21 Essential Questions to Ask Your Wholesale Supplier

09 Jun.,2025

 

21 Essential Questions to Ask Your Wholesale Supplier

The best way to verify that the supplier you’ve chosen to collaborate with is reliable and sells genuine wholesale products is to find out as much information as possible regarding their experience and work history.

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Wholesalers who have secured a network of loyal clients and have been on the market for some time are certain to be more trustworthy and provide you with better wholesale service.

Of course, you can always do a full investigation by yourself by:

  • looking at their website
  • browsing the company’s name on Google
  • reading reviews on Trustpilot.

However, it’s even better to ask them directly as they may share details that haven’t been published online which could end up being decisive information.

Understanding the merchandise your wholesale supplier offers is crucial for aligning their inventory with your store’s needs.

When selecting a supplier, ask for a comprehensive list or catalog of the products available. This list should include detailed information like product categories, materials, sizes, and variations.

For instance, if your niche is high-end fashion, you’d want to know whether the supplier provides a consistent supply of luxury clothing, accessories, or footwear, and if they carry premium brands or focus on unbranded items.

Additionally, inquire about new product launches or seasonal collections to ensure your store can keep up with market trends.

Don’t forget to ask about quality control measures and how they ensure the merchandise is free of defects.

Understanding the supplier’s ordering process is vital to maintaining efficient operations and meeting customer expectations.

Begin by asking if there is a need to create an account on the supplier’s platform. If so, this may require you to provide some business details, such as your name, number, address, business name, business permit, or business registration number.

Once your account is verified, you’ll probably gain access to their wholesale catalog, where you can browse the full range of products available.

in most cases, you can put products you want to order in your shopping cart and finalize your order by paying with card.

Besides making sure the supplier has sufficient experience, store owners should prioritize finding vendors for your business that offer new clothing arrivals on a regular basis.

For every store out there, the main source of success comes from keeping customers content which is best done when providing them constantly with the latest products.

This recurrent update on items will continuously draw their attention, making them keep coming back to your shop and eventually turning them into a regular clientele.

In case your niche consists of selling high-end fashion products, it’s of the utmost importance to verify their authenticity as there are many suppliers offering knock-off items that you may end up purchasing without realizing they’re counterfeit goods.

So, when browsing for wholesalers of luxury brands, remember to look for suppliers that stand behind their products’ authenticity and would stock your store with genuine brands.

The product catalog is every wholesaler’s most significant part of their website, giving prospective customers a sneak peek into their inventory, enough to make a general evaluation of the items they’re selling.

However, many business owners may stumble upon wholesalers that offer an extremely limited preview of their catalog, making the rest of the products available only after one decides to use their services.

So, try to avoid these suppliers and stick with those who give clients access to check out their merchandise by registering for free like BrandsGateway and their catalog of the latest trending clothing items.

The minimum order quantity can vary tremendously from one wholesaler to another but it mostly depends on the type of products being sold.

For instance, expensive products usually have a higher MOQ than those sold at cheaper prices because they’re high-quality authentic products that are obtained from authorized entities.

Thus, it’s best when clients are informed upfront about the MOQ in order to be able to calculate in advance their order expenses and see if they can fit them into their budget.

The location where the supplier’s merchandise is produced can say a lot about the quality of the products.

Although many suppliers source their goods from authorized vendors and then sell them to retailers, outlet owners, or eCommerce stores, an even bigger number source them from unreliable manufacturers, some of which are known to have significant disadvantages such as the cons of Chinese suppliers.

Because of that, it’s highly recommended to check where your wholesale supplier sources their merchandise from prior to buying a poor-quality bulk of items.

The whereabouts of your potential wholesaler’s warehouses are another thing clients should take into consideration, especially because it can greatly affect the delivery time.

In addition to the price paid when purchasing the products, the buyer is also required to cover custom duties for exporting and importing merchandise from one country to another.

That being the case, try to opt for a wholesaler who has warehouses in several places around the world, such as BrandsGateway, which will not only reduce your expenses but also provide you with fast and convenient delivery services.

Another vital thing wholesale suppliers should inform you about is the approximate time it would take for them to deliver your orders.

You wouldn’t want to find yourself in a situation in which customers can’t make a purchase of a certain item because your store is out of stock.

