Where to Find Wholesale Suppliers for Your New Small Business
The hardest part of starting any small business is usually finding wholesale suppliers to get stock to sell. It isn’t just like you can ring someone already selling a product and asking them who their wholesale supplier is – you can do the homework yourself – but we can help you!
But even if you haven’t decided on what product or service to sell as yet, it doesn’t hurt to have a look around at the wholesale suppliers we have to see if any product you may like to sell.
I highly recommend when looking at these sites that you look at the ‘Most Popular’ items – these are what are hot right now – so customers are there for the taking.
If you need a bit more inspiration before purchasing goods – try some of these ideas:
62 Easy Small Business Ideas for Stay at Home Mums
Table of Contents:
Free List of Wholesale Suppliers for Your New Business
1. Getting Started in Small Business is The Hardest Part!
More women than ever before are starting new businesses, and we here at Stay at Home Mum want to help as many of you get started as you can! We have loads of lists of where to buy different products and services wholesale so that you have inventory to sell!. Wholesale suppliers are usually a big secret for existing small businesses, and most are loathe to share the information on where they get their products from.
And we don’t blame them, after all, you will be the competition.
Luckily – we are not in competition with you – we are just here to help. So here are our current lists of wholesale suppliers that you can go through in the niche you are selling. We will be adding to this list all the time, and are happy to take suggestions too!
2. How Do I Find Wholesale Suppliers?
Well, you can Google it – but most of the time wholesale suppliers aren’t the sort of businesses that appear at the top of Google. And yes, you can ask family and friends for recommendations on wholesale suppliers, but most of the time it is damn tough! Luckily – we have been around for ten years now and know so many business owners that have contributed to this list. Plus we add to it absolutely all the time – so if we haven’t listed what you are looking for – make sure you drop us a line – there is a good chance we will know!
Look at Wholesale Directories or Supplier Directories Online:
Another place people find Wholesale Suppliers is to purchase a membership to Wholesale Directories. We have a list of some of the best below and the pricing for each. Look some of them are great – others – well I think our list is much better and it costs you nothing!
Purchase Products Cheaply from Factory Outlets
Another nifty place to find Wholesale Suppliers is to shop at Factory Outlets and then on-sell. If you love the product – have a look at the manufacturer’s details to see if you can find the wholesaler online.
Contact the Manufacturer Directly To Be a Wholesale Supplier
If you have an item that you are keen to sell, look up the manufacturer and contact them directly. They will either give you the details of their supplier or will sell directly to you.
We also have a private group where we discuss our suppliers – privately – so feel free to join us!
3. Many Wholesalers Will Require You to Have an ABN
Many wholesale suppliers will require you to sign up or apply to be a wholesaler for their products. Don’t be discouraged at this point – all you need is an ABN or Australian Business Number – they are free and you grab them from the Australian Taxation Office online. The ABN is an eleven-digit number that identifies you – as the owner of a business – to the Government.
Also if your online business isn’t up and running – you may not get approved by some wholesalers as a purchaser. Don’t be discouraged – bookmark it and come back to them later and use other suppliers to gain experience and reputation.
4. What Type of Wholesale Supplier Will Depend on Your Business Model
What type of business do you think you might have? It really comes down to the following business models:
- Will you be buying wholesale products at wholesale prices to sell at retail prices?
- Sell Dropshipped Products and Have No stock
- Sell Private Label or White Label Goods
Let’s have a quick look at each of them to help you decide:
1. Wholesale Products to Sell at Retail Prices:
This is the traditional selling model – and most of our list of wholesale suppliers below will be able to fill that need. Generally, you are purchasing a product from a wholesale supplier or manufacturer, marking the product up a certain percentage, and pocketing the differences.
2. Sell Dropshipped Products
Dropshipping is going to be HUGE in Australia – it is already huge overseas and is starting to really gain traction here in Australia. Generally dropshipping works like this: You advertise a product, you sell the product, then you order the product directly from the manufacturer or dropship supplier and have it shipped straight to the customer.
It means you don’t have to handle any stock, don’t have to deal with postage etc – but you do need to be organised!
If you are looking for products to dropship – try our list of Dropshipping Suppliers –>
Alternatively, we do have a list of Australian retailers that offer drop shipping if you want to stay local.
