Reevaluating Your Boutique Suppliers for 2022?
Consider These 3 Key Attributes of a Successful Partnership
As inventory, supply chain and shipping woes continue impacting the fashion industry, now is the time to strengthen relationships with your suppliers. With experts predicting these issues will continue into 2022, boutiques are preparing for the road ahead by (re)evaluating their wholesale partnerships. To keep your retail business moving in the right direction, consider partnering with wholesalers that demonstrate these three key attributes:
1.Leading With Transparency
Do you know what materials your wholesale partners use? If they manufacture their own products or use third parties? Where their manufacturers are located? And/or what their supply chains look like?
If you can’t answer all of these questions, your wholesalers haven’t been as open and transparent as they should be or as you need them to be. The success of your business relies on a full understanding of where products are made, what they’re made of, where they ship from (i.e. local, national or international warehouses) and how they move along the supply chain (transportation methods, routes, stops, etc.).
The benefit of this knowledge is that it gives you a robust view of a wholesaler's operations, so you can make informed decisions that benefit your business.
2.Delivering on Promises
Guarantees are tricky. When they work, a guarantee can be beneficial for wholesalers to use as an incentive and to instill trust. On the other hand, over-promising and under-delivering can quickly diminish a wholesaler's reputation.
Make sure an advertised guarantee or brand promise sounds reasonable. For example, a 30-day money-back guarantee on an initial order sounds reasonable. Guaranteed shipping and delivery do not. A wholesaler can reasonably offer same-day shipping, but they can’t reasonably guarantee a specific delivery date.
Make sure you understand the fine print before registering with a wholesaler or committing to a purchase.
3.Proactively & Regularly Communicating
The best wholesale/retailer partnerships are those with regular two-way communication. Not only should your wholesale partners keep you updated on products and services, but they should also proactively communicate with you when issues arise, such as inventory shortages, shipping delays, and system disruptions.
Likewise, your wholesale partners can deliver greater value to you when they understand your business, your goals, and any challenges you’re facing. Tell them about who you serve and how you serve them. Let them know which products are succeeding and which are falling flat. If you have suggestions for how they can improve, give feedback!
We’re all doing what we can to serve our customers to the best of our abilities. Wholesalers like us succeed when our boutique partners succeed, so believe us when we say we’re all ears! The more information we have, the better equipped we are to continue improving and evolving our business to elevate your business.
Click here to learn how ZENZII is addressing inventory and shipping management to fulfill your needs.
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