With the digitalization of the world, the way businesses interact and trade with each other has significantly changed. Wholesaling is making it easier for businesses to enjoy the convenience of getting the products they need at reasonable prices and optimizing their performance. This article shares a list of 10 popular wholesale business examples with outstanding omnichannel experiences.
What is a wholesale business?
A wholesale business is a type of business that earns money by buying large quantities of goods from suppliers and then selling in bulk to other small merchants. A wholesaler can supply only a single product or a variety of goods. The main purpose of this kind of business is to distribute goods.
There are 3 main types of wholesalers:
- Merchant wholesalers – These are the ones that work directly with suppliers, buy in large quantities, store the inventory, price competitively, and sell directly to online or brick-and-mortar retailers.
- Agents or brokers – These wholesalers work on behalf of manufacturers that aren’t able to sell products on their own. In other words, they are like middle-man salespeople for suppliers and will be paid a percentage of the sale.
- Manufacturing distributors – Several producers are large enough to have sales teams that can sell directly to the customers online. If the sales and production areas of the company are totally separate in locations and management, the sales department could be considered a wholesaler.
10 wholesale business examples offering omnichannel experiences
Alibaba
One of the greatest wholesale business examples that offers omnichannel experiences is Alibaba. Founded in 1999 by Jack Ma, Alibaba is a Chinese-based e-commerce platform aiming to provide a decent B2B trading platform to the international trade community. The company serves millions of wholesale buyers and suppliers from over 190 countries worldwide. You can find a diversity of products from all over the world right on its website.
Alibaba is a marketplace for businesses and individuals to buy products from producers at wholesale prices directly. Firstly, retailers need to determine their niche. By doing this, they can find a product category to browse. Alibaba has many categories, from Textiles & Accessories, Machinery to Industrial Parts & Tools. Once you find what you want to buy, you will need to reach out to some suppliers. When both parties have agreed on a price, you can then place your order. The goods will arrive shortly afterward for you to start selling.
Made-in-China
Another Chinese wholesale business example that is worth mentioning is Made-in-China. The platform has more than 10 million daily active visitors with a very good lead-to-sale ratio. Here you will have multiple international trading opportunities that are most inclined toward the China region.
Made-in-China stands tall as a leading B2B e-commerce marketplace for its famous directory of buyers and sellers. The company uses a robust common supply network to focus on online sales and content marketing. Through global exhibitions, social media, and other all-channel publicity, cross-border buyers can connect with Chinese suppliers in all kinds of purchasing environments. Made-in-China is also a multilingual platform with 10 languages such as Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Korean, etc.
With the help of Made-in-China, suppliers will be able to improve their international trade capacity and grasp many trade opportunities. Not only does it help reduce the export cost of suppliers, but it also helps enhance purchasing efficiency and the shopping experience. Since its establishment, Made-in-China has helped various small and medium-sized businesses do foreign trade and observe their massive industrial transformation.
TopTenWholesale
TopTenWholesale is among the key wholesale business examples that connect buyers with verified suppliers in the USA and abroad. Millions of retailers, chain stores, drop shippers, and other resellers have used this platform to find manufacturers, importers, and distributors. TopTenWholesale’s goal is to be a general merchandise wholesale information highway.
Unlike other wholesale directories, TopTenWholesale’s motto is quite unique. It is more like a community for wholesalers and buyers facilitating their interaction rather than a source that provides information about product listings. This makes the platform one of the best B2B wholesale platforms in the United States to serve millions of users.
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SaleHoo
The platform was founded in 2005 and has helped over 137,000 businesses grow. Based in New Zealand, SaleHoo globally serves as a community for wholesalers, housing a variety of niche categories. SaleHoo allows wholesalers to explore market trends and find the best-selling products in demand with an advanced search feature and more than 1.6 million listed products. The platform also facilitates businesses to find goods with a high-profit margin or sell-through rate. If you are a wholesale beginner, this can be a great place to generate niche ideas, find winning products, and identify suitable suppliers by comparing the cost of stock inventory.
Also, SaleHoo hosts many training seminars for new wholesalers and has a knowledge base of various video tutorials. The platform has a detailed training guide to help online sellers find in-demand items, select manufacturers, and conduct other crucial tactics to get them started.
IndiaMART
This platform is the largest online B2B marketplace in India. IndiaMART acts as an intermediary, facilitating trade and commerce between businesses across various industries and sectors. Focusing on the Indian market, it is considered one of the major wholesale business examples with more than 6.2 million suppliers. As of March 2021, this platform had over 150 million registered buyers. With 60% market share of the online B2B classified space, IndiaMART serves different sizes of businesses as well as individuals.
