Start Your Own Wholesale Distribution Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Success

by Bridget McCrea, Entrepreneur Press

Overview

Like making deals and money but don’t care for the daily grind?
Then consider becoming a middleman—the wholesaler—who buys goods from the manufacturer and sells them to retailers for a profit.

With millions of products on the market already and new ones coming every day, the wholesale economy has plenty of room for growth. This easy-to-read guide covers locating manufacturers and retailers, securing product exclusives, and identifying prime locations for wholesale distributorship. With insider secrets for beating the competition and step-by-step instruction on how to start making money today, this fully revised third edition also covers he Internet’s growing role in distribution, effective strategies for dealing with shrinking profit margins, and specific product lines to focus on for maximum success.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781613082836
Publisher:	Entrepreneur Press
Publication date:	11/17/2014
Series:	StartUp Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	101
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Entrepreneur Media, Inc. is the premier content provider for and about entrepreneurs. Their products engage and inspire with advice, solutions, and resources that fuel the bold and independent way entrepreneurs think. After 31 years, nobody reaches more growing businesses. Entrepreneur Press, based in Irvine, CA, is a leading small-business trade publisher, providing aspiring, emerging, and growing entrepreneurs with actionable solutions to every business challenge — ultimately, leading them from business idea to business success.

A member of the American Society of Journalists&Authors and the recipient of various writing awards, Bridget McCrea has been providing content to magazines, newsletters, corporations and individuals since 1994. She lives in Clearwater, FL.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Chapter 1 Introduction to Wholesale Distribution 1

The Distributor's Role 2

Getting into the Game 3

Setting Up Shop 4

What to Sell? 4

The Technological Edge 5

Starting Out 6

Growth of the Wholesale Distribution Sector 9

Chapter 2 Operations 11

Weighing It Out: Operating Costs 12

The Day-to-Day Routine 14

Tracking Your Efforts 15

Staying on Top of an Evolving Industry 17

Chapter 3 Defining and Researching Your Market 19

Market Research Tactics 21

Online Surveys 21

Key Considerations 22

Check Out the Competition 24

Finding a Profitable Niche 25

Chapter 4 Structuring Your Business 27

Choosing a Name that Fits 28

On a Mission: Developing a Positioning Statement 29

Business Structure 30

The Right Amount of Insurance 32

Obtaining the Right Licenses 32

Professionals at Your Service 33

Chapter 5 Raising Money 35

Pinpointing a Startup Number 36

Getting Profitable 38

Looking for Financing 39

Chapter 6 Finding a Home for Your Company 41

Prime Locations for Wholesale Distributorships 42

The Right Site 42

Home Court Advantage 44

Lease, Rent, or Buy? 45

Chapter 7 Setting Up Shop 47

The Bare Necessities 48

Standard Office Equipment 49

Get those Wheels Rolling 51

Chapter 8 Inventory Matters 53

Stocking Up or Not? 54

Going Straight to the Source 56

From Supplier to Customer 59

Chapter 9 Finding the Rest of Your Team 61

Staffing the Right Way 62

How Much You'll Have to Pay 63

Alternatives to Traditional Employees 64

Tips for Finding Employees 65

Keeping Them Happy 66

Chapter 10 Getting the Word Out 69

The Advertising Hook 70

The PR and Promotions Game 71

Hanging Out Your Shingle 72

Getting Social with Customers Online 73

Keeping It Fresh 73

It All Comes Down to Customer Service 74

Chapter 11 Financial Management 77

Playing the Markup Game 78

Managing Your Cash Flow 81

Tax Issues to Consider 81

Chapter 12 Learning From the Pros 83

Managing the Credit Game 84

Clearing the Hurdles 85

Good Advice to Heed 86

Appendix: Wholesale Distribution Business Resources 89

Glossary 93

Index 97