While you can start a dropshipping business overnight, you can’t just pick a supplier out of thin air.

Where and how you source your dropshipping products can make or break a new dropshipping business.

Even if you’ve identified a profitable niche and found trending products, you must choose a trustworthy supplier to become the backbone of your dropshipping operation.

Keep reading for the ultimate guide to finding and choosing a dropshipping supplier in 2021.

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Types of Suppliers

When searching for a supplier, you’ll come across terms like “wholesalers,” “manufacturers,” and “dropshippers,” but do you know how they differ? Let’s take a closer look at each type of supplier you may use.

Manufacturers

Manufacturers make products from scratch and sell them directly to consumers, wholesalers, or resellers like you. Usually, they have high minimum order requirements—meaning you have to order items in bulk and find somewhere to house the inventory (or pay someone else to store it).

When working with manufacturers, there is a significant investment upfront. However, you’ll also source products at the lowest possible price—and make more of a profit with each sale.

Wholesalers

Wholesalers purchase products from manufacturers and resell them to retailers at a higher price. They’re large organizations with the buying power to purchase items in bulk for the lowest price possible—the more they buy, the less they pay for each item.

If you work with a wholesale supplier, you’ll pay for the products upfront and have them shipped to your location. Then, you’re responsible for shipping products to your customers.

Some wholesalers also include dropshipping as part of their reseller programs, so it never hurts to ask.

Dropshippers

Finding a dropshipper is likely why you’re here, and there’s a reason they’ve become such a popular supplier type. Dropshippers will send your customers’ products directly to them as opposed to your warehouse or fulfillment center.

With this business model, you don’t have to find somewhere to stock and ship your products. The dropshipping supplier will charge you a wholesale price for the product plus a small shipping fee (and, in some cases, a dropship fee). Then they will package and ship the order to your customer.

In this scenario, you are the middle man between your supplier and your customer. It’s your responsibility to communicate with both parties to ensure that the entire process goes smoothly.

Finding a Dropshipping Supplier

During your journey to find a dropshipping supplier, there are a few things to look out for to ensure you’re partnering with the right one.

You can start with a Google search for suppliers near you or companies that sell products similar to those you want to sell. Once you’ve found their websites, you should be able to find more information about their reseller program as well as how to contact them.

You can also utilize other sources to find suppliers, including dropship marketplaces, trending product tools, supplier directories, and going directly to the manufacturers.

Marketplaces

Dropshipping marketplaces grant you instant access to many suppliers at once. Typically, they will charge an annual subscription.

Usually, marketplaces have plugins that you can connect directly to your ecommerce platform to pull product information, photos, and other data into your listings.

Trending Product Tools

You can also utilize trending product tools to identify the products you want to sell, then partner with the supplier that offers them.

These tools have robust features such as advanced filters that allow you to extract the products of your choice. They’ll also help you identify trending products and popular niches for your dropshipping business. Then you can import the products you choose directly into your ecommerce platform.

Supplier Directories

If you want access to many suppliers at once, start your search with a dropship supplier directory.

The best directories include the top distributors from leading product niches that offer exclusive brands and high-demand products. Using a directory’s filtering capabilities, you can locate a supplier by location, product niche, minimum order quantities, and more.

You’ll typically find a sample catalog associated with each supplier that allows you to view complete product data at no cost. Some directories also include the contact information of each supplier, so you don’t waste any time trying to contact the supplier of your choice.

Ask the Manufacturer

If you want, you can go straight to the source: ask a product manufacturer if they’ll dropship for you.

If they’re not willing to work with you in this way, you can ask them to provide a list of wholesale distributors that they work with. Then you can contact those wholesalers to see if they’re accepting new reseller accounts.

Most wholesale distributors carry products from several manufacturers, so you’ll have more than one opportunity to work with the leading wholesalers in your market.

Choosing the Right Dropshipping Supplier

After you’ve done your research, you’ll likely have a list of suppliers you’re interested in working with. If you’re just starting out, it’s best to begin with one or two, but how do you make that decision?

