wholesale or retail?

[lab]

do you all buy your supplies wholesale or retail.
obviously i know the website owners do but what does everyone else do
if i am thinking of selling jewellery is it better to buy wholesale and how do you find out about good suppliers
Lois

[Bea]

Re: wholesale or retail?

One of my regular customers has not gone for true wholesale, however she still buys some items in large quantities, but a lot of the time, she may use some beads for one unique piece, or she has an order and only need so many of this and that.

I think it's for you to see what works. Do you need a lot of stock, do you have a high turnaround, etc...

It can also be a cashflow issue.

[beadsbydesign]

Basically i think it comes down to good old cash flow!
Whole sale quantities are often high for individual items. You therefore have a lot of money tied up in componants which is not then working for your business. I think you have to know your market. if you are making loads of items the same and have buyers for them then wholesale is probably the way to go.
Something that people often do not think of is to open discussions with a retailer. They are often willing to give regular customers of substantial amounts a discount or indeed to be able to put together more price concious packs and sizes. Ask.... if you don't ask, you don't get!!!

[Carlybeads]

I do a bit of both....it depends what I am looking for.

A bit like what Bea said. I buy some things in large quantities and others in small if I am doing a custom piece or something.

Also a lot of it for me comes down to cash flow as I am just not in the position to always buy wholesale all the time.

I am currently tryng to set up my jewellery makng as a business but as things are slow it doesnt help.

:? not really too helpful was I?