wholesale-business-model

What Is The Wholesale Business Model?

Business / By / September 19, 2023

The wholesale model is a selling model where wholesalers sell their products in bulk to a retailer at a discounted price. The retailer then on-sells the products to consumers at a higher price. In the wholesale model, a wholesaler sells products in bulk to retail outlets for onward sale. Occasionally, the wholesaler sells direct to the consumer, with supermarket giant Costco the most obvious example.

Understanding the wholesale model

Wholesalers receive attractive prices from the manufacturer because they deal in large minimum order quantities (MOQs), with larger order quantities reducing handling time and cost and increasing profit. In some cases, the wholesaler and the manufacturer are the same company.

In a traditional wholesale model supply chain, goods may flow from raw material suppliers to manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and finally to consumers. Since most wholesalers do not sell directly to the consumer in small quantities, they sell bulk goods to retail businesses for a profit. 

The wholesale model is a business-to-business (B2B) process since wholesalers buy from a manufacturing business and sell to a retail business. This differentiates the model from the retail model, a business-to-consumer (B2C) process where retailers buy from wholesale businesses and sell to individual consumers.

Functions of wholesalers in the wholesale model

Many companies utilize wholesalers and the wholesale model because of the impracticalities of selling direct to consumers. This is particularly true of large retailers, who may operate thousands of stores in hundreds of different regions.

To that end, some wholesalers act as middlemen for retailers and are vital cogs in the supply chain. Here are some of their functions:

  1. Sales and promotions – wholesalers are typically responsible for meeting sales targets for their particular region through promotional campaigns. 
  2. Inventory management – maintaining sufficient inventory is a critical function of any supply chain. Experienced wholesalers understand that different products sell at different rates. They then use this information to avoid overstocking and understocking issues across the supply chain.
  3. Breaking the bulk – when a wholesale company receives a bulk order, it must necessarily break the order down into smaller cartons or consignments ready for delivery to the retailer. 
  4. Warehousing – to supply a whole region, wholesalers require a large warehouse space to store inventory. Warehouses must be large enough to accommodate the extra demand for stock during holidays such as Christmas. The warehouse itself must also be economical to operate and not eat into margins.
  5. Risk management – in most cases, wholesalers are also responsible for inventory losses incurred because of theft, fire, or accidental damage. This makes risk management a priority.
  6. Market information – wholesalers have a good understanding of the size and potential of a market and share this information with intermediaries up and down the supply chain. Some may also have information on how strong a competitor’s business is in a specific region, which is valuable information to retailers and other wholesalers alike.

The benefits of buying and selling under the wholesale model

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of buying and selling under the wholesale model.

Buying

  • Cost and time reduction – as mentioned earlier, buying in bulk helps a business save money on most product ranges. For the retailer, the purchasing process is also more efficient. Wholesalers deal with multiple suppliers for every product, but the retailer only needs to do business with one wholesaler.
  • Better deals – dealing with multiple suppliers, the wholesaler can quickly identify reputable companies who deliver high-quality products on time and at a reasonable price. This work also saves the retailer from finding reputable suppliers themselves.

Selling

  • Higher margins – selling under the wholesale model may require dealing with multiple suppliers and comparison shopping to get the best deal. However, this allows a business to buy low and sell high. Selling direct to consumers will earn the highest margins, while selling to retailers usually attracts a slightly lower (though still attractive) margin.
  • Responsiveness – sellers also have a better understanding of high-demand products since they work with both retailers and customers. With supplier relationships already in place, wholesale sellers can also launch new products more quickly than competitors. What’s more, some wholesalers have a deep working knowledge of the timing and organization of the entire supply chain, which gives them a competitive edge.

