How to Find Distributors for Your Product

Posted 1 year ago by Jesse Ness, 붚죕쳔 Team

Quick answer

Here is桂a桂list of桂places where you can find excellent distributors for桂your products:

Trade associations
Trade shows
Wholesale online directories
걀꾈桂넙늡늡껨깜깎
On桂social media

Continue reading to桂learn more.

You�셶e created a桂great new product 껸꾈삣桂you can�셳 wait to桂get it桂before customers. You�셶e already started an桂online store 껸꾈삣桂established a桂presence on桂leading marketplaces. The next step is桂to桂get the桂product into as桂many retail stores as桂possible.

To桂do桂this, you need the桂help of桂a桂distributor. Distributors work with retailers 껸꾈삣桂get your product into stores across the桂country. The right partner can dramatically increase your sales 껸꾈삣桂help you reach untapped market.

This article will help you find the桂perfect distributors for桂your product.

What are Distributors?

Distributors, within the桂realm of桂business 껸꾈삣桂commerce, serve as桂intermediary entities that acquire products from manufacturers or桂producers to桂subsequently vend them to桂other businesses, retailers, or桂consumers for桂a桂profit.

This process typically entails the桂transportation of桂goods from the桂distributor to桂the桂final recipients. By桂effectively overseeing the桂movement 껸꾈삣桂sales of桂products, distributors play a桂pivotal role in桂the桂supply chain, ultimately enhancing the桂accessibility of桂goods for桂consumers.

Why Work With Distributors?

The first thing you need to桂understand is桂the桂role distributors play in桂retail 껸꾈삣桂the桂value they add.

A桂distributor is桂essentially a桂wholesaler that stocks a桂large number of桂products 껸꾈삣桂sells them to桂retailers. Instead of桂dealing with each product manufacturer individually, a桂retailer can negotiate a桂single deal with the桂distributor 껸꾈삣桂get access to桂a桂range of桂products.

For retailers, the桂value is桂clear. Dealing with a桂distributor saves them from the桂burden of桂product selection 껸꾈삣桂negotiating with dozens of桂manufacturers. In桂many cases, distributors will also take back unsold products, extend credit, 껸꾈삣桂help retailers sell more.

For manufacturers 껸꾈삣桂product creators such as桂yourself, distributors offer easy access to桂a桂network of桂retailers. Instead of桂approaching hundreds of桂different stores, you can negotiate a桂deal with a桂single distributor. The distributor will then work to桂get your product placed in桂retail stores that buy from it.

Moreover, distributors take over the桂responsibility of桂storing 껸꾈삣桂shipping products from you. Instead of桂packaging 껸꾈삣桂shipping everything yourself, you can simply sell the桂product to桂the桂distributor which, in桂turn, will ship them to桂retailers.

If桂you care about reaching more customers 껸꾈삣桂getting access to桂lucrative markets, you�셪l want to桂use distributors. However, as桂you�셪l learn below, you might not need distributors in桂some cases.

Do桂You Need Distributors?

Before you start your search, you need to桂figure out whether you even need distributors. This wouldn�셳 have been a桂question in桂the桂pre-internet age. However, at桂a桂time when selling directly to桂customers is桂easier than ever, the桂need for桂distributors isn�셳 always clear.

Broadly speaking, there are a桂few different ways to桂sell your products:

Sell directly to桂customers through your own store (physical or桂online)
Sell directly to桂customers through a桂marketplace such as桂Amazon
Sell to桂retail stores (such as桂WalMart) which then sell to桂customers
Sell to桂distributors who then sell to桂retail stores.

The more intermediaries there are between you 껸꾈삣桂the桂customer, the桂lower your profit margin. You might make $5桂on桂a桂$10桂product if桂you sell directly to桂customers. As桂you add more middlemen桂�� a桂retailer, a桂distributor桂�� they�셪l take their cut 껸꾈삣桂eat into your profits.

To桂figure out whether you need these middlemen or桂whether you can sell directly to桂customers, you need to桂consider the桂following:

Your product category

Not every product does well online. For example, food 껸꾈삣桂beverages, a桂, make up桂a桂small portion of桂e-commerce sales.

The distribution of桂e-commerce revenues across different product categories

If桂your product is桂perishable, difficult to桂transport, needs to桂be桂experienced or桂has limited online demand, you�셪l want to桂sell via physical stores. And to桂reach these stores, you�셪l want to桂use a桂distributor.

Your target customers

The key to桂sales is桂to桂be桂where your customers are. If桂your target customers don�셳 shop at桂retail stores, you have no桂reason to桂patronize them either.

Usually, if桂your customers are older 껸꾈삣桂less tech-savvy, you�셪l want to桂target physical stores.

Online demand

How strong is桂the桂current online demand for桂your product? An桂easy way to桂gauge this is桂to桂check the桂competition on桂a桂large retailer like Amazon. If桂you have a桂number of桂competing products, it桂probably means that there is桂customer demand.

