Every small business owner is privy to the benefits of buying in bulk. Buying in bulk can save on delivery costs and help to curb the use of unnecessary packaging, which is particularly beneficial if your business is passionate about sustainability. Furthermore, buying in bulk reduces the cost per unit, saving you money on your business expenses. But what should you buy in bulk, and what isn’t worth it? Consider this helpful guide to buying in bulk for your small business.
Office Supplies
Regardless of company size, offices invariably get through eye-watering amounts of office supplies, from printing paper to ballpoint pens. Although many offices are striving to become paperless, either for environmental or efficiency reasons, your small business will inevitably require office supplies to tackle the ever-extensive list of administrative tasks. Furthermore, the cost of necessities such as printer ink is perpetually rising, making the need to cut costs all the more crucial. You may be able to save a significant amount of money by taking advantage of wholesale discounts and clearance offers on office supplies.
Product Components
Suppose you’ve created a small business selling handmade items such as jewellery, cosmetics, artwork or ornaments. In that case, you will likely get through a remarkable amount of components and materials to produce your merchandise. Instead of buying small batches of paint, clay and other creative materials from craft shops and supermarkets, you can save money by purchasing them in bulk from wholesalers. You can also buy a wholesale club membership, granting you access to discounted goods and materials.
Business Cards
Contrary to popular belief, business cards are still excellent for marketing and networking and are still relevant in today’s predominantly digital, paperless business environment. Most printing companies offer business cards at a minimum of 50 cards per batch; however, the cost per unit dramatically decreases the more you order. Unless you expect changes to your business or contact details in the foreseeable future, it is always worth purchasing more business cards than you think you’ll need.
Free Gifts
Many small businesses pack their orders with small gifts and tokens of appreciation to encourage brand loyalty and improve customer experience. Free gifts can be anything from hand-written notes to stickers to discount vouchers to increase the likelihood of repeat orders. If you like to include extra surprises in your customer orders, it’s always worth buying in bulk to ensure you’re never caught short having to send out a package without something to express your gratitude.
Packaging
Most small businesses purchase their product packaging in bulk. If nothing else, buying packaging in bulk will save you the hassle of buying boxes, bubble wrap and jiffy bags separately for every order. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to stick with dull, plain packaging when you buy in bulk - you can support your brand aesthetic by ordering custom packaging and gift boxes from wholesale UK suppliers. Alternatively, you could always personalise plain packaging with bulk-ordered brand stickers or stamps.
Ingredients
If you own a small catering business, you will more than likely need to purchase bulk ingredients to fulfil regular orders. For example, one 25kg bag of flour bought from food wholesalers will cost you significantly less than the equivalent weight made up of individual 1.5kg bags purchased from a local supermarket. However, if your orders are sporadic, buying bulk ingredients, particularly perishable items like fresh fruit and vegetables, may not be worth buying.
Break Room Supplies
Once your business expands and you become responsible for a team of loyal employees, you can improve job satisfaction and decrease turnover by boosting the quality of their working environment. You can do this by supplying the office and breakroom with creature comforts like tea, coffee, snacks and bottled water. Of course, these are all items you can save money on when you buy in bulk. For example, you can purchase a bag of almost 500 branded tea bags for as little as £10 - ideal as your employee numbers increase.
What Shouldn’t You Buy In Bulk?
As mentioned previously, purchasing perishable items in bulk is inadvisable unless you are absolutely sure they will be used. Furthermore, if your business produces natural cosmetics, toiletries and skin care products, you should be highly selective about which ingredients you buy in bulk, as some expired ingredients can cause irritation and infections.