Three things worth asking for
- Product data — structured specifications, identifiers, images
- Honest lead times, including what happens when they slip
- Terms — credit, volume pricing, return of unsold stock
Product identifiers are the one that unlocks marketplace selling. If your supplier has them and has never sent them, that is a five-minute email that expands where you can sell.
Lead time honesty matters more than speed
A supplier who reliably delivers in three weeks is more useful than one who promises one week and delivers in four. You can plan around the first and not around the second.
Track actual lead times per supplier rather than quoted ones. The difference between them is frequently substantial and it is the number you should reorder against.
Single supplier is a risk
- A second source for your best sellers, even at slightly worse terms
- Knowledge of what the alternatives cost, updated occasionally
- Enough stock cover to survive a supplier problem
- An honest view of which supplier relationships are fragile
Businesses discover their supplier concentration risk when a supplier fails, which is the most expensive way to learn it.
Reorder from data, not from noticing
Reordering when someone spots a gap means overstocking some lines and running out of others. Reorder points based on sales velocity and actual lead time fix both.
It is straightforward arithmetic and it is the automation that most changes how a small store operates.
Track supplier performance
| Measure | Why |
|---|---|
| Actual versus quoted lead time | What to reorder against |
| Order accuracy | Short shipments cost you sales |
| Damage rate inbound | Packaging or handling problem |
| Price stability | Whether your margins are predictable |
| Responsiveness | How painful problems will be |