tips for starting business

I'm thinking of starting a shop in South Carolina and I'd like to know how do I get contacts at different companies so I can buy their products at wholesale prices. Any tips and ideas will help.

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'85 Toy

I opened about 3 years ago, and only now got into a shop. With out a large backer its hard, but possible. The first steps I can help you with is contact your governing body, maybe the small business assosiation in your area, get the proper Licensing and Federal tax certificate if you need it for your state, get Your Business Name and ficticious name forms and fill them out. Your going to spend some money on all this stuff. After all is clear get your bank accounts, and Credit Cards if you want them. Almost all of the Major companies I deal with want Canceled check and, business card, A local advertisment, and a tax ID Number for my state. The big deal is they dont want you setting up all these accounts with all these distributors and selling out of ypour dorm, ya know. They are pretty protective of who they sell to and Some accounts Like Drive Soft Make you go through a gruelling application process which includeds buying a FULL Drive Soft System for display before buying one to sell. I am going to keep this short if you need more info or you are still interested reply, i'LL get back to you again. Good luck

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*ALwaYs KnoW YoUr SaLEsmAN!!*

I was hoping for more replies than (1).

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'85 Toy

you may get better "wholesale" prices from a distributer like wholesale house than buying from the manufacturer. they have more buying power than you. they can sell to you cheaper. the manufacturer sells based on how many peices your gonna buy. you might want to buy 10 amps. a distributer is gonna buy 400 amps. he gets a better deal. The most important thing I can tell you about your own bizz is CYOA. Cover Your Own ***.

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Big Dave

I will apologize for everybody on this one, I remember when I was trying to open people were a little less than responsive to my requests. I now know why, You see A LOT of people set up accounts to sell from home, local and small shops cant afford to compete. Now if everybody told you where they bought their stuff from they would be signing their own death certificate. You are not in my area and you pose no threat to me, but just the same i would not want you to be able to underbid locals in your area, and I would hope that if someone in my area were to ask the same question that the 12volters out thier would save me as well. I hear it all the time, a customer that plans to open thier own shop and they buy from The wholesale house, well they are probably the biggest pimps, when it comes to whoreing out a product. If you are truely destined to open do what i mentioned in the earlier post, and get all your crudentials, then once complete hit me by post or privatly and I will give you some people to contact, other than that call each manufacturer and tell em your plan, and request a distributor in your area that handles that product. Each distributor handles multiple product lines and most requir a buy in and a quarterly sales min. to keep the account. If your looking for $12 subs call the wholesale house as that is mostly what they deal with. Along with pyramid and pyle, good luck. TAKE care of the Licensing side before anything else, and trust me you need to set up a location, and provide photos to your distributors, they are picky, this all take time and cash so be pactiant.

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*ALwaYs KnoW YoUr SaLEsmAN!!*

Thanks, Firstnbass. I'll PM you later.

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'85 Toy

supradude wrote:

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I was hoping for more replies than (1).

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Have you tried a search on this forum for this topic. It's been brought up countless times in the past couple of years and I'm sure those posts are still available with the use of the search button. Try it out and see what responses other's have given to new business ventures.

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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA

I would listen to Firstnbass he is about right. I'm just starting out my self and sell out of my house. I plan to own a store sometime soon but since I just started college I can't really do that yet. You should know alot of companies/distributors won't sell to you until you have a store. Good luck. P.S. you probably won't be able to sell anything high end :-(.

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Owner
SFV AutoSound

Yea, I agree with you all. Supra, if your looking for the holy grail hook up (alpine, and JL) you really have a ways to go because anyone worth two cents will have those manufacturers stapled shut and for good reason. they can be obtained through dropship distributors, but its about $300 bucks alone for the membership just to get the hook up and then a mile of paperwork and fees, and on and on. For me, I have my tax id#, business cards, local word of mouth and am saving money hoping to find a decent location with even one bay and a 10X12 showroom. The thing with big dogs like alpine and JL is that they wont cross barriers. Where I live (hell) there are two JL dealers and if I want to sell JL I have to open my shop at least 75 miles away. Alpine is easier to get through a distributor and the pricing isn't too different. I refuse not to have alpine personally, so I just order what I need when I need it. Anyways, not to babble but- I would agree with the other gentlemen above and strongly urge you to make some phone calls and send some emails. The sales reps will let you know whats up as they talk to guys like you all the time and they will want your business! They'll just walk you through what to do and thats that. I feel your pain though man. I'm 28 and have been trying to crack my own shop open for 10 years. Don't let that stop you though. Take chances. Just make sure their smart ones! Good luck.

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Lathan Hites
"I'm sorry, without a credit card I'll be requiring a stool sample"

Supradude,

Have you thought about putting a business proposal together, submitting it to a bank to see if you can get a loan large enough to buy out a local shop?
Sometimes its easier to buy someone out,  than to try and start from the ground up

Just a Thought

--Skold

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2004 Honda Civic Ex 4Dr

Kenwood DDX-7015/W Nav
4 Fosgate T152C
Hifonics Brutus BX1500D
RE XXX 12 in a 4 Cube Snail Shell

No, I hadn't thought about  trying that, skoldspuppy. That is a good idea though. There are a couple of places I can look into. Thanks.

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'85 Toy

Your welcome

I hope it works out for you, owning your own business rocks just ask my wife
yet I slave for the man

--Skold

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2004 Honda Civic Ex 4Dr

Kenwood DDX-7015/W Nav
4 Fosgate T152C
Hifonics Brutus BX1500D
RE XXX 12 in a 4 Cube Snail Shell

It is definitely easier to buy someone out rather than start from scratch. It is also much safer.....why.... because you don't have to develop a clientele to sell to. Take over a business, you take over their establish clientele at the same time. I started my shop 10 years ago after being in the industry for 10 years before that. I had all the bases covered as far as how business operates and who to contact and what they can do for me, what I did not have was a storefront or people that I knew would purchase from me.

As it turns out, I filled a hole in a marketplace that is getting larger every year. Now 10 years later, it is time for a change...hence the store for sale.

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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.