Therefore, just like previously mentioned, when choosing a supplier, keep in mind both the location of the warehouses and the time it might take for orders to be handed over to you.

In order for you to be able to keep an eye on your packages, ask your wholesaler if they offer the possibility for you to track your delivery.

In that way, you can be kept posted on the status of your order at all times and be notified almost instantly in the case of any shipping delays.

Hence, make sure to pick out a supplier that would provide you with a tracking number, as BrandsGateway does with its clients, so you could constantly be kept updated on where your order stands.

Before trying to figure out delivery costs, order tracking, or shipping time, you need to find out if the potential suppliers you’ve been looking into ship globally or just locally.

If they don’t ship to your location, you’d only be wasting your time with them.

You shouldn’t be surprised if you ever come across wholesalers who limit their shipping abilities and offer delivery services only within the countries their warehouses are situated in and sometimes including neighboring states.

For that reason, always make sure that you work with a supplier that ships worldwide so that you can build an international eCommerce business.

Being aware of return and refund policies is crucial in the event of having to deal with damaged goods.

Thus, it’s important to have a clear understanding of how your supplier manages situations when clients wish to return products or cancel orders.

Some might offer monetary reimbursement, some may provide store credit, while others might give out coupons or discounts.

In addition, be on the watch for any hidden fees or additional charges that could be imposed by the supplier.

In most cases, suppliers rarely offer freight-collect services concerning the return of products.

In other words, the buyers are the ones responsible for covering the shipping costs when sending items back to the wholesaler.

However, there are suppliers that do bear those costs in the event of merchandise that is faulty, has been damaged, or wrongly shipped.

In order to benefit from a full refund in cases like these, suppliers are likely to ask you to provide them with photos of the products concerned.

After they’ve accepted your request, they’ll be able to reimburse you for your loss.

Therefore, have a good look at the terms and conditions of your wholesaler and take careful notice of the returns and refunds sections.

One more key question to include in your list is regarding the payment methods of the wholesalers you have set your mind on working with.

Taking into account the pros and cons of various payment methods, depending on your preferences and possibilities, you might find some of them are less while others are more suitable for your business.

Thus, it’d be wise to opt for suppliers who present clients with the opportunity to choose among different types of payment.

In this manner, you’d have the freedom to determine which option would work best for you.

Keeping your store profitable can be a challenging thing to do, especially for newbies on the market.

In order to make sure you’ll be receiving a decent profit, don’t forget to discuss with your supplier the income you should expect for every item sold.

Select a supplier that offers great wholesale margins which will bring you an excellent financial standing and kick-start your store to stardom.

But before that, make sure you know what profit margins you aim for and understand the difference between margin and markup.

Our Price
€46.25
Market Price
€136
Profit
€90
Our Price
€37.76
Market Price
€139
Profit
€102
Our Price
€40.3
Market Price
€186
Profit
€146

When purchasing products in bulk, luxury brands particularly, wholesalers try to abstain from giving discounts.

It’s an industry standard that has been around for a long time and suppliers attempt to stick with it.

Nevertheless, during the holiday shopping season, chances are you’ll come across discounts for particular categories of products and brands.

So, stay in tune with your supplier so you don’t miss out on those opportunities.

You know that a wholesaler is worth doing business with when they not only supply clients with excellent products but also have at disposal exceptional customer service.

Whether it’s about the above-discussed delivery issues, merchandise troubles, or something else, clients should always be able to lean on customer support for any kind of problem that may arise.

For more private label footwear manufacturersinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

In that way, they can keep steady communication with the supplier around the clock.

Last but not least, customer reviews and references exert an astounding influence on clients’ decisions.

In a survey conducted by PowerReviews, 98% of consumers said that reviews are an indispensable step when purchasing merchandise, thus, giving them a decision-making role in the purchase process both in the B2C and B2B marketplaces.

So, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to request from suppliers credible reviews. To illustrate, wholesaler BrandsGateway supplies interested retailers with such testimonials, furnishing them with evidence that BrandsGateway is legit.

As your store grows and expands, you’re likely to constantly come across new wholesale suppliers.

Some of them might emerge immediately as the perfect match, while others might not be up your alley.

To be 100% sure that they are someone your store would benefit from working with, we recommend putting these questions to use when business talks are in progress.

