What do you get from a European wholesaler?
Buying from stock in Europe means the goods are already made, shipped, cleared through customs and waiting in a warehouse. You order what you need, it arrives within days, and you can test a new product with a few cartons first, as explained in buying wholesale homeware in the Netherlands.
At Aleesar Group you order per carton with no minimum order value, from a single carton up to a full container; a minimum quantity may apply to some items. Orders ship from the Dutch warehouse as tracked parcels and reach every EU country within 48 hours; larger orders ship as pallets or full truckloads. Buying from stock gives you:
- Speed: reorder a bestseller before it runs out.
- Small quantities: a wide range without overstocking any single item.
- No import paperwork: freight, documents and customs are already done.
- Less cash tied up: you pay for what you need now, not for a container months ahead.
What does it mean to buy direct from a factory in China?
Going straight to the manufacturer has two attractions. At volume, the cost per piece is generally lower, because you buy at the source rather than from stock someone else imported. And you can have products made to your own specification, sold under your own brand as private label.
The trade-offs weigh most heavily on smaller buyers:
- Minimum order quantities: an MOQ per item, often per colour too, that can exceed what one shop sells in a season.
- Long lead times: production first, then sea freight of typically around 35 days to Rotterdam or Antwerp, then customs and inland delivery.
- Cash flow: typically a deposit before production and the balance around shipment, long before you sell anything.
- Compliance: goods sold in the EU must meet EU rules, such as the food-contact requirements for cookware, and as the importer, checking this is your job.
The hidden work behind a direct import
The factory price is only the starting point. Between choosing a product and seeing it on your shelf lies a chain of tasks, each costing time, expertise or money, and underestimating it often leads to late, faulty or unsellable deliveries.
Before your first direct order, have a plan for every step:
- Factory search: finding and comparing manufacturers that can make your product at the right quality.
- Samples: approving a sample before production, so the factory knows exactly what you expect.
- Inspection: checking the goods at the factory before shipment, while problems can still be fixed.
- Freight: a full container (FCL), a shared container (LCL), rail freight China–Europe, or air freight for urgent orders.
- Documents and customs: invoice, packing list, transport documents and clearance; duties and import VAT vary by product, so check with your customs agent or accountant.
- Storage and last mile: receiving, storing and delivering the goods to your shops or customers.
Rule of thumb: which route fits your business?
Three questions settle most cases: how much of one item you sell, how quickly you need it, and whether you want your own design. As a general guide:
- Buy from stock to test new products or a new category.
- Buy from stock for a wide range in small quantities per item.
- Buy from stock when you need goods within days.
- Import directly when you sell the same items in large, predictable volumes.
- Import directly for your own designs, packaging or private label.
- Import directly when you can plan months ahead and pay well before you sell.
How Aleesar Group covers both routes
Many businesses combine the two, buying a broad range from stock and importing only proven bestsellers or own-brand lines, growing from cartons to pallet orders to a container of their own. Aleesar Group is set up for both.
For wholesale from stock, browse hundreds of household products, including Aleesar's own brands LEUMX®, KHMRAH® and REFMONT®, and register as a partner with your company details and VAT number. A person reviews every application within one business day; once validated, you see wholesale prices and order online.
For direct import, Aleesar Solutions acts as your sourcing agent between China and the Netherlands, with partners in China, Dubai, Turkey and Egypt. Start a sourcing request for the full service or only the parts you need:
- Sourcing: factory search and comparison, samples and pre-shipment inspection.
- Private label: products made to your own design and packaging.
- Logistics: sea freight (FCL or LCL), rail freight China–Europe or air freight.
- Import documents and customs clearance in Rotterdam or Antwerp, storage in the Dutch warehouse and door-to-door delivery.
