Some of them were out of our league, but cultivating a potential relationship with them was crucial, so we persisted. After we made initial contacts, we were able to determine which of them would be best for our current situation and product line. Another valuable lesson was finding reputable vendors that could accommodate our needs. Again, referrals and research were absolutely critical, as was finding vendors to work with us on smaller production runs so our inventory does not get overstocked. We have found that once we contract with the right people and companies, it' s worth our while to stay with them even if we find vendors or people who promise us a slightly better margin or take less sales commission.
Bottom line is bottom line, but the dividends of loyalty can be enormous.
For example, our current vendors are willing to go to bat for us in extending a line of credit or waiving deposits for ordering raw materials because of our loyalty and faith in them. We know exactly what we want, we're easy to work with, we present and communicate our ideas clearly and we pay on time. We learned that purchasing goods and supplies at the cheapest possible price can be a costly mistake. One time we found a discount packaging surplus house selling a massive quantity of the clear tubes that we use for our dog shampoos at an unbelievably low price. The logo just wouldn't stick, so we decided to purchase from our usual vendor, although they were more expensive.