Grit PH

How to Find Suppliers in

the Philippines
[Complete Guide]

Last Updated – Dec 7, 2023 @ 6:50 am

So you finally decided to open your own

business. By now, you’ve probably figured out
what product you will sell, who your target
market is, and what your sales channels will
be. Your current dilemma might be where to
find reliable suppliers.

Finding suppliers is one of the most

important tasks of business owners. In fact,
this step is so important that it can make or
break your business. Think of your suppliers as
your most important business partners.

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When you find the right one, it means you

can easily propel your business to reach new
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Looking for suppliers in the Philippines can be

confusing, frustrating, and intimidating if you
don’t know where to start. With this article,
you can be one step closer to finding the best
supplier for your business.

Contents

What is a Business Supplier?

Types of Product Suppliers
Wholesaler
Manufacturer
Dropshippers
Private label
Independent artisans
Importers & exporters
Where to Find Suppliers in the Philippines
Online B2B Marketplaces
Social Media Communities
Trade Shows
How to Find Suppliers in the Philippines
Step 1: Determine the type of supplier you
need
Step 2: Find suppliers online
Step 3: Contact the supplier
Step 4: Start ordering
Step 5: Build relationships with your
suppliers
Tips for Choosing Suppliers for your
Business

What is a Business
Supplier?
A business supplier provides products or
services to businesses like yours. Also called a
“vendor,” suppliers are used by all types of
businesses as a resource for them to function.

The major role of a supplier is to give you

high-quality products, usually made by a
manufacturer, at the best price point.

Imagine if you have a co"ee shop. You need a

supplier of co"ee beans, or maybe someone
to give you other ingredients like cocoa,
sugar, or your takeout cups. Without these
suppliers, you can’t serve the best co"ee to
your customers.

With this in mind, your services mostly rely on

suppliers.

Types of Product
Suppliers
There are many types of suppliers you need
for your business. Here are a few examples.

Wholesaler
A wholesaler is an individual or company that
buys tons of products from manufacturers,
producers, vendors, or farmers.

Most of these products are stored in a

warehouse before it is sold to retailers and
other businesses. In a way, these wholesalers
act as a middle man. They buy products only
for resale or business use.

Manufacturer
Manufacturers are responsible for producing
finished goods made from raw materials. To
do this, they use their equipment, tools, and
processes before it is sold to wholesalers,
suppliers, distributors, other manufacturers,
or retailers.

Dropshippers
This is a type of retail fulfillment method
where stores don’t need to keep the products
they want to sell.

Instead, a store that uses this model

purchases items from a third party
(dropshipping companies) and they have
them shipped directly to their consumers.

When you find a dropshipper, you don’t need

to handle products directly. By not owning
stock or inventory, you don’t need to pay for
warehouses.

Private label
A private label manufacturer makes products
that brands can directly sell to customers.
They ensure that the product quality and
production costs are kept under control.

However, the business that buys private label

products is responsible for advertising them
and setting up new prices.

Private label products can be sold at a higher

price than generic products. Although it
needs a higher upfront investment, it will pay
o" in the long run especially if you make sure
your branding appeals to your target market.

Independent artisans
Independent artisans are workers that are
skilled in making things by hand. They can
make leather goods, textiles, ceramics, food,
and other types of products.

Importers & exporters

An exporter is engaged in sending goods to
another country for trade. Meanwhile, an
importer brings products from a foreign
source to be sold in a domestic market.

Where to Find
Suppliers in the
Philippines
Now that you know the di"erent kinds of
suppliers, it’s finally time to find one for your
business. You can start with these platforms:

Online B2B Marketplaces

It’s not surprising that everything can be
done entirely online now, including looking
for suppliers for your business.

Online B2B marketplaces make it easy for you

to have all the contacts and tools you need
to succeed in your business.

Keep in mind that most of these platforms

only act as a directory for individuals and
businesses who are looking for items to sell
to their clients.

Most products sold here have also been

tested so you don’t need to go through an
arduous process to ensure the products you
buy pass your quality standards.

Here are some of the most trusted online B2B

marketplaces you can try.

SaleHoo
Price: $67 for 1 year
$127 for lifetime access

Founded in 2015, this New Zealand-based

platform has a directory of over 8,000
wholesale suppliers, as well as drop shippers.
These businesses sell millions of goods for
businesses to buy.

When you find an item that you’re interested

in buying, simply get in contact with the
supplier. All suppliers provide their contact
details, minimum order number, and shipping
information on their page.

