Tips On How To Choose A Wholesale Distributor For Your Clothing Brand

Anyone in the fashion retailing industry will tell you how cutthroat the industry is. The retail industry offers a consistent monthly salary with plenty of opportunities for promotion. The clients nowadays expect a high-quality, economical, and fashionable product. To match their demands, a clothing brand needs to find a dependable wholesale clothing distributor who can deliver what they want. Finding wholesale clothing distributors gets easier once they have decided on the type and quality of apparel they require. First, they must determine what items they wish to sell and whether those are compatible with their brand. 

A wholesaler is a company that purchases goods from producers and resells them to other companies. The wholesaler does not own a store; they provide inventory to your business to sell to your customers. Wholesale clothing distributors connect manufacturers and shop owners, whether the brand runs a physical retail business or an e-commerce site. 

How To Get Wholesale Clothing Distributors For Your Business

A brand can run a steady business with one or more wholesale clothing distributors. Finding the perfect one to work with, though, might be challenging. They'll need to find a wholesale clothing distributor who can do the following:

• Connect them with the vendors and products their business needs. Have affordable prices
• Serve their specified geographical area
• Genuine, trustworthy, and easy to work with.

Here are some guidelines on choosing the perfect wholesale clothing distributors for a retail or online store if the fashion brand has a clear notion of what they want to sell. 

Tips on How to Choose A Wholesale Distributor For Your Clothing Brand 

1. Study the Available Distribution Channels of Your Industry 

Because not all wholesalers operate in the same sector, one needs to know which channel of distribution and supply chain is appropriate for their sector to discover the proper supplier. A product can be delivered from a producer to a store in multiple ways. There are four common wholesale distribution methods:

• Manufacturer – To save money, they can buy specific things straight from the manufacturer. Boutique stores, for instance, would usually buy from other small businesses.
• Importer/Exclusive Distributor – A corporation may own the importing and distribution rights to an item in a specific country. Some companies sell directly to retailers, whereas others distribute through local wholesalers, who then sell to small businesses.
• Wholesaler/Regional Distributor – Local suppliers will accept shipment of boxcar-sized lots and resell them to local wholesalers, who will then resell them to small enterprises.
• Jobbers – Jobbers transport various goods to small brick-and-mortar stores and neighbourhood grocers daily.

By moving enough volume, small businesses can avoid jobbers, whereas importers sell straight to retailers in a restricted industry. It is vital to understand the many types of distribution available in each business.

2. Try First With The Manufacturers 

Paying wholesalers reduces the profit margin of a brand. To optimise the profit, one should start at the beginning and eliminate middlemen from the equation. If a business is selling branded merchandise, it should contact the manufacturer directly. They might sell to the business if they meet their minimum order requirements. If the order requirements are too small for them, or if they only distribute via existing channels, one can ask them for a list of reliable wholesalers to contact. The fewer people a brand has to deal with, the less money they need to spend. As a result, they will have a competitive edge.

3. Maintain Healthy Relationships With Your Wholesale Supplier 

A clothing business can start by approaching wholesale apparel distributors, either through the manufacturer’s website or a wholesale directory. They should look for: 

i. Their minimum order conditions

ii. Their wholesale unit pricing 

iii. The area in which they operate

This initial contact can be via phone or email, and they can call to follow up if they require additional information or choose to proceed. They should be upfront about what they are searching for.

4. Keep An Update On Major B2B Markets 

Many trustworthy digital B2B marketplaces offer high volumes of products at affordable prices. Alibaba.com is one of the world’s leading platforms for wholesalers and producers. Other sites encompass Buyer Zone (USA), Busy Trade (Hong Kong), EC21 (Korea), EC Plaza (Korea), and Global Sources (Korea) (USA). Purchasing from markets situated in a brand’s home nation or area is preferable. There are additional B2B marketplaces that cater to particular sectors and can serve a single country or a huge number of retailers around the world.

