY NOW (eclectic apparel, homewares, and gifts);
• New York Toy Fair (toys and children’s goods);
• COBB Trade Show (curated, small apparel brands);
• The WWSRA Northwest January Show (outdoor goods, apparel, and gear);
• The Inspired Home Show (homewares and goods).

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ASD Market Week trade show

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How to contact wholesale suppliers if you can’t visit a trade show in person?

If visiting a trade show is not an option for you due to logistics or other reasons, search trade show websites for a list of exhibitors. They typically display exhibitors’ contact information. Use this data to contact wholesale suppliers.

Reaching out to distributors

Distributors are official resellers of brands and manufacturers.

Suppose a brand has a limited number of distributors or doesn’t offer wholesale pricing directly, as the case may be. In that case, you can contact a distributor to negotiate reselling that brand on Amazon. Chances are that they will be interested in cooperation.

There are also distributors that sell products in a particular industry.

10 places to find distributors

• Worldwide Brands;
• Tundra;
• LovelyWholesale;
• Kole Imports;
• BJ's Wholesale Club;
• Wholesale Clearance;
• Faire;
• Wholesalers4u;
• Merkandi;
• Boutsy.

How to contact distributors?

Google their contacts, reach out to them, and request to open a wholesale account.

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How to evaluate wholesale suppliers?

It’s not only essential to find a supplier but also to select a reliable one. You can do it by checking specific criteria.

Criteria to evaluate wholesale supplier

The cost price of goods

Since wholesale sellers’ business is to resell bulk products with maximum profit, they approach the brands or manufacturers directly to get the best possible price. The price you get determines your margin.

Reputation and good references

If your supplier is not a huge brand, check their reputation and references on the Internet.

Possibility to scale supply

As your business grows, you may need to order more products. Check if the supplier is flexible to provide you with extra inventory.

Logistics and shipping duration

Amazon shoppers are used to fast shipping. Therefore you need to know how long in advance you must order to replenish inventory and set up the logistics. The time shouldn’t be too long.

Clear return and insurance policy

Make sure that the supplier has a transparent return and insurance policy should something happen with the order; some products are missing or broken when delivered, etc.

A supplier should be familiar with Amazon fulfillment requirements

If your supplier delivers products directly to Amazon fulfillment centers, they must be appropriately prepped; otherwise, they may be returned, which will cause delivery delays.

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Why Is It Important to Negotiate Hard

Looking for a supplier is not easy. The big brands rarely sell their products themselves. They typically have a rigid reseller network and are reluctant to add new resellers.

Also, they’re interested in the sellers that trade through multiple channels besides Amazon, like other platforms or brick-and-mortar stores. They may already have resellers on Amazon and will think that adding one more will just grow competition, not sales.

Therefore, it’s critical to convince a brand that you will add value to their business and grow their sales. Also, you need to be ready to prove that you have vast experience in Amazon sales and will be able to sell volumes. That means you need to create solid cooperation, which takes time.

You will need to use your negotiation skills to convince and prove that you’re a real professional that will grow the brand’s sales.

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Final Thoughts

Wholesale sales is a profitable market-proven business. Digging out the right supplier is vital since the terms they offer determine your profit. Also, the supplier’s reliability matters. It’s crucial that they timely supply bulk lots of quality inventory.

Equally important is selecting the right product and calculating its profitability. If a wholesale seller bets on an unprofitable product, that will cost a lot of money.

Seller Assistant Аpp helps to solve this task. It’s an all-in-one extension that incorporates the features vital for product research. Advanced IP Alerts can immediately tell you if a product has any sales restrictions or has led to problems with account health in the past. It combines an FBM&FBA profit calculator, Quick View, Stock Checker, and Restrictions Checker in one tool.

Try Seller Assistant Аpp now. Register for our 14-day trial. Grow your Amazon business with confidence.

Originally published at: https://www.sellerassistant.app/blog/how-to-find-amazon-fba-wholesale-suppliers