Articles & Guides
75 articles on wholesale buying, selling and industry strategy
Selling bundles from shared stock: choose between a kit and a finished product
A bundle assembled to order and a prepacked kit need different stock treatment. Define the structure before pricing the offer and publishing availability.
The parcel weighs 4 kg. Why is the courier charging for 12?
Large, light cartons can be priced by the space they occupy. The useful comparison is the packed consignment under the actual carrier service and rate agreement.
A 3% supplier rebate can mean two very different amounts
The headline rebate percentage is only part of the agreement. Its calculation basis, thresholds and exclusions determine what a wholesaler will actually receive.
Buying refurbished laptops in bulk: specify more than Grade A
Cosmetic grades do not define battery health, processor generation or freedom from corporate management locks. A useful bulk-buy specification addresses each separately.
Supplier bank details have changed: build verification into the payment workflow
A genuine invoice can carry fraudulent payment instructions. Treat supplier bank-detail changes as controlled account amendments, with verification before the next payment run.
A signature is not a carton count: build better evidence for delivery disputes
Delivery confirmation is useful, but it may leave shortages and damage unexplained. Connect dispatch counts, handovers and exceptions while the details are still available.
Wholesale credit holds: set the rules before releasing orders
Set financial clearance before warehouse release, aligning customer limits with credit insurance and defining responsibilities, payment holds and justified exceptions.
One case or one unit? Fix the pack-size errors that distort wholesale margins
A correct barcode can still be used at the wrong packaging level. Make units, inner packs and outer cases explicit from quotation through invoicing.
A backup supplier is only useful after you have tested the order
Keeping another supplier's phone number is a start. A usable second source needs tested specifications, realistic capacity and a workable activation plan.
Enough shelf life for whom? Agree the usable selling window before buying stock
A product can be within date yet unsuitable for your customer. Work backwards from their minimum shelf-life requirement before agreeing a wholesale order.
Before buying stock for Amazon, test the product at a price you might actually get
The gap between a supplier price and an Amazon listing price is not your profit. Test the exact product, likely selling price and complete cost before committing.
Free delivery is not free: setting a wholesale order threshold that earns its keep
A £300 order may be cheaper to serve than a £500 one. Product margin, picking work and the delivery route matter more than basket value alone.
One shelf, three sales channels: how to stop selling the same stock twice
A wholesale order, a website checkout and a marketplace sale can all reach for the same ten units. Clear reservation rules prevent three promises becoming two apologies.
The 5% supplier discount that can leave you worse off
Doubling an order to earn a lower price can be expensive. Compare the complete buying cycle before calling the discount a saving.
Buying liquidation pallets: price the saleable stock, not the retail-value headline
A pallet advertised at £8,000 retail value can still be a poor £1,000 purchase. The useful number is what you can recover after sorting, selling and dealing with the rest.
Batch traceability for wholesalers: linking receipts, stock movements and dispatches
When a supplier queries one batch, can you find who received it? Keep the reference connected as cartons open, stock moves and orders leave.
Split shipments: deciding when a partial wholesale delivery is worth the extra cost
Sending available goods early can help, or create a second bill for little benefit. Ask what the customer can actually use before splitting the order.
Packaging trials: how to compare protection, packing time and delivery cost
A cheaper carton may create a dearer parcel. Test packing time, transport charges and arrival condition before calling the change a saving.
Supplier scorecards: measuring delivery, quality and claim resolution fairly
A useful supplier scorecard explains the work behind the price. Measure real deliveries and claim resolution, then agree something concrete to improve.
Goods receiving: how to reconcile shortages, damage and supplier paperwork
Ten cartons can still contain a shortage. Record what actually arrived so stock availability, supplier claims and invoice checks start from the same facts.
Slow-moving wholesale stock: how to choose between keeping, bundling and clearing
Before discounting familiar cartons on a quiet shelf, find out why they stopped selling, and give the next plan an end date.
Wholesale returns: building a process for damaged, faulty and unwanted stock
A box in the returns area needs a decision, not just a location. Connect inspection, stock status and the customer’s credit.
Cycle counting: how to improve stock accuracy without a full shutdown
Changing eight items to five fixes the balance, but not the cause. Use regular counts to find out why your stock records drift.
How to create product data that wholesale customers can actually use
If customers keep asking whether the price is for one or a box, the catalogue needs work. Make product data answer the useful questions.