What to do when supplier is asking for non-existing info

Hello Everyone,

As someone who is just starting out, what should I do when a supplier is asking for non-existing information such as company website, years in business, annual revenue, trade references, federal ID number, etc.? It seems impossible to leave these blank on a wholesale application without failing the initial qualifying process.

Any insight would be helpful. Thank you for your time.

Generally, if it's one or two questions "na" will suffice; however, from the sounds of what you're saying you need to call them. In most industries it is unlikely that you will be refused as a customer simply because you're new (although typically, if they ask for a tax ID and/or resale certificate you're going to need to get one.)


Frank

Hey there shepherd!

Frank is absolutely right when it comes to directly contacting the supplier. We get this question from a lot of our partners who are new to the business and we do not reject them simply because they don't have trade references, etc.

We always appreciate when they contact us and explain the reasons as to why they do not have that information as opposed to simply leaving it blank without any explanation at all.

Best of luck to you and your supplier of choice :) Cheers!

Hello Everyone,

As someone who is just starting out, what should I do when a supplier is asking for non-existing information such as company website, years in business, annual revenue, trade references, federal ID number, etc.? It seems impossible to leave these blank on a wholesale application without failing the initial qualifying process.

Any insight would be helpful. Thank you for your time.

Hi Shepherd,

Frank and iFunCity have been you useful tips. Just fill up the application with the information that you have and submit it. Many suppliers will ask for those kinds of information as security on their part - That you are indeed serious about doing business with them. Like iFunCity mentioned they get a lot of inquiries so to avoid wasting time and ensuring that all their customers' inquiries are addressed many suppliers may opt to pre-screen their customers.

Should you need help in locating additional suppliers, please feel free to let us know :)

Cheers

Hey Guys,

Thank you very much for your helpful input. I feel fortunate to have resources like the Salehoo forum. I will give the suppliers a call and see what they say. Thanks again!

On behalf of everyone who pitched in, you're welcome shepherd :) We are always happy to lend a hand on the forum!

Good luck and should you need further assistance, please don't hesitate to let us know.

Cheers!