Take the time to speak with each of your potential suppliers and make sure you know what’s involved when working with them from a B2B standpoint.

You’ll want to consider the following factors before entering into a partnership with a supplier.

Operating Area and Shipping Options

Shortening the time it takes for an order to arrive at your customer’s door is crucial, so it may be beneficial to work with a supplier that’s located in your country.

You’ll want to ask questions like:

• What are your shipping fees?
• Do you ship internationally?
• Do you have restrictions on which areas you ship to?
• Which shipping carriers do you use? Do I have to have my own carrier accounts?
• What is your processing time after an order has been placed?

Understand exactly what your shipping options are before deciding on one supplier over another.

Quality and Reliability

Your customers won’t know that a dropshipper is responsible for shipping their products. If the item arrives damaged or is of low quality, they’ll associate that bad experience with your brand.

Do your research to ensure that any supplier you work with is reputable and trustworthy and has customer testimonials to prove it.

Fees

You must know how each supplier bills their resellers and identify any hidden fees upfront.

Most suppliers will charge a “dropship fee” or “drop fee” to cover the cost of packaging and shipping items to your customers. This fee is pretty standard across the industry and shouldn’t turn you off unless it’s exorbitantly high (between $2-5 is common).

Returns and Refund Policies

If a customer has an issue with a product they receive from your supplier, you need to have a return process in place to ensure a satisfactory customer experience.

Ask pointed questions about returns and refunds such as:

• What is your return policy?
• How do I place a request for a return or refund?

Knowing the answers to these questions early on can prevent hiccups and save time in the future—and time is money in the dropshipping business.

Customer Support

The supplier you choose will play a massive role in your business, so you want to maintain a good relationship with them. Feel out their customer support services before finalizing your decision.

Do they respond to your questions promptly? If not, how can you ensure that they won’t drag your feet when there’s an issue with an order, and you need an answer for your customer?

If you get a bad vibe from a supplier’s support team, trust your gut and walk away from the partnership before becoming a reseller.

Only Partner With Suppliers You Can Trust

The success of your business hinges on the thriving relationship between you and your dropshipping suppliers.

If a customer has a bad experience with one of your products, they will blame you—not the supplier that fulfilled their order. The customer’s experience is your responsibility.

In the end, your reputation is at stake, so only partner with high-quality suppliers that you can trust.

For more dropshipping insights and tips, check out the rest of our blog.

To launch a new product-

⦁ Know your customers
⦁ Make prototypes and test your product
⦁ Research the competition
⦁ Try pre-marketing
⦁ Network and share

You put in all your effort, time, energy, and resources into creating a new product. However, when it hit the shelves, it didn’t make much of an impact. The key to successfully producing and selling any product lies in the method of introducing the new item to your customer base. So, the question now is- How do you launch a new product?

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⦁ Know your customers

Before formulating the actual strategies, it is important to do your homework on who your customers are and what they want. Creating a new product, despite how beautiful or useful it may be, won’t bring in a lot of sales if the customers aren’t interested in it.

The first step is understanding who you intend to target your product. Who can use it? Who would buy it? Can it be the solution people need to fix a problem?

After narrowing down who your core audience is and what they want, it’s time to start listening.

Listen to the advice people give to you. It’s easy to get defensive when your friends and family start poking holes in your new idea. But, their perspective can be the golden words you need to develop a fool-proof, bound-to-be-a-hot product.

More than the people in your surroundings, you need to connect to your audience. Interact with them, gauge their reactions and note their opinions for your idea. This can be easily done by interacting with them on social media platforms, email marketing, fun investigative posts like quizzes or questionnaires, etc. These tactics can even drive engagement- killing two birds with one stone. Listen and modify your product based on what you hear and your judgment.

⦁ Make prototypes and test your product

The light bulb wasn’t invented with Edison sitting on his chair mumbling over his notes. Instead, he conducted hundreds of test trials and failed, just to get the final product working. The process today is no different than it was then.

