If you are looking to set up an online/offline store in the USA, the first step is to identify products to sell and then find reliable wholesale suppliers that offer these products. The market of wholesale suppliers in the USA is vast and it offers a massive range of products from various industries. However, one must identify the leading suppliers that consistently deliver on quality, price, reliability, and support.
In this article, we’ll first look at some of the factors that you should consider while choosing a wholesale supplier for your business and then we will discuss some of the top wholesale suppliers in the USA in 2024.
Related article: How To Start A Wholesale Business Online in 2024
Top 11 wholesale suppliers in the United States in 2024
Let us now look at the top 11 wholesale suppliers that you can choose as your supplier in the United States.
1. Faire
Faire is one of the leading wholesale marketplaces based in San Fransisco, California. Today, Faire connects over 700,000 small retailers with individual brands and large wholesalers. Faire was founded only 8 years ago, back in 2017, which makes it one of the fastest-growing wholesale marketplaces in the world.
Faire has more than 100,000 brands selling wholesale on its platform. These products are from multiple categories like home decor, clothing, jewelry, and more. Faire also offers net payment terms which makes it extremely easy for small retailers to manage cash flow in a streamlined way and not over-burden themselves with on-the-spot payments.
Read more about Selling wholesale on Faire: Selling on Faire Marketplace Vs Having Your Own Wholesale Store [2024]
2. eBay
eBay is one of the most prominent names in the e-commerce industry and has been around for quite some time. The platform was founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, and has established itself as a global marketplace for retailers and wholesalers. eBay has one of the most diverse product offerings and it has more than 1.7 billion active listings ranging from electronic appliances, home goods, fashion stuff, etc.
What sets eBay apart is its auction-style purchasing and “Buy It Now” options, where a seller can place an initial price of a product, and buyers can bid for that. This feature opens up a lot of flexibility for both the sellers and the buyers.
3. Wholesale Central
Headquartered in Bethel, Connecticut, Wholesale Central is also one of the oldest and most comprehensive online platforms/directories that connects retailers with large wholesalers. The platform covers a wide range of product categories, from apparel to electronics, with over 1,400 listed suppliers.
One of the most prominent features of Wholesale Central that differentiates it from other platforms is that it provides direct access to wholesalers without requiring any kind of membership fee. The platform also ensures that all listed suppliers are verified and the customers can see their ratings so that they can select the best one for their business.
4. Dollar Days
Dollar Days is another wholesale supplier in the USA that focuses on selling products to Non-Profit Organisations, Schools, businesses, and more. It was founded in 2001, in Phoenix, Arizona, and focuses on providing office supplies, personal care products, and seasonal items at wholesale prices.
Dollar Days focuses on catering to non-profit organizations and schools and hence they provide bulk discounts on the products they offer and keep their margins limited. Also, they have set low minimum order requirements which enables even small businesses to purchase products from them.
5. Alibaba
Alibaba is one of the best-known and largest global wholesale platforms in the world which was founded in 1999, in Hangzhou, China. Though it is not operated in the USA, many wholesale businesses in the USA procure products from this wholesale supplier and sell online internationally. Alibaba is a site that connects businesses with manufacturers, wholesalers, suppliers, etc. and facilitates their purchases and transactions.
On Alibaba, businesses can find almost any kind of product, and it’s a great platform for businesses that want to import products from China and capitalize on the low prices offered by Chinese manufacturers. As we said, a lot of dropshipping businesses in the world today, source products from Alibaba.
6. All Time Trading
All Time Trading is another leading wholesale supplier based in Brooklyn, New York where you can find products at wholesale prices. If you are a business looking to sell fashion accessories and apparel, All Time Trading could be your top choice as they have a vast product line for clothes and accessories.
Just like Dollar Days, one of the biggest advantages of All Time Trading is their low minimum order requirement that makes it accessible for small businesses and startups. Also, you can find products at a cost that is even lower than standard wholesale rates because, at All Time Trading, you can find a lot of discontinued products and excess stock left to be cleared.
7. DHGate
DHGate is another marketplace that facilitates product purchases between manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, wholesalers, and individual consumers. It is based in Beijing, China and it was one of the first e-commerce platforms to focus on cross-border trade between China and the rest of the world.
