How to find a good wholesale clothing supplier?

Do you run a stationary or online clothing shop? The success of your business may depend on your choice of clothing wholesaler. What criteria should you use while looking for a partner that will deliver on time and provide good prices?

Choosing a clothing wholesaler is one of the most difficult issues that every clothing shop owner has to solve. The problem seems especially difficult for those who are just planning to open a new business.

In the clothing market – which is changing very dynamically – it is no longer easy to compete on price alone. The group of consumers interested in the lowest possible cost of clothes is shrinking in favour of customers aware of the quality of materials, production standards or originality of the cut. The enormous competitiveness of the market requires constant observation of fashion trends – from eco style to slow fashion.

Customer loyalty is gained not so much by the price as by the timeliness of the offer. Variety of assortment is the first pillar of your shop, the second is flawless customer service, including availability of goods. Looking from this perspective, it is easier to answer the question “how to find a good clothing wholesaler”?

The wider the choice, the better

“A wide assortment” is the phrase with which most wholesalers advertise. The authentic diversity of the offer always comes out in practice. A good wholesaler is not just a few key categories of clothing, but an extensive “virtual wardrobe”. If we talk about clothes for women – the offer should include clothes for every occasion, at least in a dozen fashion styles (classic, retro, vintage, glamour, chic, plus size). The assortment of a good clothing wholesaler should make it possible to complete a full outfit for 4 seasons, in every size and for every occasion.

Full size chart

Another determinant of a well-stocked wholesaler is access to a full range of sizes. Omitting ‘plus size’ clothing from a clothing or lingerie shop is a simple way to discourage customers. When selecting your range – especially those from countries outside the EU – it’s worth paying attention to clear, standardised size labelling.

Regular stock updates

Your clothing shop’s popularity can be determined by a steady flow of new products. Swapping collections every season is not enough if you want to compete in a heavily saturated market. In addition to the regular, “classic” collections of clothes, it is worth betting on fashion news – especially in the series of youth, underwear, sports and streetwear clothes. The more frequent the series updates, the greater the chance of branding the shop as a ‘fashion trendsetter’. It’s worth choosing a wholesaler that understands the dynamics of the clothing market and ensures that product updates are as frequent as possible.

The unquestionable quality of the assortment

Fashion fans want to know where a product comes from, what its composition is and how the garment was made. The use of natural fibres or materials from recycled textiles, precisely described composition, description of production standards – these are the features of high-quality clothing that customers will ask for more and more often. It is therefore worth checking whether the wholesaler with whom we cooperate is open to the latest fashion trends.

The role of location

Choosing a clothing wholesaler located in Europe – and working with European brands – can be a huge advantage for your shop. 2020 has shown the huge impact a well-secured logistics chain can have on a business (not just a clothing business). Many Polish shop owners have seen how much easier it is to ensure an up-to-date supply of clothes by working with Polish wholesalers or those located within the EU.

Transparency of cooperation principles

Clear, precisely defined rules of cooperation – purchasing, payments, frequency of deliveries, etc. – are other key issues while selecting a wholesaler.

When comparing available offers, you should pay attention to solutions beneficial for small shop owners, such as:

no obligatory minimum order amount or minimum quantity of ordered products,
access to discounts – regular discounts for wholesale purchase,
access to advertising materials of clothing manufacturers e.g. high-quality product photos,
fast, safe delivery.

Technical facilities

Modern clothing wholesalers nowadays focus on the fastest and easiest access to the product catalogue. Ideally, the platform should be fully intuitive and available in at least several languages. From the perspective of a shop owner, important advantages of such a platform will include: