Let Wal-Mart Become Your Wholesaler

For years, I have used Wal-Mart almost exclusively as my primary wholesaler for the brand name products I resell as a wholesale jobber. I have learned quite a bit about how they operate, and what they do to stay on top. Some of this stuff may astound you once you become aware of it the way I have. But almost ALL of it can make you money if you stay on your toes, and keep your customers from looking over your shoulder.

As a small business owner, Wal-Mart can either be your worst nightmare, or your brightest dream. It's all in how you view them and use them. Learning how to use them correctly will take care of you and your business for many years. Failure to learn how to deal with them is likely to cost you your business. The important thing to remember is that WAL-MART IS NOT THE ENEMY! They have to be aggressive because Mr. Sam was aggressive. And that aggressiveness is one of your best weapons, if you know the ropes.

The first rope to pull on is the resale rope. I don't know if you know this or not, but every item Wal-Mart sells is available to be purchased for resale. All you have to do is bring a copy of your resale certificate from your state tax office to the service desk, and they will issue you a resale card. This card allows you to make purchases for resale, and exempts any purchases you make for resale purposes from all sales taxes. This is a simple first step that you can follow in order to optimize your relationship with the giant. At this point it's important to note that there may be times when you DO NOT wish to present yourself as a reseller when purchasing certain items from Wal-Mart. You have the right to do so any time you choose, because you can still settle with the taxing authorities when you file your reports, and keep your tax business between you and them. You will learn about making resale purchases and paying sales taxes in future posts, however. We don't want to get the cart too far out in front of the horse.

Once you learn how to look around, you will find many items that you can get from the giant at astoundingly low prices when compared to regular wholesale. Then there are ways to get certain products even cheaper. When you learn how to do this you are on your way to serious money. The thing to remember for now is that Wal-Mart can very often beat your regular supplier because of the sheer volume of their purchases. They pay LESS THAN ANYONE for everything because they generally buy more of it than anyone.