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Tips For Writing Your Product/Business Description from a
Wholesale Perspective
Keep in mind that for this wholesale directory, you're writing to an audience of retail stores looking for Kansas Made Products to sell. Your Product/Business Description should not only speak about the retail customer benefits of your products, but also speak of the benefits you can offer the retailer of your products. The retailer will need to know the benefits for his/her customers as well as the benefit you offer the retailer (i.e. on-time deliver, high quality, stand behind your products, etc.)
Here are some of the issues retailers will consider to be important as they establish a relationship with you as a Kansas Made Wholesaler. You can use this information not only to help write your Product/Business description, but also in consideration of what points to cover in your contractual agreement between you as the wholesaler and the retailer.
You should work on ways to be unique and/or distinguish yourself from your competition. If there are items for which you can do more for the retailer than your competition, you should incorporate a general statement as such in your listing Product/Business description.
- Product orders should be delivered on time
o Everyone can understand an occasional problem with delivery. When there is a problem, the retailer will expect communication
Your description might include: “We will provide you with a delivery date with each of your orders and work hard to deliver as promised.”
- Products need to be of high quality and nearly defect free. Retailers won't want to spend time with their customers working out solutions to quality problems with your products.
o As with on-time delivery, everyone can understand an occasional quality problem if you have demonstrated a track record of high quality. When the occasional problem does come up, retailers will expect quick resolution once they've notified you of any quality problems.
Your description might include: “We stand behind the quality in our products. You will see that with our first orders. If a problem ever does arise with one of our products, we will work with you to resolve to the benefit of your customer in the best and quickest way possible.”
- Price consistency means retailers will not want their customers calling you directly and receiving the same pricing you are offering the retailer.
o Make sure that you set up your pricing in a way that the retailer can have a decent return on his/her investment of the money and time necessary to order, prepare, display and market your products for sale in the store.
o Don't offer the same prices to anyone else that contacts you directly unless they go through your process to become a retailer of your products.
o Your size requirements for initial and minimum orders are also important to the retailer. Make the minimums too large and the retailer will be concerned about cash flow and inventory cost implications. Too small and retailers will be concerned that “anyone” can call you up and become a dealer.
Your description might include: “We only offer our dealer pricing to registered dealers. Retail customers cannot get our dealer pricing without becoming a dealer. We have reasonable initial and minimum order requirements.”
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Payment terms can be a good enticement to attract a retailer, but present you with a slippery slope to navigate in the balance of making it easy for your dealers to order from you and having your receivables become too big and intensive to manage. It is quite common for dealers to pay for their orders with credit or purchase cards although many would rather have terms.
If you decide to offer terms your description might include: “With approved credit, we can offer you favorable terms to help your cash flow (i.e. 2% 10 – net 30).” If no terms offered, “We offer terms of check with order or use your credit/purchase card.
- Uniqueness of product is the most important benefit you can offer your retail dealers. To survive, today's retailers must offer products and services their customers can't get anywhere else.
o If your business model is such that you can really offer them something unique, make sure you tell them. It will make you more attractive to your prospects than your competitors.
You might say something like: “We can work with you to make sure that our mix and make up of products in your store is unique and offer things to your customers that they can't get anywhere else in your market.”
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