on 18-06-2012 01:58 PM
One of my wholealers is now selling retail on eBay, and hence - is now my direct competition. I was the first to sell these products on eBay, and im sure you can see why im a little 'pissed'. I've written him emails and asked him if he thinks his customers will be annoyed at him, and his reply, in broken english, was, 'the world is now flat and this is business'. That's funny, because im sure the world is round..., but bloody hell.... A wholesaler selling on ebay?? I have about 10 wholesalers, and if they all sold their items on eBay, i would be stuffed.. Im ready for a fight, im ready to win... but i don't know how. Competing with the Chinese isnt easy. He informed me that he would make his prices more expensive, which he hasn't done. There is no way i can sell them at his prices, with FREE POSTAGE. Im mad... Does anyone have any 'FIGHT BACK' ideas, apart from ridding the world of the Illuminati.... 😉
on 18-06-2012 03:28 PM
Unfortunately I doubt there is anything you can do unless you have a signed contract naming you as the 'sole distributor' in Australia , - he has the right as a supplier to sell to whomever he chooses, in which ever forum he chooses. No good for 'loyal agents' such as yourself, but in the long run, he has the right to do whatever with his own product and to make a profit is the be all and end all for a business afterall. To be honest, I can't believe there aren't more, importing is a tough game!
on 18-06-2012 04:04 PM
The wholesaler could start in a blaze of glory and soon fizzle as this online selling thing is just a tad harder than they think (I've seen that happen 🙂 ) and you just need to hang in and see what happens. In the meantime you need to go off to an industry trade fair and find yourself a few new suppliers. It's always good to have new ideas, new contacts you never know what you will find, maybe the next BIG thing.
I thought the world was round too 🙂
on 18-06-2012 04:45 PM
It almost happened to me.
Spotted some widgets in China at a good price but when I searched I found the same items selling for less than my quoted price and POST FREE.
Your wholesaler may well be 'entitled' but ethically should have given you warning before he lumbered you with stock that was destined to become dead weight.
on 18-06-2012 05:41 PM
Dear,
Hello.You might could request the wholeseller list the same price as yours.That would not be so upset since if he/she offers the lower price,the buyers would choose the best price seller.
To discuss with wholeseller first.Then how is everything going?
Good luck to you.:)
on 18-06-2012 05:42 PM
wholesaler has now decided to branch out into retail. What that will mean is they will loose some of their wholesale customers and have to put more effort to move smaller quantities, hence they will have to increase their online prices compared to what they are charging for selling bulk wholesale lots to regular customers.
This has been an issue since Ebay started, companies who previously had no shop front relied on wholesaling to retailers. now many manufacturers or exporters have bypassed retailers and selling direct.
on 18-06-2012 05:42 PM
on 25-06-2012 11:59 PM
You know what, your wholesalers' chinese supplier is on ebay as well and they are selling at your half price only.
It's simply not easy if you buy from Australia and sell in Australia, try buying from China and selling in Australia, make a better photo and use your 'local English', beat them in all ways of service/postage/speed.
on 27-06-2012 12:37 AM
As the last poster said - focus on your advantages:
* Being local - its quicker delivery
* Easy returns if something is wrong
* Review photos and decriptions - and in particular try and make them different to your supplier so that it won't be so obvious
* Find another suppleir
on 27-06-2012 08:11 AM
My main wholesaler also sells on ebay, sometimes cheaper and sometimes dearer, sometimes I have to purchase an item off ebay from him because his ebay price is a bit lower than his wholesale price, I can't figure that out either.