Learn The Good Way to Source Products for your Subscription Box (part 2)
So you know what products can (or can’t !) be part of your box and how you can combine them ; now you just need to go hunting suppliers… We’ll give you some tips to make your suppliers come to you proactively ! Is this the life or what? ;)
Here is a list of places where you can find products.

E-commerce giants
Now it’s time to put what you learnt into practice. You know your niche market by heart, it will be child’s play. Most of the time you will find your niche products in a catalog’s subsection of major e-shopping websites. As you recall, in part 1 of this article, we took the example of a gourmet box and we defined which kind of products could fit. Once you have defined what products your customer is likely to fancy, it’s really easy to identify them on major e-commerce websites.
Below you’ll find the list of the majors e-commerce websites. Remember that it is only the first part of your job: selecting the right products for your box. Then you will have to identify each individual supplier and track back their wholesale price. You must contact them directly. That’s why it is important to focus on the products that are really relevant for your box, in order not to lose time. That’s why we spent so much time last time on this step ;)
Amazon: the e-commerce giant par excellence Alibaba: global and well-stocked website, massively used by resellers looking for Asian products
Walmart: US supermarket leader, it’s always useful to glance at US trends
Ebay: e-commerce pioneer
Best Buy: US major reseller for electronic and discount products
You can also have a look at Flipkart, Target and Snapdeal. Last, CDiscount French website can give you a good overview of French market trends.
Identify relevant products and sellers then get in touch with those potential partners ! One way to proceed it to create an excel or google doc list with contact details and relevant information (history, etc).
Fairs and exhibitions
Internet is not the end of it ! You can also find interesting opportunities IRL ! There are a lot of professional fairs, exhibitions and conferences the can be relevant for your business. If you are in France, just have a look at the yearly planning at Porte de Versailles and Porte Maillot… Paris Fair (Foire de Paris) is a perfect example. Those events are full of opportunities and potential partners for your business.
Most of the time, sellers and manufacturers that have something to do with your niche market will attend the fair on their own booth. If it is not the case, fairs remain a good way to organise local meetings or exchange contacts. Exhibitions and fairs are a perfect occasion to build new professional relationships. Some of them are even focused on supply business. A perfect way to identify a quality source of supply as well as new stuff that will make the difference ! Sometimes you’ll have to go by train or plane. But you will meet your contacts face-to-face: a good way to identify « live » what you need.

Check those websites for more information on fairs and exhibitions :
Global sources
Expo database
Eventseye
Etsy
Etsy is the best website for small businesses. You will find pretty and original stuff there. Etsy has become an e-commerce giant. Yet it is not part of the list we talked about earlier, because it is a little bit apart from the rest ;)
It is a marketplace for SMEs and very small businesses, typically the kind of suppliers you will NOT find on e-commerce classical website nor during fairs.
Etsy website is perfect for entrepreneurs launching their box business, because it is full of stuff fitting to any niche market. You can also filter your search so to focus on suppliers close to you geographically, in order to lower your delivery costs.
Yet, as Etsy is made up of small structures, the risk is to face beginners…
Press and catalogs
You should suscribe to magazines that are specialized in (or not too far from) your business. It’s a good way to stay in touch with trends and find new ideas. Gourmet niche market is a very good example.
Local vendors
It can be good sometimes to go out and meet sellers that have a physical shop. Not necessarily to work with them but at least to see how they highlight and market their products, which will give you some ideas for your own box business.
Usually there are two kinds of shops: those that sell their own products (eg artisans) and those that have a wider catalog coming from a larger list of suppliers. Maybe it is more relevant to work with the first category to test products in your box. The latter category is more relevant to benchmark their positioning and marketing policy. Of course you’ll focus on businesses that have something to do with your own market.
Marketplaces
Marketplaces are platforms designed to find your products at very low prices. It can be relevant if you lack a sufficient amount of products for your future box.
It is also interesting to identify customizable products to add to your box (tote bag tagged with the name of your website; mug, etc). Check those websites out: Alibaba, Indiamart, BuyKorea, GlobalMarket.
But beware: even if it is a good way to fill up your box, low cost business is full of traps. You’ll have to be careful about the quality of your products and to check the minimum amount of products you’ll have to order in order to get the right price. Don’t forget to carefully read the website terms and conditions!
Last but not least, wholesale stocks
Wholesales often have reasonable prices.
The main difference is that you can see the product directly and you can talk to someone ! you have to inform yourself on wholesale centers in your area ! You have to pay a visit (Metro, Best Buy for example). You can directly buy and bring bak to your place the products, which is convenient for you box business model.
Learn attracting suppliers !
Last tip !
Attracting suppliers is a good idea. You have to be visible from them :
- on social media : find facebook groups relevant with your niche, update your LinkedIn profile.
- set up a specific page on your website. You can also add a special email contact for suppliers. Write on this webpage what kind of stuff your business is looking for.
- Use the boxes directly : Maybe your first customers know someone who sells products in your niche ! You can place a note into your boxes, saying that you’re accepting offers !
Best wishes from BoxRaiser finding your ideal products. Good luck !
