Demand Hub: How to Get Suppliers to Quote on Exactly What You Need

Browsing is great when you're open to what's out there. But most shops know exactly what they're missing: 200 pieces of 90s workwear for the autumn rail, a mixed bale of kids' denim, branded knitwear in sizes M to XL. Scrolling through listings hoping that stock turns up is slow.

Demand Hub turns it around. You post what you need, and verified suppliers come to you with quotes for available stock, with photos, a walkthrough video, and a price you can compare side by side.

Here's how to post a demand that gets good quotes, and how to choose the right one.

How Demand Hub works

1. You post a demand. Describe the items you need, how many pieces, the grades you'd accept and, if you like, a target price.
2. We review it. BalePick checks every demand before suppliers see it, usually within a day.
3. Suppliers quote. Verified suppliers submit a price per piece, the number of pieces, the grade, how soon they can dispatch, and photos and a walkthrough video of the actual stock.
4. You choose. Compare the quotes, accept the one you want, and check out as normal, with inspection at our hub like every other order.

Write a demand suppliers can quote on

Suppliers decide in seconds whether they have what you're asking for. The clearer your demand, the more and better quotes you'll get.

Be specific about the items

"Jackets" will get you anything. "90s Carhartt and Dickies workwear jackets" gets you suppliers who actually hold that stock. Name brands, styles, eras and fabrics. You can add up to 10 items to one demand, and up to 5 brands per item. So if you need denim and knitwear, list them as two items rather than one vague line. Suppliers can then quote on the part they have.

Say how many pieces

Give a realistic quantity for each item. It tells a supplier straight away whether their stock is the right size for your order.

Pick the grades you'd accept

Choose every grade you'd be happy with: A, A/B, B, B/C, C or A/B/C. Leave them all off if any grade will do. Being honest here saves you from quotes for stock you'd never buy.

Add sizes and a target price

A size range like "S to XL, mostly M and L" helps a supplier pick the right pieces. A target price per piece is optional and in US dollars, but a realistic target price can encourage more suppliers to respond. Prices are always before shipping, which is worked out at checkout.

Choose the shipping destination and how long it stays open

Pick the country it ships to, so suppliers can plan the route, and keep the demand open for 7, 14 or 30 days. The clock starts when it's approved, not when you post it.

The best demands read like a shopping list a supplier could hand to their warehouse team.

Compare quotes side by side

Every quote shows the same things, so you can compare quotes consistently:

• the price per piece and the total,
• the number of pieces and the grade,
• the category and the number of days the supplier needs to dispatch,
• the supplier's rating and country,
• photos and a walkthrough video of the stock they're quoting.

Quotes are listed lowest price first, but the lowest price may not always offer the best overall fit. Watch the videos. A slightly higher price for stock that clearly matches your grade, or that ships sooner, may be a better fit for your requirements.

If something isn't clear, use Message on the quote to ask the supplier directly. The conversation stays on BalePick, and the quote is attached to your message so they know exactly what you mean.

Accept and check out

When you accept a quote, it becomes a bundle reserved exclusively for you for 7 days. You buy it through the normal checkout, where shipping and the estimated import duty for your country are shown as separate lines before you pay.

Need more than one supplier can give you? When you accept, select Keep my demand open and other suppliers can carry on quoting.

From there it's a normal BalePick order: your payment is held, the supplier sends the stock to our hub, we inspect it against the quote and record the results in a QC report, and it ships on to you. You still have 5 days after delivery to report a problem.

A few things to know

• You can have up to 5 demands open at once.
• You can edit a demand while it's being reviewed. If it isn't approved, we tell you why, and you can fix it and send it again.
• You can close a demand at any time, for example, if you found the stock elsewhere.
• Phone numbers, email addresses and links are hidden automatically, so every deal stays protected on BalePick.

Know exactly what your shop needs? Post your first demand and let suppliers come to you.