Wholesale CBD: 7 buying tips

It's harvest time! Many hemp farms have begun harvesting and drying what they've planted for the season. For a competent CBD entrepreneur who understands the laws of supply and demand, this is the best time to order your products from a CBD wholesaler. Because despite the raging pandemic, prices will be relatively low in the coming weeks.

Now that business is moving online, you'll find many wholesale offers for CBD products on the web. It's like ordering a pizza delivered to your door, it's quick and easy. However, you may have to deal with pizza delivery disappointments, such as delays, high delivery charges, poor delivery or less cheese than you ordered. And there are even more risks with CBD!

Given the complexity of the CBD market, we've put together this guide entitled "Wholesaler CBD: 7 buying tips" to help you make sense of it all. Without further ado, let's discover the first tip together!

Educate yourself and become an authority on the CBD market

Don't be like John.

John read online that the CBD sector was valued at an impressive $4.6 billion (around €3.9 billion) in 2018, with growth forecast to 2025 at an impressive annual rate of 22.2%. Seduced by these figures, he rushed in, convinced that he would become a successful entrepreneur overnight.

Unfortunately, John didn't take the time to understand the specifics of the cannabidiol market. He botched his business plan, didn't properly evaluate his suppliers, and rushed headlong into the market, hoping for a quick profit. The result: heavy losses in the first few months and a brand that didn't survive.

This kind of mistake is avoidable. That's precisely what we cover in our guide "Wholesaler CBD: 7 buying tips", designed to help you avoid the classic pitfalls and build a solid project. Before taking the plunge, get to know the product, legislation, supply chain and quality requirements.

Building a sustainable business in the hemp sector takes time, strategy and a good understanding of the realities on the ground. That's why "Wholesaler CBD: 7 buying tips" focuses on the importance of rigorous sourcing, tailored to your market objectives.

When you're ready to take the plunge, enjoy the harvest season and order intelligently from a supplier, don't forget that "Wholesale CBD: 7 buying tips" can serve as an indispensable roadmap.

Compliance

Before placing any wholesale orders, check out our guide to "CBD wholesalers: 7 buying tips". After all, it's essential to fully understand the many legal aspects of CBD, particularly as regards the laws applicable in the regions where you wish to sell your products.

As we point out here in our guide "Wholesaler CBD: 7 buying tips", hemp legislation can vary considerably from country to country, but also from region to region, and even from canton or département to département.

THC requirements for legal hemp are a good example. You see, THC being a psychoactive compound, it is categorized in most jurisdictions as a narcotic. Only a few regional governments and countries have legalized it for recreational use.

Ask yourself these three questions:

1. What is the geolocation of your target market?
2. What is the local definition of hemp in terms of THC limits?
3. Does your CBD order from a wholesaler tick all the legal boxes in your target market?

Hemp is in the news more than ever. Since then, law enforcement agencies have done their utmost to regulate this sensitive market. If you don't comply with these regulations, you'll be digging your company's own grave while waiting for law enforcement to arrive to close the coffin and bury it. So, as a CBD wholesaler, it's crucial to remain compliant with legislation to ensure the long-term future of your business.

Adapting to your target market

Let's talk about your business plan. Who are your buyers? Who is your target market and what do they want from you? Here's an example of why you need to match your target audience when it comes to hemp products.

In 2017, theWorld Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed cannabidiol extracted from hemp from its list of substances banned for professional athletes. However, the agency still bans all other cannabinoids, including THC, which athletes must regularly have tested for.

So, if your brand targets professional athletes, you should avoid hemp extracts or processed products containing any amount of THC - even if the legal limit is met. This is the essence of knowing and understanding your market when ordering your CBD wholesale.

CBD wholesaler: do you buy quality hemp?

One of the most valuable, and unfortunately increasingly rare, qualities in the hemp industry is transparency. Hemp, a fascinating and complex plant, can easily become hot hemp if its THC content exceeds legal thresholds at the time of harvest. In this case, an entire growing season can be lost for the grower. That's why you need to be vigilant, as we point out in our guide "Wholesaler CBD: 7 buying tips".

Dishonest sellers will easily mislead you by offering affordable hemp that doesn't meet your needs. There have been cases where CBD market research has revealed products with THC content above legal limits or CBD content below that advertised.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid misleading advertising:

• Is hemp organic and GMO-free?
• Was it planted indoors, in a greenhouse or outdoors?
• In which country was the cannabis grown, and what are the local or national quality assurance protocols?
• Is the laboratory test available from a recognized laboratory?

How can you find the answers to these questions? Read sellers' online presence and filter out red flags. Next, you can ask local authorities about the seller's licensing and quality assurance. Finally, take a close look at the certificate of authenticity, if available. You can also request a sample of CBD products and have them analyzed yourself in a reputable, independent laboratory.

Online reviews of your CBD wholesaler

Shopper behavior is changing thanks to the reliability of the internet. A 2018 report showed that more shoppers are reading online reviews before buying products - online or in-store. This has become normal in our digital world.

Online reviews tell you what other buyers think of the seller and the sales experience. You'll be able to answer questions such as:

• Is the seller a fraudster?
• Does the CBD wholesaler deliver exactly what is purchased on time?
• Is the vendor easy to work with?
• Are there any problems with wholesale CBD orders and, if so, how has the seller resolved them?
• Where can you get such reviews? Some brands choose to integrate customer reviews on their websites, but customers also rate their experiences directly on sites like Trusted Shops. If you're missing all these elements, why not head straight to the seller's social networking pages?

One thing: beware of fake reviews in online PR or from sites that use their own review system.

Big business versus small business

Since the pandemic, many companies are struggling to stay afloat, and most are looking to save every penny. In this context, choosing the right supplier becomes essential. As we point out in "Wholesaler CBD: 7 buying tips", it's crucial to evaluate your wholesaler CBD in terms of your market positioning and long-term objectives.

If your priority is to save as much as possible through bulk orders, you could turn to a new hemp seller. These suppliers often offer attractive rates in order to build up a larger customer portfolio. But beware: in "Wholesale CBD: 7 buying tips", we stress the importance of not basing your decision on price alone.

However, if you have deep pockets, you can choose to order your CBD in bulk from an established brand. This will cost you more, but here's why it can be a game-changer. Associating your brand with a recognized CBD wholesaler gives you an edge over your competitors. You can easily make your vendor's brand your own influencer later on.

Delivery policy

You've reviewed a plethora of vendors and finally chosen the one you're going to work with - congratulations! But before you commit to a deal, never forget to check your seller's shipping policy.

• How fast does the seller ship, and by what means?
• Is there a guarantee of on-time delivery?
• How will your CDB be packaged to stay pure and powerful?
• Who is responsible for transit shipments and who pays the bill?

Bonus tip

Don't hesitate to ask for quotes and, above all, to compare the different prices on offer. As we explain in our guide "Wholesaler CBD: 7 buying tips", it's a good idea to use price as your final selection criterion, after identifying reliable sellers. By filtering by price alone, you run the risk of overlooking suppliers of pure, quality hemp, or on the contrary of paying too much for overpriced products.

Also consider the costs involved in processing the product. Are you going to buy raw CBD flowers for processing, or do you prefer finished products such as oils ready for white labeling? This type of question is addressed in our article "CBD wholesaler: 7 buying tips", designed to help professionals make the right choices.

Did you know that Naturalpes is also a wholesaler? Interested in becoming a CBD entrepreneur? Or perhaps you simply have more questions or need more information? The Naturalpes team is at your disposal, and we'll be happy to help.

Written by Johann Boschung

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