Have you been thinking about starting your very own clothing line in a store in the United States? If yes, the first question you need to get an answer to is about where to purchase wholesale clothing that can be used in boutiques. It would be great to have a directory where you could pick any vendor for fashion apparel, classic wear, or any other type of clothing, wouldn’t it?
Easy methods to find the top wholesale clothing vendors for boutiques
When you research on the Internet, you will find that the designers who starting searching wholesale clothing vendors for the first time faced a lot of problems. Also, if your nomadic life doesn’t give you much of a chance to attend American wholesale fashion trade shows, you will not find yourself a mentor and it can become doubly difficult. The following methods, perfected through trial and error, will be able to help you catch the best clothing vendors:
- Word-of-mouth is still the best technique – Anything in this world, from the best clothing store to a coffee shop with great ambiance can be communicated via word-of-mouth. Also, do understand that if a referral comes from a friend, it will naturally carry more weight than many others. It works in the same way for wholesale clothing vendors.
- Smart Google search- One of the best places to find a suitable clothes vendor is Google. You will also be in a position to judge the quality of work, with help from customer ratings on the search engine. However, it may be helpful to keep in mind that many of the established suppliers operate using old and outdated websites. Such portals rarely ever rank on the basis of relevant keywords, as a result of which people usually find the best vendors from pages 6-8.
- Make use of ratings-based websites- Many of us are not all that interested to hear carefully prepared marketing messages from clothing companies. Instead, we are keen to know what other consumers think of them, which is why it would make sense to visit sites such as Yelp, FourSquare, and other similar ones.
- Check B2B websites and wholesaler directories- Not all suppliers present on a B2B website are the actual wholesalers. Instead, they just happen to be middlemen who can connect you with the actual supplier for free. Always try to go directly to the source, as far as possible.
- Find good Facebook groups and forums– These kinds of places are excellent spots to find other business owners who are likely to be interested in sharing their experiences. It’s a great idea to be part of a genuine group, where you can ask questions, read and gain more knowledge. The search feature on Facebook is indeed very helpful. Of course, there are other forums also that you can be a part of.
What kind of due diligence steps should be followed while dealing with wholesale clothes vendors?
The following steps can be observed by every person trying to get in touch with suppliers, irrespective of how knowledgeable he or she really is:
- Send the wholesale supplier an email. Verify their phone number and address through it.
- If you really want to use a particular product, first buy is as a sample product and inspect it carefully
- Check reviews of that product and vendor online
How to actually get a reply for a quote
Ensure that you always approach the quote as a serious business inquiry. A few tips will help to enhance your outreach emails so that you have a great chance of getting a response:
- Courtesy is important, but not at the cost of beating around the bush. Bring the conversation to the point soon, instead of going back and forth.
- Plan the questions you want to ask. Do not appear vague about your queries.
- In case of no response, a follow-up after three days is mandatory
General points to remember
There are several active wholesalers on online forums and networking sites who behave as ‘store owners’. Always remember to use caution, since not everyone is who they claim to be. Never be afraid to get in touch with people even if you do not personally know them. And, if these active wholesalers really are online boutique owners, you will find them being empathetic to you and may share their experiences. Do not expect them to share their marketing strategies though.
Now you may find it difficult to find a fashion trade-show to attend. Even it seems like a far cry, try to make an effort to do so since there is absolutely no match for feeling the fabric, seeing the stitch carefully, and sizing it up for yourself. It will give you the chance to meet people you might be working with, making it a great opportunity to network.