If you’re working with electrical wholesalers to get the supplies you need for your business, then you should know what questions you should be asking!
Asking the right questions of your electrical wholesaler can help you to find better services and products and will help to ensure that they’re the right fit for your needs.
Questions to ask electrical wholesalers
Do you have a minimum order?
This is a really good question to ask you electrical wholesalers. Some suppliers will require large minimum orders due to their business model, which can be problematic for smaller businesses as many of them don’t do enough business to require large quantities of products.
If you’re just starting out then you’ll like want to look into finding electrical wholesalers who accept smaller minimum orders. For larger businesses looking to order higher quantities of products, you can make good savings by ordering in bulk.
What are your payment terms?
This is another very important question to ask. Before you go ahead with making any orders with your electrical wholesalers you’ll want to check on their payment terms. When do you need to make payment?
Some will require immediate payment upfront when you’re placing your order, whilst others will require payment after your order has been received. Others may require account settlement within 30 days of you placing your orders whilst some may extend credit or allow payment plans.
It all depends on your specific supplier, so before you go ahead with making an order make sure you check on their payment requirements. You’ll also want to check what kinds of payments they accept, are credit cards okay for instance, or do they only accept direct transfers? These are all important things to check.
What returns policy do you have in place?
Another important thing to check is what kind of returns policy your electrical wholesalers have in place. Some will have stricter returns policies than others so make sure you assess this carefully before you go ahead with an order.
Certain suppliers will be fairly flexible and allow you to return things as long as they are in relatively good condition whilst others will only allow you to return items for a manufacturing fault or when the item is damaged.
Do you have insurance?
It’s very important that you check your supplier has the right insurance in place. In the event that something goes wrong with the equipment they provide you; you’ll want to ensure that they have the correct insurance.
This will ensure that both you and your supplier are protected.
What products do you recommend?
Electrical wholesalers are often experts on the product range they stock and are a good source for product recommendations and information.
If you’re planning a purchase, it’s a good idea to check in with your supplier first to see if they have any thoughts as they often are a great resource for help and information.
What do you stock?
If you’re loyal to a particular brand then it’s important to check in with your supplier, as they might not have it on hand. If you need a particular product, double check that they stock it to avoid disappointment.
How do you determine pricing?
Some suppliers will offer discounts for bulk orders or may reduce pricing for loyal customers, whilst others may have fixed unit prices.
If you’re purchasing from a supplier it’s worth asking about how the determine prices and whether or not a discount may be available.
What do customers say?
If you’re working with a new supplier, we recommend you check up on what their customers day about them.