Would it be wrong to order company products from my own company?

Question

I'm in charge of ordering office supplies in my office and I'm always looking for a better price on things. We spend a lot of money on a certain product. I recently met a guy that would actually wholesale this product to me. Would it be wrong to start my own business and make the company I work for now my first customer? In normal cases I would have no problem selling the product as I know it would save a lot of money, BUT I fear that if they know it's my company, they wouldn't do business. Conflict of interest maybe? Although it would be saving the company a lot more money?

Answer 1

I personally don't know if i would risk it..

even though it would cost your company less than your paying now, its a huge risk taker.. if you absolutely need a 2nd job to make it, i would maybe just look for a different job, or if you really want to start ur own busniess selling products, leave the job your in now..

its kind of like a 50/50 chance

good luck!

Answer 2

Most companies do not employ anyone that moonlights in the same field.  If you start your own company quit your job then use your old company as a customer...Then that is perfectly ethical.  just be aware that if this person got to you these prices they can get to someone else in your company and q***r the whole deal for you.

Answer 3

If you're buying that much of the product, you might be able to get a wholesale or jobber price from the manufacturer.  

In any case, don't risk your day job to try to make a little profit on the side with a small company of your own.  I know of government managers who tried that with their agency and are now in jail for defrauding the government.  And they did it through several layers of companies to hide the fact that they were behind it.

Answer 4

Take the time to setup a Limited Partnership with an LLC, a trust or corporation as a General Partner.

This way they would never know its your company.

Companies do this all the time. They setup entities and sell assets and conduct business with themselves to make their balance sheets look better and therefore increase sharholder value.

So actually what you are attempting to do has more integrity.