Thus, we advise you to have this list on hand so you can come back to it whenever you need to evaluate new partners and verify the reliability and authenticity of their services and company.

A Detailed Guide to Find Private Label Manufacturers in

Creating a private label product has become prevalent with a rapid surge of e-commerce businesses. These kinds of business models are popular not only on Amazon but also among eBay, Etsy, and Alibaba.

Private label business is the easiest and effective way to make your products stand out in the market. With a bit of planning, enough resources, and a good private label manufacturer, you gain more control over the process, marketing, pricing, and most importantly branding of your business. 

The good news about private label business is – it’s easy to get started. 

For more details on how to get started with private label products visit the link here.

Here’s a Peek into the Content:

  1. Private Label – The Big Picture
  2. Our Take on Private label products?
  3. Advantages of Private labeling
  4. Risks in Private labeling
  5. How to find Private Label Manufacturers?
  6. How to contact a Private Label Manufacturer?
  7. List of Popular Private Label Product Ideas
  8. Conculusion

Private Label – The Big Picture

Recently, private label product manufacturing started gaining traction. These products became a bigger part of the trend among online and brick-and-mortar stores too. In , the private label business grew by 4.4% reaching a profit of $5.5 billion (Source – plma.com). Furthermore, in the US, out of every 4 products sold, nearly one product is a private label or store brand product, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association. Private labels across staples, food, and personal products are increasing swiftly. Retailers such as Kroger, Target, and WholeFoods are making their big bet on private label products in recent times.

Even the retail giant, Amazon has its list of private-label brands in categories such as technology, clothing, and household.

Based on the verticals and target audience, most of these retailers have multiple private brands. They can be categorized into low-cost, high-quality, premium, organic, or specialty products.

Our take on Private Label Products?

Ethnic and organic products have huge room for growth as per the latest trends. 

Also, private label food manufacturers who produce items that are ketogenic, vegan, sugar-free, lactose-free, and whole-30 are expanding as they arrive in the market. 

Private labeling is a positive trend overall with a set of winners and losers. With the right approach, you can gain customer loyalty and allow yourself to enjoy bigger profit margins, especially if you can provide low-cost, middle, and high-end options to your consumer.  

Before we give the list of the private label manufacturers, we want you to weigh the pros and cons of owning a private label business.  

Advantages of Private Label Business

Profit Margin Booster

Private label businesses can enjoy higher profit margins when compared to their generic counterparts. If you can put some serious research on the products and identify a good manufacturer, you can crank some serious cash. Also, as the products are cheaper to manufacture, the private label business has higher profits when compared to most of the national brands. 

Be unique with branding and marketing

Creating a private label gives you your own identity. Private label business is building a brand something you own and can build further. It is a direct route to build on customer loyalty, recognition, and by separating from the generic products, you are creating a bedrock to build a strong customer base and this offers a chance to work on their loyalty. If the buyers like, they specifically browse for your products which further increases your organic search and chances to build a personal e-commerce store. 

Ample Options to Choose Private Label Manufacturers

Though the private label business model is not straightforward like drop-shipping, manufacturing, and wholesaling, it is one of the best ways to bridge the gap between manufacturing and wholesale processes. Choosing a private label manufacturer keeps you away from expenses and the manufacturing process. You need not reinvent the wheel for product research and production. This gives you ample time to concentrate on the sales and marketing aspects of your business.

More Control Over Supply Chain

With a private label business, you can sell the products that are already tested by the manufacturers and some private label manufacturers will allow you to alter the features of the product including size, color, and length. It means you have control of your brand while selling high-quality products. 

When the business increases, you can order more products. Similarly, during the offseason, you can decrease the volume of orders without worrying about the production costs. Isn’t that cool?

Risks involved in Private Label Business 

Of course, there are a few risks of owning a private label business, we want you to know. Here’s the list:

Legality and Liability:

As a private label seller, you are liable for the products you sell. When you are trading, you need to be aware of the potential legal challenges and patent risks. It can be risky when you are selling baby products, electronics, or food items, especially in the US where civil lawsuits are quite common. There is a chance for private label retailers to shift the liability to manufacturers or opt for liability insurance for their business.

