4 Proven Techniques to Get Approved by Amazon Wholesale Suppliers

Are you tired of getting rejected by Amazon wholesale suppliers? Do you struggle to know what to say to win their approval and open profitable accounts for your FBA business?

You're not alone. Nearly 90% of sellers say their biggest challenge is knowing how to successfully pitch suppliers.

But here's the good news: getting approved by wholesale suppliers is easier than you might think. After countless conversations with suppliers, I've uncovered the key concerns that make them hesitant to work with Amazon sellers - and the proven techniques you can use to overcome those objections.

By the end of this post, you'll know exactly what to say and do to establish yourself as a serious business owner that suppliers will be eager to work with. Let's dive in!

Understand Suppliers' Top 4 Concerns

First, it's important to understand the reasons why many wholesale suppliers are wary of Amazon sellers. Here are the top 4 concerns I've heard:

1. Poor communication: Many Amazon sellers are unresponsive or rely solely on email, which suppliers find frustrating.
2. Small order sizes: Suppliers are hesitant to take on sellers who only place small orders that don't justify the onboarding effort.
3. Lack of long-term relationships: Suppliers want to work with sellers who will stick around, not disappear after a few orders.
4. Failure to follow MAP policies: Amazon sellers have a bad rap for violating minimum advertised price policies.

Once you know these common objections, you can proactively address them in your conversations with suppliers. I'll share exactly how to do that in a moment. But first, you need to establish the right mindset.

Position Yourself as a Big Fish

When you're first starting out, it's easy to feel like you're a small fish in a big pond. But if you want suppliers to take you seriously, you need to shift your perspective - and theirs.

Here's what I say in my initial conversations with suppliers: "I'm looking to spend another $10,000-20,000 a month with a new supplier. And if I can profitably spend $50,000 a month and don't have the capital, I'll go find the capital."

This simple phrase accomplishes three things:

1. It shows that you're not a small-time seller just dabbling in Amazon. You're building a real business and you mean business.
2. It demonstrates that you're willing to commit to a substantial monthly order volume if the supplier can meet your needs.
3. It puts you in the power position by framing the conversation around your goals and criteria.

Even if you don't have that kind of capital to invest yet, stating your intentions upfront sets the tone that you're a serious seller on a growth trajectory. And it helps you weed out suppliers who aren't a good fit for your business.

Establish Your Buying Criteria

Speaking of your criteria, another key technique is to clearly communicate your standards for profitability and sales volume. Here's what I tell suppliers:

"For me to carry a product, it needs to have at least a 30% gross margin after Amazon fees, generate at least $4 per unit in profit, and sell at least 30 units per month."

Sharing your buying criteria accomplishes a few things:

1. It reinforces that you're a savvy seller who knows your numbers and is focused on profitability.
2. It gives the supplier clear benchmarks to determine if their products are a good fit.
3. It shifts the power dynamic by establishing that you're evaluating them as much as they're evaluating you.

I've found that this approach makes suppliers sit up and take notice. Instead of seeing you as just another Amazon seller, they start to view you as a potential partner who can help grow their business. And if their products don't meet your criteria? Don't be afraid to walk away. There are plenty of other opportunities out there.

Provide Value with Optimization Recommendations

Want to really wow a potential supplier? Show up to your first conversation with a custom analysis of how they can optimize their Amazon listings.

Before reaching out to a supplier, I do my homework and put together a one-page summary of recommendations, such as:

• Improving product titles and descriptions
• Adding more high-quality images
• Updating product categories and attributes
• Adjusting prices to be more competitive
• Securing more reviews

I'll have this document ready to go in a draft email. Then, during the initial call, I'll ask for their email address so I can send it over and have them pull it up while we're talking. This allows me to capture their real-time reaction.

As they look it over, I say something like: "This is just a preview of the kind of optimizations I provide for my supplier partners. My goal is to help grow your overall sales, not just my own piece of the pie."

Suppliers are always impressed by this level of initiative and attention to detail. It shows that you're not just in it for yourself, but that you're invested in driving their success on Amazon. And that's the kind of seller that suppliers want to work with.

Leverage Amazon PPC to Boost Sales

The final technique I use to seal the deal with suppliers is to explain how I use Amazon pay-per-click (PPC) ads to drive incremental sales.

I tell them, "For every new product I carry that has at least a $10 profit margin, I immediately test PPC ads. I start with a $10 daily budget and scale up winning keywords to $100+ per day. On average, this allows me to boost sales by 25% or more."

This shows suppliers two things:

1. I'm proactive about marketing their products and driving sales velocity.
2. I'm able to generate additional demand, not just capture existing demand.

For many suppliers, the idea of a seller partner who will actively invest in advertising their products is a huge selling point. It sets you apart from all the other Amazon sellers who simply list products and hope for the best.

Putting it All Together

Okay, so now that you know the four key techniques, let's recap how to put it all together when reaching out to a new wholesale supplier:

1. Have your listing optimizations recommendations ready to go in a draft email.
2. Open the conversation by building rapport and finding common ground. Don't lead with the fact that you sell on Amazon.
3. Proactively address the supplier's likely concerns about Amazon sellers (poor communication, small orders, etc).
4. Establish your criteria and monthly order volume goals to position yourself as a serious buyer.
5. Ask for their email to send over your optimization one-pager and review it together.
6. Explain how you use PPC ads to drive a 25%+ lift in sales on top of your other marketing efforts.

With practice, you'll be able to navigate these conversations with ease and greatly increase your chances of getting approved. You can turn this blog post into a highly actionable checklist to routinely add new wholesale accounts.

Remember, the key is to approach each supplier conversation with confidence, preparation, and a focus on how you can drive value for their business - not just your own.

By implementing these five proven techniques, you'll stop being seen as just another Amazon seller and start being viewed as a valuable partner that suppliers will be eager to work with.