How to Find Wholesale Suppliers for Your Canadian Online Business
It can be difficult and time-consuming
to find wholesale suppliers in Canada for your business. Business supplier
database is not readily available in most cases. This is particularly true if
your business is operating in a niche market or in a remote location where you
can’t find local suppliers. Canada is a big place and wholesalers in your area
may not be advertising their business in the places that you search for suppliers.
Even if you find a wholesale
suppliers in Canada , the price can become a deal breaker. For many
supplies and materials, you may be able to find a better deal outside Canada.
In such cases, you will need to overcome language barriers, deal with the
customs authorities and currency exchange issues.
Finding Wholesale Suppliers in Canada
There are several places that you
can search to find out if there is a local or international supplier available
to do business with. Some of the regular places to search include the following.
Online Databases – One of the best
places that you can search for and find suppliers are online databases. These wholesale
directories in Canada are similar to yellow pages with the added advantage that
they can be accessed from anywhere. They are very easy to use and provide
detailed information about wholesaler in your area.
The downside is that online
listings may not be up to date as most wholesalers don’t update their account
frequently.
Industry Associations – Most
associations of wholesalers and suppliers run dedicated wholesale directories
in Canada that provide supplier contact information. Associations also
highlight news about events such as trade shows, new technology launches and
other information that can be useful for businesses. The only issue here is
that there may not be an association for your supplier if it is a very niche
industry.
Federal Corporation Registry – The
Canadian federal government also maintains the database of all incorporated
businesses that can be used to search for wholesale suppliers. This is quite
effective for finding registered suppliers. The problem is that unincorporated
businesses are not covered in this database.
Using B2B Wholesale Distributors Database
When searching for a wholesaler
through an online database, you need to look for certain qualities. The
wholesaler must be reliable in delivering the agreed supplies on time. The
supplies must meet the quality standard consistently and any defective
materials must be replaced without additional cost to you.
The wholesaler must offer
competitive prices so that it gives you space to try out different marketing
strategies. The supplier must also be able to meet and respond to fluctuations
in your orders and not penalize you for ordering a lower amount.
When you are trying to find a
distributor on a database, search for different terms related to your
requirement. For example, you should enter keywords such as ‘plastic bottles
supplier’ when looking to buy plastic bottles through a distributor.
Different industries in Canada, the
U.S., and Mexico use the common North American Industry Classification Code
(NAICS). If you search for the code, you will find it easier to find the
supplier you are looking for.
You can also use various social media platforms to find and connect with the supplier. If you put up a post on LinkedIn or Facebook or tweet about your supply needs, someone in your network is sure to guide you in the right direction.
BUSINESS (B2B) Financial Services Business Management Service BUSINESS (B2B) Financial Services Business Management Service