The Treasure Hunt: Part 2 - Contacting A Vendor & Other Tips

Part 2: The Supplier Outreach Email Template

Subject: Wholesale Inquiry: [Product/Material Name] - [Your Company Name]

Body:

Dear [Supplier Name or "Sales Team"],

My name is [Your Name] and I am the founder of [Your Business Name], a specialized [describe your business, e.g., ceramic studio / jewelry brand] based in [City, Country].

I am currently looking for a reliable supplier for [specific material, e.g., 100% linen fabric / 14k gold clasps] and came across your company via [where you found them, e.g., ThomasNet / NY NOW website].

I am interested in incorporating your materials into my upcoming product line. Could you please provide information on the following:

1. Product Catalog/Line Sheet: Do you have a catalog listing your current available stock?
2. MOQ: What are your Minimum Order Quantities for [specific item]?
3. Pricing: Can you share your wholesale price list or tiered pricing structure?
4. Samples: What is your policy for purchasing samples? We would like to test the quality before committing to a bulk order.

Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to potentially working together.

Best regards,

[Your Name] [Your Website URL] [Your Phone Number]

You can just copy and paste this into an email once you're found a company that might have the supplies you need. Suppliers aren't always the best at making websites and appearing on search engines. Doing a little research can save you lots of time, effort and expense! 

In the last post, we talked about learning the "lingo" of your niche.  It can really help connect you to suppliers.   You can check out that post here: https://www.peddlit.com/blog/the-treasure-hunt-how-to-crack-the-code-on-finding-specialty-art-suppliers

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⭐️ The Supplier Sourcing Checklist (TL;DR)

Keep this quick reference guide handy the next time you are searching for specialty materials:

• ✅ Update Your Vocabulary: Stop searching like a consumer (e.g., "cheap fabric") and start searching like a business owner (e.g., "linen textile wholesale").
• ✅ Dig Deeper Online: Move past the first two pages of Google. The best suppliers often have poor SEO and older websites.
• ✅ Use Industrial Directories: Leverage tools like ThomasNet, Kompass, and Maker's Row to find legitimate B2B partners.
• ✅ Reverse Engineer: Ethically check competitor product details or public import records to trace their supply chain.
• ✅ Go Offline (Virtually): Check the exhibitor lists of major trade shows in your niche (even if you can't attend).
• ✅ Vet Before You Commit: Never place a bulk order without knowing the MOQ, getting a physical sample, and confirming the lead time.