Choosing suppliers: checks before buying inventory

Price alone is insufficient. Consistent quality, lead times, invoices and defect handling affect margin and reputation.

Practical steps

1. Request a sample from the available batch.
2. Check dimensions, materials and operation.
3. Document lead times and defect terms.
4. Compare the total cost delivered to your warehouse.

Worked example

A 20 TND unit with 4 TND inbound delivery costs more than a local 23 TND offer with no delivery charge, all else equal.

Mistake to avoid

For imports, verify classification and procedures with Tunisian Customs rather than using a generic duty rate.

Working checklist

Keep a product test sheet: supplier, landed cost, initial quantity, hypothesis and customer questions. After orders reach an outcome, add confirmed, delivered and returned counts plus expenses. With few orders, improve the offer rather than generalising to the whole market. Reordering needs consistent quality, margin and available cash rather than likes alone.

Common question

Should I buy a large initial batch?

Test a small batch and quality consistency before tying up cash.

Put it into practice

Create your store on Matjri, prepare the information needed for this guide and test the result as a customer on your phone before sharing the link. Edit photos, descriptions and options and manage orders from your store dashboard.

Sources and further reading

• Douane Tunisienne — Tarifs et nomenclatures

Editorial review: 11 October 2026. Calculations are illustrative; tools and fees may vary by account and supplier.