5. Be More Specific In Online Searches 

When searching online, a brand shouldn't just look for typical wholesale clothing distributors. They must be careful to incorporate keywords related to their products or niche. One can try with business names, product codes, and product lines to see what they can come up with. If a brand wishes to contact one of the potential distributors but doesn’t have an email address or contact number, they can do a WHOIS check to obtain the site owner’s contact information. The more possible wholesalers a business can discover, the better they can compare and understand the industry’s regular costs, as well as acquire competitive bids. 

6. Go to a Textile and Garment Trade Show 

Attending a trade show is a terrific method for a clothing business to start connecting and meet wholesalers. They'll be able to discover everything that they need in one place because they’re targeted toward retailers. They'll not only be able to sell their own company but will also get the opportunity to speak with potential wholesalers in person. This is a fantastic technique to make contacts. Furthermore, being able to build a relationship in person will help them in negotiating the price. In a single day, they can meet and chat with a large number of distributors and manufacturers at a trade fair. To minimise misinterpretation and other difficulties, direct conversations are better than online conversations. 

7. Stellar Networking 

The best prices aren’t necessarily found on the internet. Don’t be shocked if the competitors are aware of the best prices but are holding it close to their chests. It’s usually a good idea to network to find out where other people are purchasing a particular apparel brand’s merchandise. To meet new individuals and expand their network, one can join professional organisations and other groups within their sector. They have a strong chance of getting rewarded with privileged information if they spend sufficient time building quality relationships. One might quickly build those connections by participating in online forums and updating their social media pages. 

8. Subscribe to Fashion Trade Publications 

In this industry, trade journals are a gold mine of business and relational information. Almost every advertiser in the journal is a merchandise producer or wholesaler trying to reach businesses, and a good issue in a fashion magazine can include the information of dozens of wholesale clothing distributors or small clothing companies. By subscribing to any journal or newsletter meaningful to a business as a retailer, they can take advantage of trade magazines. They'll have access to various wholesalers and merchants attempting to entice them with their marketing. Consider internet blogs or any other information source.

9. Check out the reviews of the suppliers or wholesalers 

A clothing brand takes a slight chance when they buy apparel from a wholesaler. While this may not seem like a big concern, they should be aware that they should seek out the highest-quality enterprise that provides a wide range of customer services. They must first ensure that the company has a solid reputation and that people have positive things to say about it. A fashion brand can choose a service without fear once they've verified this. They might find out more about various wholesale clothing distributors by reading internet reviews. They’ll need to examine if they provide excellent customer service, timely delivery, and are usually easy to work with.

10. Negotiate 

The last thing an apparel brand wants is to be locked into a contract with a distribution company to find out that they never deliver the products on time. Wholesalers and businesses should have a mutually beneficial connection, however, distributors prioritise a few high-paying business ties while neglecting the others. Who would want to be one of those business connections that gets forgotten, right? To double-check, a business must inquire about the experiences of others who have dealt with them. Lastly, even if the clothing brand has a wonderful bargain with a great enterprise, they should always negotiate. It’s impossible to say what they would be able to save by negotiation. They can bargain about price, minimum purchase quantities, and even when their clothing items will be delivered. Negotiating is a must to get the best deal before committing.

11. Don’t Be Scared To Make Mistakes 

Wholesale clothing distributors will not be a long-term partner of a clothing manufacturer. Creating an ideal supply chain is a process that involves a lot of trial and error. The delivery of a product should be the top priority of such a business. Then, as they continue to create and grow their company, they can boost their profits by experimenting with different wholesale clothing distributors.

Conclusion

Creating interest in customers will almost certainly lead to long-term success. Make sure you conduct enough research before choosing wholesalers for your business, negotiate, do plenty of online research and keep yourself well updated.

Fashinza makes the apparel manufacturing process hassle-free, fast, and transparent for the brands. Clothing brands can use Fashinza’s online platform to place manufacturing orders for their collections and have them delivered, with options to track, communicate and make payments along the way. Reach out to Fashinza today and get rid of all your sourcing woes!