Made-to-Order— The Future of Wholesale
Wholesale is a supply chain model that has been becoming increasingly specialised over the course of the past couple of decades. The trend has only been accelerated by the rise of the internet and e-commerce which has completely changed the wholesale landscape. People no longer want simple, broad product categories with little to no chance for customisation and specialisation. They want bespoke products — made-to-order pieces that can be tailored to their wants and needs. Wholesale clients are the same, the only difference is that they market to an audience themselves so the products they buy from the wholesalers have to be specific to their market.
Studies upon studies have consistently shown the importance of a bespoken offering in the wholesaling market. Whether they source their products from manufacturers within their home country, or source them from abroad from manufacturing hubs such as China, India and Bangladesh, it’s key to make sure they can offer as many made-to-order options as possible.
Wholesale has long survived by buying in bulk from manufacturers and selling them on to retailers at lower prices. But that’s no longer enough — customers want more, they want to be provided a service, not just a product. Increasingly, it appears that this service is customisation, simply because that is what consumers want. The new technological world with customisation at the click of a button has ensured that this trend is here to stay, and wholesalers must adapt to survive.
Now, this customisation doesn’t always have to be on a huge scale. To take the example of the furniture world, often the key elements which retailers wish to customise are the wood finish, fabric and accessories. Of course, if wholesalers have a good relationship with their manufacturer, they could always offer more — it’s a way of differentiating themselves from competitors. This may include a service that lets retailers choose the wood that the product will be made of, and even the fabric material. The more options they can reasonably provide without affecting the bottom line, they better their products will do.
Wholesalers may even go down the route of specialised services as opposed to product customisation. Services such as customer support and website platform management are completely customisable to wholesalers’ customers and this is key to developing a loyal clientele, and attracting new clients as well.