Once you think you have a usable product that has captured the essence of what you wanted to create, it’s time to test it out. First, build a prototype to see how it works. Is it functional? Is it good enough? Will it be profitable?

Of course, just like the last step, it is crucial to test it out. An easy practice that many dropshipping businesses have taken too is hiring beta testers. To avoid investing in a defective project, beta testers investigate the prototype and offer useful feedback for improvements.

Make constant subtle changes to better the product quality. Consider adding or removing features, and don’t be shy to take action. After several cycles of testing and then improving can a final product is formed.

⦁ Research the competition

Checking out the competition is never a bad move. Researching how your industry’s past businesses acted, how they moved, the current status of your competitors, what policies they have adopted, etc. can be a great resource for you while trying to think of a game plan yourself.

Study how past businesses have gone about introducing a new product to their manufacturing line. Measure the strategy against the success rate and sales made. Observe how their audience reacted, what marketing tools worked, and what failed. Don’t forget to note the mistakes they made to avoid making them yourself.

At this point, your arsenal should be filled with data on your customers and even potential customers, the performance of your competition, and the current market status. Using this essential input, a thoroughly thought-out marketing plan can be custom-built to fit the criteria of your product.

Formulate your strategy- identify a timeframe, marketing, and promotional tool, pricing formula, estimated numbers, etc. In the end, you should set your goals indicating what you aim to achieve through this product launch- do you want to build brand recognition, increase your sales, or build a large customer base. Setting goals can act as a measure as well as a guideline, moving ahead.

⦁ Try pre-marketing

Marketing has evolved so much so that it has become a multi-million dollar industry of its own. Thinking of adopting a few marketing tactics and crossing your fingers for a good response is old school. The success of a product launch can be determined before your product even hits the market, thanks to pre-marketing.

Pre-marketing aims to build anticipation for a new product before it can be revealed to the customers. It works the same way a movie trailer attracts viewers and builds their interest, so they watch the movie when it is finally released.

Building hype for a product entices customers to buy it and spreads awareness of the brand and product which ultimately drives more sales.

Here are common methods used in ore-marketing schemes:
⦁ Social Media Pre-Marketing- Social media is the easiest way to introduce a new member to your production line. The most basic way to achieve this is by posting pictures and uploading them for your followers to see, like, and share the word.
⦁ Email campaigns- As historic email campaigning may be, it is still effective. Many companies invest in these campaigns to generate awareness about the new product and the launch as well as to encourage more signups.
⦁ Blogs, journalists, influencers- The best way to get people talking about a new product on the way is by going to representatives your target audience is always listening to. This means partnering with a popular influencer or getting your brand and product into popular blogs.
⦁ Advertise, advertise, advertise- Depending on your budget, investments in advertisements can go a long way. Choose effective ad campaigns like Google Ads or Facebook Ads to promote your product launch.

⦁ Network and share

Use your buyer persona from your extensive research and establish ways to target your audience. This can be done by networking with personnel from related businesses or your industry and having them share your product. Invite calls to action to your followers, asking them to spread the word and share your content and posts.

When you finally launch your product, don’t stop promoting. Keep up with the email campaigns, and social media. Encourage your contacts to spread the news. Grabbing attention is what makes a product launch successful.

⦁ Dropshipping
⦁ Customized Products
⦁ Website Flipping
⦁ Virtual Assistant
⦁ Online Tutoring
⦁ Content Writing
⦁ SEO
⦁ Stock Photographer
⦁ Video Production
⦁ Personal Shopper

There are tons of new businesses in today’s modern market. Keeping up with the technological advancements and catering to the evolving needs of people can give your e-commerce store the edge it needs to stand out and succeed. Here are the top 10 business ideas that are sure to make you money.

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⦁ Dropshipping

The dropshipping business model has been flourishing in the market ever since it was first introduced. Who hasn’t heard the name of Amazon or Aliexpress, and eBay? Well, all of these e-commerce retailers are dropshippers.