Another tactic is桂to桂find the桂search volume for桂your product using a桂tool like If桂a桂large number of桂people search for桂the桂product keyword, there is桂a桂good chance some of桂them will turn into buyers.

The monthly search volume for桂three different shoe related keywords

Manufacturing capabilities

When you sell directly to桂customers, you can take products off the桂market in桂case you run into any桂supply issues. Distributors, however, will expect you to桂have enough volume to桂meet retailers�� demands.

If桂you�셱e unsure of桂your manufacturing capabilities, you might want to桂stick to桂your owned channels initially.

Target retailers

Large retailers such as桂WalMart, Costco or桂Target often ink deals directly with manufacturers. Non-chain retailers, however, will usually avoid dealing directly with manufacturers since it桂increases their administrative burden.

If桂your target market has mostly chain retailers, you can think of桂approaching them directly. If桂it桂is桂mostly small stores, you�셪l have to桂go桂through a桂distributor.

Once you�셶e figured out that you do桂indeed need distributors, you can go桂about finding the桂right one for桂your products.

Finding Distributors for桂Your Product

The distributor isn�셳 just a桂company you sell your products to. It桂is桂a桂partner in桂your business�� growth. Picking the桂right distributor is桂crucial for桂long-term success.

There are a桂number of桂ways you can find distributors for桂your product:

Trade associations

Most industries have local trade associations where manufacturers, retailers, 껸꾈삣桂distributors can come together. This should be桂the桂first stop on桂your journey to桂find a桂distributing partner.

In桂the桂US, the桂 (NAW) offers a桂list of桂regional 껸꾈삣桂local chapters of桂different trade associations. Use this to桂find distributors that serve your industry 껸꾈삣桂region.

has another list of桂trade associations for桂different industries. Find an桂association that serves your industry 껸꾈삣桂become a桂member.

Once you join a桂trade association, try to桂find how other manufacturers sell their products. What distributors do桂they use? What markets do桂they target? What kind of桂results do桂they get from their efforts?

In桂most industries, there will be桂best practices, proven players, 껸꾈삣桂established channels. Adopting these best practices is桂recommended for桂any桂new entrant.

Trade shows

Another way to桂find distributing partners is桂to桂attend trade shows that target your industry. A桂large trade show can bring together hundreds of桂distributors 껸꾈삣桂manufacturers under the桂same roof. Attending one can give you a桂quick idea of桂the桂distribution landscape, available options, 껸꾈삣桂industry best practices.

has a桂trade show calendar covering major shows in桂different industries.

Use the桂trade show calendar to桂find shows that cover your industry

ExpoDatabase has a桂more comprehensive list of桂trade shows, though many of桂these are smaller shows targeting local markets.

As桂with trade organizations, try to桂interact with other businesses in桂the桂industry (preferably nondirect competitors). Figure out who the桂top distributors are, what are their requirements, 껸꾈삣桂what kind of桂results they get. Try to桂get a桂referral or桂an桂introduction. Good word of桂mouth matters a桂lot in桂this decision.

Wholesale directories

A桂wholesaler is桂essentially the桂retail-facing side of桂a桂distributor. There are plenty of桂directories where you can find wholesalers who cover your industry. While they�셱e usually positioned towards retailers, they�셪l be桂happy to桂hear from manufacturers wanting to桂work with them.

has a桂good list of桂wholesalers across different verticals.

Search on桂WholesaleCentral to桂find wholesale distributors covering your product category

Google search

When the桂above approaches fail, you can fall back on桂good 혫ol Google.

Search for桂keywords like the桂following:
[Product Category] distributors
[Product Category] distributors in桂[local market]

You�셪l usually find wholesalers 껸꾈삣桂distributors covering your industry at桂the桂top of桂the桂search results. Get in桂touch with them 껸꾈삣桂ask about their requirements, terms, 껸꾈삣桂results.

Social networks

Lastly, you can always turn to桂social media桂�� Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs, forums, etc.桂�� to桂find distributors. Find groups on桂Facebook, LinkedIn or桂forums that cover your industry. Ask how other product creators found distributors 껸꾈삣桂what were their results like.

How to桂Evaluate Distributors

Simply getting a桂list of桂distributors isn�셳 enough; you also have to桂make sure that they�셱e the桂right fit for桂your business.

Start by桂creating a桂list of桂your own requirements. Understand deeply what kind of桂business you want to桂run, your capabilities, 껸꾈삣桂goals桂�� both long-term 껸꾈삣桂short-term.

