How to Buy Wholesale Green Products
As consumers grow more concerned about the environment, the demand for green products continues to grow. Finding wholesale green products that people want is critical to the overall success of your business. Since there is not one group that certifies all green products, you'll need to pay close attention to the type of green and environmental certifications offered for the class of products you intend to purchase and resale. Wholesale green products include clothing, bags, body and personal care products, food, energy efficient appliances, building supplies, home décor and office supplies.
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Instructions
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Green Seal certifies paper products that feature recycled content and are chlorine-free. Determine the type of green products you are interested in selling. Research certified green products on websites such as Green Seal (greenseal.org), Energy Star (energystar.gov), or Cradle to Cradle (c2ccertified.com). Companies that sell green products wholesale are also listed on Eco Mall (ecomall.com), Green People (greenpeople.org) and through the Wholesale Connection offered by Green America (greenamericatoday.org).
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Green product wholesalers will require a state sales tax ID, which indicates you are permitted to resale items within your state. Apply for a state Sales Tax ID if you do not already have one. Forms and information for getting a sales tax ID are available from your state government. A listing of all state government tax websites can be found on the U.S. Small Business Administration Business website (business.gov). Some wholesalers may also request your EIN number, which can be applied for on the IRS website (IRS.gov).
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Contact the green product wholesaler to find out how to purchase its green products. Contact the green wholesale manufacturer that you'd like to purchase products from. Visit its website to find contact information and wholesale information. Be prepared to supply the wholesaler with your business name, sales tax ID number and credit information about your company. Inquire about the procedures the company has to set up new accounts and requirements for selling their products.
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Verify the type of certifications the green wholesale product has. To be a green product, look for manufacturers who have gone through the efforts to become certified by Green Seal, Green America Seal of Approval or Energy Star.
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Seek customer testimonials or references from the green product manufacturer. Contact current customers and inquire about the relationship they have with the manufacturer and if they are satisfied with the product and service.
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Request a sample of the product you are interested in buying from the wholesaler. Depending on the type of product, some samples may be provided free of charge; others may charge for them.
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Review the sample to ensure it meets your and your customers' quality expectations. Show the new product to key staff members and customer accounts and ask for their feedback. Consider placing information and an image on your business website and asking customers for pre-orders or for feedback on the product.
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Place a minimum order for the green wholesale product you want to buy. Use the intial product order to further test the market, pricing and interest in the new green product offering.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit T-shirt image by Antonio Oquias from Fotolia.com paper image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com tax defined image by Christopher Walker from Fotolia.com phone image by Eisenhans from Fotolia.com
