Wholesale Q & A

Can I buy from wholesalers?

• Yes, of course. However, this would only be the case if you’re buying in sufficient quantities. In the case of Artisan Furniture, this minimum quantity is one 20 feet container – so if you have a large house and wish to buy furniture for it, wholesale is your friend. Similarly, if you’re a retailer, buying from a wholesaler makes sense due to your larger quantities. At Artisan, they also have a drop ship programme wherein companies can buy goods at lower-than-retail prices with no minimum quantity.

What is a wholesaler?

• A wholesaler may be called an intermediate that connects producers and retailers in order to sell particular goods. They buy large quantities at lower costs from producers and sell them on at higher costs to retailers, who in turn sell to the consumers. Artisan Furniture, for example, even through they own their factory – lowering costs.

Where is the best wholesale site?

• This is a difficult question to answer, there’s rarely an undisputed ‘best’ site for anything. However, Artisan Furniture is one of the finest if you’re looking for affordable, sustainable and well crafted products. If their minimum quantity of one 20 feet container is above what you require, the drop-ship programme is also available with no minimum quantity.

What is an example of a wholesaler?

• Any company that buys large quantities of goods from producers/manufactures in order to sell them on to retailers at higher prices qualifies as a wholesaler. Artisan Furniture is an example of a wholesaler in the furniture sector, but unlike most other wholesalers, they have their own factory – allowing for lower prices.

Do I need business license to buy wholesale?

• You do not require a business licence if you wish to buy wholesale products. However, due to most wholesalers having a minimum quantity, you will need a basic infrastructure to store and transport these goods. For example, Artisan Furniture’s one 20 feet container minimum quantity will require space to store.

Can you sell wholesale products of your own?

• Wholesalers almost always sell in bulk, and hence at a lower price. So you’re allowed to sell these products on in lower quantities at higher prices. Most wholesale products – like Artisan Furniture’s range – are ‘white label’, meaning they have no brand and you’re allowed to sell them as you please.

Is Amazon a wholesaler?

• Amazon does not buy goods in bulk from producers and distributes them to retailers at lower prices, so it is not a wholesaler. Amazon is the worlds largest e-commerce marketplace, simply aggregating sellers so that they can sell directly to the public.

Is Costco a wholesaler?

• The full name of Costco is ‘Costco Wholesale’, so yes it is a wholesaler. However, it bends the definition a little with its selling directly to the public after buying in bulk from producers. It cuts out the retailers, which is similar to the Artisan Furniture model wherein it cuts out the wholesalers and sells directly to retailers.

Is Alibaba a wholesaler?

• Alibaba is one of the world’s largest e-commerce marketplaces wherein you can buy and sell goods in bulk – qualifying it as a wholesaler. Due to the plethora of sellers on the site, you may be able to negotiate to buy lower quantities from individual sellers. However, the site functions primarily as a wholesale website.

Is Walmart a wholesaler?

• Walmart is technically a large retailer – selling goods directly to the public. However, due to its size, Walmart buys in bulk from either manufactures or wholesalers – lowering prices for customers who can buy some good at largely wholesale prices. This is similar to Artisan Furniture insofar as that it can’t quite be qualified as a wholesaler or retailer, filling its own niche.

Is Apple a wholesaler?

• No, Apple manufactures its own products through its own factories and subsidiaries. Further, cuts wholesalers and retailers out of the supply chain – selling directly to the public from its factories. This is similar to Artisan Furniture, they both own their factories and cut parts out of the supply chain for a more streamlined operation.

Is Nike a wholesaler?

• Nike has a multifaceted business model – functioning both as a retailer and wholesaler. It sells in bulk to retailers through both EDI and e-commerce, fulfilling the role of a wholesaler. However, like Artisan Furniture, it also sells directly through its own website, albeit directly to the public. Their own brand stores further add to to their retail portfolio.

Can you buy wholesale without a license?

• You do not need a licence to buy wholesale. However, due to most wholesalers having minimum quantities (eg. Artisan Furniture’s one 20 feet container), you’re likely to need the appropriate transport and storage infrastructure to do so.

How do I buy wholesale on Amazon?

• Amazon is a retail e-commerce marketplace, so you’re unlikely to be able to buy goods wholesaler. However, if you find the wholesalers through which the sellers on Amazon are buying, you may be able to undercut them and buy directly from the manufacturer.

What can I buy cheap and sell for a profit?

• It really depends on your market, but furniture can be a very lucrative market if you know where to look. Artisan Furniture has a wholesale programme if you wish to buy in bulk (over one 20 feet container) and they own their factory so prices are lower than other wholesalers. Further, if you’re starting out, dropship may be a viable option. Artisan Furniture’s dropship programme has no minimum quantity, you can sell these products for a much higher profit as long as they aren’t in the same channels Artisan Furniture operates in.