IndiaMART offers a wide range of categories from manufacturing wholesale pos, agriculture, chemicals, electronics and caters to businesses of all sizes. It also brings together a vast network of suppliers and distributors and helps retailers connect with potential buyers. IndiaMART facilitates seamless communication between buyers and sellers through its platform. It provides inquiries, messages, and online chat features, enabling businesses to discuss product details, negotiate deals, and clarify queries.
Buyers can benefit from IndiaMART in many ways as follows:
- Easily source products and services
- Access to reliable and genuine suppliers throughout India
- Send their buy requirements and get an immediate response
eBay
eBay is a well-known multinational e-commerce corporation that operates as an online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers worldwide. It was founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar and has since become one of the largest and most popular e-commerce platforms globally. The company sells different categories of products from various brands and ships to all parts of the world. Their categories include fashion, motor, electronics, home and garden, daily deals, and so much more.
As an online marketplace, eBay provides a platform for individuals and businesses to buy and sell a wide range of products and services. The platform facilitates auction-style listings and fixed-price sales, giving sellers flexibility in pricing strategies.eBay sells at affordable prices and you can also count on them to deliver high-quality goods. The platform seamlessly connects buyers with sellers all around the world. eBay has a strong community aspect, with forums, discussion boards, and social features that allow users to connect, ask questions, and share information. This fosters a sense of community among buyers and sellers on the platform. By shopping from eBay, you are sure to make the right decision, and that’s why it is one of the biggest US wholesale websites.
ECVV
Regarding wholesale business examples, we cannot forget a highly favored B2B platform, ECVV. The goal is to create a safe place where companies can communicate and interact with each other without fear of scams or misrules. Established in 2006, ECVV focuses on promoting Chinese products and helping international buyers find reliable suppliers in China. With 12 years of experience, ECVV has accumulated more than 2.2 million buyers and 950,000 suppliers all around China. The platform is known for its reputation in machinery, hardware, equipment, electrical appliances, etc.
ECVV places a strong emphasis on supplier verification and product quality. They conduct a verification process to ensure that registered suppliers are legitimate and reliable. This verification process includes checks on business licenses, company profiles, and product certifications.
ECVV offers an escrow payment service called “Buyer’s Protection Program.” This service helps protect the interests of both buyers and sellers by securely holding funds until the transaction is completed satisfactorily.
On ECVV, buyers can:
- Search products and contact suppliers
- Post buying leads for more quotation
- Receive up-to-date product information matching their requests
- View Supplier Matching that recommends multiple qualified suppliers
GlobalMarket
GlobalMarket is an important online M2B (Manufacturer-to-Business) marketplace that links international buyers with reputable Chinese manufacturers easily and cost-effectively. The platform is among the most trusted and distinguished websites that are adept in providing quality-based services to a wide range of products from Agriculture to Toys & Textile products.
In 2004, GlobalMarket established GMC, a certificate issued to qualified manufacturers meeting the 8 GMC Benchmarks developed through a comprehensive survey of more than 20,000 global buyers. Therefore, the goods supplied by GMC manufacturers are both checked and inspected by a stringent quality control system.
GlobalMarket’s focus on supplier verification, product quality, and additional trade services builds trust and facilitates successful business transactions between global buyers and Chinese suppliers.
TradeWheel
This has been a preferred choice for traders to connect the sellers of China regions with other Western markets. TradeWheel’s claims to fame is its great global presence and worldwide following. Both buyers and sellers on the platform are highly satisfied with the outcome as they highly recommend it for international trading.
TradeWheel holds a competitive advantage as it supports and promotes the formation of long-term partnerships built on helpful terms. With a distinct directory of renowned names in the industry, the platform covers every style and taste, hoarding a notable international target audience.
Global Sources
Last but surely not least, this Hong Kong-based wholesale business example is one of the fastest-growing e-commerce platforms around. With its impressive B2B sales strategy, Global Sources brings wholesalers and retailers together in a productive environment. The platform mainly focuses on electronics, mobile electronics, fashion, gifts & home, while catering to other product types.
Wrapping this up
In this era of e-commerce, finding suppliers from different countries is just a piece of cake. However, it is essential to clearly understand your requirements and choose the right wholesale business that aligns with your needs. Hopefully, these 10 wholesale business examples will be the perfect allies for expanding your business. Contact us now to explore how our POS software integrates with these wholesaling businesses to support your growth journey and take your business to new heights.
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