Case studies

  • Understanding the Wholesale Model
    • Electronics: Apple manufactures iPhones and sells them in bulk to wholesalers. These wholesalers then distribute the iPhones to retail stores such as Target, which sell them to individual customers.
    • Fashion: Levi’s produces jeans and sells them in large quantities to clothing wholesalers. These wholesalers distribute the jeans to retail outlets like Macy’s, where consumers can purchase them.
  • Functions of Wholesalers
    • Sales and Promotions: A book wholesaler offers a 20% discount on certain titles to boost sales during the summer reading season.
    • Inventory Management: A toy wholesaler increases stock of popular action figures ahead of movie releases to meet anticipated demand.
    • Breaking the Bulk: A cosmetics wholesaler divides a shipment of 5,000 lipsticks into smaller batches for distribution to various beauty stores.
    • Warehousing: A fruit wholesaler maintains cold storage facilities to ensure fresh produce is stored appropriately before distribution.
    • Risk Management: A wholesaler of electronics invests in security systems to protect their inventory from theft.
    • Market Information: A sports equipment wholesaler provides insights to retailers about trending fitness gear in the region.
  • Benefits of the Wholesale Model
    • Buying: A cafe owner purchases various coffee beans from a single wholesaler rather than multiple growers, saving time and effort.
    • Selling: A wholesaler specializing in imported chocolates buys rare chocolates in bulk at lower rates and then sells them to gourmet stores at a premium.
  • General Examples
    • Bakery Goods: A local bakery makes pastries and sells them in bulk to a food distributor, which then supplies them to coffee shops and supermarkets.
    • Auto Parts: A manufacturer produces car batteries and sells them to automotive wholesalers. These wholesalers then distribute the batteries to auto parts stores.
    • Beauty Products: A company creates a new line of organic skincare and sells it to beauty product wholesalers. These wholesalers then provide the skincare line to spas and beauty stores.

Key takeaways:

  • The wholesale model is a selling model where products sell their products in bulk to a retailer at a discounted price. The retailer then on-sells the products to consumers at a higher price.
  • The wholesale model helps larger retailers with the impracticalities of selling direct to consumers. Wholesalers perform several critical functions relating to sales and promotions, inventory management, warehousing, risk management, and the divulging of market information.
  • For buyers, the wholesale model reduces the time and cost associated with securing multiple suppliers. For sellers, the ability to buy in bulk increases margins when dealing directly with the consumer. Wholesale sellers also have a deeper understanding of the market and supply chain itself, which increases competitiveness.

Key Highlights

  • Understanding the Wholesale Model: The wholesale model is a selling approach where wholesalers sell products in bulk to retailers at discounted prices. Retailers then resell the products to individual consumers at higher prices. This business-to-business (B2B) process involves wholesalers buying from manufacturers and selling to retail businesses.
  • Functions of Wholesalers in the Wholesale Model: Wholesalers play crucial roles in the supply chain, including sales and promotions, inventory management, breaking bulk orders into smaller units, warehousing, risk management, and providing market information. They act as middlemen for retailers and handle large-scale operations to supply regions efficiently.
  • Benefits of Buying and Selling Under the Wholesale Model:
    • Buying: Buying in bulk helps businesses save costs and time on products. Dealing with wholesalers streamlines the purchasing process as the retailer only needs to work with one wholesaler. Wholesalers can identify reputable suppliers and offer better deals to retailers.
    • Selling: Retailers can achieve higher margins by buying low and selling high under the wholesale model. Wholesalers have a better understanding of high-demand products and can launch new products quickly due to established supplier relationships and knowledge of the supply chain.

Read Also: Costco Business Model

who-owns-costco
Costco runs a high-quality, low-priced business model powered by its memberships that draw customers’ loyalty and repeat purchases. Top institutional investors comprise The Vanguard Group, with 8.55%, and BlackRock with 5.39%. Top individual shareholders comprise Craig Jelinek, Charles T. Munger (Warren Buffet partner and co-owner of Berkshire Hathaway), James Murphy, and more.

Read Also: Marketplace Business Models

marketplace-business-models
A marketplace is a platform where buyers and sellers interact and transact. The platform acts as a marketplace that will generate revenues in fees from one or all the parties involved in the transaction. Usually, marketplaces can be classified in several ways, like those selling services vs. products or those connecting buyers and sellers at B2B, B2C, or C2C level. And those marketplaces connecting two core players, or more.

