Applying to a wholesaler

[cyberdog]

Hi All,
I am a sole trader, and have just setup a business account with my bank.
I now want to setup an account with a wholesaler. The problem is they want two forms of company identification out of those in the list.

• Company telephone/utility bill
• VAT registration document - MUST BE PROVIDED IF YOU ARE VAT REGISTERED
• Companies House registration document
• Any document from a company bank account

As a sole trader I can only provide a document from my company bank account. I work from home, so don’t have a business phone or utility bill. I am not registered for VAT and I am not a limited company, so I am not registered with companies’ house.

How am I able to get an account with a wholesaler?? Any help please.
_____________________________

Also going off the above subject slightly, I have an application form from a wholesaler which asks “accounts year end”. Is this not 31st January, when I would submit my personal return?
Keeping in mind that I am still in full time employment and the business is a side line.

Thanks

[mdarwish01]

It's very odd that a wholesaler asks for so much information. Unless of course the wholesaler is for official distributor for something like Xbox etc.

Anyway if it's not something official, they are often not too picky. I know people who even make up their own details.

It may be worth you having a face to face talk to the wholesaler. Most of them still rely on old fashioned business, you may find that if you tell them your circumstances they'll accept to supply you.

I hope this helps

[SillyJokes]

Sounds like they are trying to weed out time wasters. You are going to have to prove you have what it takes to be a proper customer.

We also had these problems when we started which is why we never give away suppliers details now - they are hard to come by.

[mdarwish01]

Hi SillyJokes

Don't worry, Im not after your suppliers, Im just more intrigued as to how you found them.

Are trade shows your main way of getting them?

Thanks for your help

[Whistle Ink]

What exactly are you trying to sell? Finding wholesalers (good wholesalers) is a hard task. They don't advertise as such and certainly try to avoid getting 'found'.

Having said that I have managed to find three / four of the biggest IT distributors.

TIP - See a product you want to sell? Go on the companies websites and see if you can find any information there (sometimes you really need to look) and you can in most cases find something that lists distributors.

You could always ring them up and tell them you are interested in stocking your products and if they can tell you where to buy wholesale.

I wouldn't recommend anybody that says you can buy a list because the quality of these aren't that good (not that Ive tried it) and because this information is free - you just have to look hard for it.

Feel free to contact me via msn if you need any help and to discuss this further.

[yankee candleman]

Go to the NEC from Sunday 7th onwards for the Autumn Fair

Every supplier who is worth their weight will be there and you can get some great ideas if nothing else.