A Guide to Buying Small Umbrellas in Bulk for Your Business or Event
Are you planning an outdoor event where you need to provide umbrellas for all your guests? Running a rental company that needs a stock of small, easy-to-carry umbrellas for customers to borrow? Or do you simply want to ensure your business always has umbrellas on hand to lend employees caught in an unexpected downpour? Whatever your reasons, buying small umbrellas in bulk can be an affordable and convenient option.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about purchasing compact umbrellas wholesale. We’ll look at the benefits of bulk buying, what features to look for in a quality small umbrella, extra accessories you may want, and tips for finding reputable suppliers who can deliver you hundreds or even thousands of umbrellas at reduced bulk pricing.
The Benefits of Buying Umbrellas in Bulk
Buying umbrellas in large quantities comes with many advantages, including:
Lower Cost Per Item
Like most products, the more umbrellas you buy from a supplier at once, the cheaper the per unit pricing will be. This can mean big savings in the long run. Even small umbrellas can be expensive to buy individually at retail prices. But bought in bulk from a wholesale warehouse, prices per umbrella drop considerably.
Convenience
When you order a large quantity of umbrellas at once, you won’t have to shop around piecemeal when you need more. Keep extras on hand for employee or customer use all season long. It’s much more convenient than realizing mid-event that you’re short on umbrellas and scrambling to purchase more last minute.
Event Branding Potential
Many wholesale umbrella companies offer custom branding options. By ordering branded umbrellas with your company logo or event details on them, you can create memorable swag for attendees. No one will want to forget that incredible event or your thoughtful gift of keeping them dry and comfortable!
What to Look for in Small Umbrellas for Events
To choose the best compact umbrella for buying in volume, keep this criteria in mind while assessing products:
Size
Look for umbrellas around 12 inches in length or less when closed. These petite umbrellas will easily fit in bags and backpacks. While opened, they should offer ample coverage without being overly large or cumbersome.
Canopy Design
A single or double canopy design means one or two fabric covers stretch over the umbrella’s metal arms. Double canopies tend to hold up better on blustery days. Vent flaps allow gusts of wind to pass through while preventing total umbrella inversion.
Water Repellency
High quality canopy fabric will be coated to repel moisture for a dry experience walking in the rain. Some umbrellas advertise waterproof protection, while water resistance of varying degrees is more common. The higher the water repellency rating, the less likely the fabric is to soak through in heavy rain.
Durability
Choose umbrellas made with metal alloys rather than plastic for maximum resilience against strong winds. Sturdy steel or aluminum frames won’t easily bend or crack under pressure. Fiberglass ribs can also provide flexibility and wind resistance without adding excess weight.
Ease of Operation
Your chosen umbrellas should be very easy to operate and unlikely to pinch fingers in the mechanisms. Look for smooth automatic opening features and ergonomic handles and buttons. This ensures even children and elderly attendees can quickly get umbrellas open and closed.
Extras like Matching Carrying Cases and Lanyards
For large events with many umbrellas on hand for lending, consider useful additions like matching carrying cases and straps:
Carrying Cases: Clear vinyl pouches protect stored umbrellas from dust and moisture between uses. Custom branded cases help identify your umbrellas.
Lanyards: Useful for trade shows and other hands-free situations, lanyard straps allow umbrellas to hang conveniently around the neck when not needed.
Tips for Ordering Umbrellas Wholesale
Once you’ve figured out the umbrella features you require, it’s time to source them at bulk pricing. Here are great tips for ordering:
Shop Early
Ideally, order 6-12 months in advance of when you need branded umbrellas for a special marketing campaign or event. Production and shipping times can stretch 10-14 weeks for custom umbrellas, especially in peak rainy seasons when demand grows. Order early so you’re not rushed.
Ask About Volume Discounts
Even companies advertising wholesale prices will often offer additional bulk order discounts. Before selecting an umbrella supplier, ask what volume price breaks they provide at different quantities like 500, 1000, or 1500 units. The more umbrellas you commit to upfront, the more you stand to save.
Compare Prices
Shop around to multiple websites advertising wholesale umbrellas before choosing who to order from. Carefully compare feature sets and prices across several companies before you buy. There can be major differences between seemingly similar 12 inch folding umbrellas from different manufacturers.
Watch Out for Hidden Fees
From setup fees to charges for logo digitization, customization fees can quickly inflate umbrella costs. Clearly understand what’s included in umbrella pricing and look for companies that provide free or low-cost logo imprinting, reasonable setup fees, and no hidden charges.
Inspect Samples
Before investing in thousands of customized umbrellas, ask suppliers to ship you a single printed sample umbrella to inspect quality. Only approve full bulk production once the sample meets your quality standards for canvas coating, printing vibrancy, metal resilience and overall craftsmanship.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has helped illustrate the advantages and cost savings of buying small folding umbrellas in high volumes. Follow the tips above to identify durable and easily portable umbrella options suited for large gatherings. Seek out transparent suppliers offering deep bulk order discounts so that you or your event guests stay dry all season, while saving money and making a bold branding statement.
