How to Buy Wholesale Knives

If you have a passion for knives and the desire to start your own business, running a business that sells knives may be a good fit for you. Many business start-ups are born from a person's hobby or love. To be successful, you will have to secure the ability to buy knives from wholesale sources and resell them for a profit.

Instructions

1. Go to the state taxation and revenue department office and get a resale tax identification number. The number identifies you as a business, which is usually required by most wholesalers before they will sell to you, and also allows you to buy goods that you will resell without having to paying any sales tax.

2. Visit the city office that issues business licenses. You will need the tax identification number discussed in Step 1, so take that with you. There you will answer a few questions regarding the nature of your business, and as long as you are not doing anything unusual (like running a business in an area that is not zoned for it), you will get your business license issued to you. Knife wholesalers will want to see a copy of your business license.

3. Go online and submit your application for a federal tax ID number, also sometimes known as an employer identification number (EIN), or taxpayer identification number. This registers you as a business taxpayer with the federal government and is another item that many knife wholesalers will ask for. Check the resources section for the website address where you can do this.

4. Find the various wholesale sellers of knives and knife manufacturers. You will certainly already know the names of brands that you hope to carry from your knowledge of knives. Most all of the major knife manufacturers can be found at the website in the resources section.

5. Compile all the documentation you have gathered in the above steps and proceed to contact the wholesalers you are interested in so that you may set up accounts. Some manufacturers sell directly to retailers, but some may direct you to a distributor. Most companies now also have the capability to take your application online. Keep in mind that you will often still be asked to mail or fax in the copies of your business license, tax IDs and other documentation. You may also need to meet with one of their sales representatives. Once you are approved, you are ready to buy your knives at wholesale.

References

• Strategies: Here's how to set up a business

Resources

• Knife, Cutlery, and Sword Manufacturers