As vaping increases in popularity so too do the number of wholesale suppliers, but not all are legitimate and reputable. The vaping industry saw a great boom in recent years and it will only grow further from here onwards. The positive outlook of this industry has brought in many businesses in this industry and the industry already feels saturated due to heavy competition and excessive suppliers. In order to survive in such a competitive industry, you need to offer the best services to customers. In this article, I am going to tell you about six key steps that you should take when you are researching for your vape wholesale supplier.
1. Vape Wholesaler Distributor Keyword Search
Begin with a generic Google search for a keyword like E-Cigarette Wholesale suppliers or Wholesale Vape Suppliers. It is important to note that the terms Vaping and E-cigarettes are interchangeable – that is they both mean the same thing.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to look past the first page to pages two and three as the largest wholesale distributors generally dominate the search engines but this doesn’t necessarily mean they are always the best. There are 100’s of wholesale suppliers.
2. Visit Website
You should also consider working with a wholesale supplier who has an online platform. This is most important especially if you are in different countries. It will make it easier for you to order products on a website rather than calling which is inconvenient due to different time zones.
Additionally, a website not only helps in determining the reputation of the supplier, but it also lets you see when a wholesaler is open for business and how many products are available. You also need to look for reputable vape wholesalers since it will lead to the success of your business. This is because such businesses have a strong marketing strategy, which you can benefit from.
3. Visit Social Media Channels
When you visit each company’s website look for their social media links and visit their social media channels. Key sites to visit include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.
While on their social media channels, it’s important to take the time to read some of the follower interactions and comments. Also, take note of some key metrics like;
- The number of fans/followers
- The frequency of brand posting
- The level of interaction on the page including, likes, comments shares, etc.
These will provide you with some great insights into the different brands, and how they are being perceived by end-users.
4. Conduct a Vaping Wholesaler Search on Review Sites and Forums
Following this step will help you identify a list of vaping wholesalers and distributors based on customer reviews and complaints.
A legit review website is something that you should start with to gather a list of vape wholesale suppliers. But be sure to land over review sites that are big and famous. Once you have your list completed cross-check its validity on forums related to vaping.
Look what for people reviews about those suppliers, if there are lots of complaints this is definitely a red flag so maybe you should avoid doing business with this brand.
Of course, no brand is perfect or faultless and despite the best efforts of quality control sometimes, we get a lemon. What matters the most is how are the complaints being handled by the supplier.
Take time to visit each of the review pages and read the comments.
- Did the vape supplier respond to the complaint in a timely fashion?
- Was the customer happy with the level of after-sales service?
- Was the problem resolved to the satisfaction of the customer?
How a vaping wholesaler manages complaints and problems (especially from a small customer) will provide valuable insights into both the level of customer service you can expect from the supplier and also how much the supplier values their reputation.
5. Visit the distribution center
By now, you should have created a shortlist of whom you believe are reputable and reliable E-cigarette/Vape wholesalers. At this stage, if possible, it’s a good idea to visit the manufacturer or their distribution center to make sure that everything you’ve been told and everything you’ve researched is solid.
If it’s impossible to visit then the next best alternative is to call and schedule an appointment to discuss your needs. During this phone call, you can also ask any questions that you were not able to find answers to during your research.
During the visit or call, make sure to ask for a list of 3 or 4 of the wholesalers’ customers who are similar to you.
6. Speak to the Vape Suppliers Clients
When you go for a job interview, if the employer is impressed, before offering you the job, they will contact your character referees to validate the information you provided during the interview.
Dealing with a vaping wholesale supplier is no different.
When choosing a wholesale vaping supplier or distributor for your business the final step in conducting your due diligence is to speak to the wholesaler’s clients.
They have nothing to gain from you so their answers will usually be very honest.
Key questions to ask should be related to their customer experience, problems, or issues they have faced with the supplier and of course their customer’s perception of the wholesaler’s brands and products.
Conclusion
By following the steps outlined above, you should be able to gather all the information you need to make informed decisions about which vape distributor to choose.
If you think that we’ve missed out on anything so please let us know through your comments.