Wholesales Business Systems

Solarsoft is a specialist in mid-market ERP software that is optimized for specific industries. These industries include: Discrete Manufacturing (Automotive Supply Chain, Stamping, Forge and Casting, Plastics and Rubber); Process Manufacturing (Food and Beverage, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare and Cosmetics, Mills, Metals and Chemicals); Packaging Manufacturing (Corrugated and Retail); and Distribution (General, High-Tech Products, and Building and Construction Supplies).

Solarsoft employs 400 staff and provides local support from offices spanning 16 timezones across the USA, Canada, the UK and China.

The company's origins in ERP go back nearly 30 years in North America and the UK. The name was adopted in November 2007 following the earlier merger of CMS Software Inc. of Toronto and UK-based XKO Software Ltd.

Solarsoft delivers systems that make connections across sales, purchasing, finance, inventory and warehouse management, logistics, manufacturing resource planning (MRP) and quality control departments.

Solarsoft real-time production control systems are employed in hundreds of manufacturing plants to monitor production and boost operating efficiency. For finished goods, Solarsoft's warehouse and logistics systems help to control inventory movements and distribution.

• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems: Solarsoft ERP systems support traditional ERP functions including financial management, sales management, inventory management, production planning and control, and include niche-specific functions for the automotive supply chain, food and beverage, and packaging industries.

• Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES): Solarsoft's Mattec manufacturing execution system provides real-time monitoring and control for production and process manufacturing. The system provides accurate 24/7 real-time manufacturing information of all plant operations. Mattec aims to help users become proactive in manufacturing operations, to anticipate and solve manufacturing problems before they occur, and do more with existing resources and find new capacity.

• Enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI) Systems: Solarsoft's Informance manufacturing intelligence software lets users monitor manufacturing line performance in real-time, and focus continuous improvement efforts on the most critical opportunities. Solarsoft helps users focus operating strategies at the executive level, and convert them into execution tactics at the plant level.

See also

• Enterprise Resource Planning
• Manufacturing Execution Systems
• Enterprise manufacturing intelligence Systems

Wholesale marketing

The consumption and production of marketed food are spatially separated. Production is primarily in rural areas whilst consumption is in urban areas. Agricultural marketing is the process that overcomes this separation, allowing produce to be moved from an area of surplus to one of need. Food reaches the consumer by a complex network, involving production, assembly, sorting, packing, reassembly, distribution and retail stages. In developing countries the linkage between the producer and the retailer is still usually provided by assembly and wholesale markets, where wholesale marketing takes place using a variety of transaction methods. Recent years have seen an expansion of wholesale marketing in E. European and former CIS countries. On the other hand, the growth of supermarkets in many regions has seen the development of direct marketing and a reduced role for wholesale systems.

Wholesaling trends

Wholesale markets develop in a number of stages. They start as general markets, then become more specialized by trading in specific types of produce. A later stage is to transact only graded and well packaged produce. A recent trend in Western Europe and the USA is for large retailers to by-pass the wholesale market system. Direct links are created between producers and supermarket chains, often by means of contract farming arrangements or through the use of preferred suppliers. Following the collapse of the iron curtain a large number of markets were developed in Eastern and Central Europe in the 1990s and early 2000s. Examples include markets in Warsaw, Gdansk, Budapest, and Bucharest. In other parts of the world, new markets have been built in Amman, Cairo and Mumbai, among many recent developments. Very few new wholesale markets have been built in western countries in the last decades, although old markets have been relocated to new sites (e.g. the new Covent Garden Market relocated to Nine Elms in London and Rome's new wholesale market, relocated from the centre to the east of the city). Those that already exist have tended to also attract warehouses for integrated food distribution, changing their role to "food centers" (in the USA) and including other non-fresh food products. Wholesale markets still have a role in the marketing of horticultural produce but the traditional fresh meat and fish wholesale markets, particularly those dealing with wholesale live produce, are generally being closed down in major urban centres. In developing countries, changes in work patterns, particularly the employment of women, and the impact of technological innovations in post-harvest handling, food processing and storage, including the use of domestic refrigerators, tends to encourage the development of one-stop shopping at supermarkets, often on a once-a-week basis. The challenge for wholesale markets in such a trading environment is to retain turnover, both by providing new services to supermarkets and by developing services to the non-supermarket trade and the growing hotel and catering sectors.

