Together online: how to look for a provider on the Internet

The main question that will need to be answered by the entrepreneur opening the store is to solve the problem of where to get the goods. The profit level and overall business efficiency largely depend on this.

Depending on the supplier, the conditions may vary significantly. Therefore, many take batches of the right products, albeit of the same category, from different sellers, since some may have a better offer for one model, and for others for another. But driving and looking for the right supplier is a painstaking and time-consuming business. The Internet can facilitate the search for a small wholesale supplier.

If you type in the search engine the query “product name + wholesale” (for example, high oleic oil in bulk), then you can get many useful results in the form of links to sites that contain this phrase in the name. Thus, you can quickly find contacts of suppliers of the product categories you need.

Direct sites of reseller companies

Usually these are the first sites that happen in a search. Basically, they are local - each serves its own region and specializes in certain types of products. Here you should pay attention to whether the reseller speaks of cooperation not only with manufacturers, but also with large buyers. For example, Argo Podillya LLC works with Ukrposhta, the South-Western Railway, the Khmelnitsky NPP, supermarket chains Velika Kyshenya and Silpo, which are not shy about writing on your website. They sell food and household products here. The company is located in Kiev, so it works mainly in Kiev and the Kiev region. But it also supplies it to other regions by pickup. Basically, such suppliers have the opportunity to order or reserve goods in the amount of from 1000 UAH, that is, in small wholesale. But you should carefully monitor the update of the proposal - at times outdated versions can be placed on sites. Pay attention also to the logistics available to the reseller, the availability of large storage areas and the possibility of reserving them for your orders.

Big marketplaces

In the wholesale markets for goods on the Internet, you can find everything from clothing to cereals and meat. One of the largest is Bigopt. For owners of retail outlets, the portal offers an extensive database of wholesale suppliers and manufacturers of goods with complete information on the assortment, pricing policy and terms of cooperation. In addition, this is the only portal where considerable attention is devoted to suppliers of popular Ukrainian wholesale markets - the wholesale market of 7 km Odessa, Barabashovo in Kharkov, and the Khmelnitsky wholesale market.

Similar Bigopt characteristics are noted on the portals zakupka.com and postavshiki.ua. True, the assortment in them is much smaller and there is no such wide coverage from the point of view of markets and suppliers.
If you need to find a supplier or product, there are two options. The first is to simply leave a request on the portal in a special form (modeled after the famous Kabanchik service providers search service), indicate the name, description and quantity of the goods and contacts. Then, according to the promise of the developers, the suppliers themselves must find you. The second option is to fully register on the portal and look for suppliers yourself, choosing among dealers and manufacturers. Each of them shows the conditions of logistics, so you can choose the most convenient option. About suppliers you can leave feedback. You can buy directly from large producers as well as from private farmers — for example, sugar from Radekhivtsukra or sweet cherries in the Ruslan private enterprise.

Prom.ua

Non-specialized for wholesale trade, but no less important from this point of view, is the platform for online stores Prom.ua, which is now actively promoted. Here you can find many wholesale suppliers. However, you need to carefully choose, because it often happens that the page shows the wrong price or such products have long been out of stock.

Bulletin boards

Another option for finding a supplier may be large ad sites like Bigl, OLX, and others. Here you can find a supplier partner. However, you will have to spend more time than at special venues - there is no special section, for example, food products, so you will have to carefully sort through the sections on business and services. In addition, you can sometimes meet a scammer.

E-Procurement Sites

If Prozorro is an effective platform for government procurement, then a large system of electronic auctions has formed around it for all types of procurement. For example, UBIZ.UA is a marketplace for electronic auctions, private and public procurement. A list of such resources can be found on the Prozorro website. It can also be useful to communicate on the forum of suppliers of this system - here you can find a supplier for your business.