Make money with B2B ecommerce, even with just 1 product

[YoungPadawan]

Something kind of crazy I found out is that you can also find your competition's leads if they are exporting on panjiva.com.

 

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[shubham525]

Yeah , one of my friends supplies toilet paper holders to hotels etc.

 

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[yomtov]

I've been thinking for potential products to sell to hotels for years, and the first thing that pops up to my mind is "courtesy lines", but, as you said, there are already suppliers with a wide offer. So it's not a good option, unless you can offer something with a competitive advantage. Can you make something different with courtesy lines?

Since you've been a hotel director for 15 years, you know better than any other what hotels use everyday. You may also think at services, for the hotel or customers, not just products.

Also, can you remember any frequent issues and complaints?

Hi pershing,

Frequent issues and complaints? Price of the room, check out time, size of the beds, too warm or too cold, etc....that s the kind of camplaints I personnaly had... so no product nor service for these.
Regarding my managment, it was the optimization of the rates but now there are good softwares for this.
What was really recurent was bottles of gel soap and shampoos (and toilet paper!) and breakfast products and cleaning products. Expensive and several orders

 

[whiterabbit]

Hi,

I have an idea of something you may be interested in in terms of chemical. Im based in the U.K. and China (live in both). I've sent you a PM.

 

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[Pershing]

I also looking for some good books about negotiation method to learn. Can you give a recommendation? Thanks.

"Never split the difference" is a great book

 

[Guest-5ty5s4]

Sorry for the bump but this might be my favorite thread on the forum.

 

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[Taktik]

Interesting concept. I am interested in doing the same. The problem I face at the moment is, that I don't know, how to find products.

 

[SunnyN]

Would love to build a wordwide network of entrepreneurs wanting to apply a similar concept and share material, and I mean oppotunities and marketing.

The idea sounds great. Can we collaborate, even I may be able to bring in some resources (considering outsourcing opportunities too, if u want)

 

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[samuraijack]

Are you basically ordering large volumes from manufacturers and selling it to businesses who need it in lower quantities?

 

[samuraijack]

When I was a manufacturer, I produced in quantities to meet expected demand, but I always had sufficient raw materials in stock to meet sudden demand. In that business I also sold products for which I only carried samples that I could demonstrate or display. When I received orders that's when I bought the required amount, so inventory was low.

When importing, I also only carried a stock of samples to display, and ordered overseas as soon as I got an order. NO inventory.

What i meant is that, most people starting a b2b business wouldnt be manufacturing, instead importing the product. The main value you offer is that you carry the stock that you import. That way you offer faster lead time/ smaller quantities rather then the business having to order from overseas themselves? There are of course other scenarios, but I wanted to clarify if this was the specific strategy the OP was talking about.

In my skin care business, my manufacturer would order packaging from US packaging companies, but i'm sure most of them are supplied by China. Instead of buying 20,000 pcs, he can just order 2500 pcs, at a marked up price, delivered much quicker. The risk would be holding stock that no one wants.

 

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[banjoa]

Let's say you want to sell plastic containers, just a trivial example (not a good product to sell, because they are bulky), you'll not market them to those wanting to put in whatever they want. You'll prepare laser targeted marketing for every potential client from several industries.

Pershing thanks for the great thread.

I don't really get this part.

Can you please elaborate.

 

[banjoa]

I mean that you should not make general marketing selling plastic containers, but prepare the messages for each type of potentical client with specific applications. They will better understand how your product can be useful for them.

Hope is clear now

Yes.
Very clear now.
Thank you.

 

[yomtov]

Hi all, thank you for this interesting thread.
I ve been hotel director for 15 years but the hotel has been sold and now I'm reconverting in the food area.
When I try to find an idea regarding this b2b thread, it s blank page for me. I don't know where to start. Sorry if I don't have the state of mind but it s weird how I my brain has hard to dig into new areas regarding needs from other sectors than hotel industry.
So let say, I want to find a product for the hotel businesses (it s the only one I really know and I have a good network). Just for example, what was really recurent were the guest amneties: soap, shower gels, shampoos, toilet paper, shoe shine kits, etc...but there are tons of suppliers offering a huge panel of products. So, not a good idea to start with? not specific enough? And it is not one product but many...so what would be a one product need in this sector? light bulbs? cleaning products? deodorizers? napkins? vacuum cleaner and bags? What could be a one product supplier for hotels?
I'm a good worker and really creative but when it s about starting with a good new idea...I m lost.
I need a sparkle to start the engine.
I think it s a problem most of the newbies entrepreneurs have...If someone could provide more concrete examples it would help. Milk and ice cream shop is an image, not a good example, at least in my cold country.

Thank you and regards

 

[zeros-only]

It's funny you mention this.

There is a special hazardous packaging, that if available... from any source... we would be doing exclusive business with that source.

For now, we are having to use a less than ideal solution, that is wildly expensive to boot.

I definitely see the value of the business model you're discussing.

Could you give more details on this...if you're OK with that...(even via PM)...I've worked in sourcing before and I'd like to see if I can still work my sourcing stuff...

 

[yomtov]

Hi pershing,

Frequent issues and complaints? Price of the room, check out time, size of the beds, too warm or too cold, etc....that s the kind of complaints I personnaly had... so no product nor service for these.
Regarding my managment, it was the optimization of the rates and availabilities but now there are good softwares for this.
What was really recurent was bottles of gel soap and shampoos (and toilet paper!) and breakfast products and cleaning products. Expensive and several orders a month.
For the guest amenities we received the products 2 weeks after order placed. We had lot of stock so it wasn t a big problem. May be offering bigger bottles with better look and colours for the same price. Be able to provide within days? I don't know. There are huge actors in this market making a good job. Don't know what value I could add.

 

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[Hijena1]

It's funny you mention this.

There is a special hazardous packaging, that if available... from any source... we would be doing exclusive business with that source.

For now, we are having to use a less than ideal solution, that is wildly expensive to boot.

I definitely see the value of the business model you're discussing.

So you are saying, there is the need

Something like this?

Boxes

 

[chevenix]

...after some emails, calls, and negotioating tricks I learned from books.

I also looking for some good books about negotiation method to learn. Can you give a recommendation? Thanks.

 

[Fatrys]

It seems interesting to investigate into the cleaning aspect. There are some new products for coating ceramics, fabrics and metals. It's a nanotechnology in the form of liquid glass. You spray them on the surface and then it is easier to clean. Hotels can apply inside the toilet and clean faster. Search for "nanotechnology coatings", amazing niche I tried to get into, but gave up because I still don't know the long term health issues of breathing that products.

This is a gem with a big potential.

Would this mean becoming a distributor of an existing brand (no control though) or look for a way to have it manufactured and sell it under your own brand?

I looks like there are many patents in this field. For heating gas, I guess it is not a concern.

 

[Anon64574]

Any updates?

 

[francevalue]

Thanks for the thread. Any updates @Pershing ?

 

[AFMKelvin]

Another case study is a guy that makes extract of a plant and sells to pharma industry. He's doing very good, and spent no more than 5,000 to start.

can you tell me more about this