5 Wholesale Websites Where Event Planners Can Shop
For event planning, purchasing all the supplies at a reasonable price is one of the more daunting challenges.
Choose a vendor without researching pricing and you will end up paying more than necessary.
Alternatively, if you select an online vendor that sells cheap products, those items are likely to break, pose a danger or prove faulty in another manner.
Let’s take a quick look at a couple online platforms that provide event supplies at reasonable prices.
1. AliExpress (for events on a budget)
With buying supplies in bulk at fair prices, plenty of event hosts turn to AliExpress.
Check out the AliExpress inventory and you will find competitive pricing on over 100 million products.
The company provides global delivery, website text in five languages and payment through the revered Safe Payment.
AliExpress ships to over 200 nations and regions.
The company even goes as far as providing buyer protection and insurance coverage all the way from the point at which items are purchased up until delivery. AliExpress even provides 24/7 customer service to boot.
In short, this is a monstrous e-tailer backed by the insanely wealthy Alibaba Group that provides products to event hosts and other businesses and consumers in an efficient manner.
The main difference between AliExpress and Amazon is all AliExpress sellers are third-party. As a result, a product that might look respectable has the potential to prove somewhat disappointing.
Be sure to vet the sellers as much as you can and read reviews before buying large quantities of items on AliExpress.
However, the minor risk is worth it as AliExpress prices are incredibly cheap.
2. Kole Imports (for easy purchasing)
Kole Imports has served as one of the top direct general merchandise importers for over three decades.
Here, you will find wholesale prices on an array of goods, making it surprisingly easy to stock up on the supplies necessary for your upcoming event.
Regardless of what you are looking for, you will likely find it on Kole Imports’ website. If you are located near Carson,CA, you can check out Kole Imports’ merchandise with your own eyes.
The showroom resembles a retail store, making it quite easy to peruse the merchandise in a timely manner.
3. DHgate (for your event party supplies)
Every event needs at least a little décor and fun.
Look no further than DHgate for décor and party supplies of all types.
This Chinese wholesale platform has emerged as the world’s top wholesale platform for items made in China.
Though the goods are sourced from China, they are high in quality and quite affordable. All in all, DHgate has more than 30 million products for sale.
The online platform has over 20 million worldwide registered buyers along with a couple million Chinese sellers.
4. Costco (for convenient, risk-free shopping)
Costco?
What is this, I've never heard this word before.
Um, ya right.
Most people have heard of Costco yet plenty have not considered the retail giant for purchasing event supplies in bulk.
Costco is a multi-billion dollar retailer with warehouses in eight nations. Get a Costco membership and you will be able to purchase massive quantities of goods for all of your events without paying through the nose.
Aside from its expansive merchandise selection, Costco is also revered for its specialty department convenience, unique member services, refund policy and reasonable pricing.
All in all, Costco warehouses have 4,000 stock keeping units or SKUs for short.
5. Faire (for a worry-free shopping experience)
Faire’s slogan is “wholesale without the hassle”, meaning the company provides large quantities of event supplies and other items at affordable prices.
In fact, Faire makes the buying process risk-free: returns are completely free.
This boutique wholesale business has a wide array of products, flexible payment terms and free shipping on the first order.
