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Greetings!
Does anyone have experience partnering with a manufacturer?
I recently made an acquaintance who created and manufactures a line of skin care products. These have gotten wonderful International press reviews in the likes of GQ, Vogue, Etc. She currently sells through her own website and about a dozen retail stores in her local area. She doesn’t have an eBay presence, but is interested in talking with me more about it.
On one hand, I could simply become another reseller for her like the retail stores. I imagine they buy it wholesale and then sell at their retail price. They profit the difference.
On the other hand, this product is marketed as high-end and would look sort of out of place in my all-purpose eBay store. I almost think it would be more beneficial to help her create her own presence and perhaps run it for her. That said, I’m not sure how the logistics would work or what I should charge for doing so.
I’m curious if anyone here has ever worked with somebody in this way and would be willing to share your experiences with me.
Cheers.
~Christian
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If I were in your position I would lean towards opening a new store dedicated to this product and consider Amazon also after getting the eBay store running routinely. Warehousing the product is another consideration, as well as the shipping labor if the orders take off. I would want some kind of exclusive agreement for online sales if I could get it, and payment terms that would help float the inventory cost. It might be wise to try to hire, or partner with, someone with experience in skincare products unless you have the knowledge, but the learning curve might not be too big either.
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Thanks for the response. I tend to agree with you.
I’d want to create a new store to be exclusive to this product. Mixing with my own detracts from the high end nature of the product. The question would be whether I do it myself or operate it through her account. Both have pluses and minuses.
I like the idea of working out payment terms. If I was purely retailing, I wouldn’t want to be saddled up front with high inventory costs for an item I’m unsure will sell. Ebay is not the best platform for this, and I agree both Amazon and Etsy would be better, but I have no experience with either. I’m a quick learner though. Becoming the exclusive eBay retailer would be beneficial.
I’m prepared to take on shipping, handling, and storage up to a point. If things really took off, getting warehouse space and hiring someone wouldn’t be out of the question.
I’ve just sent a list of four different options to her to get the conversation started. I appreciate the additional voices though while going through this negotiation. Certainly helpful. Cheers.
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I’m as surprised as you!
I’ve seen the publicity she generated, mostly in British fashion magazines. I’m actually curious to learn what her press connection is over there. She appears to still be a small business, but as I said, she does have retail partners in her area and is expanding. She knows the science of what she’s created, but the tech side of business is apparently new to her.
We met earlier this month at an annual concert festival we both attended. Of all places! We were both at an after party in one of the hotel courtyards and just ended up in conversation. We connected on Facebook before parting ways. The next day she commented to me that she was impressed with my history in politics. (I used to be a political consultant, but dropped it as a career in 2015 for my own mental health.)
There is nothing in stone yet. Last night I sent her a message with some ideas I had and requested that she give me a call to discuss further.
Not sure where this will go. Could be huge. Could be nothing. I guess the lesson is just to always be networking. You never know who you will meet and what opportunities are available.
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