How to start a wheelchair business? As we all know, selling wheelchairs is a profitable business not only in the United States but also throughout the world. Because of the aging of the global population, assisted mobile medical devices have become more and more popular. With the development of the economy, the elderly’s demand for assisted travel has become more and more vigorous.
1. Advantages and disadvantages of starting a wheelchair business
In the long run, opening a wheelchair store can bring you huge profits and returns. There are various basic manual wheelchairs, shower wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, and wheelchair accessories.
If you choose to import wheelchairs to meet the needs of the local market, please consider purchasing wheelchairs from China that are much cheaper than those imported from Europe and the United States. Import wheelchairs directly from Chinese wheelchair manufacturers, and then transport and sell them in the domestic market. If you know how to reduce costs and choose a high-quality and inexpensive wheelchair, this strategy will bring you a huge profit return.
On the other hand, the wheelchair industry also has its disadvantages. The first is the sale of wheelchairs, the sale of medical equipment. You need to apply for a medical device production and sales license from the local health department or the Food and Drug Administration. Secondly, the wheelchair business requires a lot of funds to prepare the goods, so you need to have a good financial guarantee, otherwise, you will get into trouble because of the capital chain.
2. Learn more about the furniture industry from suppliers, competitors and customers
Learn more about the wheelchair industry from suppliers, competitors, and customers
Before you become a wheelchair dealer, please understand everything about it. Blindly entering an industry is an unwise decision. Research your local wheelchair market well. You can get valuable information from suppliers, competitors, and of course those who buy wheelchairs.
The first step is to investigate local and Chinese wheelchair suppliers. Ask about the wheelchair’s design, materials, cost, and what type of wheelchair the customer is buying.
Research the competition in your area. Visit other wheelchair shops or online wheelchair shops. Why do you think they did a good job? What do you like and dislike about their wheelchair store? Find out what type of wheelchair these sellers are selling. If your favorite wheelchair style has good sales in the local area, and the profit margin is good enough. This may be a wheelchair suitable for your local market.
Who are the potential buyers of your wheelchair? Does the wheelchair you provide fit their lifestyle? This stage of your research is crucial. Remember, if you don’t have potential customers, your wheelchair sales business will not be able to start.
3. Find your niche: What kind of wheelchair will bring you business?
First of all, in the early stages of wheelchair sales, you need to narrow the scope of the initial inventory. As a professional wheelchair manufacturer, we do not recommend that you buy a large number of wheelchairs of a single model in the early stages of your business. Unless you have enough confidence, you can sell this product quickly.
Decide which type of wheelchair you want to sell? Do you only want to sell basic manual wheelchairs? Do you want to focus on the sports wheelchair that young people love? Or do you want to fill the gap in your local market and launch a cost-effective electric wheelchair?
Identify your target market and its unique characteristics and needs. Do you want to sell ordinary economical manual wheelchairs to the working class? Or is it for mid-to-high-end customers and provide them with electric wheelchairs with better convenience and comfort?
In addition, determine whether you will only sell locally, or will you be exposed to a wider market?
4. Open a physical store or online store
Decide whether you will run a physical wheelchair store or sell via the Internet. For example, Google Shopping or Amazon. Of course, these two programs are not contradictory, you can carry them out at the same time. The final choice is based on your actual situation, such as whether you are good at Internet marketing and whether you can get a good store in the bustling area of the local city center.
Based on our past experience and the answer we got from our successful wheelchair dealers, this is the case. You can open a physical store and sell your products through a professional Internet marketing team. In this way, online and offline sales can be well combined. You can gain the trust of customers faster and better and eventually become your loyal customers.
5. How to import wheelchairs from China
It is not difficult to import wheelchairs from China. If you want to take the easiest route, then I recommend Alibaba or Made in China. On these two B2B platforms, you can find a wheelchair supplier that suits you. You can also participate in the CMEF medical equipment exhibition held twice a year in China to communicate face-to-face with these wheelchair manufacturers.
After choosing the wheelchair, please negotiate the price of the product and other sales terms. The most important thing is that you should attach great importance to the after-sales service of your wheelchair. Because in the retail market, wheelchairs often have quality problems after being used for a period of time. Therefore, in the early stage of purchasing, communicate with the factory about after-sales issues. My suggestion is to find a manufacturer to buy some wheelchair accessories when buying a wheelchair.
Maybe you need a guide to get the best wheelchair supplier in China. Please refer to one of our blogs: Top 10 Wheelchair Manufacturers In China
