I have been searching for a while trying to find out how to obtain a car audio dealers licence and can't find any info. the person i know that has a licence is being shady and acting like he doesn't want to tell me. i guess afraid i would take away his business. i don't know if its a thing i get local through my state or what and Ive searched online and found little to nothing about it. if someone could help me or give me a site that can help me i would greatly appreciate it.
theres no speical lisence. DBA, Resellers certificate, business lisence.
Call your local state office and typically you can do alot of it online.
I think that you have to get permission from each individual company to sell their products but I may be wrong. I know a lot of times a shop might sell Kicker or Polk or whatever and they will have some disclosure or something that will say "Kicker Authorized Dealer" or whatever.
yeah you have to become a reseller. And you can get permission to sell. If you dont, youll have to offer your own warrranty because the Manufacutrers wont. TYically youll still get your parts from a wholesale. Build up your rep and credit and theyll send you parts without paying first. @!#$ like that...
SBA for OK
You can't find a, car audio dealers license because it doesn't exist.
What is it you are trying to do? Are you actually trying to start a business with a storefront, or just out of your house? If you are just doing it out of you house, it is going to be VERY hard, if not impossible, to get any of the bigger companies direct. You will be able to find some wholesalers around that will sell to you, but it is still hard to do.
The first thing you need to do is get a state and federal tax id number. Well, really, the first thing you need to do is figure out what kind of company you want to be, and what name you want to use. Back to the id numbers.You will be able to find that form online for your state. You can either print it out and mail it in, or do what I did and drive to the capital and fill one out.
If you want to start a business with a storefront, I hope you have money, and are prepared to spend it. When I started my store a few years ago, we spent almost $100,000 on equipment alone. Most of that was just the inital buy in for certain companies. Then you get into just how much you actually have to keep in stock. All the wiring, harnesses and small things like that. I'm done with this for the moment as I have a feeling it isn't what you are looking for.
As for the guy you know, somehow or another I doubt he has an actual dealers license from any big company. Probably just got a tax id number and goes through wholesalers.
Let me know what you are wanting to do, and I can help you out some more.
Mike Roth
yep, mike is right. All you REALLY need to be able to buy and sell is a state tax certificate...resale certificate, whatever your state calls it.
You really dont even need a federal tax id unless you are going to have employees. That's called an EIN (employer identification number) You can easily use your social security number in place of it for filing for your state sales tax cert.
All your certificate is, is allows you to collect sales tax for your state. (i'm just talking about retail sales...there are some business's that require special licenses)
Most distributors and wholesalers won't give you an account without these things. The reseller certificate in my state is 20 bucks or so, and can be filled out online and you have your number instantly (and they mail you your cert.)
The EID (which i also have) is free i think (it's been awhile, lol) and you can apply for that online as well and get your number instantly.
It's really not as complicated as people think it is. That guy you spoke with is probably just trying to think he's someone special, lol. It's only a few extra forms you have to file with your income tax...so it's not so hard to keep up at all.
Also to buy directly from the manufacturer..they usually require a LARGE minimum purchase, as well as require you to have an actual storefront. Possible even a minimum amount of sales per month you'll have to meet.
Wholesalers and distributors are more lenient, and they are more willing to give you an account if you work from home or something. There are also a lot of dropship companies you can hook up with (although i've yet to find one with quality brands, lol)
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Offical dealer for the following-
SOUNDSTREAM
DB LINK
DB DRIVE
PANASONIC
GARMIN
ROSEN
SCOSCHE
XE DESIGNS
SOUNDGATE
PAC
LITEGLOW
thanks for all the information this is all very helpful and doesn't seem as hard as i thought it might be. I am trying to open up an actual store within the next year or 2 depending on how things go. i was seeing if there was a way to start buying equipment and selling it while i don't have an actual store just to get my foot in the door early and clientel, (if i spelled that right)lol, before my actual store is up and going.
I already have several plans for the business. a few names and unique ideas that i am wanting to do. I even have picture drawn of how i want it to look and the set up. But i am still far from getting started. if any of you know any lists or where i can find wholesalers that would be good. I'm pretty sure thier prices are a bit higher than buying direct from the manufacturer but everyone has to start somewhere.
yeah the guy that was not telling me how he got his licence was an idiot. he did make it seem like it was alot that i had to do and just beat around the bush. thats why i don't talk to him anymore. plus he did crappy installs. wires everywhere. he didn't do any in my car i do a way better job than that but he did some other people i know and i reinstalled it for them. but i will definetely look into tha tax ID and the other things to try to get started. thanks once again.
drawing a picture of your store is NOT what you need to be doing, lol.
You need to have a good business plan. I'm sure you won't have nearly the capital it takes to open up a retail store, so a bank is gonna be your first stop.
They will probably require you to present some sort of business proposal, and prove that you know what you are doing, can successfully operate a business, and also convince them that it will be profitable. Nobody will give you money if they dont' think you know anything about the way business works and operates.
For now, you would be better off getting start with mail order, and selling online. I can't help you much with any GOOD distributors, I know of only a few and they sell the crappy brands anyway, lol.
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Offical dealer for the following-
SOUNDSTREAM
DB LINK
DB DRIVE
PANASONIC
GARMIN
ROSEN
SCOSCHE
XE DESIGNS
SOUNDGATE
PAC
LITEGLOW
yeah, i know drawing pictures doesn't bring me any closer to it, but it gives me a little motivation to not procrastinate like i do on everything else. I am finishing up some classes in automotive collision technology, and than probably going to take classes in business before i get everything else done. I also want to try to get a car dealers licence so i can purchase cars at auctions also. that would also be part of the business i plan to have. basically selling already custom cars. not too many customs but better than stock..
I am trying to decide which one of my friends are true, true friends that i know if we go in this together that it won't be alot of drama between us becasue i know business partnerships go bad sometimes and can be very bad for the business. hopefully all will go well. i am just trying to get my foot in the door now so i will have more experience with all of the things I am trying to do.
Hmm...not sure why that happened, sorry.
Mike Roth
I would suggest to stay away from partnerships...speaking from experience, lol.
Also to get a license to resell cars...you first have to have a building with a parking lot.(at least in my state you do) So again, that's something that has to come later
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Offical dealer for the following-
SOUNDSTREAM
DB LINK
DB DRIVE
PANASONIC
GARMIN
ROSEN
SCOSCHE
XE DESIGNS
SOUNDGATE
PAC
LITEGLOW
dont know if it was said cause i was too lazy to read it all
find out what companies are the distributors for the product you wish to sell, I.E. Trends Electronics deals all of Phoenix gold, MB Quart, Hertz, bazooka, and strut. for all of north america I believe. so its not just phoenix gold oyu would have to contact, but get the trends rep. hope this helps.