Read Also: Food-Delivery Business Models

food-delivery-business-model
In the food delivery business model companies leverage technology to build platforms that enable users to have the food delivered at home. This business model usually is set up as a platform and multi-sided marketplace, where the food delivery company makes money by charging commissions to the restaurant and to the customer.

Connected Business Model Types And Frameworks

What’s A Business Model

fourweekmba-business-model-framework
An effective business model has to focus on two dimensions: the people dimension and the financial dimension. The people dimension will allow you to build a product or service that is 10X better than existing ones and a solid brand. The financial dimension will help you develop proper distribution channels by identifying the people that are willing to pay for your product or service and make it financially sustainable in the long run.

Business Model Innovation

business-model-innovation
Business model innovation is about increasing the success of an organization with existing products and technologies by crafting a compelling value proposition able to propel a new business model to scale up customers and create a lasting competitive advantage. And it all starts by mastering the key customers.

Level of Digitalization

stages-of-digital-transformation
Digital and tech business models can be classified according to four levels of transformation into digitally-enabled, digitally-enhanced, tech or platform business models, and business platforms/ecosystems.

Digital Business Model

digital-business-models
A digital business model might be defined as a model that leverages digital technologies to improve several aspects of an organization. From how the company acquires customers, to what product/service it provides. A digital business model is such when digital technology helps enhance its value proposition.

Tech Business Model

business-model-template
A tech business model is made of four main components: value model (value propositions, mission, vision), technological model (R&D management), distribution model (sales and marketing organizational structure), and financial model (revenue modeling, cost structure, profitability and cash generation/management). Those elements coming together can serve as the basis to build a solid tech business model.

Platform Business Model

platform-business-models
A platform business model generates value by enabling interactions between people, groups, and users by leveraging network effects. Platform business models usually comprise two sides: supply and demand. Kicking off the interactions between those two sides is one of the crucial elements for a platform business model success.

AI Business Model

ai-business-models

Blockchain Business Model

blockchain-business-models
A Blockchain Business Model is made of four main components: Value Model (Core Philosophy, Core Value and Value Propositions for the key stakeholders), Blockchain Model (Protocol Rules, Network Shape and Applications Layer/Ecosystem), Distribution Model (the key channels amplifying the protocol and its communities), and the Economic Model (the dynamics through which protocol players make money). Those elements coming together can serve as the basis to build and analyze a solid Blockchain Business Model.

Asymmetric Business Models

asymmetric-business-models
In an asymmetric business model, the organization doesn’t monetize the user directly, but it leverages the data users provide coupled with technology, thus have a key customer pay to sustain the core asset. For example, Google makes money by leveraging users’ data, combined with its algorithms sold to advertisers for visibility.

Attention Merchant Business Model

attention-business-models-compared
In an asymmetric business model, the organization doesn’t monetize the user directly, but it leverages the data users provide coupled with technology, thus having a key customer pay to sustain the core asset. For example, Google makes money by leveraging users’ data, combined with its algorithms sold to advertisers for visibility. This is how attention merchants make monetize their business models.

Open-Core Business Model

open-core
While the term has been coined by Andrew Lampitt, open-core is an evolution of open-source. Where a core part of the software/platform is offered for free, while on top of it are built premium features or add-ons, which get monetized by the corporation who developed the software/platform. An example of the GitLab open core model, where the hosted service is free and open, while the software is closed.

Cloud Business Models

cloud-business-models
Cloud business models are all built on top of cloud computing, a concept that took over around 2006 when former Google’s CEO Eric Schmit mentioned it. Most cloud-based business models can be classified as IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or SaaS (Software as a Service). While those models are primarily monetized via subscriptions, they are monetized via pay-as-you-go revenue models and hybrid models (subscriptions + pay-as-you-go).

Open Source Business Model

open-source-business-model
Open source is licensed and usually developed and maintained by a community of independent developers. While the freemium is developed in-house. Thus the freemium give the company that developed it, full control over its distribution. In an open-source model, the for-profit company has to distribute its premium version per its open-source licensing model.