Is it illegal to buy wholesale for personal use?

• No, you’re allowed to buy goods wholesale for your personal use. However, most wholesales have a minimum quantity (eg. Artisan Furniture’s one 20 feet container), so you’re likely to need the appropriate transport and storage infrastructure if you wish to do so.

What are the three types of wholesalers?

• These three are merchant wholesalers; agents, brokers, and commission merchants; and manufacturers’ sales branches and offices. For example, Artisan Furniture falls in the last category, due to them owning their own manufacturing plant.

What are the best wholesale sites to buy from?

• This would depend entirely on what you want to buy and your price bracket, there’s no right answer. For electronics, Alibaba may be the thing for you, Costco is effective in the grocery sector, for furniture – Artisan Furniture has a wholesale as well as dropship programme. The latter does not have a minimum order and you can buy furniture at close to wholesale prices with no minimum quantity.

Why is Alibaba so cheap?

• This is due to two main reasons – their labour costs are low due to the Chinese labour market, and the sellers on Alibaba usually buy in bulk to sell at lower prices. This wholesale e-commerce market model is similar to that of Artisan Furniture – cutting parts of the supply chain for sleeker operations and a lower price.

Why is Aliexpress so cheap?

• There’s a particular reason for this, they sell their goods directly to other businesses through the e-commerce site Alibaba, and also create their own brands and sell directly to customers on Aliexpress. This direct selling cuts out wholesalers, quite similar to the Artisan Furniture model which does the same in order to lower prices for consumers.

Is Amazon a wholesaler or retailer?

• Amazon is an e-commerce marketplace which sells directly to the public, making it a retailer. However, it largely aggregates sellers rather than making its own products (with some exceptions such as the Amazon Echo and Kindle).

Is Target a wholesaler?

• No, it’s a large retailer that sells to the public directly. Like all large retailers, including Walmart, Target buys goods in bulk from manufactures and retailers to sell to consumers at lower prices. They cut out parts of the supply chain, like Artisan Furniture’s wholesale model, which tends to keep prices lower.

How do I buy in bulk and resell ?

• The simplest way would be to use e-commerce wholesale website to buy goods in bulk, or go to your local wholesale market to do the same. For example, Artisan Furniture has a wholesale programme that allows you to buy goods (with a minimum of one 20 feet container) at reduced prices which you can resell. Alternatively, their dropship programme allows you to buy products at close to wholesale rates with no minimum quantities. As for reselling, you may use sites such as Ebay, Amazon or Alibaba – or set up a website of your own!

Can a normal person buy wholesale?

• Absolutely. While it’s more usual for companies, normal people are allowed to buy wholesale as well. For example, Artisan Furniture’s dropship programme allows you to do just that – with no minimum quantities. However, you’ll likely need appropriate storage and transport facilities for wholesalers that have a minimum quantity.

Why is it cheaper to buy from a manufacturer than a retailer?

• Retailers buy from wholesalers, who in turn buy from manufactures. At each step, these companies add on their profit margins and functioning costs – raising prices. Hence, if you buy directly from manufactures, you’re cutting out all the subsequent stages of the supply chain – hence the prices are low. This is largely why enterprises like Artisan Furniture have lower prices than other companies, they’re their own manufactures – streamlining the supply chain.

What is better wholesale or retail?

• Wholesale has higher quantities whereas retail has higher profit margins, so it’s a difficult to objectively say which is ‘better’. However, more and more retailers are choosing the cut out wholesalers entirely and buy directly from the manufacture. In the furniture sector, independent and chain stores increasingly buy furniture from companies that own their own factories, such as Artisan Furniture. For consumers, if you have the facility to store large quantities, you may be better off buying wholesale such as from Artisan Furniture’s wholesale programme. Alternatively, dropship programmes are also available for no minimum quantity, again like Artisan Furniture’s.

Can I buy wholesale and resell on Amazon?

• Of course, wholesalers and manufacturers like Artisan Furniture offer ‘white label’ products which you can resell on any platform, including Amazon.

Where I can I buy wholesale items for resale?

• The simplest way would be to use e-commerce wholesale website to buy goods in bulk, or go to your local wholesale market to do the same. For example, Artisan Furniture has a wholesale programme that allows you to buy goods (with a minimum of one 20 feet container) at reduced prices which you can resell. Alternatively, their dropship programme allows you to buy products at close to wholesale rates with no minimum quantities. Other dropship programmes perform largely the same function.

How do I find wholesale on Amazon FBA?

