The garment
industry supply
chain has two
separate routes
from
manufacturer to
end consumer.
Large retailers
purchase enough
goods to buy
direct from the
manufacturer.
Many design and
contract
directly with
overseas
suppliers.
Smaller
retailers do not
purchase enough
quantity at a
single time, or
do not have the
resources to
source overseas,
and therefore go
through a
wholesaler. A
wholesaler
purchases from
multiple direct
(the
manufacturer) or
indirect
(importer or
other
wholesaler)
sources, and
sells in smaller
quantities to
retailers. There
is a cost, or
markup
associated with
this service.
On the other
side of the
retail supply
chain are
wholesale
liquidators.
They purchase
excess unsold
inventory from
manufacturers,
wholesalers, and
retailers. They
consolidate the
leftover
inventory,
usually by class
of merchandise,
and sell to
small retailers,
outlet and
discount stores,
and online
retailers. They
purchase the
leftover goods
at a steep
discount from
the original
price, and thus
offer an
opportunity for
small stores and
online retailers
to obtain
branded goods at
a discounted
price, for
retail in their
markets.
Wholesale
liquidators sell
their products
by the pallets
case lot, or
truckload. They
use multiple
methods for
selling their
products, from
online auctions
to fixed price
lot sales.
Quality and
service varies
greatly between
liquidators.
Mens Wholesale
Apparel
Wholesale mens
apparel is
purchasable
through many
liquidators and
salvage
wholesalers.
Mens apparel is
less constrained
by current
fashion trends
and lends itself
to quality
salvage goods.
Brand names are
readily
available,
although newer
items in popular
sizes are often
difficult to
obtain in the
salvage market.
Womens Wholesale
Apparel
Womens fashion
tends to be
trendier. Poor
selling and off
sized
merchandise is
easily found in
the salvage
wholesaler's
inventory. Hot
and trendy items
are rare, as
they are usually
sold out in the
stores.
Sometimes these
are available
when the item is
hot regionally,
but does not
sell well in
other areas of
the country.
Beware of
imitation
products.
Branded
companies, such
as Gap do not
allow
manufacturers to
create excess
apparel, yet
merchants
advertising
overruns are
common. Beware
of these, as
they are almost
always
imitations.
Childrens
Wholesale
Apparel
Children's
clothing is
fairly trend
free, with brand
names items
leading demand.
As with women's
clothing, there
is no back
channel
"overrun"
merchandise with
these brands,
instead
imitations
abound. However,
wholesale
liquidators do
provide access
to legitimate
merchandise at
below wholesale
prices, but
inspect the
goods closely.