Tyre wholesale explained: what the business really is and how to do it well
How wholesale tyre trading works: margins, stock rotation, seasonality and working capital. Plus what a digital platform changes in this classic model.
Contents
Tyre wholesale looks simple: buy a lot, sell with a markup, earn on volume. In reality it is a rotation and working-capital business where gross margin is thin and profit comes from how many times a year you turn the stock. Understand that and you win; look only at purchase price and your warehouse is still full in February.
The four variables that decide profit
- 1
Gross margin
In wholesale it is measured in small percentages. Two points on a premium brand can be the difference between winning and losing the order.
- 2
Stock rotation
The single most important metric. Stock that turns six times a year at 8% margin produces more profit than stock turning twice at 15%.
- 3
Seasonality
Two peaks a year, and they keep getting shorter. You buy ahead of the season with pre-season discounts, but risk being left with goods if winter arrives late.
- 4
Working capital
The gap between when you pay the supplier and when the customer pays you. Survival is decided here, not in price negotiation.
The classic model vs. the platform model
| Aspect | Classic wholesale | Platform wholesale |
|---|---|---|
| Stock information | Lists sent periodically, already stale | Availability in real time |
| Pricing | Negotiated by phone, per order | Grid applied automatically, transparent |
| Time per order | 15-30 minutes | 2-3 minutes |
| Stock risk | Bought ahead on estimates | Ordered on demand, minimal stock |
| Documents | Manual, with transcription errors | Generated automatically, with history |
| Brand coverage | Limited to your own contracts | Over 300 brands in one account |
How to reduce stock risk
- Split the portfolio: fast-moving sizes in your own stock, the rest ordered from the supplier stock.
- Track real demand by size, not by brand — the customer searches for 205/55 R16, not a manufacturer.
- Use pre-season discounts only on references with a solid sales history.
- Keep a mix across tiers: premium for credibility, mid-range for volume, budget for elasticity.
- Measure days of stock per size group monthly and cut what does not move.
Why work with us as a wholesale supplier
Our role is to absorb your stock risk. We hold the goods, you see them in real time and order when you have the sale. In practice you turn a fixed warehouse cost into a variable cost per order, while keeping access to a catalogue no in-house warehouse could match.
In wholesale the winner is not the one who buys cheapest, but the one who turns stock fastest.
First steps
Open a B2B account, request the distribution grid for your volumes and test with a real order. If you also sell online, add the product feed and list the entire catalogue without buying anything upfront.
Want your wholesale prices?
Open a B2B account and see real stock and your own discount grid on every product within minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to what partners ask us most often.
What does "tyre wholesale" actually mean?
Wholesale means selling in larger quantities to other businesses — workshops, distributors, fleets, shops — at prices below retail, based on a discount grid linked to volume.
What is the minimum quantity for a wholesale price?
Wholesale pricing is activated on the account, not per order: once your company has an approved commercial profile you see your price whether you buy 4 or 400 tyres. The grid improves as monthly volume grows.
What markup is typical in tyre wholesale?
Typical gross margins range from a few percent on premium to above 20% on budget or own-label brands. Real profitability, however, depends more on stock rotation than on the markup percentage.
How do I avoid being left with stock at the end of the season?
Combine a limited own stock, only on sizes with steady demand, with on-demand orders from our stock for the rest of the catalogue. That way you cover any request without tying up capital.
Do you offer pre-season discounts?
Yes, ahead of each season we run pre-season grids with better commercial conditions. Partners with an active account receive them directly in the platform and by email.
