How to Use a Wholesale Directory to Maximize Profits

Most new buyers tend to use a wholesale directory to source products for resale.

But before a wholesale directory is even utilized, the buyer needs to understand what is wholesale as most directories paid and free have many suppliers that do not offer true wholesale pricing.

What does the word wholesale mean anymore? Everyone wants to buy wholesale, everyone thinks they are buying wholesale, but what really is wholesale?

Most will try to tell you it's a significant discount off the suggested retail price, that's what they want you to believe. But the truth is, as most of you may know, that a true wholesale price will allow you to mark up a product with enough margin to make a profit from the price that the product is generally sold for, not the suggested retail price.

This simple definition say it all "the sale of goods in quantity” for resale. The key word here is quantity. Because without quantity you can't really buy at a low enough price to meet your profit margins.

A good wholesale directory will list only suppliers that are true wholesalers, do not sell to the public and will offer goods in quantity with a price point low enough for you to make a profit

When you search a wholesale directory and you keep coming up with sites that are retailers who offer a discount, wholesalers that sell to the public, or membership sites requiring a monthly fee, then just hit your delete button and move on.

There are also wholesale directories that are not directories at all. They are simply link farms, listing Google ads and affiliate links that are worthless. These are easy to spot, they look exactly what they are supposed to look like “junk”

Free wholesale directories vs. paid. If you can get past the junk, there are a few free directories that are actually useful. They are not hard to find, just do a search, get rid of the junk and start your research.

Paid wholesale directories can be very worthwhile as many specialize in niche categories. You can find directories specifically for electronics, fragrances, video games, handbags, designer name brand jewelry and just about anything else you can think of.

The caveat here is to make sure that any paid wholesale directory you purchase offers a money back guarantee. There are a few out there that are just not worth it, listing dead links, retailers, and wholesalers that do not really offer wholesale pricing, and names randomly taken off the Internet.

There is one little trick that will make your research easier also. Many times when clicking on a supplier link it will seem that you are taken to a retail site. I know it’s a pain, but that’s what research is all about.

Most of the time you will find a link to the merchant’s wholesale website (many have both a retail and wholesale website) buried somewhere on the front page, the site map, or the contact us page.

If a site shows up in a reputable wholesale directory as a wholesale supplier, that looks like a retail site, take the time and check it out. It may be bogus (everyone makes mistakes), or it may be one of your best efforts of the day that no one else knows about, thus cutting the competition.