Are you looking to start your own company, but you don’t know what to sell? If yes, you might consider tea. These products are one of the most popular beverages globally. Therefore, you’re likely to generate a lot of sales and profits within no time.
If you’ve decided to sell tea, there are essential steps you shouldn’t skip. One of them is finding a reliable supplier. This is a company where you’ll be sourcing the tea. Finding a supplier is essential, especially if you’ve no plans to manufacture the tea yourself.
That said, here are critical factors to consider when finding a tea supplier for your shop.
1. License
License is one of the most critical factors to consider before signing a deal with any supplier. This is a written document issued by the government to manufacturers that permits them to provide tea products.
Any tea supplier is required to meet some quality standards before being issued with a license. This implies that working with a licensed tea partner can guarantee quality products. It also ensures that you’re partnering with a genuine company.
2. Prices
There are many tea suppliers to choose from. However, the prices of their products might differ. Sometimes price differences may be caused by brands and quality. If you’re on a very tight budget, you can find a company that sells tea at low prices.
However, make sure you don’t compromise the quality of tea for low prices. Note that when you stock poor-quality tea in your shop, you might fail to attract customers. This may harm your tea business. Therefore, whichever the price, be sure to purchase high-quality tea.
At the same time, it’d be a good idea to stock the most demanded tea brand. This helps boost your revenues.
3. Experience
In most cases, the quality of tea greatly depends on the manufacturer’s experience. A partner with many years in business is likely to have a lot of experience. This may mean that they can provide high-quality products. Hence, it’s advisable to work with a supplier who has been in the market for a while.
4. Reliability
Note that when selecting a tea supplier, you’re basically signing a long-term relationship with them. The supplier will probably be your business partner as long as your company exists. Make you select a reliable tea supplier who can deliver products without any delay.
Sometimes knowing the level of reliability of a specific tea supplier isn’t a walk in the park, especially if you haven’t previously worked with them. Avoid this hassle by seeking references from other business owners.
5. Location
Although ignored by most tea sellers, location is another crucial factor to consider when selecting a supplier. This is a specific place where they’ve situated their head office or warehouse. If possible, you can consider finding a partner within your locality.
Working with a tea supplier near you ensures you get your deliveries on time. Besides, a nearby distributor enables you to physically meet them when necessary.
However, if you can’t find a good tea supplier near you, you might consider finding them in other places. But, make sure you spot a reliable partner.
At the same time, it’d be a good idea to select a distributor who shares the same time zone with you. This helps boost your communication.
6. Reputation
You can meet several tea suppliers over the internet. However, some of them might not be genuine. They just want to take your money without delivering anything. And even if they do, there’s a chance that they would deliver counterfeit products. That’s where reputation becomes essential.
Reputation refers to opinions held by other business owners regarding a particular tea supplier. One of the best ways to determine a supplier’s reputation is by reading feedback on their website.
Several positive feedback shows that many other tea sellers were satisfied working with the distributor in question. On the other hand, negative comments might be a reflection of dissatisfied business owners. Make sure you partner with a tea supplier with a solid positive reputation.
Apart from the reputation, ensure that your partner provides warranties. Sometimes tea can spoil while on transit due to poor weather conditions. Besides, sometimes you can receive expired products.
A supplier with warranties ensures you’re not spending any extra coins ordering new products. They can replace your non-sellable tea. This helps minimize your purchase costs, thus boosting your profits.
Takeaway
Running a tea shop is one way to improve your financial freedom. It allows you to generate a lot of sales and profits, thus building your desired wealth. However, you must source your tea from the right supplier. Considering the factors explained in this article will enable you to connect with a suitable distributor for your tea shop.