Once you�셶e figured this out, develop an桂혩ideal혪 distributor profile based on桂these requirements. This should be桂based on:

Distributor size: You want to桂work with a桂distributor that can accommodate your business without ignoring it. If桂the桂distributor is桂extremely large, you might not get the桂attention your business needs.
Distributor expertise: A桂general-purpose distributor might work well for桂generic products. If桂your product requires niche knowledge to桂sell, however, you�셪l want a桂distributor with proven expertise. For example, if桂you�셱e selling a桂revolutionary new bike, you�셪l want distributors who understand the桂business 껸꾈삣桂technical aspects of桂bikes thoroughly.
Business goals 껸꾈삣桂values: Pick a桂distributor that aligns with your goals 껸꾈삣桂values. If桂you want to桂work with small stores 껸꾈삣桂focus on桂sustainable growth, pick a桂distributor that prioritizes these goals. If桂you want to桂get into big-box retailers 껸꾈삣桂unlock exponential profits, pick accordingly.

Search for桂the桂distributor on桂sites such as桂BBB.org 껸꾈삣桂Google to桂see what others think about them

Once you�셶e figured out your requirements, start evaluating distributors on桂the桂following factors:

Business stability: How stable are the桂distributor�셲 finances 껸꾈삣桂operations? Does it桂have a桂history of桂on-time payments? How long has it桂been in桂business?
Sales competence: A桂good distributor will have a桂strong sales force. Evaluate them on桂the桂size of桂their sales team (both inside 껸꾈삣桂outside sales), how they generate leads, 껸꾈삣桂overall sales vs. sales team size.
Marketing capabilities: Ask how the桂distributor markets its business to桂prospective retailers. What channels does it桂use? Does it桂do桂any桂online marketing? If桂yes, evaluate it桂for桂quality, competence, 껸꾈삣桂results.
Market knowledge: How well does the桂distributor know the桂local market? Does it桂know all the桂major retailers in桂the桂market 껸꾈삣桂the桂kind of桂products they carry? A桂good distributor would have inside-out knowledge of桂the桂local market conditions.
Inventory management &桂logistics: How does the桂distributor handle inventory? How large are its warehouses? Does it桂have its own fleet for桂shipping? If桂yes, what is桂the桂fleet size? What other logistics partners does it桂use?
Management: What kind of桂personnel does the桂distributor have? Does it桂have professional managers 껸꾈삣桂managerial practices in桂place? What is桂the桂founder(s)혬 background 껸꾈삣桂experience?
Fit: Does the桂distributor align with your expectations? Does it桂fit into your ideal distributor profile? Evaluate the桂distributor on桂this all important factor桂�� overall fit.

Doing this exercise will help you find distributors who can benefit your business in桂the桂long-run.

The only thing you have to桂do桂is桂to桂convince them to桂work with you.

How to桂Get Distributors to桂Work With You

While you evaluate distributors for桂fit 껸꾈삣桂competence, distributors will also assess your business. Effective distributors don�셳 want to桂work with just any桂supplier. They want to桂partner with businesses with proven product demand, sales, 껸꾈삣桂effectiveness.

There are a桂few things you can do桂to桂convince distributors to桂work with you:

Demonstrate knowledge: Show that you understand your own market as桂well as桂the桂distributor�셲 goals. Develop your pitch along the桂distributor�셲 business goals 껸꾈삣桂market approach.
Show customer demand: Demonstrate that there is桂actual customer demand for桂your product. The best way to桂do桂this is桂to桂show sales figures from your own online store. If桂not, use data from existing retailers 껸꾈삣桂marketplaces.
Develop a桂brand: Distributors want to桂work with businesses that take themselves 껸꾈삣桂their brand seriously. A桂strong br껸꾈삣桂�� in桂design, copy, presence, 껸꾈삣桂customer experience桂�� will leave as桂big an桂impression on桂distributors as桂it桂does on桂your customers.
Show intent: Distributors don�셳 want to桂work with a桂혫hobbyists혬 who might leave the桂business if桂the桂going gets rough. Prove that you�셱e ready for桂the桂long-haul by桂demonstrating your investment (in time 껸꾈삣桂money) into the桂business.
Get referrals: If桂you can get a桂referral or桂an桂introduction from someone the桂distributor trust桂�� such as桂an桂existing partner桂�� it桂will become much easier to桂strike a桂deal.

Think of桂this as桂dating where both parties evaluate each other for桂the桂right fit. Once you find someone who wants to桂work with as桂much as桂you want to桂work with them, you know you�셶e found the桂right distributing partner.

While you continue your search for桂the桂right distributor, don�셳 forget to桂create an桂online store 껸꾈삣桂start making sales. Even if桂you don�셳 prioritize online channels, proof of桂sales 껸꾈삣桂customer demand will make it桂much easier to桂get picked up桂by桂a桂top distributor.

桂

About The Author

Jesse is the Marketing Manager at 붚죕쳔 and has been in e-commerce and internet marketing since 2006. He has experience with PPC, SEO, conversion optimization and loves to work with entrepreneurs to make their dreams a reality.

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