The most popular Dropshipping wholesale suppliers are:
| Wholesale2B | Wholesale2B has over one million different drop ship products to choose from. Plus their platform integrates with many sales platforms such as Shopify and Bigcommerce. |
| Spocket | Spocket is a platform that integrates directly into your online store whether you are with Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce or Squarespace. Spocket has over 70,000 wholesalers and you just choose the products you want to dropship and pop them into your online store. |
| AliExpress or Alibaba | Perhaps the most well-known wholesaler and drop shipper in the world. There isn’t a product available that they don’t sell! There is no joining fee. |
| SaleHoo | SaleHoo is perhaps the largest Drop Shipping Company in the world. They do however have a membership fee to join which is $67 per year. HOWEVER – we have negotiated a deal and you can join for just $1! I joined up about a year ago and they do have some awesome suppliers in there – including Australian based suppliers – not exhaustive – but still a great start! Best of all – all of their sellers are ‘verified’ so you know they are legitimate. |
| Simply Wholesale | Simply Wholesale are a dropshipping company of electronics, home and garden goods, beauty products, tools and equipment. |
| DH Gate | DH Gate is a China-based platform and the main competitor of AliExpress. They have a fantastic selection of women fashion, electronics and kids clothing. |
| Syncee | Syncee is a dropship supplier of thousands of dropship products all in one place. It is perfect if you have a Shopify store. They offer a free trial – it is certainly worth checking out. |
For more Dropshipping Companies check out our article on ‘List of the Most Reputable Drop Shipping Companies Around the World’.
3. Sell Private Label or White Label Goods
Private Label or White Label Goods is where you are purchasing someone else’s product – then branding it as your own. Most skincare and makeup you purchase is all private-label goods. Most supplements and weight loss shakes – also private-label goods.
It is particularly good for edible products or medicine goods where there is a high degree of sophistication that goes into the ingredients.
If this is an area you wish to explore – here is where to go:
- List of White Label Skincare and Beauty Companies
- List of White Label Supplements and Vitamins
- Private Label Clothing Suppliers
5. What E-Commerce Platform Will You Sell Your Product?
Once you get a product, how will you sell that product? You need a platform on which to put your product for sale. And if you are selling that product online – you are going to need an e-commerce platform. There are a variety of e-commerce platforms – all ranging in price and functionality. But a brief overview is as follows:
Shopify
Shopify isn’t the most popular e-commerce platform in the world for no reason! Shopify is easy to use, can scale easily and if you ask most e-commerce sellers what their favourite platform is – 9/10 will tell you Shopify. But that ease of use and functionality will cost you – most Shopify basic stores start from $29 per month. If you are considering Drop Shipping – Shopify is a fantastic option as it integrates with many dropshipping wholesale suppliers like Printful and Spocket.
Personally – we LOVE Shopify – we have used it ourselves – and once you get the hang of it – it is so easy to make changes and create your own shopping website with full support behind you.
Read more about Shopify here >
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is free – and it integrates with WordPress very easily. It doesn’t require any custom coding and is easy to use. It doesn’t however scale very easily – so if you are wanting to go big and fast – it may not be the right e-commerce platform to choose. This is an option to choose if you have no start-up funds and know that you may have to change platforms when you start making money.
Etsy
If you have a hand-made or crafty product – Etsy is great as it has an audience all ready to go – but they will take a commission on all sales. The good thing about Etsy is that it is a selling program – so there is no ‘set up’ – you just sign up for an account, upload your image and product description – and you are off! Read more here >
Other e-commerce platforms to consider include:
- Ebay
- MadeIt
- Amazon
6. Go to Trade Shows in Your Industry
A fantastic way to see a variety of new products in the market and to find wholesale suppliers it to attend as many trade shows as you can. These are happening all over Australia and the world at any given time. Here is where to find what’s on:
- Events Eye has a list of all the Trade Shows in Australia – broken down into cities.
- Trade Fairs Australia sorts all the Trade Shows and Exhibitions in all regions.
- Trade Fest lets you browse all the Trade Shows via industry
7. Getting Started in Small Business
We have a wealth of information to help you get started in your small business journey! In fact – we love it so much we have written a book on how to Earn at Home.
Check it out here >
But some articles that may just help you out include:
- How to Start Your Own Makeup or Skincare Range with a Small Start-Up Cost
- 12 Most Profitable Drop Shipping Products to Sell
- How to Start a Drop Shipping Business from Scratch in 2021
List of Major International Wholesale Companies:
These are the major companies (most of which are based in China) that are wholesale suppliers who supply goods all over the world. The best thing about them is that they have online stores so you don’t need to travel to see their list of offerings.
Remember to always look at reviews and get a sample before investing thousands of dollars into stock to make sure it is the right product for you!
Like any purchase, always do your due diligence before putting your money on the line!
