Who are we?
Independent Workwear Specialists (IWS) is a buying group created for independent sellers of Industrial Workwear, Corporate Wear, PPE and associated products.
We commenced operation in 1997 (formerly called Workmates) with 8 member stores in NSW. The 8 inaugural members were battling to stay competitive against larger players trying to move in and win business by undercutting prices. Realising that there was strength to be gained by joining together they formed a group and negotiated with suppliers to get on to an even playing field. The group progressed slowly and managed to achieve a lot for a small group and gradually grew in numbers. In September 2011 the group realised that to move forward and become a meaningful player in the Workwear Industry they would have to restructure and IWS was born. Since then we have grown quickly and we now have over 150 store members nationally with a plan to grow membership to 200 stores.
Member Benefits
As an IWS member, you will enjoy the low buying prices and high margin deals we’ve negotiated across our 40 suppliers.
In addition, we have a strong focus on leveraging and sharing the diverse knowledge base within the group. This allows newer business owners to benefit from the years of wisdom our veteran business owners have acquired and our “younger-gen” business owners to share their knowledge of the modern digital tools available to enhance processes and everything in between. It truly is a never-ending cycle of invaluable knowledge being shared within our membership group!
Are We for You?
We seek members with a strong retail and trade customer base who are committed to growing their business and supporting our preferred suppliers. We want to support our members to become a dominant force in their immediate marketplace while boosting sales volumes for our preferred suppliers.
If you are a strong, well-established retailer whose trade area does not conflict with an existing member, you are a perfect candidate to join IWS.
As many of our members have a strong regional background, we value a friendly and informal approach to the way we operate. At IWS, everyone is family.
How do we work with suppliers?
We have a diverse range of preferred suppliers who are engaged with our business model and committed to supporting our members to achieve the competitive edge they need when going up against direct suppliers and vertical operators. In return, our preferred suppliers enjoy a significant boost in sales volumes and continued growth year-on-year.
We are not about screwing suppliers to the wall but rather forming relationships that are mutually benefitting. Where commercial circumstance requires, suppliers may offer differential pricing to individual members, but under the umbrella of the agreed deal.
Our core objective is to negotiate lower prices and higher margins for our members. Equally, we want to support our preferred suppliers by leveraging the group buying power to generate higher volumes. This delivers a mutually beneficial working relationship between our members and preferred suppliers.
While our communication lines are always open and transparent with our suppliers throughout the year, we meet with our suppliers annually to review our negotiated deals and work to strengthen and improve where possible. This includes negotiation items such as settlement discounts, advertising support, quarterly rebates and long-term incentives.
Each member is responsible for their own relationship with each supplier. They open their own accounts and are responsible for ordering, payment, account maintenance etc directly with each supplier.
How do we work with suppliers?
We have a diverse range of preferred suppliers who are engaged with our business model and committed to supporting our members to achieve the competitive edge they need when going up against direct suppliers and vertical operators. In return, our preferred suppliers enjoy a significant boost in sales volumes and continued growth year-on-year.
We are not about screwing suppliers to the wall but rather forming relationships that are mutually benefitting. Where commercial circumstance requires, suppliers may offer differential pricing to individual members, but under the umbrella of the agreed deal.
Our core objective is to negotiate lower prices and higher margins for our members. Equally, we want to support our preferred suppliers by leveraging the group buying power to generate higher volumes. This delivers a mutually beneficial working relationship between our members and preferred suppliers.
While our communication lines are always open and transparent with our suppliers throughout the year, we meet with our suppliers annually to review our negotiated deals and work to strengthen and improve where possible. This includes negotiation items such as settlement discounts, advertising support, quarterly rebates and long-term incentives.
Each member is responsible for their own relationship with each supplier. They open their own accounts and are responsible for ordering, payment, account maintenance etc directly with each supplier.
How do you become a member?
Simply complete our Prospective Membership Application (PMA) form and send it to us. Your application will be reviewed by the Directors and CEO of IWS and you will be notified within 14 days about the result of the application.
Once approved by the Directors, you will be sent our New Membership Agreement (NMA) and a Confidentiality Agreement (CA) to sign and return. When the NMA and CA are received, we will send signed copies to you for your records. A tax invoice will be emailed along with the IWS Deal Book. All suppliers will be notified of your membership, and you can start to enjoy the discounts and rebates right away!
You pay nothing further for the year as the group meets its costs from the administration fee paid by suppliers. The membership fee is paid on an annual or monthly basis depending on your preference.
1. Pay the joining fee
2. Be “fair dinkum” in supporting all the deals you possibly can.
