What is Wholesale? A Complete Guide for Exporters

Wholesale is a term that refers to the sale of goods or services in large quantities at a lower price than retail. Wholesale is a common business model for exporters who want to reach a wider market and increase their profits. In this article, we will explain what wholesale is, how it works, and what are the benefits and challenges of wholesaling for exporters.

Wholesale vs Retail

Wholesale and retail are two different ways of selling goods or services. Retail involves selling directly to the end consumer, usually in small quantities and at a higher price. Retailers often have physical stores or online platforms where they display their products and interact with customers.

Wholesale, on the other hand, involves selling to intermediaries, such as distributors, agents, or retailers, who then resell the products to the end consumer. Wholesalers usually sell in bulk and at a lower price per unit than retailers. Wholesalers often operate from warehouses or distribution centers where they store and ship their products.

Benefits of Wholesale for Exporters

Wholesale can offer many advantages for exporters who want to expand their business and reach new markets. Some of the benefits of wholesale are:

Increased sales volume and revenue: Wholesale can help exporters sell more products and generate more income by accessing a larger customer base and reducing the cost per unit.
Reduced marketing and customer service costs: Wholesale can help exporters save money on marketing and customer service by transferring these responsibilities to the intermediaries who handle the sales and distribution of their products.
Economies of scale and scope: Wholesale can help exporters achieve economies of scale and scope by producing and selling more products at a lower cost per unit. This can improve their efficiency and competitiveness in the global market.
Risk diversification: Wholesale can help exporters diversify their risk by spreading their products across different markets and channels. This can reduce their dependence on a single market or customer and protect them from fluctuations in demand or supply.

Challenges of Wholesale for Exporters

Wholesale can also pose some challenges for exporters who need to adapt to the requirements and expectations of their intermediaries and end consumers. Some of the challenges of wholesale are:

Quality control and compliance: Wholesale can make it harder for exporters to ensure the quality and safety of their products, especially when they deal with multiple intermediaries who may have different standards and regulations. Exporters need to comply with the quality requirements of their target markets and monitor the quality of their products throughout the supply chain.
Price competition and margin erosion: Wholesale can expose exporters to more price competition and margin erosion by increasing the number of players involved in the sale of their products. Exporters need to set competitive prices that reflect the value of their products and cover their costs, while also leaving enough margin for their intermediaries to make a profit.
Branding and differentiation: Wholesale can make it harder for exporters to build and maintain a strong brand identity and differentiation for their products, especially when they sell through intermediaries who may also carry competing products. Exporters need to communicate the unique features and benefits of their products to their intermediaries and end consumers, and use effective branding strategies to create loyalty and preference.

How to Succeed in Wholesale as an Exporter

Wholesale can be a lucrative and rewarding business model for exporters who want to grow their business and reach new markets. However, it also requires careful planning, research, and execution to overcome the challenges and maximize the benefits. Here are some tips on how to succeed in wholesale as an exporter:

Research your target markets and customers: Before entering a new market or selling to a new customer, you need to do your homework and understand the market size, demand, trends, opportunities, threats, competitors, regulations, culture, preferences, and behavior of your target audience. You also need to identify your ideal customer segments and tailor your products, prices, promotions, and distribution strategies accordingly.
Find reliable intermediaries: One of the most important factors for success in wholesale is finding trustworthy and competent intermediaries who can help you sell and distribute your products effectively. You need to look for intermediaries who have experience, reputation, network, resources, capacity, compatibility, commitment, and integrity in your target market. You also need to establish clear terms and conditions, roles and responsibilities, expectations and objectives, communication channels, feedback mechanisms, incentives, and performance measures with your intermediaries.
Provide quality products and service: Another key factor for success in wholesale is providing high-quality products.

Wholesale: A Growing and Profitable Industry

Wholesale is a business model that involves buying goods in large quantities from manufacturers or distributors and selling them to retailers or other businesses. Wholesale is one of the steps in the supply chain that connects producers and consumers. Wholesale can offer many benefits to both wholesalers and retailers, such as lower prices, higher margins, and access to a variety of products.

According to a report by IBISWorld, the global wholesale trade industry generated $9.5 trillion in revenue in 2020, with an annual growth rate of 1.6% from 2016 to 2020. The industry is expected to grow further in the coming years, as the demand for consumer goods increases in emerging markets, e-commerce platforms expand their reach, and new technologies improve efficiency and logistics.

Some of the factors that influence the performance of the wholesale industry are the level of economic activity, consumer spending, trade policies, exchange rates, and environmental regulations. The industry also faces some challenges, such as increasing competition, price fluctuations, inventory management, and cybersecurity risks.

Wholesale can be divided into three main types: merchant wholesalers, agents and brokers, and manufacturers’ sales branches and offices. Merchant wholesalers are the most common type of wholesalers, who buy and take title to the goods they sell. Agents and brokers do not take title to the goods, but act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers for a commission or fee. Manufacturers’ sales branches and offices are owned by the producers of the goods, who sell directly to retailers or other businesses.

Some examples of wholesale businesses are:

Costco: A warehouse club that sells a wide range of products in bulk to its members at low prices.
Alibaba: An online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers of various products across the world.
Sysco: A foodservice distributor that supplies restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, and other institutions with food and related products.

References:

https://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1247896

http://unstats.un.org/unsd/cr/registry/regcs.asp?Cl=9&Lg=1&Co=6

https://web.archive.org/web/20130411083054/http://www.eu-lieferanten.de/

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/wholesaler.asp

https://www.shopify.com/encyclopedia/wholesale

https://www.export.gov/article?id=Wholesaling