List of Australian Wholesale Companies:
These are general wholesale companies that sell a variety of goods in all categories. The only problem with these wholesale suppliers is that everyone else is probably aware of them already so their products may already saturate the market.
| MyDeal | MyDeal has a large range of furniture, bedding, pet products and more. |
| Factory Buys | Factory Buys sell Bubs & Kids toys and games, office furniture, pet supplies, fitness products and health & beauty products. |
| Factory to Home | Factory to Home specialises in outdoor furniture, gardening and tools, storage, home appliances, pet supplies and games. |
| Bargains Online | Bargains Online stocks sports gear, pet products, health & beauty products, trailers, gym and fitness equipment and mattresses. |
| Simply Wholesale | Simply Wholesale drop ship electronics, home and garden, health and beauty products and tools and equipment. However, the very best items they sell are fashion accessories – items like watches, hats, bags, sunglasses – and they have some really great brands such as Adidas and UGG. Now their range is far from extensive, but if you are just dipping your toe into the business, they can be a really good start. |
| Factory Fast | Factory Fast stocks so many amazing products and ones that you might not think of selling. Another HUGE plus is that they are Australian owned and operated, so getting products to your customers will be quicker rather than coming from overseas. |
| Best Deals | Best Deals have home appliances, sports and fitness equipment, musical instruments, computers and IT products, tools and bedding. |
| Payday Deals | Payday Deals offer toys and games, travel, sports and fitness equipment, electronics, furniture and beauty products. |
| Device Deal | Device Deal offers computer systems, security cameras, networking, printers, scanners and more. |
Fashion, Jewellery and Accessory Wholesaler Suppliers:
Women’s fashion, crystals, jewellery and fashion accessories are perhaps the most sought-after item purchased online in the entire world. So it makes sense to go into this kind of business if you are starting out.
- List of Jewellery Wholesalers
- List of Wholesale Jewellery Suppliers from China
- Wholesale Crystal and Gem Suppliers
- Where to Buy Wholesale Crystals and Gems from China
- Where to Buy Wholesale Crystals Listed by Country
- Lingerie Wholesalers
- Fashion Wholesalers
- Eco and Vegan Clothing Wholesalers and Manufacturers
- Fashion Manufacturers
- List of Cheap Women’s Clothing Suppliers for a Fashion Start-Up
- List of Gothic, Punk and Alternative Clothing Retailers
- Wholesale Fabric Suppliers
- Bali Based Clothing Manufacturers.
- Small Run Clothing Manufacturers
- Wholesale Blank T-Shirts
List of Beauty, Makeup and Skincare Wholesaler Suppliers
- List of White Label Skincare and Beauty Companies
- Discount Makeup and Skincare Suppliers
- Weight Loss Affiliate Suppliers
- Wholesale Teeth Whitening Suppliers
- List of White Label Supplements and Vitamins to Brand as Your Own
- Where to Buy Wholesale Perfumes and Fragrances
- Beauty, Makeup and Skincare Wholesalers (coming soon)
 | MyDeal MyDeal is a budget website that has loads of makeup, skincare, personal care items, haircare, fragrances and perfume at wholesale prices. |
| Beauty Direct Wholesalers Located on the Gold Coast, Beauty Direct Wholesalers offer lash application products, lash adhesives, glue wipes and also offers samples | |
| Beauty Warehouse Wholesale professional beauty and hair products online. | |
| Salon First Wholesale beauty supplies for Beauty and Hair Salons | |
 | Le Beauty One of the largest online beauty wholesalers around – you do need to register to get a trade account. |
 | Beaute Internationale Wholesale Hair & Beauty Suppliers |
List of Home, Home Decor, Home Renovations and Cleaning Wholesaler Suppliers:
- Where to buy Wholesale Essential Oils
- Best Sites to Buy Discount Bed Linen
- List of Wholesale Furniture and Home Decor Products – Coming Soon!
- List of Party Suppliers – Coming Soon!
- List of Home and Garden Wholesale Suppliers (Coming Soon)
List of Kids Clothing, Toys and Games Wholesale Suppliers:
- List of Kids Clothing Wholesalers in Australia
List of Discount and Outlet Stores for Kids Clothing - List of Organic Clothing Suppliers for Babies and Kids
- Where to Buy Clothing for Kids with Special Needs
- List of Best Aussie Ethical and Organic Kids Clothing Suppliers
List of Crafting and Gifting Wholesaler Suppliers:
- Where to Buy Candle Making Supplies Australia
- List of Australian Hamper and Gift Basket Companies
- List of Online Fabric Suppliers and Printers
List of Where to Purchase Adult Wholesale Suppliers:
I love selling Adult Products – because there is such a huge mark-up on their pricing that it is a very lucrative business to start. You can mark up products up to 300% – now there is a tidy profit in that!
- Wholesale Adult Products
- Sex Doll Sellers and Manufacturers
- List of Adult Product Drop Shipping Suppliers
List of Wholesale Food Wholesale Suppliers:
| Fine Food Wholesalers | Wholesale Food Group Australia |
| Foodbomb | Food By Us |
| Gourmet Brands | The Source Bulk Foods Australia |
| Opera Foods | Bidfood Australia |
| Complete Food Services | MOCO Food Services |
| BioLiving | Country Wide Food Services |
| Essential Ingredient | PE Foods |
| Global Food & Wine |
Where to Get Help Sourcing Products
We have a secret Facebook Group called ‘Earn at Home Mum Community which is free to join – and where you can find help and ask questions about starting your small business.
