How To Find Dropship Suppliers For Your Business

Friday, December 6th

How to Find Dropship Suppliers for Your Business

The favorite word once again - research - and almost all of it can be done on the internet. Fill the thermos with coffee and pull up a comfortable chair because you are going to be on the computer for an extended period of time. And when you are finished creating a list of possible wholesale drop shipping suppliers, you will be on the telephone, talking to them and talking to people they have given you as references for the quality of the way they do business. Having the right wholesale drop shipping suppliers for your online retail business is as important as a reliable internet connection.

There are two ways to approach the twin issues of choosing potential products for your online retail business and finding a wholesale drop shipping supplier to deliver the items to your customer. Either you know the niche market to which you want to sell and then search for a supplier of those goods, or you find what you believe to be a great supplier and use their resources, such as their sales representatives, to help you identify your niche market based on the products in their catalog. Both approaches are good, but for the sake of this article, we will assume you have already identified your niche.

For those who need a printed page rather than the computer screen, there are a few books on the market which identify wholesale distributors. The books cost a few hundred dollars each and are useful. Having one at hand may help you in conducting a thorough, in-depth search for the right supplier of your potential product.

Getting as close to the point of origin of your sales item is a major goal when ferreting out a wholesale drop ship supplier. Since wholesale drop shipping suppliers can be the product's manufacturer, its distributor or its wholesaler, starting at the source, the manufacturer, is a good idea. Admittedly, most manufacturers will not drop ship for you, a few will, 'few' being the operative word here, but a product's maker shouldn't mind telling you who distributes or wholesales it for them. An increase in sales is music to any business's ears.

The majority of your search for a wholesale drop shipping supplier is best done on the internet however. When using an online search engine, don't limit yourself to a single search parameter. Use words like 'distributor', 'reseller', 'wholesaler', 'supplier' and 'bulk' - as in 'distributor cuckoo clocks'. Here's the part that is not for the weak of seat. It is not likely you will find exactly what you seek in the first ten listings that come up. Or maybe not in the first hundred. Nor the second hundred.

Once you have compiled your list of possible wholesale drop shipping suppliers with whom you might like to do business, and ideally at the end of the search you will have business arrangements with two or three of those companies, it is time to start talking with them.

A few talking points include:

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Wholesale Dropshipper reviews

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Wholesale Dropshipper FAQ

What is dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a way of selling goods without having to personally maintain them in inventory. You act as a liaison between customers and products, passing along orders to the supplier(s) who then ship the products directly from their warehouses to your buyers.

Why would I want to start a dropshipping business?

There are lots of benefits to wholesale dropshipping. You don't have to lease a warehouse or storefront, which automatically means your operating costs are lower. It's a less risky option than many other sales models available today.

How do I get started?

The easiest way is to select a wholesale dropshipping partner. These services do most of the legwork to source products for you to sell and generally help you advertise your "inventory" on various marketplaces and platforms online. You'll still need to do some work to spread the word, through social media buzz and targeted ads, if you want to maximize your profits.

Are dropshipping services expensive?

Sometimes. You'll find services that charge a one-time fee of a few hundred dollars, and others that have monthly fees ranging from $30 to almost $400. Typically, the higher the monthly costs, the more advertising and automation features you get. These fees are in addition to your business costs of setting up a website, advertising, and so forth.

Are there any legal requirements for setting up a dropshipping business?

Yes. Once you start to make sales, you'll need to take out a business license according to the requirements where you live. Most payment providers will require proof of those credentials before passing along your profits.

What if a customer wants to return a product?

That is one of the trickier aspects of running a dropshipping business. Your customers see you as the business, and so they'll expect you to handle refunds or replacements. Every supplier has different terms for returns - which means you could be out of pocket on the refund until the supplier fixes the situation on their side. Some dropshipping experts recommend that you order product samples for yourself, to decide what to carry in your store and make sure that it's quality merchandise.

Are dropshipping services trustworthy?

In all frankness, there are some dropshippers that are 100% above-board, and many others that are little more than a thinly-veiled scam. Do your due diligence before committing to a dropshipper: find the service's rating with the Better Business Bureau, see what other clients have said about using the platform, and determine how long the company has been in operation. There are trustworthy dropshippers out there, but choose carefully.

What if I'm not happy with the dropshipping service?

Most dropshippers have a free trial period, so you can see how well the service works for you. You could have as long as 60 days to request a refund, depending on the terms of the dropshipper's satisfaction guarantee. Again, it's important to check the reputation of the service you're considering - because all of the guarantees in the world only count if the company actually honors it (and there are some that don't do a very good job of that).

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How To Find Dropship Suppliers For Your Business