Expanding your wholesale product line can be both exciting and daunting. There are a lot of factors that go into creating a new product and finding the right manufacturing partners to turn your vision into a reality is crucial, particularly if you’re planning to sell the product to the wholesale market.

In this article, we’ll guide you step-by-step through the process of finding a product manufacturer that aligns with your product specs, budget, timeline and quality. We also want to make sure our manufacturing partners communicate well, work efficiently and have values that align with our brand.

1. Define your Product

First and foremost, we need to get clear on the product we want to produce for wholesale. This involves clearly defining the type of product, the design, size, production materials, features and any special specifications. This step will involve both market research as well as dedicated time for creative ideation.

On the market research side, you’ll want to investigate whether the product you’re dreaming up already exists on the market. Is it an established product type? Or will you have to establish the supply chain? How will you differentiate your product from other items on the market? Are there certain sizes that are common? And, is there standardized pricing for this item (this will help you gauge your potential profit margins)

You also want to give yourself lots of time for creative ideation. The more detailed and clear you are in defining your product, the easier it will be to find the right manufacturing partner and ensure a smooth production process.

2. Research Potential Manufacturing Partners

With a well-defined product, begin your research to identify potential manufacturing partners. This part will take some time. Utilize your friend google, look at industry-specific directories, search social media platforms and common industry hashtags to find wholesale suppliers and vendors that specialize in producing the products you’re looking to sell to the wholesale market.

Attending trade shows and networking events can also provide valuable insights and connections. I met some of my best manufacturing partners at industry wholesale trade shows. I was able to view their sample products in person and oftentimes connect with the owners.

During your research, create a list of potential manufacturers that you may want to work with. Take notes about their areas of expertise, specialty services, reputation and contact information. It is important to read reviews from past customers and you’ll want to jot down any questions you have for each manufacturer.

3. Reach Out to Potential Manufacturing Partners

Once you’ve identified at least a few potential manufacturers, it is time to reach out.

If you are able to find the name and email of a specific person at the company - possibly the owner - that will be your best approach. If you’re unable to find contact information for someone specific at the company you’re contacting, submitting your information via a website contact form or calling to ask who you should direct your information to are good second options.

I prefer to do my initial contact through email so that I can clearly lay out the product specs and any questions I have. Sending this inquiry via email also gives me an email trail that I can look back on later if I need to revisit the company’s responses.

With this first point of contact you want to confirm:

✔️ that they are capable of producing the wholesale product you’re interested in
✔️ identify any additional manufacturing capabilities that you may not be aware of
✔️ understand their communication style, general responsiveness and willingness to collaborate

During this initial touch point, you’ll want to provide them with enough information that they can respond with an accurate quote.

Pro tip: When asking for a quote from a potential manufacturer, be sure to ask them for strategies on how to get the best pricing. Sometimes changing your product specs slightly or your adjusting your quantities will get you a better price per piece. They are the manufacturing experts, so ask them to weigh in if they notice any minor adjustments that would reduce your costs.

4. Request a Quote

You’ll want to seek out multiple quotes from different manufacturing partners. This will enable you to understand cost structures and partner with a supplier that meets your quality and budget conditions. Your production costs are particularly important when selling wholesale as it correlates directly to our profit margins.

Request detailed quotes from each supplier that includes:

✔️ the cost of production (ideally per piece or with specified quantities)
✔️ minimum order quantities & any volume price breaks that are available
✔️ production timelines & process
✔️ rates for enhancements like rush fees or samples
✔️ any additional fees that may be added

These details will allow you to make an informed comparison and select a wholesale supplier that provides the highest quality products and best pricing for your production run.

Pro Tip: If a quote comes back at a price higher than you were hoping to pay, have an honest conversation with the manufacturer and ask them for suggestions on how to get the price per piece down. If you can give them a specific price range you’re looking to hit, they will be able to provide even more help. Remember, they are experts in their craft and sometimes slight changes to materials, sizing or features may reduce your production costs significantly. Leverage their help and expertise!