• Once you find your nice, look for a product you are interested in and think will be popular with consumers. Then, open their profile and look for the name of the manufacturer listed below the product title. You can then do a Google search for their contact info and start the process of opening a wholesale account. For example, if you’re interested in furniture, Artisan Furniture’s wholesale programme can be found on their website.

What is a good profit margin for wholesale?

• This, of course, depends entirely on your sector. For handicraft and furniture, for example, a 20-30% profit margin is healthy. Manufacturer – wholesalers such as Artisan Furniture may have a higher profit margin because they own their manufacturing units.

How do I buy wholesale items?

• The simplest way would be to use e-commerce wholesale website to buy goods in bulk, or go to your local wholesale market to do the same. For example, Artisan Furniture has a wholesale programme that allows you to buy goods (with a minimum of one 20 feet container) at reduced prices which you can resell. Alternatively, their dropship programme allows you to buy products at close to wholesale rates with no minimum quantities. Other dropship programmes perform largely the same function.

What products make the most profit?

• This will vary on the category and type of product. Apparel and jewellery are usually inexpensive to manufacture and have a large profit margin. Affordable furniture by mid range companies are also quite profit heavy, especially if you can buy them at lower prices from manufacturers such as Artisan Furniture.

What sells well on Mercari?

• Every well made product has a market. That being said, jewellery, clothing as well as affordable furniture are particularly popular on websites like Mercari. For example, wholesale furniture from manufacturers-wholesalers such as Artisan Furniture is good to buy cheap and resell at a higher price.

Can I buy from Alibaba without a business?

• Yes, you simply need to set up an account and leave the company name blank. This is similar to a lot of wholesalers like Artisan Furniture wherein you can buy goods without a company (but a minimum order may be in place).

What can I buy and resell?

• There’s no real ‘right’ answer here, it depends on the category and type of product. However, apparel and jewellery are usually inexpensive to buy and have a large profit margin. Fruther, affordable furniture by mid range companies are also quite profit heavy, especially if you can buy them at lower prices from manufacturers such as Artisan Furniture.You can resell products on e-commerce retailers such as Amazon or e-bay, or even create your own website.

Can I put my own label on wholesale clothing?

• Like all wholesale goods, wholesale clothing is ‘white label’ and you’re allowed to add your own label to it. This is true for all goods you buy from wholesalers, for example, you can buy goods from Artisan Furniture wholesale and sell them under your own brand.

How do you buy wholesale prices?

• The simplest way would be to use e-commerce wholesale website to buy goods in bulk, or go to your local wholesale market to do the same. For example, Artisan Furniture has a wholesale programme that allows you to buy goods (with a minimum of one 20 feet container) at reduced prices which you can resell. Alternatively, their dropship programme allows you to buy products at close to wholesale rates with no minimum quantities.

What is a specialist wholesaler?

• Like the name implies, a specialist wholesaler is a wholesaler that specialises in a particular line of products. For example, Artisan Furniture is a specialist wholesaler that focuses on handcrafted, solid wood furniture.

Are supermarkets wholesalers or retailers?

• Supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s sell directly to the public, therefore they are technically large retailers. However, they buy directly in bulk from either manufactures or, less often, wholesalers. This is similar to companies such as Artisan Furniture that cut out parts of the supply chain to streamline the process of selling goods and lower costs.

Who is called a wholesaler?

• A wholesaler is an intermediate that connects producers and retailers in order to sell particular goods. They buy large quantities at lower costs from producers and sell them on at higher costs to retailers, who in turn sell to the consumers. Artisan Furniture, for example, even through they own their factory – lowering costs. Alibaba is another example.

Is AliExpress wholesale?

• Being a subsidiary of Alibaba, AliExpress has a service that connects buyers and sellers in a wholesale model. This is similar to Artisan Furniture’s wholesale programme in the furniture sector, even though they also have a dropship programme – akin to AliExpress.

How do you buy wholesale from brands?

• Brands are retailers, and hence sell products at lower quantities with higher prices. However, if you buy in bulk you may be able to get close to wholesale prices. The best method would be The simplest way would be to use e-commerce wholesale website to buy goods in bulk, or go to your local wholesale market to do the same. For example, Artisan Furniture has a wholesale programme that allows you to buy goods (with a minimum of one 20 feet container) at reduced prices which you can resell. Alternatively, their dropship programme allows you to buy products at close to wholesale rates with no minimum quantities.

Can I buy 1 item from Alibaba?

• Alibaba is a wholesale marketplace, usually meant for buying and selling goods in bulk like other wholesalers including Artisan Furniture. However, you may be able to negotiate with individual sellers to buy a single product.

Who makes more profit Wholesale or Retail?