On DHGate, you can find a lot of products that have low ticket values like small electronics items, fashion accessories, household goods, etc. So if you are a businesses that want to focus on some of the above-mentioned products, then DHGate could be your top choice to source them.
8. Blue Star Empire
Blue Star Empire is a New York-based wholesale distributor that is best known among small businesses and retailers. Blue Star Empire is one of the best places to explore if your business deals in fashion and home goods accessories like clothes, backpacks, furniture, jewelry, toys and games, office supplies, etc. However, the marketplace does not deal in electronic items.
9. Costco
Founded in 1983, Costco is a wholesale marketplace based in Issaquah, Washington. Costco is one of the best places to find electronic items and home appliances at wholesale rates. So if your store deals in electronic items like laptops, refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, etc, Costco can be your ultimate supplier.
Unlike others, Costco operates on a membership model, which gives access to exclusive deals and lower prices. Business owners who become members gain access to special pricing on bulk purchases and additional services like business checks and credit card processing.
10. Syncee
Syncee was founded in Debrecen, Hungary, but has established itself as a global wholesale marketplace with a great presence in the United States. Just like Costco, Syncee also works on a subscription basis and users have to choose a plan to get started.
11. Kole Imports
Kole Imports is a well-established wholesale supplier based in Carson, California, and has been in this business since March 1982. At Kole Imports, you can find a lot of general home products like home goods, toys, electronics, and health and beauty products.
Just like some other platforms mentioned above, even Kole imports offer great flexibility in order size which makes it accessible to both small businesses and larger operations. With no strict minimum order requirements and the ability to buy in smaller quantities, Kole Imports caters to retailers of all sizes. Additionally, their efficient shipping process and strong customer support ensure that businesses can receive their products in a timely manner.
Related articles:
- How To Buy Wholesale Products to Resell on Your Shopify? [6 Easy Steps]
- 30 Best Wholesale Products to Sell Online: The Ultimate List
Factors to consider while choosing a wholesale supplier for your business
Having a reliable wholesale supplier for your business is super imperative as it can massively affect almost every aspect of your business. Here are some of the things to consider while looking for a wholesale supplier for your Shopify business:
- Product Quality – The most important factor is understanding the quality of the wholesale supplier’s product. The product that your supplier will send you will ultimately end up in your consumer’s hands and the quality will define the brand image of your business. Hence it is imperative to ensure that your supplier offers high-quality products and can maintain this quality consistently. Before finalizing the supplier you can ask for sample products so that you can check for the quality yourself.
- Pricing – The second most important factor is considering the pricing that the supplier will offer you for your purchases. You need to compare prices among different suppliers and also consider if there are any hidden costs associated such as shipping or handling fees, etc. You should also ask for volume discounts on bulk purchases as customers generally buy in bulk from wholesalers.
- Reliability – Another important factor that you have to keep in mind while choosing a supplier is how reliable their service is, i.e., their ability to maintain consistent stock level and quality. Any disruption in your supply chain can affect your ability to meet customer demand, so it’s vital to work with a supplier known for punctual deliveries and dependable service.
- Ease of online purchase – As most of the shopping today is happening online, even large manufacturers and wholesalers are setting up their B2B wholesale stores online. When choosing a supplier, you need to check how easy it is to place a bulk order in their store. Moreover, their platform should also offer features like net payment terms, customized shipping rates, bulk order forms, etc. which makes wholesale purchasing easier and streamlined.
- Minimum order requirement – Many wholesale and B2B suppliers set minimum order requirements to increase their average order volume and profitability. You need to ensure that these requirements don’t act as a hurdle in your business operations and resonate with your required order quantities. This is especially important if you are a small business and don’t want to stock large amounts of product inventory.
- Customer support – When you are purchasing products from wholesalers, it’s generally not a one-time transaction but a recurring process. To ensure this recurring purchase process, you should check if your supplier can address any issues that you might have promptly.
Conclusion
Finding the right wholesale supplier is one of the first steps and at the same time super crucial for your business. With the right wholesale supplier, your business can be sustained at a fast pace. We hope that this article helped you discover the necessary steps to take while evaluating a wholesale supplier in the USA in 2024 and different wholesale marketplaces.
The supplier that you choose should depend on what you want to build and sell through your business. You should take time to evaluate each of the suppliers and finally select the one that resonates with your business the most. Happy wholesaling 🙂