When you want to sell products but you don’t have the money to stock and store inventory, dropshipping is the way to go. In this business model, you don’t have to manage the physical products. All you do is build your online store, which means your website, and partner with suppliers and merchants that are willing to store, package, and ship products according to the orders received by the customers.

So many people want to become dropshippers because it’s an easy way to sell products without having to manage a physical store and because you are not limited. You can expand your inventory as much as you want to, selling whatever products that you wish.

⦁ Customized Products or Print on Demand

Who doesn’t love their customized belongings? Designing print on demand means selling merchandise like phone cases, mugs, t-shirts, etc., according to what your customers want. However, you won’t have to create the artwork yourself. Instead, you would rather collaborate with suppliers to print your design on products. The suppliers would even package and ship the items to your customers, leaving you not worrying over the logistics.

⦁ Website Flipping

Website flipping is a new business idea that has steadily gained traction in the past few years. This is an easy venture, especially for people interested in working from home and fresh-out-of-school graduates. Website flipping involves buying an existing and functional website, updating its design framework and content, and then selling the site for profit.

There are several marketplaces to buy and sell these ready-made websites like Exchange, Shopify’s market. Considering websites are a basic requirement for almost everything, and not everyone is capable of creating the perfect website by themselves, the market is huge and only growing for e-commerce websites.

⦁ Virtual Assistant

Among the most successful businesses is offering virtual assistant services. Most people working at corporations and large enterprises need help with planning and managing their day-to-day business. Using your organizational skills you can assist them by taking some of the load off their shoulders. In return, they are compensated for the time and effort put into replying to emails, arranging meetings, performing administrative duties, etc.

⦁ Online Tutoring

People who excel in some branch of studies like maths, science, arts, or another subject can start a business revolving around their subject. Online tutoring is a simple venture that requires you to have a degree in some subject. Then you just start making content and sharing your knowledge. Additionally, you could provide one-on-one lectures through online platforms like Skype too.

⦁ Content Writing

Every company, website, and e-commerce platform that has an online presence needs to create a certain amount of content. This could include web pages, product descriptions, blogs, service pages, etc. To fill this gap, starting a content writing or copywriting agency could be one of the most profitable ideas for you.

⦁ SEO

Internet marketing largely revolves around various aspects of SEO. If you have experience with optimizing content and improving SEO scores to boost visibility and traffic for a website this is perfect for you. Almost all site owners require an SEO expert to support their business online. With several niches to choose from and endless opportunities, SEO service is one of the most lucrative businesses in today’s market.

⦁ Stock Photographer

For photographers with a knack for capturing beautiful images with their lens, stock photography is a budding opportunity to showcase your skillset while earning a decent salary. Companies like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock are always on the lookout for enticing images. Becoming a stock photographer is equally easy. All you have to do is register a sole proprietorship under your name. Get started by listing a few photos on existing platforms. Stock photography websites pay royalties for each download. Alternatively, you could set up your own website and sell it to people directly.

⦁ Video Production

Video marketing is on the rise with 85% of internet users in just the United States watching videos online. Video content is among the most popular and shareable media available. Naturally, influencers, marketers, businesses, etc need several videos made per day. The need for people who can record, edit, cut, and publish videos is high. Establishing a video production company is a great idea to run a lucrative business. Besides the initial investment in equipment like a basic lighting set, wireless microphones, one to two cameras and lenses, and editing softwares no additional costs are moving forward.

⦁ Personal Shopper

Fashion trends are constantly updating every second. For people who have a good sense of style and can keep up with the latest changes in fashion, becoming a personal shopper may be a dream for them. If you get praised for your taste in clothes or you are the go-to for friends and relatives for fashion advice, you probably already have the skills to be a personal shopper. These individuals are hired to find clothing items for their customers who struggle to build their style. This involves evaluating your client’s wardrobe, browsing websites, and carefully selecting items that suit them.