Private label suppliers also face a few challenges in the form of trading rules and consumer safety. Unexpected side-effects and product malfunctioning are something you cannot control when the consumer starts using a product. Make sure you have a professional to address your legal issues and protect your business from these unexpected risks. Also, when you start making big numbers and become a genuine threat to big brands, you can expect potential threats from them in an attempt to make you shut down or at least slow down your business. 

Communication mishaps:

In any business, end-to-end communication plays a key role in establishing a successful business. Often, merchants want to work with suppliers who provide products at a cheaper rate. These private label manufacturers are not limited to their own country or marketplace. This leads to communication lapses or communication barriers if the manufacturer doesn’t know the language. As a result, this kind of miscommunication may hamper the relationship between you and your customer.

In the global marketplace, many countries import and sell products from the U.S. According to the International Trade Centre, the top three countries importing from the US are 

  1. Canada (occupying 18% of the total imports from the US)
  2. Mexico (with 16% share of total imports from the US)
  3. China (around 7%)

These numbers specify that there is a huge importance for communication to balance the supply chain. 

How to Find Private Label Manufacturers?

Finding a private label manufacturer is easier than you imagine. However, how to select a particular manufacturer for your needs is the real part – we’ll help you with this too. Keep reading!

Online Forums

Warrior Forum

Warrior Forum is a great place for a newbie to gather vast information about online marketing. Through its free forums and paid information sources, you can post questions and get ample advice on private labeling manufacturers. 

SaleHoo Forum 

On this forum, you can find about diverse topics including finding a niche, dropshipping, and private label manufacturers too.  Depending upon your niche, members share their experiences regarding private label products. 

Reddit

Reddit is a great place to search for private label manufacturers. There is a particular community for private labeling and people keep posting for private label manufacturer suggestions based on their niche and marketplace.

Find a store that specializes in manufacturing your niche products

As part of your product research, try going to a local store that is stocked up with products of similar choices. Observe the products and packaging, verify the manufacturer, product positioning, and quality. It helps your product research and helps you decide about the manufacturer.

Online e-commerce platforms

At present, online marketplaces are major digital marketing channels, especially in the US. Marketplaces such as eBay, Alibaba, and Amazon are the best sources to search for potential private label manufacturers. Research shows that Amazon recently crossed Google in product research. Lately, this giant became a popular option among customers to start searching for a product online. So, as a seller, this platform is a go-to choice to find trends and profitable categories. Once you narrow down your niche, you can contact the supplier and ask if he can manufacture the products of your specifications. 

Related Post: Websites for Amazon sellers to Find Private Label Product Ideas

Local Sources and Connections

If you’re looking for a local private label manufacturer, move around and try visiting trade shows and local sources. Also, personal connections can be of great help. 

How to Contact a Private Label Manufacturer?

Communication is a major aspect when you’re dealing with a local private label manufacturer or an overseas private label manufacturer. Clear, concise, and confidence – This is what we want you to resonate while communicating with your supplier. Lacking these features during communication makes your supplier think you’re a newbie or not a professional. In case, you’re dealing with a supplier who has a different first language than yours, you need to overcome the language barrier and understand the cultural differences. Therefore, we suggest you do enough research before contacting a private label manufacturer. 

Recommended Guide: Amazon Manufacturer Part Number.

We’ve come up with a few points that need your attention while choosing a private label manufacturer:

Product Quality: It is the main aspect of choosing a private label manufacturer. Ensure you get the samples tested before making a deal. Confirm the color, size, dimensions, and style of the product they offer and the modifications you need. 

Negotiate Prices Based on Volume: Price is the most influencing feature of private label product sales because consumer decisions are price sensitive. Shopping around to observe quality and pricing may be needed at times. Get a quote from the suppliers so that you can compare them to choose an affordable price range for your private label. Along with that ask prices for minimum quantities, discounts for bulk products, their preferred payment method, and shipping costs. 

Reliable Delivery: A reliable and good delivery system is the key to customer satisfaction, especially in an e-commerce business. Be aware of the production time ahead. Also, make sure your products are delivered on-time with the utmost care because no one likes damaged or inefficient goods. Right?

Check for Reviews and Ratings: After you shortlist your suppliers, make sure you look for their reviews and ratings. If the information is not listed on their website, ensure that you get those details in-hand before signing a contract or deal with them. 