AliExpress
Price: Free

AliExpress is another great supplier for shops

(physical and e-commerce) that are looking
for a"ordable products in a wide range of
categories.

You may have to do a little bit of digging to

see the best items, but the low cost definitely
makes it worth the e"ort.

Alibaba
Price: Free

This is one of the most popular wholesale

marketplaces for buyers who want to
purchase large quality products at an
a"ordable price. In Alibaba, you can negotiate
directly with di"erent manufacturers so you
can create the o"er for your customers.

Worldwide brands
Price: $299 for lifetime access

This is another directory for businesses that

are looking for the right suppliers. Worldwide
Brands have an impressive list of suppliers
and sellers.

After logging into the website, all you need

to do is look for suppliers by searching any
type of product or a brand name. This will
generate a list of wholesale providers that
can give you the best service.

Results are also regularly updated and

monitored to ensure it only includes genuine
suppliers. This lessens the risk of scams.

Bultuhan
This Philippine wholesale platform has been
growing and taking shape in recent years. It
provides Filipino businesses with the best
local manufacturers and suppliers.

Bultuhan literally means “bulk” so if you want

to purchase anything wholesale without
worrying about expensive shipping and
customs fees, this is one of your top choices.

What makes Bultuhan great is it organizes

suppliers very well. You can browse brands
alphabetically, check out items that are on
bargain sale, or see di"erent featured
products that are on trend.

Burket PH
This is another Philippine-based platform that
matches business owners with suppliers that
can give them the best products.

This B2B online marketplace intelligently

matches users with the top products they are
looking for. These are displayed in a
streamlined manner so you can easily select,
order, and manage everything in a few clicks.

Social Media
Communities
Social media has truly diversified its purpose
in the past years. Now, it is not only meant to
connect you to your friends and family but
also suppliers. Currently, Facebook Groups are
one of the top choices of businesses looking
for a supplier.

One example of a Facebook group you can

join is “Philippines Wholesale, Retail, and
Distributor” where you can find anything
under the sun from soft drinks, food items,
kitchen tools, cleaning products, shirts, and a
lot more.

Another group you can join is “Resellers and

Suppliers PH” where you can get a wide array
of low-cost products.

The way these social media communities

work is that business owners can simply look
up items they are interested in the search bar.
They can also comment on posts or message
people directly if they see an item they like.

Despite this, keep in mind that looking for

suppliers on social media can be a little
stressful, and it puts you at risk for scams. To
avoid this, make sure to ask for proof from
suppliers and read reviews if available.

Trade Shows
Trade shows are exhibitions where
companies (suppliers) in specific industries
can showcase or demonstrate di"erent
products and services.

While there are trade shows that are open to

the public, most of these are on an invite-
only basis and can only be attended by
members of the press and company
representatives.

There are tons of trade shows in the

Philippines, some examples include:

Automechanic Philippines
Plaspak Philippines
Propak Philippines
CyberSecPhil Conference
Getting Married Bridal Fair
Powertrends 2023
Worldbex 2023
Water Philippines
Future Solar Energy Show
PhilBeauty
MAFBEX Manila Foods and Beverages
Expo

Where to find upcoming trade shows in the

Philippines:

10times – Trade Shows in the Philippines

EventsEye – Philippines
nTradeshows – Philippines

How to Find Suppliers

in the Philippines
Want to find the best supplier for your
business? Here are the steps you need to
take.

Step 1: Determine the

type of supplier you need
Before you go about trying to find suppliers
for your business, you should first determine
the kind of supplier you need for your
business.

Go back to the type of suppliers we listed

above and see which one will best help your
business thrive the most.

This step also includes finalizing the list of

products and services you need from
di"erent suppliers. It will be easier to find the
best suppliers if you already know what
you’re looking for in the products you want.

Step 2: Find suppliers

online
Now that you know what kind of supplier you
need, the next step is to search for suppliers
online.

There are hundreds of websites and platforms

you can use to find the best suppliers for your
business.

These include online B2B marketplaces and

Facebook groups that we mentioned above.
You may also look up the pages of trade
shows online so you know what to expect.

Chances are, the first supplier you find will

not be the one you will go for. Finding the
best supplier usually takes a little trial and
error.

The key is to be patient. As much as you can,

avoid settling for a supplier that you’re not
100% satisfied with. This may put your
business at risk in the future.

Step 3: Contact the

supplier
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