If a nonprofit wants to support a cause successfully, it needs to constantly be on the lookout for ways to bring in money, and one such option can be selling Bella + Canvas hoodies and other gear. There’s much to know about how nonprofits can buy and sell wholesale clothing, so let’s discuss it.
Find a Good Wholesaler
As a nonprofit, finding a good clothing wholesaler isn’t just about buying apparel; it’s also about developing a partnership with a business that could play a part in its success. Every wholesaler is different, so it’s crucial to find one that best complements the organization’s needs.
For example, does the wholesaler offer excellent customer service? Do they meet their promises? Whether you order online or interact with a customer service representative one-on-one, you want it to be a smooth process every time you deal with the company. They should answer any of your questions, especially if you’re a potential or new customer and have yet to become entirely familiar with how they operate.
Do your research, call various wholesalers and ask questions, and see which one you feel best checks all the boxes for what you’re looking for. Keep in mind that if all goes well, it will likely be a business you’ll deal with for a long time, so it’s not a decision you want to make lightly.
Buy Quality Items
It’s not enough to find a wholesaler you like as a company; they need to have the products to match. Therefore, it’s essential to buy wholesale clothing that’s only high in quality, whether you sell sweatshirts, hoodies, sweatpants, t-shirts, and other items, or your employees and volunteers will wear them.
You don’t want people who are sporting your gear complaining that the hoodie they’re wearing fell apart or the design on the t-shirt practically disintegrated after a couple of washes. Keep this in mind: the more someone wears a piece of clothing with your nonprofit’s name, the more it gets the word out about the organization and its cause. Few people will want to wear clothing that looks sloppy or damaged, and many will not want to spend their hard-earned money on it, even if it’s in the name of a good cause.
Concentrate on buying high-quality sweatshirts, hoodies, t-shirts, and other clothing that people frequently want to wear. Factor in the quality, style, color, sizes, and design to ensure that people will want to buy what your nonprofit is offering for sale. If you’ve never purchased from that wholesaler before and aren’t entirely familiar with the clothing, before placing an order, ask if it’s possible to receive a sample so you can check it out for yourself and determine if it’s something the nonprofit can utilize.
Ask About Discounts
Before making your initial purchase, ask the wholesaler if they offer discounts your nonprofit may qualify for, such as a discount for a new customer, free shipping possibilities, or a deal for an order made by a nonprofit. If it’s your first order with the wholesaler and there are one or more discounts, you can place the order directly with a customer service rep to ensure all goes smoothly. Any little bit helps when it comes to saving money, especially as a nonprofit when you want to make sure as much money as possible goes to supporting the cause.
Price Your Items for Profit
As much as some nonprofits might not want to price their items too high, it doesn’t mean pricing them low is a good idea either, where the profit margin ends up being slim to none. For example, if selling wholesale clothing is a method to help support the organization, the price point needs to be at a sweet spot between what the nonprofit paid for the clothing (plus added fees and expenses) and what someone would be willing to pay for that item.
Order in Plenty of Time
Most customers that place a wholesale clothing order aren’t going to say there’s no rush with the order or they don’t care when they get it. On the contrary, many prefer to have it sooner than later, with some hoping they would have received it yesterday before they even placed the order.
When other customers want their orders almost immediately from the wholesaler, they’re not the only customer desiring clothing. But, then, ordering with a deadline right around the corner is likely to result in more stress and problems than necessary, ranging from possibly paying extra for a rushed order to shipping delays due to inclement weather. Once the nonprofit learns what clothing they need and comes up with the overall design, placing the order as soon as possible is best.
Early ordering ensures arrival before it’s needed, whether the clothing is to sell to customers or it’s for employees or volunteers. It also allows you to review the order and ensure everything is correct.
Let Your Employees and Volunteers Be Walking Marketers
Getting a good deal on wholesale clothing means you can affordably dress your employees and volunteers in the nonprofit’s gear. As previously mentioned, the more employees and volunteers people see wearing clothing with the nonprofit’s name, the better it is for the organization. Each person wearing the clothing isn’t only a walking advertisement for the nonprofit and the clothing products. If someone sees them wearing a fantastic piece of clothing with the nonprofit’s name on it, and that item is still available for sale, they may decide to spend their money and buy it themselves.
It’s essential to be careful where every dollar goes, and it’s no exception with nonprofits. Every decision should be in the best interest of supporting the cause, so take time to decide every seemingly small detail, from what type of clothing to buy to the designs they’re going to have, and it may mean some good monetary support for the organization.