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Suppliers/Distributers

CaboWaboCaboWabo subscriber Posts: 1
edited April 2009 in Selecting a Business
Hi all, the bank manager I am working with recommended this site to me.
I am in the process of starting a small retail electronics business. All the research has been done, and shows a successful business. The business plan is in the process of being written. I will be a satelite and satelite equipment/cell phone and cell phone equipment/HP retailer. This will be about 50% of the business.  However, I am having trouble locating a supplier/vendor to supply the business with it`s electronics inventory. I guess you can say it`s like a radio shack of sort, but much much smaller
Any help with this? I have located a few, but i don`t want to be scammed, or anything ! tyMichael... 
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Comments

  • nevadasculnevadascul subscriber Posts: 3 Member
    What do you mean by having trouble?
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  • CaboWaboCaboWabo subscriber Posts: 1
    I did a search on what i need (Suppliers/Vendors/Distributors) and found many, but when i contacted them i never got a response from anybody. It has been over a week since i contacted them (about 15).
     
    Not sure what I`m doing wrong ?
     
    Some of them just seemed shady, and i didn`t want to take the risk.
     
    Basically, I can`t find any that will contact me back !
    I just wanted some feedback from here !
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  • nevadasculnevadascul subscriber Posts: 3 Member
    I`ve worked for several parts distributors.  I don`t mean to burst your bubble, but you`re a long way from getting a distributorship.  No supplier will contact you until you have a firm plan, a documented ability to sell their parts and some type of capital ( enough to sustain a business for several years ).  The capital needed can be upwards of $500,000.00.
     
    Also, how manly other similar distributorship are their in your perceived service area.  This will affect whether or not another company will offer you a distributorship.   
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  • CaboWaboCaboWabo subscriber Posts: 1
    I think you missed what i am looking for.
    I have a firm plan
    I have the funds to get this off the ground
    The research/demographics study shows this business to be in the profit in 2-3 years or less.
    The closest business that is similair to the service i will be providing is 15.7 miles away.
    This is a small retail store.
    I am a retailer for Direct TV, Sprint/Nextel, and HP, to sell there products. As you know, i dont buy there products, they supply me with them, and i get a % of what is sold.
    Those 3 i just spoke of will be 50% of the business.
    What i need is a supplier to buy from to keep the other 50% of the business going.( Electronics )
    I am now thinking i have gone about finding a supplier the wrong way though.
    If i have missed your point the i am truely sorry, but to suggest im way off, is just wrong.
     CaboWabo2009-4-6 0:31:11
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  • nevadasculnevadascul subscriber Posts: 3 Member
    Hi again,
    Didn`t mean to offend, but from your original post it did not sound like you were to the point to send out proposals. 
    Here are some additional issues to think about.  First, if none of the people you tried to contact have responded, that would suggest one of two things.  You might be going to the wrong people in the organizations.  Or, you have not written your proposal well enough to generate any interest. 
    Try driving outside your projected service area and talk to companies that have already been given a distributorship.  See if their process for getting the distributorship is in line with what you have been doing. 
    You might also see if there is some type of business development center or chamber of commerce that can give you some ideas.
    Good luck
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  • ArcherTCArcherTC subscriber Posts: 1
    Michael, perhaps it is the manner by which you contacted them as well?  If you are saying that you contacted 15 over a week ago, I`ll presume that you either sent a mail, sent an e-mail or left one voice message. I`ll also presume that these are the top 15 people with whom you`ve decided to work.  If that is the case, you need to be a bit more persistant than one contact in over a week`s time.
    Take your list and call each of your targets. If you do not have a name, get them.  Either briefly explain to the first person you connect with the department or person to whom you would like to be connected OR  take nevadscul`s advice and speak with your distant industry peers about who they are connected to.
    With reception, be clear that you are not looking to sell them anything but looking to be a distributor (this will keep you from being routed to voice mail automatically).
    If you are connected to voice mail, hang up, dial again and ask if there is an email address to the person with whom you wish to speak and ask to be reconnected to their voice mail.  Send your letter via email AND leave a voice message for them stating that you`ve sent it.  Thereafter, follow up every 4 days, leaving a message only every 7 and always referring to your last message and emphasizing that you are looking to sell their product.  If after 3 attempts you do not get a call back, return to the front desk and let them know that your call has not been returned and ask if they can refer you to someone else.  (That usually triggers a "John, this person said they left you 3 messages" note from the front desk people.)
    If you do not get their public email address, send a mail and refer to that mail in your calls.
    Basically, you have to be a bit more persistant if you`re the new kid on the block.  Good luck.
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