New Online Shop UK

[Katiedc1989]

Hello!
My first post so please bear with me. I am hoping to start an online children’s shop soon. I have reached out to about 10 suppliers who I would like to buy wholesale from. They have all come back to me with, contact us when you’re store is up and running. I am unsure how it’s possible to even start an online shop if I don’t have any brands to use!? I have started to create a Shopify site, I also have registered the business name. Any advice would be great. Thanks

 

[japancool]

Find other distributors.

I don't know what items you're looking for specifically, but there are plenty of toy suppliers out there, for example, with whom you can easily open up an account with before trading. Just make sure you look credible - get your brand designed, and make sure you have the finances to meet MOQs if you want to deal direct with manufacturers.

 

[Deleted member 335660]

We had no problems getting an account with Katie Loxton and NDA toys. Admittedly we are in Spain with a physical shop and an online one. Try the Creoate Portal too.

Also you may find dropshippers so you don’t need to buy stock. I use them for things that I am not sure of, or we do not want to stock in the shop.

 

[fisicx]

So far you don’t have anything. You have no trading history or active website so it’s no wonder the suppliers are a little wary.

Buy some stock from a wholesaler and get the shop up and running. Spend a fistful of cash on marketing and see what happens. If you can sell the stock you know the business is viable and can then go back to the suppliers.

 

[Picture Bute]

Don't men to be rude or discouraging, but how is it possible to arrive at the conclusion that you want to start a toy website when you don't know where to buy stock, what the margins are and how much you need to spend to buy stock ?

 

[Katiedc1989]

Don't men to be rude or discouraging, but how is it possible to arrive at the conclusion that you want to start a toy website when you don't know where to buy stock, what the margins are and how much you need to spend to buy stock ?

Thank you. No offensive taken. Not just toys, childrens products so mainly clothing and also toys/accessories. That’s where I’m stuck, so I know I want to start a childrens based business, but I’m struggling to get any information out of the suppliers that I want to buy from as they won’t send me wholesale info until I have an online shop up and running! But I cannot do that without all the information first. Like you say, I need to know my margins and stock info before I can have a website up and running. I’ve done a lot of research on sustainable brands I want to stock and am struggling to take it any further.

 

[Katiedc1989]

We had no problems getting an account with Katie Loxton and NDA toys. Admittedly we are in Spain with a physical shop and an online one. Try the Creoate Portal too.

Also you may find dropshippers so you don’t need to buy stock. I use them for things that I am not sure of, or we do not want to stock in the shop.

Thanks I’ll have a look at Creoate!

 

[fisicx]

Like you say, I need to know my margins and stock info before I can have a website up and running.

You need to invest in stock. But wholesale not direct from the suppliers. Forget about margins, you are going to be running at a loss for a good while. Your marketing costs will dwarf the product costs. You are entering a business that spends millions on marketing. If you don't have a marketing plan and a decent budget nobody will ever know you exist.

 

[Jonathan Melamet]

Or you can start as a drop shipper. You sell stock from someone like Alibaba as and when the customer orders the items. You won't have to invest in stock.

With time and more income, you can start to focus more on inventory.

 

[Picture Bute]

Or you can start as a drop shipper. You sell stock from someone like Alibaba as and when the customer orders the items. You won't have to invest in stock.

With time and more income, you can start to focus more on inventory.

If you want a million complaints about the quality of the product and the length of time it takes to arrive, that is the way to go.

 

[Katiedc1989]

Or you can start as a drop shipper. You sell stock from someone like Alibaba as and when the customer orders the items. You won't have to invest in stock.

With time and more income, you can start to focus more on inventory.

Thanks but I don’t like the products on Alibaba. The products I want to stock are all from sustainable brands, so the clothing will be 100% cotton etc.

 

[Jonathan Melamet]

Thanks but I don’t like the products on Alibaba. The products I want to stock are all from sustainable brands, so the clothing will be 100% cotton etc.

Alibaba is just an example, but I am certain that there are other suppliers with whom you can use the same model.

I will revert to you if I can find more suppliers who could use this model.

Kind Regards

Jon Melamet
+44 7941 593 579

 

[Katiedc1989]

Alibaba is just an example, but I am certain that there are other suppliers with whom you can use the same model.

I will revert to you if I can find more suppliers who could use this model.

Kind Regards

Jon Melamet
+44 7941 593 579

Thank you! I will have a look into drop shipping as well. I’m not sure the brands that I’ve sourced offer that option though.

 

[alan1302]

Thanks but I don’t like the products on Alibaba. The products I want to stock are all from sustainable brands, so the clothing will be 100% cotton etc.

Can get plenty of 100% cotton from Alibaba.

Sustainability is a minefield and something made from a natural material does not make it sustainable.

 

[japancool]

Sustainable 100% cotton from Xinjiang.

 

[AlanJ1]

Can get plenty of 100% cotton from Alibaba.

Re-iterate on this. Not everything on Alibaba is "fake." You just need to find the right supplier.

 

[sdksmart]

Re-iterate on this. Not everything on Alibaba is "fake." You just need to find the right supplier.

I agree 100%. Most electronics consumed in the west are 90% Chinese made. China has evolved!

