How to Buy Wholesale Boutique Clothing

Are you starting a fashion boutique? Where do you plan on sourcing your inventory? As a boutique owner, you want to have access to wholesale women’s clothing outlets. These venues help you find the best garments for your store at cheaper price.

This post looks at buying wholesale clothing and will give you tips on finding the right clothing supplier in the USA.

Buying Wholesale Clothing Online

If you’re still in the planning phase of your new boutique business, you’re going to need to find a list of wholesale vendors for your catalog.

Buying wholesale clothing online is easy but finding the wholesaler that’s right for you will take some time. Fortunately, there is a wealth of wholesale clothing suppliers all over the world, and you have a bevy of options. Doing the legwork now and finding the right vendor in your planning phase saves you plenty of headaches later.

However, as with any other supply chain, there are good and bad vendors. Ensuring you’re working with the right people gets you top-quality garments at the best prices for your boutique.

Finding a Wholesaler

There are several ways to source wholesalers online. Look for sellers that represent multiple brands. They offer you a range of clothing from several sources, under one roof. It’s a good choice for boutique owners that want the best selection from top brands. Finding these sources takes proper research but putting the maximum amount of effort into your company will help it succeed.

After reaching out to the vendor, they’ll issue inventory lists and pricing if they approve you as a buyer. When setting up your terms and conditions, make sure you enquire about minimum order limits and purchase discounts. Many companies in the wholesale women’s clothing industry  will offer deals whether it be bulk discounts or new customer discounts.

Most vendors set you up with an account executive, and you’ll always have a point person to talk to at the company. Ensure you sign up for the mailing list with your wholesaler to keep ahead of any new product launches. This will also help ensure you stay up to date with the newest trends.

Contacting a Wholesaler

When you reach out to the wholesaler to open an account, they’ll decide if you’ll be accepted as a buyer depending on your company information. At the minimum, you should have a website or your social media set up for them to be able to find out more about your business.

When you’re signing up for an account with your wholesaler, they’ll ask you for basic company information and documents to process your facility. If you’re dealing with niche vendors, you might find they’re more accommodating in accepting new buyers.

Most companies require a copy of your business license, a seller’s permit, and documentation to prove you’re a legitimate business. After handing over all the required documents, you usually have a window for negotiating terms after approval of your account. Other companies are not as strict with their rules and will accept a wider range of buyers regardless business size. 

Choosing a Wholesaler

With thousands of sellers to choose from online, how do you choose the wholesaler that’s the right fit for your company? Follow these tips for choosing the perfect wholesaler for your storefront.

1. What Merchandise Do They Sell? – What kind of garments will you be selling in your store? Ensure you match your needs with a specialist wholesaler that works with the garments you want to sell.
2. Is the Pricing Favorable? – Get price lists from several vendors; it pays to shop around for the best value. When it comes to wholesale women’s clothing, you’ll find that many companies will sell similar or the same products at drastically different price points.
3. Are They a Reliable Seller? – While the price is important, service is critical. It’s no good having a wholesaler with the lowest prices if you can never get hold of them. If you’re always experiencing problems with your orders and account, cut your losses and take it as a learning opportunity. There are many blogs and websites with real customer reviews, but keep in mind that smaller companies likely won’t have customer reviews that are readily available.
4. Do They Know the Product? – If you specialize in women’s clothing, make sure you choose a wholesaler focusing on your market. There are hundreds of niche sellers catering to every sector of the fashion industry so make sure they excel in the niche they are catering to.
5. Can They Assist with Dropshipping? – If you’re running an e-commerce boutique from home, you’ll need to handle your logistics yourself. A supplier that helps you with dropshipping your product can save you time and costs.

Developing Your Vendor Relationship

Communication is the key to successful business relationships, and any vendor or supplier you work with needs to offer you good customer service, preferably with a dedicated account agent.

Creating and maintaining a relationship with your vendor is of the upmost importance. Being on good terms with your wholesaler comes with perks like faster customer support, faster shipping and even the occasional discount.

When your business starts gain traction, you need to have the right partner to help you scale your operations. Working with an agent helps you enjoy the benefits of affordable payment terms, preferred pricing, as well as in-demand merchandising.

As long as you respect the company’s due dates on your invoices and treat your agent with respect, you should enjoy a healthy working relationship.