Sourcing Request vs Supplier Directory: Which Is Better?
Buy a supplier list and you get a spreadsheet of names. That's the moment most sellers realize they've been sold the wrong thing.
Because a name on its own is worth almost nothing. You still have to find out if they carry your product, what they charge, whether they have stock, and whether they're even still trading. The list didn't do the hard work. It just charged you before the hard work started. There's a better way to go about this, and it comes down to changing what you pay for and when.
What a Supplier Directory Actually Sells You
Here's what you're really buying with a supplier list. You pay upfront, and you get contacts. That's the whole product.
No prices. No stock levels. No proof the supplier carries what you're after, or that the listing is even current. Some of those names have moved on, closed down, or stopped carrying the thing you wanted years ago. You don't find that out until after you've paid and started emailing.
So, the order is backwards. You pay first, and you learn the truth later, one dead lead at a time.
Why Finding a Supplier's Name Was Never the Hard Part
Most supplier lists miss something simple. Finding a name was never the difficult bit of sourcing.
Anyone can turn up a distributor's name with enough searching. What's actually hard is everything after the name. Do they carry your product? At what cost? Do they have stock right now? Are they worth the time it takes to apply and build a relationship? Those are the questions that decide whether a supplier is any use to you, and a list answers none of them.
So, a directory hands you the easy part, the name, and leaves you to do all the hard parts yourself. You paid for the one piece you could have found for free.
How a Sourcing Request Works Instead
A request works the other way round. You start with the product, not a name.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't a supplier list cheaper than a subscription?
Cheaper to buy, maybe. But you're paying for names with no promise any of them are useful, and the time you lose chasing dead leads costs more than the list did. A request is free to send, and you only pay when there's a real supplier to connect with.
Do I still get the supplier's contact details with a request?
Yes. Once a supplier is found and you decide to connect, you get their name, address, and email. On a paid plan, you also get their full live catalog. The details come at the end, once you've seen the numbers and decided it's worth it.
What if no one carries the product I request?
Then we tell you, and it costs you nothing. Some products have closed distribution and can't be sourced, and we'd rather say so than leave you waiting. Either way you get an answer within 30 days, and sending the request was free.
The B2B SupplierHub Team
Wholesale & sourcing
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