Types of wholesale market

Secondary wholesale markets are generally found only in developing countries these days. They are located in district or regional cities and take the bulk of their produce from rural assembly markets located in production areas, where the transactions are small scale and usually take place between farmers and traders. The distinction between rural assembly markets and secondary wholesale markets is that secondary wholesale markets are in permanent operation (rather than being seasonal in nature or dealing in specialized produce), larger volumes of produce are traded than at the rural assembly markets and specialized functions may be present, such as commission agents and brokers.

Terminal wholesale markets are located in major metropolitan areas, where produce is finally channelled to consumers through trade between wholesalers and retailers, caterers, etc. Produce may also be assembled for export. In some countries, such as India and China, terminal markets also supply other parts of the country. For example, New Delhi serves as a distribution centre to the south of India for apples grown in the Himalayan foothills. The problems of terminal wholesale markets are usually ones of congestion caused by an unsuitable location or by an inappropriate mixture of wholesale and retail functions. Traditionally, wholesale markets were built adjacent to city centres, located at a focal point of the inter-city transport facilities and close to the main retailing areas. Population growth, changes in urban land-use patterns and the development of modern transport systems have all influenced the suitability and functionality of existing sites.Representative bodies

The World Union of Wholesale Markets is, as its name implies, an organization representing such markets around the world.

References

1. Comparison of wholesale vegetable prices in Japan-auction market and Australia-negotiating market.
2. "The implications of supermarket development for horticultural farmers and traditional marketing systems in Asia" FAO, Rome 2005

Further Reading

• Tracey-White, John, Wholesale Markets: Planning and Design Manual
• Sanchez-Monjo, E. and Densley, R., Managing Wholesale Markets

7 Easy Steps To Start Wholesale Business

What’s the difference between a lackluster, low-performance retail and a thriving, profitable one? Perhaps one or more of these 7 steps could be the tipping point.

Although some of these tips may seem straight-forward, the devil is in the details. If you successfully implement at least one of these, you’ll be on your way to great success.

1-Identify the Market
You will need to do proper research to identify the ideal market for your products. You will need to find dealers, store owners and other customers who will be able to procure the products from you.
You'll also need to check out the competition, which can be fierce in the wholesale business. Make sure you know what products they carry, their prices and the quality of service that they provide.

2-Identify the Location of Your Office and Warehouse
Along with the above, you will also need to identify a place where you will be conducting your business. Sometimes, space is so scarce and expensive in big cities that you might need to keep your office and your warehouse separate.
However, you will need to hire efficient and honest staff - or even a family member - to ensure that your inventory doesn't get misplaced or pilfered.

3-Identify your Suppliers
You will have to get in touch with manufacturers who will be willing to appoint you as a wholesaler for their products. Many companies will have sales targets for you to meet - so think carefully before deciding on any one.
In some cases, you will have to get in touch with the company's distributors if they are not willing to supply directly to you. In this case, there will be a division in profit margins, so you will have to factor in these calculations before you can proceed in dealing with them.

4-Set up a Website
If you are considering starting a wholesale business, you will need to set up a website. Through it, you can inform manufacturers that you are willing to do business with them.
This way, they can contact you instead of you running after them. Your website will also attract retailers who might be interested in selling your products.

5-Know Return Policies
Check out the policies of different manufacturers, including how they plan to handle any goods returned back to them due to defects or for any other reason. You will also need to check their after-sales service policies.
It is best to steer clear of any manufacturers that you cannot get a clear answer from - or you could end up with a lot of inventory that you just can't sell.
Inventory that you can't move is wasted money - period.

6-Get Easy-to-Use Inventory Software
You should purchase a simple inventory control software package, which will help you keep track of your products, even if they are in more than one warehouse.
This will help you in giving proper quotes and delivery schedules to your customers - thus helping you to earn more money by rotating your products in an efficient manner.

7-Keep a Strict Payment Policy with your Dealers
You should keep strict control over your finances - and also over your dealers, since the amounts involved could be quite large compared to if you were selling retail.
By using the above tips, you can ensure that your wholesale business gets a flying start and stays on track in the coming years. Do proper research, and keep an eye out for good deals from your suppliers to stay ahead in the game.