5. Ask Lots of Questions

At the risk of sounding obvious, during the quoting process is when you want to get all of your questions answered. Use this time to clarify anything you are unclear on regarding the product, pricing and process. This information will allow you to more easily compare manufacturing partners.

Below are a list of sample questions to get you started:
✔️ What type of machinery do you use?
✔️ How long have you been manufacturing this type of product?
✔️ What is your production & ordering process?
✔️ Who will be my main point of contact at your company?
✔️ How do you prefer I submit orders? How do you want my art files?
✔️ Do you provide samples? If so, how much do they cost?
✔️ What are your typical turn-around times?
✔️ At what quantities do you offer price breaks?
✔️ What payment methods do you accept?
✔️ When do you require paymetn for an order?
✔️ How do you handle delays in production?
✔️ How do you handle damaged or imperfect product runs?
✔️ Can you provide three client references?

Ask questions about their pricing, experience, quality control processes, potential certifications and references for other customers creating similar products. It is also okay to inquire about their previous work, especially projects that are similar to the product you’re wanting to produce.

Pro tip: Always always always ask for samples so that you can see the quality of work in-person. Many vendors will happily send you free samples from other projects they’ve created. If you would like them to run product samples of your work before you move forward with production, there will likely be fees associated with that. Another good question to ask!

6. Evaluate & Compare the Potential Manufacturing Partners

You’ve taken the time to read websites, connect with each manufacturer and gather pricing and process information. Now, its time to carefully evaluate and compare the quotes.

Consider the following factors when evaluating which manufacturing partner to choose:

✔️ Cost
✔️ Quality
✔️ Turn-Around times
✔️ Reliability
✔️ Communication
✔️ Reputation
✔️ Value Alignment
✔️ Personal Alignment (do you like them? Are they interested in your project?)

We want to compare both the hard data points (price, timeline, etc) as well as the experiential pieces (customer reviews, value alignment, do we like communicating with them) in order to find the right manufacturing partner.

A vendor may be the cheapest option, but their quality control is not stellar. Another company may be more expensive but have quick turn around times and stellar customer service.

You will need to decide which factors are most important to you and your business. Then compare all vendors and select your winner.

Pro Tip: Keep in mind, you can always change your mind. If you select a vendor and it doesn’t turn out to be a good fit, you can go back to any of the other manufacturers you connected with. Nothing is permanent and we want to keep these relationships with our suppliers strong.

7. Submitting the Order

Once you’ve landed on your preferred manufacturing partner it is time to firm up any remaining details and move forward with the project.

For smaller product runs, the manufacturer may have you sign the quote as your agreement. Some manufacturing partners may ask you to submit your product specs and payment information through an online ordering system.

For larger production runs, the manufacturer may send a separate contract that details the production and payment schedules for you to approve before they start the project. Any initial deposits will be due before production starts.

8. Purchase Samples

If it is within your budget, we strongly encourage you to run samples of your product before approving your larger production run. This is particularly important for higher priced goods or production runs at large quantities. There is nothing worse than receiving a shipment of products that are not manufactured correctly.

I’ve personally had products arrive that were the wrong colors. I’ve had clients whose notebooks arrived with the wrong binding material, candle clients whose labels were printed incorrectly and a t-shirt company received an order on the wrong blank stock.

Mistakes happen, but we want to do our best to mitigate any waste and heart ache when it comes to our production runs. Paying for samples of the wholesale products you’re manufacturing will reduce errors.

Wrap Up

Finding the right manufacturing partners for your wholesale products takes time and patience. By following this simple, step-by-step guide, you can navigate this process with more ease and more confidence.

Your manufacturing partners are not just suppliers, they are critical asset to growing your wholesale product line. The right manufacturers make it possible for you to expand in ways you may not have imagined — adding more SKUs and new product categories to your wholesale product line.

Take time to thoroughly research, communicate, evaluate and establish a solid partnership with your vendors. Build a relationship and ensure that your manufacturing partners align with your company values.

Good luck!

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