• This is vary depending on the wholesaler (or retailer) in question. However, usually, wholesalers sell larger quantities while retailers have bigger profit margins. Wholesalers such as Artisan Furniture who own their factories are doing very well because they can make a larger profit due to owning manufacturing units. This appears to be the way forward.

Is Costco Wholesale or Retail?

• The full name of Costco is ‘Costco Wholesale’, so yes it is a wholesaler. However, it bends the definition a little with its selling directly to the public after buying in bulk from producers. It cuts out the retailers, which is similar to the Artisan Furniture model wherein it cuts out the wholesalers and sells directly to retailers.

Is Walmart a wholesaler?

• Walmart is technically a large retailer – selling goods directly to the public. However, due to its size, Walmart buys in bulk from either manufactures or wholesalers – lowering prices for customers who can buy some good at largely wholesale prices. This is similar to Artisan Furniture insofar as that it can’t quite be qualified as a wholesaler or retailer, filling its own niche.

What should I not buy in bulk?

• Ideally, anything you cannot consume in its entirety before its expiry date should not be bought in bulk. Milk, cheese, fresh vegetables and other perishable goods fall under this category. However, goods such as furniture, clothing and jewellery which you can resell can absolutely be bought in bulk. For example, Artisan Furniture has a wholesale as well as dropship programme to buy in bulk at low prices. The latter does not have a minimum order and you can buy furniture at close to wholesale prices with no minimum quantity.

How do I start a successful wholesale business?

• You’ll need to find your niche, research a manufacturer, store the goods, set up an account on either an e-commerce site or create a website. Alternatively, dropship may be easier – you don’t need to keep stock or transport them. Such programs are available at websites such as Artisan Furniture.

What are examples of wholesalers?

• Any company that buys in bulk from manufactures to sell to retailers may be called a furniture. For groceries, these include Sam’s Club in the US, and for furniture, Artisan Furniture is a popular wholesaler.

Can I buy wholesale and sell online?

• Of course. The simplest way would be to use e-commerce wholesale website to buy goods in bulk, or go to your local wholesale market to do the same. For example, Artisan Furniture has a wholesale programme that allows you to buy goods (with a minimum of one 20 feet container) at reduced prices which you can resell. Alternatively, their dropship programme allows you to buy products at close to wholesale rates with no minimum quantities.

How do I buy wholesale in bulk?

• The simplest way to do so would be to use e-commerce wholesale website to buy goods in bulk, or go to your local wholesale market to do the same. For example, Artisan Furniture has a wholesale programme that allows you to buy goods (with a minimum of one 20 feet container) at reduced prices which you can resell. Alternatively, their dropship programme allows you to buy products at close to wholesale rates with no minimum quantities.

Do you have to be a business to buy wholesale?

• No, an individual can buy wholesale as well as long as they have the appropriate storage and transport facilities for the goods. However, some wholesalers – e-commerce and otherwise – may insist on having a company to buy from them. An example may be Artisan Furniture.

Is it illegal to buy wholesale for personal use?

• No, you’re absolutely allowed to buy wholesale for your own use here in the UK as long as you have the appropriate storage and transport facilities for the goods. However, some wholesalers – e-commerce and otherwise – may insist on having a company to buy from them. An example may be Artisan Furniture.

Can you sell wholesale products as your own?

• Wholesale products including clothing, jewellery and furniture are ‘white label’ and you’re allowed to sell them as your own. This is true for all goods you buy from wholesalers, for example, you can buy goods from Artisan Furniture wholesale and sell them under your own brand.

Why do companies use wholesalers?

• Wholesalers are much cheaper than retailers due to their higher quantities, hence they are preferred by companies. However, increasingly, companies prefer manufactures or manufacturer-wholesalers like Artisan Furniture who have even lower prices and can offer customised products tailored to their specifications.

Do Wholesalers sell to Retailers?

• Yes, a wholesaler is any entity that sells to another entity that is not the end-user. Wholesalers and manufacturer-wholesalers such as Artisan Furniture sell to retailers at lower prices in bulk who in turn sell on to consumers at a higher price.

Does my business need a sales tax license?

• This will depend on your country and state. In the UK, a lot of small businesses do not need a licence provided they register appropriately with HMRC and follow guidelines. For example, for furniture, small business that buy from wholesalers such as Artisan Furniture to resell do not need a licence.

Is Target a wholesaler?

• Target is technically a large retailer – selling goods directly to the public. However, due to its size, Target buys in bulk from either manufactures or wholesalers – lowering prices for customers who can buy some good at largely wholesale prices. This is similar to Artisan Furniture insofar as that it can’t quite be qualified as a wholesaler or retailer, filling its own niche, as well offering similarly low prices.