 

[sdksmart]

Lady, there is a way to work with Alibaba on autopilot, and you don't even need an inventory to sell anything online. The good thing is that when setup properly, you sell all around the world, offering pricing based on Geography. It means when somebody comes to your shop from Canada, the pricing will be in Canadian dollars, US, etc. How powerful is that? I am writing from experience as we have recently done with a UK company and the experience is simply amazing

 

[Eclectik]

Hi everyone, newbie here, I just want to jump to say that last couple of days I filled about 30 forms to sign up with distributors and most of them asked me for 2 or 3 references from another distributors... ?‍
Open a company: £10 and 10 minutes.
Open a business bank account: Impossible
Open accounts with distributors: Impossible
I started to think in create a couple of distribution companies myself to auto-reference to other distributors. I am not asking for credit or whatever... I cannot understand why are they so pussies

 

[MBE2017]

Standard forms with standard questions. If you want to be in business, you need to stop being such a pussy. Stop moaning and find a solution.

 

[MOIC]

I started to think in create a couple of distribution companies myself to auto-reference to other distributors.

Really??

These 'created' companies won't show up as red flags to the companies you want to buy from?

You should create your own thread with the problems you're looking to find answers to, instead of hijacking this one.

 

[MOIC]

@Katiedc1989

Without any history of trading, you won'y get any 'recognised' brand names supplying you for an online only site.

Buy some unbranded stock (perhaps brand with your own logo) and start trading to get yourself some trading history, then start with the 'lower tier' brands to supply you, so your business has some history.

Only then, will it be realistic to approach 'next tier' brands.

If you're lucky, you may find wholesalers who you can buy from with end of lines of some brands. That may not be what you want, but will help get your business recognised.

Another option is to visit exhibitions where there may be new designers looking to supply retail/online businesses to expose their brand and products. That's perhaps the way I would go in order to have something new, branded and 'different'.

The art of any retail business is in the buying, it's not easy and requires a lot of hard work.

Good luck

 

[Chris Hanson]

When you use many suppliers your spend is diluted by how many suppliers you use so you don't get the discounts associated with spend volume. Stick with one supplier for the first six months at least to build up your spend to get you the next years discount level.

 

[Katiedc1989]

When you use many suppliers your spend is diluted by how many suppliers you use so you don't get the discounts associated with spend volume. Stick with one supplier for the first six months at least to build up your spend to get you the next years discount level.

Thanks that’s a good point. There’s one supplier I want to work with but they will Not set up wholesale with me until I have launched my website. So do I just make everything on my website except add products?!

 

[Katiedc1989]

@Katiedc1989

Without any history of trading, you won'y get any 'recognised' brand names supplying you for an online only site.

Buy some unbranded stock (perhaps brand with your own logo) and start trading to get yourself some trading history, then start with the 'lower tier' brands to supply you, so your business has some history.

Only then, will it be realistic to approach 'next tier' brands.

If you're lucky, you may find wholesalers who you can buy from with end of lines of some brands. That may not be what you want, but will help get your business recognised.

Another option is to visit exhibitions where there may be new designers looking to supply retail/online businesses to expose their brand and products. That's perhaps the way I would go in order to have something new, branded and 'different'.

The art of any retail business is in the buying, it's not easy and requires a lot of hard work.

Good luck

Thank you

 

[fisicx]

Thanks that’s a good point. There’s one supplier I want to work with but they will Not set up wholesale with me until I have launched my website. So do I just make everything on my website except add products?!

Nope. You need a fully working site with products. You need to demonstrate you can market and sell online.

 

[Katiedc1989]

if I buy some stock from Ali Express so I have some products on my website, won’t this put off the brands I really want to use, because they want to see I’m only working with reputable brands like themselves?

 

[fisicx]

Buy up some old stock from wholesalers and start selling.

For example:

Wholesale Branded & Designer - Wholesale Clearance UK

Wholesale Branded clothing will always be popular. Fashion-forward individuals love to be seen in the correct labels, whether heading off on a night out or to the gym. Treat Your Customers to High Quality, Low Price Wholesale Branded Clothing.

www.wholesaleclearance.co.uk

You may well run at a loss but you need to demonstrate you have a viable business.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

until I have launched my website

So build the website and give them something to see.

Also, go back to them with an expected order, but remember that you will need to buy volumes not just one or two items - styles, colours, sizes!

 

[japancool]

@Katiedc1989 don't take this post the wrong way.

Stop dithering. Don't worry about what if this or what if that.

Get your site built.
Get some products. If that supplier won't deal with you, find another supplier.
Get your products on the site.
Test it.
Get out there and start selling.

THEN you can start approaching the suppliers you really want to work with.

 

[Katiedc1989]

@Katiedc1989 don't take this post the wrong way.

Stop dithering. Don't worry about what if this or what if that.

Get your site built.
Get some products. If that supplier won't deal with you, find another supplier.
Get your products on the site.
Test it.
Get out there and start selling.

THEN you can start approaching the suppliers you really want to work with.

Thanks. You’re right. I am a ditherer! Probably over thinking this way more than I need to. Will concentrate on finishing the website and go from there.

 

[Chris Hanson]

You will not need to put all the products a supplier has on your shop. Stick to one or two items per category with one or two size or colour options. You can expand products and variants later, They just want to see your shop working properly and will probably make a test order.