The wholesale business is often shrouded in myths, one of the most persistent being the absolute necessity of a business license and tax ID for success. While these are important considerations, the idea that they are universally required is a misconception. Obtaining a business license is undoubtedly crucial when formally incorporating your wholesale or reselling business. From my experience, it becomes particularly relevant when sales volume reaches a significant level, such as $100,000 per month across retail, wholesale, or reselling channels. However, it’s not always a prerequisite.
Many wholesalers and distributors readily offer competitive deals on merchandise, both in single units and bulk quantities, without demanding these credentials. Reselling and wholesale operations are subject to varying regulations across different states. However, these regulations do not automatically mandate a business license for engaging in wholesale activities.
Consider MaxamWholesale.com, a long-standing wholesale provider that doesn’t require a business license or tax ID for reselling their merchandise. While many online wholesalers request this information during registration, there’s a simple workaround: contact them directly via phone. Express your keen interest in accessing their wholesale pricing to facilitate immediate purchasing decisions. In the vast majority of cases (over 90%), they will promptly provide a wholesale catalog, either by mail or through secure online access. By establishing direct communication and clearly stating your objectives, you can often bypass the business license or tax ID requirement and begin purchasing directly from the wholesaler or distributor, both online and via phone.