Freemium Business Model

freemium-business-model
The freemium – unless the whole organization is aligned around it – is a growth strategy rather than a business model. A free service is provided to a majority of users, while a small percentage of those users convert into paying customers through the sales funnel. Free users will help spread the brand through word of mouth.

Freeterprise Business Model

freeterprise-business-model
A freeterprise is a combination of free and enterprise where free professional accounts are driven into the funnel through the free product. As the opportunity is identified the company assigns the free account to a salesperson within the organization (inside sales or fields sales) to convert that into a B2B/enterprise account.

Marketplace Business Models

marketplace-business-models
A marketplace is a platform where buyers and sellers interact and transact. The platform acts as a marketplace that will generate revenues in fees from one or all the parties involved in the transaction. Usually, marketplaces can be classified in several ways, like those selling services vs. products or those connecting buyers and sellers at B2B, B2C, or C2C level. And those marketplaces connecting two core players, or more.

B2B vs B2C Business Model

b2b-vs-b2c
B2B, which stands for business-to-business, is a process for selling products or services to other businesses. On the other hand, a B2C sells directly to its consumers.

B2B2C Business Model

b2b2c
A B2B2C is a particular kind of business model where a company, rather than accessing the consumer market directly, it does that via another business. Yet the final consumers will recognize the brand or the service provided by the B2B2C. The company offering the service might gain direct access to consumers over time.

D2C Business Model

direct-to-consumer
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) is a business model where companies sell their products directly to the consumer without the assistance of a third-party wholesaler or retailer. In this way, the company can cut through intermediaries and increase its margins. However, to be successful the direct-to-consumers company needs to build its own distribution, which in the short term can be more expensive. Yet in the long-term creates a competitive advantage.

C2C Business Model

C2C-business-model
The C2C business model describes a market environment where one customer purchases from another on a third-party platform that may also handle the transaction. Under the C2C model, both the seller and the buyer are considered consumers. Customer to customer (C2C) is, therefore, a business model where consumers buy and sell directly between themselves. Consumer-to-consumer has become a prevalent business model especially as the web helped disintermediate various industries.

Retail Business Model

retail-business-model
A retail business model follows a direct-to-consumer approach, also called B2C, where the company sells directly to final customers a processed/finished product. This implies a business model that is mostly local-based, it carries higher margins, but also higher costs and distribution risks.

Wholesale Business Model

wholesale-business-model
The wholesale model is a selling model where wholesalers sell their products in bulk to a retailer at a discounted price. The retailer then on-sells the products to consumers at a higher price. In the wholesale model, a wholesaler sells products in bulk to retail outlets for onward sale. Occasionally, the wholesaler sells direct to the consumer, with supermarket giant Costco the most obvious example.

Crowdsourcing Business Model

crowdsourcing
The term “crowdsourcing” was first coined by Wired Magazine editor Jeff Howe in a 2006 article titled Rise of Crowdsourcing. Though the practice has existed in some form or another for centuries, it rose to prominence when eCommerce, social media, and smartphone culture began to emerge. Crowdsourcing is the act of obtaining knowledge, goods, services, or opinions from a group of people. These people submit information via social media, smartphone apps, or dedicated crowdsourcing platforms.

Franchising Business Model

franchained-business-model
In a franchained business model (a short-term chain, long-term franchise) model, the company deliberately launched its operations by keeping tight ownership on the main assets, while those are established, thus choosing a chain model. Once operations are running and established, the company divests its ownership and opts instead for a franchising model.

Brokerage Business Model

brokerage-business
Businesses employing the brokerage business model make money via brokerage services. This means they are involved with the facilitation, negotiation, or arbitration of a transaction between a buyer and a seller. The brokerage business model involves a business connecting buyers with sellers to collect a commission on the resultant transaction. Therefore, acting as a middleman within a transaction.

Dropshipping Business Model

dropshipping-business-model
Dropshipping is a retail business model where the dropshipper externalizes the manufacturing and logistics and focuses only on distribution and customer acquisition. Therefore, the dropshipper collects final customers’ sales orders, sending them over to third-party suppliers, who ship directly to those customers. In this way, through dropshipping, it is possible to run a business without operational costs and logistics management.

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About The Author

Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
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