How to Start a Slow Pitch Jig Business
The first step to starting a slow pitch jig business is clearly understanding what you hope to achieve. What are your goals and objectives? What do you want to accomplish with your business? Once you grasp your motivation for starting a slow pitch jig business, you can devise a plan.
How to select an Alibaba Slow Pitch Jig Supplier
The easiest way to start is to source and purchase slow pitch jigs through Alibaba.com. We had an excellent experience sourcing and working with Alibaba.com. This website offers a wide variety of slow-pitch jig suppliers, so you’re sure to find a good fit for your business.
My personal experience when working with overseas suppliers such as Alibaba was great, but you will have to sort through many vendors before finding one. The secret to our vertical jig business success was contacting several Alibaba vendors and spending hours sourcing the best products. We only worked with vendors that wanted to work with us; even if the product looked fantastic and the samples were great, if the customer service was not good or they did not get back to us promptly, we moved on to the next slow pitch jig supplier.
We also made sure to communicate our needs clearly and worked with vendors who were responsive and professional. I would recommend only working with vendors that responded to your inquiries within 12 hours.
Product Quotes and Samples
Get quotes from multiple suppliers before making a decision. It’s also good to read supplier reviews before placing an order.
First and foremost, you should always purchase a sample. For example, before buying the kevlar cord, split rings, solid rings, and jig hooks, we always got the sample piece first. If a vendor didn’t want to provide a sample, we moved on to the next.
Hidden Shipping and Container Fees
Like anything else, you must ask the supplier to submit all the costs and be upfront with them about it. Suppliers usually will surprise you with the hidden cost at the very end of the process, so be cautious and ask hard questions about hidden fees and shipping costs.
Making Payment and Shipping Tracking Information
We had no issues making payments, most people are afraid to work with Chinese vendors for fear of being ripped off, but our experience working with Alibaba was great. We always ensured to get everything in writing and paid through Alibaba’s secure payment system. We never had an issue making a secure payment. Also, ensure you always get shipping tracking on anything you purchase through Aliaba.Com, which includes samples.
Focus on Quality
The most important part of starting a slow pitch jig business is sourcing quality slow pitch jigs and slow pitch jig hardware. We did this by working with reputable Alibaba suppliers and taking the time to find the best. Customers wanted high-quality hardware. So, we only used the best hardware for our jigs, such as double-strength saltwater-grade hooks, split rings, swivels, and high-quality kevlar assist cords. These little details made a big difference and helped us grow our business quickly as word spread about the quality of the jig. And by focusing on quality, you can ensure that customers will be satisfied with your product and keep coming back for more.
Start Small
Find the Alibaba suppliers that will sell jigs in smaller bulk amounts. Starting small can keep your overhead low and reduce risk. Then, once you’ve built up a customer base, you can begin to order slow pitch jigs in larger quantities. There are 100’s of slow pitch jig suppliers on Alibaba.com below is an example.
Niche Market
The slow pitch jigging world is flooded with products now, so now, more than ever, it is essential to find a slow pitch jig niche market. There are many different types of slow-pitch jigs on the market, so it’s necessary to find a slow pitch jig that is not widely available. Finding that niche in the slow pitch jig market will give you a better chance of success because you’ll be able to charge more for your jigs, and people will be more likely to buy from you because they know you’re an expert in that particular type of jig.
Research the slow pitch jig market and find a niche. For example, what type of slow pitch jigs are in demand? What do people want and need? Once you understand the market, you can begin to develop a product line and marketing strategy.
To find a niche market:
- Start by visiting forums and reading articles about jigs.
- Once you’ve found a not widely available jig, start contacting vendors and asking if they sell that particular type of jig.
- If they don’t, ask if they would be willing to particular order it for you.
- Build relationships with slow pitch jig experts and ask them. They will more likely want to be involved with working with you if they receive jigs at no cost.
Expert
You do not have to be an expert in slow pitch jigs to sell slow pitch jigs. However, it would be best if you understood how they work and how to fish with them. So learn as much as you can about slow pitch jigging because this will give you the knowledge and confidence you need to sell jigs successfully. It’s essential to have a good understanding of how they work before trying to sell them.
The best way to learn how to fish with jigs is to talk to people who already know how. Join forums, read articles and watch videos. Once you understand how to fish with jigs, you can start developing your fishing methods and techniques.
Excise Tax
As you are sourcing products and calculating margins, stop everything you are doing and learn about the Federal Government Excise Tax before calculating profit margins. Although relatively unknown to most fishers, they’re paying a 10% user federal tax on fishing tackle or related gear every time they purchase fishing tackle or related equipment. Most aren’t aware of the tax because it’s hidden in the gear price. Once buried in the price, it is passed through each point of sale until it finally reaches the consumer.
Final Step
If you are interested in starting a slow pitch jig business, focus on quality and customer service, and you’ll be sure to succeed. These are the two most important advice for starting a slow pitch jig business.
Stay tuned for part 2, as there is much more to cover.