Avoid Communication Mishaps: Entrepreneurs or retailers tend to struggle to establish proper communication with their manufacturers. These cases are myriad for an overseas supplier. Avoid too many questions, complicated language, and spelling mistakes as they may lead to miscommunication.

Use short and bullet points, clear and simple language in an . During a conversation, keep the list of points you want to ask and communicate them effectively. Ensure your supplier is on the same terms with you by the end of the conversation. 

List of Popular Private Label Product Ideas

Clothing, Shoes, and Accessories

The fashion industry is surging rapidly with rising globalization and changes in consumer spending. Also, digital innovations are shaping the latest trends in the fashion industry. The e-commerce fashion industry alone is anticipated to rise from $481 billion in to $712 billion by (Source – Shopify). As a result, markets such as clothing and apparel, bags and accessories, luxury and personalized gifts are growing in the present day. 


If you wish to tap into any of these sectors, this is the right time. You can try to align with current industry trends and customer demands. For instance, cruelty-free accessories, bamboo bags, oval sunglasses, and patchwork clothing and accessories are gaining traction recently in private label clothing. You can choose to add or modify certain features to suit your brand. However, in these industries, keeping up with the trends and managing inventory need special attention. 

The Budding ‘Organic and Vegan’ Private Label Products

Organic and vegan products may be a particular segment or a trend of the industry. The reason why we listed organic and vegan products is that we have observed that there is a strong proliferation in the success stories of these businesses recently.

Organic and Vegan are no more a niche. 

Though both are not the same, these products are becoming a lifestyle choice for consumers. Sales of organic products have amplified over the past decade. In some places, the demand for these products is outpacing the supplies. Organic sales account for 4% of U.S. food sales (Source – USDA). Farmers are taking their route to organic food production on a large scale. Not only in food, but organic private labeling is also gaining popularity among other industries including pet food, napkins for dinner table, and skincare.

Veganism, on the other hand, is becoming mainstream recently. As people started to realize the positive impact of veganism on environmental sustainability and animal welfare, the vegan movement started rising. Plant-based meat, plant-based dairy alternatives, especially vegan cheese, soy milk, and almond milk started to see a huge rise in sales. In the parts of North America and Europe, plant-based meat has been budding lately. 

Also, apart from food, other sectors such as clothing, jewelry, luxury and gift accessories, skincare and cosmetics are propelling with diverse product ideas. 

And, the eCommerce platform is the best bet for these vegan products with equal opportunities for local and global players. 

Nutrition and Health Supplements

The private label health supplement industry is huge. The profit margins for resellers are high, more than double sometimes. The consumer health market can be cutthroat with competitive retailers. More and more consumers are inclining towards private label VDS (Vitamin and Dietary Supplements) for over-the-counter remedies. Private label VDS suppliers who can provide niche segments such as gluten-free, organic, vegan, and high-quality premium products are experiencing huge profits. 

If you aim to enter this market, make sure you list the ingredients properly as customers are increasingly looking for them. In case of similar quality or ingredients used, consumers tend to choose cost-effective supplements. Therefore, price becomes the biggest influencer in private label nutrition and health supplement products, especially in the U.S. market. 

Beauty and Cosmetics

With a new product launching every other week and influencers, brands, and celebrities promoting them, launching beauty and cosmetic products might seem daunting work. Nevertheless, you can identify a profitable and most-demanding segment in this niche using a product research tool. Selling high-quality or high-end cosmetics and beauty products with effective packaging at an affordable price gives you more visibility in the private label cosmetics business. Many startups have proven to be profitable with this kind of business model. You can try it too. 

Conclusion:

Entering into a new niche or business has its perks and risks. After a period, consistency becomes the key to success for any private label business. A business that aligns well with its audience’s needs and delivers products that are consistent while providing good service can scale at greater heights. The attention span of people is low. Therefore, showing consistent results is important for small businesses as bigger brands are already doing it. With proper exposure, this brand consistency makes you differ from the rest of the competition. 

That being said, SellerApp can help you with a few product ideas if you’re just starting.

Additional Reads:

8 Tips to Future-Proof Your Brand On And Off Amazon
what are the New modules that are available on Amazon A++ content

For more information, please visit china footwear manufacturers.

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