A supplier is a company that sells direct (raw) materials, semi finished products, or finished products to other companies for resale. For example, if you plan to establish a retail furniture store, you will need to find a supplier who will sell you the furniture you intend to carry. In this case, the furniture is considered a finished product which will be sold to end consumers. If, on the other hand, you plan to make the furniture yourself and sell it to various retail stores, you will be required to buy the materials (direct materials) needed to make the furniture (IE wood, glue, nails, fabric, tacks, and so on).  In essence, most businesses require a supplier regardless of the type of company structure (manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer).
 
 

HOW TO FIND SUPPLIERS:
Most individuals who have a product idea know what they want to sell but don't know who to buy the products or raw materials from. As mentioned above, you will buy your raw materials or products from suppliers such as manufacturers or wholesalers. Where do you find these entities?

The best place to find suppliers is through Manufacturer and Wholesale Directories. Such directories are available at your local library and some are even available on the Internet. The five most common Manufacturer Directories include;
 
 

The Thomas Register, the Dun & Bradstreet Book of Manufacturers and the American Wholesaler's Directory, list US manufacturers and wholesalers.  The  Canadian Company Capabilities and the Canadian Trade Index list Canadian manufacturers and wholesalers.  Moreover, The Thomas Register is recommended for individuals searching for US suppliers, while the Canadian Company Capabilities is recommended for those searching for Canadian suppliers.
 
 

THE THOMAS DIRECTORY:
The Thomas Directory lists over 150,000 US manufacturers. The directory itself consists of 23 volumes and is divided into three sections. The first section includes Volume 1 through 14 and lists, in alphabetical order, the products and services that each supplier provides. In addition, manufactures are alphabetically listed by state, and city. This becomes extremely useful when trying to find suppliers that are within the same state in which you plan to establish your business venture.

The second section of the Thomas Register consists of volumes 15 and 16. These volumes provide you with a profile on each supplier contained within the directory. For instance, the profile usually includes supplier's assets, its product specialties, export information, address and telephone number. If you want to find a supplier of a particular brand name product, you will certainly find volume 16 beneficial.

The third section of the Thomas Register consists of volume 17 through 23. These volumes provide detailed information on supplier products.

You will find these product catalogues extremely useful when selecting a supplier(s) for your business. It is important to note, however, not all manufacturers listed within the Thomas Register have catalogues of their products in volumes 17 through 23.

Manufacturers directories are relatively inexpensive to buy.  Thomas Register costs $240 dollar (US) for a paper copy and $395 for a CD Rom copy. Check your local library for these directories. If your local library does not have them, most universities and colleges will.  If you have access to the Internet, you will find the following "manufacturer directories" at their respective URL addresses;
 
 

Thomas Register                                            www. ThomasRegister.com
 

The Canadian Company Capabilities           strategis.ic.gc.ca

If you would like to purchase the Thomas Register or have any problems locating specific manufacturers, you may wish to contact the publisher of the Thomas Register at (212) 290 7277
 

For a discussion on Selecting the "right" Supplier for you, please click here.