Finding the Right Supplier for Your eCommerce Storefront

Marji Bitterman sells Pandora-style beads and charms.  She started her eCommerce storefront Beads and Dangles when she discovered she could find well-made beads in Asia.  Quality was important to her, so she did a lot of research before choosing her suppliers.  Initially, she got references from business people she met during a trip to China.  But ultimately she spent a lot of time researching suppliers online.

 

Her advice to other eCommerce merchants looking for suppliers: “Buyer beware. You have to spend many hours surfing the Internet to understand the culture of the country you’re dealing with and what a

company manufactures.”

Pay attention to a few important factors:

• How long has the supplier been in business?
• Who do they do business with?
• How big is the company?
• What organizations do they belong to?
• Do they have a full-functioning website?  “Some Chinese companies have a web page on a larger website,” explains Marji.  “Having an independent site shows that they’re more engrained in the business.”
• Is the company too diversified?  “I only wanted a high-end jewelry company that specialized in beads.  I didn’t want a supplier that was also exporting, say, shoes and belts.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With so many vendors online, you don’t have to travel extensively to find and do business with the right supplier.  Marji has not been back to China since opening her eCommerce storefront, but she’s been able to manage inventory through email and the Internet.  “I still research new companies so I can keep bringing people the highest quality beads possible.  Now I can even get beads custom made.  It keeps my customers coming back.”

 

Comments

[bilalaydemir020]

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