Buying wholesale school supplies can reduce the cost of commonly used stationery items for students of all ages. Until recent years, many people thought wholesale purchases were available only to large corporations, small businesses and school districts, but today nearly anyone can purchase school supplies at wholesale prices. There are at least three places to search and shop for wholesale school supplies, including the Internet, retail stores and specialty wholesale retail stores.
Searching the Internet is usually a fairly easy way to locate wholesale school supplies. The same school supplies often used by teachers can be purchased by students and parents who wish to buy a large amount of items commonly needed for school. Many of the most prominent online school supplies stores will also sell their products through a printed paper catalog.
When purchasing wholesale school supplies from an Internet store, it can be important to consider the cost of delivery. Sometimes, although the cost of the supplies is less, the overall cost may not be cheaper when shipping charges are factored into the purchase. In other words, if the items are sold online at wholesale prices but include a sizeable shipping fee, the cost of buying the same supplies in a physical store could be less.
Retail school supplies stores may not offer a discount on common items, such as paper, pencils, and notebooks, at normal prices, unless these products are purchased in bulk. The term bulk is often used as another word for wholesale. If a large quantity of a product is needed, a teacher, student, or parent can approach the store manager for a discount. Such a price reduction could reduce the cost of the items to the wholesale level.
The wholesale retail store often requires shoppers to have a membership of some sort. These outlets are often primarily focused on supplying small businesses with such supplies, rather than schools or students. If a membership is required, the shopper could ask store management for a free, short-term trial membership in order to evaluate the store's inventory.
Purchasing wholesale school supplies is often a concern at the start of a school term. At these times, some students, parents, and teachers may choose to shop after the peak shopping time for such items. Waiting until the peak shopping time has passed can result in additional savings because both online and retail stores may reduce the prices of wholesale school supplies to encourage buyers.