As the world is getting modern and Internet usage is getting popular day by day more and more people and companies are stepping into the world of online trading and e-commerce. Any kind of physical trading involves buying and selling and it has been observed that start-ups or people working part time from home generally fail at the first step i.e. locating decent and authentic wholesalers and dropshippers.

A couple of years ago the only medium to find the required suppliers was through offline means like yellow pages and other trade magazines. Through yellow pages, it has always been difficult to find good and reliable wholesalers and dropshippers because there is always limited information provided not covering vast categories i.e the person may or may not find a wholesaler or dropshipper supplying the products being searched. Alternatively one can visit trade organizations and Chambers of commerce to acquire information about different wholesalers. Again this option is not for everyone as the government would require company documents, trading proof etc, before disclosing such information to the inquirer and may also charge substantially for the service.

In order to deal with these difficulties people have opted for search of wholesalers and dropshippers through online means i.e. on the Internet. The Internet has simplified this task through providing much different type of online resources; some are total waste of time whilst others are like hidden treasure troves if used effectively. In this article we will try to differentiate between different resources and explain the various advantages and drawbacks associated with each.

"E-Books and Online Guides"

One such online resource is in the format of Electronic books (e-books) that are available on the Internet in the written pdf format. One of the problems with using an ebook is that the information it contains is generally locked and cannot be updated on the fly. The data can become obsolete in a very short span of time and the user will have to wait for the next version to be published, which can takes any amount of time depending on the author i.e. from months to years. Additionally in most ebooks the data is provided but with improper guidance and there is no way to ask questions and present your queries. People may find broken links and out-dated contact details thus building up the frustration and wasting their important time.

"General Search on Search Engines"

Although search engines like google can provide good results and relevant information, however in a limited fashion with no search refining features. Again no specific guidance or support is provided and people would have to make their decision based on their judgment and instincts. The information is free, however would require long hours and tremendous amounts of hard work and search before getting some decent results. It's a known fact that people generally don't go beyond the third page of results and even if they do, they get frustrated very quickly. As a conclusion search engines can provide information for free but the amount of time required to search and acquire even average results is not worth the effort.

"Online Searchable Wholesale Directories"

Another approach is the use of online wholesale directories. Let us discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using these directories and why they can prove to be a great source of information and produce extremely effective results if used properly.

ADVANTAGES

"Ease of Use"

The first advantage is that these directories are available 24 hours a day due to their online nature thus providing instant access to users from any corner of the world. One could be on the move and still access the directory using their laptop.

"Fully Searchable Database"

The online wholesale directories have a complete categorized search available i.e from smaller to the biggest wholesalers, dropshippers and products are categorized through which people can find their concerned products and suppliers. Using these directories, one does not have to browse through hundreds of pages to find the desired result.

"Full Support and Guidance"
A lot of people are new to the world of trading and wholesaling and generally are lost for guidance and support. Through these online directories not only one can acquire wholesalers and dropshippers contact details but direct support and guidance is also available for amateurs as well those with some experience. The famous directories like www.wholesalepages.co.uk have thousands of experienced members and new members can directly benefit from them in addition to the support and advice available by their staff.

"Thousands of Hours of Effort and Search For a Little Cost"

Although signing-up with these directories does involve a little fees, however its worth every penny because you are directly benefiting from their thousands of hours of research and collection of material. Just imagine how much will it cost visiting a single trade exhibition.

"Categorized and Refined Results"
The beauty of these online wholesale directories is that they also provide refined search normally known as advanced search for the convenience of their members i.e if a person is looking for a watch of a specific brand, then they are provided with the subcategories within the category of watches to help them narrow down their search without wasting precious time in exploring the thousands of companies listed in the directory.

"Reviewed and Rated Results: "
In every business the reputation of the company plays a big role in ascertaining new sales and customers. The same principal applies here, old members of the online directories have generally traded or ordered products from various wholesalers, dropshippers and suppliers and often rate and review them within the directory. As a new member one can directly take advantage of their knowledge and experiences thus helping them to make a more informed decision as to deal with a specific wholesaler or not.

"Constantly Updated Results"

One major problem with offline resources is that they are not regularly updated and material can become outdated within a matter of days. For instance say you come across a wholesaler that suits your requirements and to your disappointment when you contact them you find out they have stopped trading. This can become very frustrating with printed offline ebooks and guides, however with online directories a more up to date and fresh data is always available within a just a couple of clicks and this will not only save time but also help you to stay ahead of the competition.

"Ability to Leave Requests and Fulfill Orders"

Another important advantage of using some of the online directories is that users can post their requests on the directories. These requests could be anything from looking for a specific type of wholesaler to a buying order e.g. 100 plasma tvs etc. Some of the directories like www.wholesalepages.co.uk and www.aidnadtrade.com will then forward these orders and requests to various wholesalers who will then contact the ordering party directly with their quotes and pitches. In other words all the hard work will be carried out by these directories and their staff for a one time minimal fee. Its just simply a win-win situation for both the buyers and sellers.

"Availability of Prices and Description"

One of the known problems when it comes to dealing with wholesalers is the signing -up process. Some wholesalers do ask for company documents, vat numbers etc before they disclose their prices to the customers. With the help of online wholesale directories this problem can be overcome as within some of the good directories products from various wholesalers are displayed with prices and description, so that people can see the cost and type of products on offer rather than signing up with the wholesaler or dropshipper. With the help of extensive descriptions available for each product, people can judge whether the product or the wholesaler is worth signing-up with or not.

"Special and Amazing Wholesale Offers"

Members of these directories are also provided with the special and amazing wholesale offers from various companies which can benefit their business or attract them to do more wholesaling and dropshipping and increase the range of products they deal in.

"DISADVANTAGES"

There are not any direct disadvantages associated with signing up with these directories, however here are some points that need to be taken into consideration such as free and paid wholesale directories. The free directories generally submit their listings and as a result they only display limited results as only the companies who have paid them appear on the directory and with the paid directories, a user will get many more results and a better support service to the paid wholesalers and dropshippers. Getting free service is always good but we all know free is not always the best. Another is that it requires Internet connection to access them and utilize their full potential. This is not directly a disadvantage as imagine; this is only possible via getting the information through the net.

"Conclusion"

After discussing different approaches to locate wholesalers and dropshippers, it is definitely recommended to consider signing up with the online directories, as you would be benefiting from hundreds of hours of research carried out by their staff. The value for money factor is huge and they can also help to open many new venues and provide different opportunities too.

There are many online directories available on the net but the ones we recommend are - - Wholesale Pages (www.wholesalepages.co.uk): Directory of wholesalers and dropshippers in USA and UK. Recommended very highly
- Aid and Trade (www.aidandtrade.com) : Directory dedicated to dropshippers from USA, UK and Canada.
- Wholesale Canada (www.wholesale-canada.com) : Directory of wholesalers and dropshippers in Canada.

© 2005, Wholesale Pages UK. All rights reserved.

William King is the director of UK Wholesale Suppliers, Wholesale Suppliers , Dropshipping Directory, and Pakistan Property Portal . He has 18 years of experience in the marketing and trading industries and has been helping retailers and startups with their product sourcing, promotion, marketing and supply chain requirements.