Pet supplies are usually available at your local grocery store, or even specialty shops that sell pet foods and accessories. However, if you run a pet-related business, or if you have a lot of pets you can save money by buying pet supplies in bulk. You can either have these delivered, or you can even buy outright and carry them yourself if you have a truck. But if you neither have the time to go to the store or the equipment to haul wholesale supplies, then you can buy online.
Here are some tips in purchasing pet supplies in bulk, including where to get them and other possibly useful resources.
- Minimum requirements. Some wholesale stores impose a minimum number of items to purchase, in order to qualify for a bulk discount. Some stores would only sell by the box. Some would allow odd numbers of items, if you reach the minimum number. When purchasing in bulk, try to estimate how much you would be needing for the next month or two.
- Expiry dates. When purchasing wholesale, be mindful of the expiration dates, especially if you're buying food items. Most food stuffs can last six months to a year after packing. But it's best to make sure your pets or animals can consume the items purchased within a period of three months. This also applies to medicines, which may have longer expiry dates, but would usually need to be stored in cool, dry places. If you are unable to consume or store the items bought, you would have to reduce your purchases.
- Retail sales only. Some suppliers would only sell in bulk or wholesale to retailers. If you're buying for personal consumption, or if you run a business that is not retail-oriented, then some suppliers might not be able to service your needs. Ask a potential supplier if you need to be a qualified retailer in order to get discounts.
- Shipping costs. You can usually save up on shipping costs if you bundle in items, instead of buying one by one. But purchasing wholesale, though, you would have to consider that the items to be shipped might be quite large, and your courier company might charge extra for handling big items.
- Where to look. When purchasing wholesale pet supplies online, you can visit websites of suppliers like petedge.com and petmarket.com. These online stores allow small purchases, as well as wholesale purchases. They usually offer very low shipping and handling fees, which add to savings when you're buying items in bulk.
Buying in bulk can save you a lot of money, and it can also save you time and effort, as it minimizes your having to go to the store or get online for your purchase. Be sure you have enough storage for your purchases, and be always mindful of the shelf lives of these, especially for food items and medication. Before buying in bulk, though, it might be a good idea to try these items in small quantities first, to make sure these are good products for your pets or your charges.
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