Selling on Ozon does not automatically mean earning. With rising competition, commissions and costs, the sellers who win are the ones who buy well and build margin into the product at the sourcing stage. Here are three ways to find a supplier and a few rules for choosing a reliable partner.
Start by making the goal specific
A useful mental trick first: once you clearly set yourself the task of finding a supplier, your brain starts filtering everything around you and focuses on that task. You suddenly notice trade show ads, overhear conversations about factories in Turkey, and discover that a friend from the gym has a relative who owns a garment factory.
So the first step is to make the goal as concrete as possible: which product, what volume, what price, what quality requirements. That cuts the noise and speeds up the search.
Way 1: local wholesale markets
This suits beginners who are just entering product business and want to test a niche. If you are new to Ozon, have not fully figured out the product side and are not ready for large volumes, wholesale markets are the most natural option.
Pros:
- You can buy 10 to 20 units and take a small batch easily.
- You can touch the goods, check quality and see whether the product is any good.
- You can often negotiate, especially on a repeat purchase.
In Moscow the big ones are Sadovod and Yuzhnye Vorota, in St Petersburg Apraksin Dvor, and every region has its own local wholesalers and distributor warehouses.
In essence, you take what you are given. The formula is simple: this scheme works when you have a small budget and want to test a niche fast. You go to the market, buy the goods, try them on a small budget and see whether the market responds and whether people buy from you.
Way 2: Chinese platforms
This suits people who think like business owners and already understand they want to build a business rather than just test an idea. Here you can buy directly from the manufacturer, especially from China. There are many sourcing routes; the simplest is Alibaba.
Alibaba is good for a start: English support, easy negotiations, contacts built quickly. You can order samples and request customization such as applying your brand. There are also protections, contracts and so on.
1688 is for more advanced goals. It works only in Chinese, so you will need a translation tool, which makes it a bit harder. But prices are typically 15 to 30 percent lower than on Alibaba. You can work through agents or translators.
Pros:
- As a rule, the lowest cost of goods when you order genuinely large volumes.
- Ability to produce under your own brand, apply labels and make modifications.
- Wide assortment and flexible terms.
Cons:
- Long logistics.
- Quality is often hard to control, especially without experience or a partner in China who can inspect goods.
- Large prepayment and the risk that goods arrive defective or in the wrong packaging.
Chinese suppliers are open to negotiation, especially if you are confident in negotiations and have sourced before; they tend to meet you halfway.
Way 3: hybrid, with local producers
The third way is a hybrid: a producer, usually based domestically. There is a solid layer of local manufacturers who work on terms like a trial order of 50 to 100 units and partial dropshipping. They often offer these formats.
If you show you are serious, you will find them not on retail floors but on second or third floors and in warehouses. You can also find them through classifieds, trade shows and industry chats and forums.
Pros:
- Fast delivery, so you can quickly restock bestsellers.
- The same language and a familiar mindset: you can talk, meet and build real contact.
Cons:
- The price is often higher than in China, though there are exceptions: you can also get a fairly low price with good quality locally.
- Quality is not always stable, which is why supplier selection needs real care.
How to choose a reliable supplier
Always check whether the supplier has a website and a price list with wholesale terms. And always check whether they sell on Wildberries and Ozon themselves. Many suppliers already run their own marketplace stores.
If you compete with them, they will not like it: they will start cutting prices to push you out. You end up with stock that does not sell because your supplier is undercutting you. In short, if your supplier trades on marketplaces, it is better not to consider them.
More places to look
- Trade shows. Industry exhibitions are a strong channel for meeting producers directly.
- Search engines. Add "wholesale" and "manufacturer" to the category name in Google or another search engine to reach suppliers directly.
- Trips abroad. Suppliers are often found along the way: you go to China, visit factories, meet someone, get interested, make contact and start selling.
The key point about working with suppliers: sourcing is not a one-off task, it is always part of the strategy.
Keep improving your terms
The best sellers, the top ones in their categories, are constantly improving their terms. They change manufacturers, revisit price, add new perks and automate purchasing, using different options to grow. So if you are just starting to look for a supplier, begin at the level you are at and move up step by step.
What to do
Use the three sourcing routes depending on your budget and experience. Vet suppliers carefully, and never stop improving your terms.
