What do you do if you want to wholesale your products but they are limited edition or one-of-a-kind because you use a material that you can’t source consistently?
This is a question I’ve been hearing a lot lately. Whether it’s vintage books or salvaged fabrics, if you don’t have a consistent source for your materials, wholesale may seem out of the equation for you.
But there are ways to make this problem work. You can group products by type, size, design, or some other consistent feature, and let potential retailers know that the actual products they’ll receive will vary. You can send an image of the grouping in advance for a store’s approval. You can offer exchanges to help ease the minds of retailers.
All of these are great strategies, and I’ve seen them work for many people. But what if you took it a step further? What if you turned what you had previously viewed as a liability (the inability to offer a consistent product) into an asset?
Instead of viewing your inconsistent material availability as an obstacle to overcome, why not view it as a virtue to be praised?
Let stores know that these materials are special. That your pieces are unique. That once they’re gone, they are gone.
Not only can you make this a selling point for your stores, this is something that your stores can now use to help sell your products more effectively. If someone falls in love with your piece in the store, the sales staff can use the limited availability to help drive that sale:
“That pillow? It’s made from industrial fabric remnants. There are only twelve like it in the world, so if you love it, you should buy it now.”
Not only can this uniqueness help drive sales, it can turn customers into collectors – people who want to own multiple versions of your products.
So often, all we see are the potential problems in our business. We see the roadblocks and potential pitfalls, especially when you’re doing something different than “the way it’s always done.”
But instead of seeing them as problems, why not turn them into the things that make your business special?
What have you been viewing as a liability for your business that could actually be an asset?
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Want more ideas on selling wholesale with one of a kind and limited edition products? Check out my best selling class on Creative Live, Sell Your Products to Retailers.
I LOVE this idea because my products really are one of a kind. (Whether I like it or not. LOL) My challenge is getting my customers to come to terms with it. I guess I’m a bit fearful to ‘own’ it. Its difficult to turn away a sale because I can’t recreate enough yarn to finish that cardigan because the customer didn’t buy enough to begin with.
They love the one-of-a-kind notion until they run out and need more.
This is exactly the message I needed to hear today. I’ve been approaching stores to carry my limited edition prints but I needed a little something extra to convince them to purchase the limited editions instead of the open editions. Instead of focusing on the fact that they’re more expensive than other people’s prints, I can show them how they are very limited and that few people in the world can own them!
This is a great idea! I am starting to not like making pieces in multiples anymore, but I do make them certain sizes and use various techniques~ Thank you!
Thank you for writing this! This exact issue has been on my mind a lot lately and I wasn’t sure what do to. I’ve been wanting to sell wholesale, but most of my pieces are one-of-a-kind, or in very limited quantities because of the materials I use. Looking at this issue and approaching it from a new perspective will help a lot. Great ideas!
thank you for sharing this. i too, make one of a kind pieces. fashionable dog beds, collars & leashes. they are made from durable, decorative home decor fabrics but are usually remnants. or simply just limited editions because i like the unique. i love the fact that no one else will have exactly what you have. and i will love promoting this fact even more.
This is a great article! I make one-of-a-kind jewelry and have hesitated approaching retail stores thinking that they won’t carry my pieces because I can’t guarantee item consistency. I like the idea of positioning my jewelry as limited edition pieces, and I can stress the quality consistency instead.
In an attempt to attack this same issue I have been trying to streamline what I offer. My product is jewelry and accessories made from polymer and precious metal clay. I found myself trying to recreate the wheel every time I wanted to create something new. Now what works best for me is to perfect a classic shape (bracelet, earrings, belt buckle, etc.) and allow for the creativity to flow in my use of color and complex canes. Thanks to your article I’ve got a little more confidence to approach retailers now.
I’ve been making one-of-a-kinds and limited editions for years now and thankfully my wholesale accounts prefer it that way. Besides, I can’t seem to mass produce without getting cranky. =)
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I love this post. I wholesale one-off pieces of jewellery (made with vintage kimono fabrics) and have always felt like I’ve needed to be a bit apologetic about it. This is a great switch in mindset and something that I can also encourage my stockists to tell their customers. Thank you!