Thanks to the internet, starting an online business has never been easier. While there are numerous online business options to choose from, the dropshipping business has proven to be one of the most profitable. Dropshipping may be the way to go if you want to expand your existing business or if you're just starting.
What is Dropshipping?
Dropshipping is a business that allows you to partner with a manufacturer or supplier to promote and sell his product on your e-commerce website. The wholesale dropshipping supplier directly ships products on your [the middleman or dropshipper or retailer] behalf to the customer. You get to save more money on stocking products and time on delivering products.
The purpose of this article is to introduce how you can find trustworthy dropshipping wholesalers and also to recommend the best dropshipping wholesalers.
10 Ways to Find Trustworthy Dropshipping Wholesalers
A wholesaler, in the dropshipping model, is the one who is going to deliver the orders from your store directly to your customers. The popularity of dropshipping has left a vacuum for scammers to infiltrate the system. While dropshipping is easy to startup, there are hundreds of fake wholesale dropshipping suppliers waiting to wreck many businesses by offering substandard products or running away with their hard-earned money. If you don't want to deal with scammers, check out these ten ways to finding the best dropshipping wholesalers.
1. Look up for the Business On Search Engines
Looking up for dropshipping wholesalers on search engines is a good start. Start by conducting extensive research on Google and other search engines to see how long the dropshipping business has been around. A genuine dropshipping supplier would have been around for at least five years, supplying quality products and deliver quality services. You can also confirm the website's contact information and year of existence on the WHOIS search. For beginners, I recommend that you be wary of brand new dropshipping sites (18 Best Dropshipping Sites in 2020).
2. Visit Major Business-2-Business Marketplaces
A B2B marketplace is a website where brands sell their products and services in bulk to other businesses. There are tons of B2B marketplaces full of wholesalers and manufacturers. Alibaba [Asian's Amazon] is the biggest of all the B2B marketplace of manufacturers. Others include Buyer Zone, EC21, Busy Trade, etc. You can find trustworthy dropshipping wholesalers to do business here.
3. Attend Trade Shows
A trade show is an exhibition where companies and manufacturers showcase their latest products and meet retailers who can help them promote those products. Attending trade shows gives you [the retailer] the perfect opportunity to talk face-to-face with manufacturers and wholesale distributors and get firsthand information about what they offer.
4. Visit Forums and Professional Business Networks
Forums [like Warrior Forum] and professional business networks [like LinkedIn] are one of the best places to find wholesale suppliers. Active participation in online forums and building relationships with industry insiders will connect you to wholesale suppliers for your business.
5. Contact the Dropshipping Wholesalers
After getting a list of dropshipping wholesalers and distributors from Google, B2B marketplaces, forums, and tradeshow, you want to verify which one is best for your business. The list compiled from these channels would probably contain new, old, fake, and genuine dropshipping wholesalers. It's left for you to contact each manufacturer one at a time via phone and email. You want to know their MOQ [Minimum Order Quantity], delivery period, and other order requirements. The best manufacturers will respond to your inquiries fast and would show interest in doing business with you.
They'd also ensure the following:
6. Faster Shipping
Being a highly competitive market, one of the ways to keep your customers is to ensure faster shipping. Most customers can't put up with a length shipping process of 2 weeks – 1 month when they can easily get the same product delivered [from another store] within 48 – 72 hours. Top dropshipping wholesalers who ship very quickly make an ideal choice as they'll help you gain a competitive advantage.
7. Quality Products and Fewer Returns
The best dropshipping wholesalers sell only the best product and would have fewer returns. The best dropshipping wholesalers who sell quality products will benefit your business over time. More so, they record fewer returns only on goods that suffer damages in transit suffer damages. And of course, this has nothing to do with the quality of the product.
8. Excellent Customer Service
The satisfaction of previous customers will determine whether the dropshipping wholesaler is trustworthy or not. This is so very important! You need to know that they'll respond to your inquiries swiftly if you have a problem.
9. Warranties, Guarantees, and Return Policies
Before deciding on a dropshipping wholesaler, always check out warranties and guarantees on their products! Also, ensure that they have shipping and return policies. Genuine drop ship wholesalers have standard return policies in place in case their customer receives a defective product.
10. Branded Products
Many customers are obsessed with buying ONLY branded products. You'll hear some say, "if it's not an iPhone, I'll rather not use a phone." While this is a good idea, beginners are advised not to sell only branded products as they can be too expensive. Overall, the availability of both branded and non-branded products make the dropshipping wholesaler reputable and reliable.
4 Signs That Indicate a Fake Dropshipping Wholesaler
To avoid falling prey to a scam outfit, here are four ways you should take to protect yourself from fake dropshipping wholesalers.
1. On-going Charges
Many dropshipping companies require retailers to pay certain fees monthly. It could be a pointer of illegitimacy. You don't have to pay them if you're one of their sellers. Be reasonable!
2. Low-quality Products
Fake dropshipping wholesalers are known to sell low-quality products while some do not ship at all. This is why we advise retailers to always test orders to ensure the quality of their products before they make the final decision.
3. They Sell to the Public
Most retailers that claim to be wholesalers usually sell "wholesale products" at an inflated price. Ensure you carry out proper research before falling into the hands of these scum bags.
4. Fake Identity and Poor Customer Satisfaction
Fake dropshipping wholesalers usually have a fake identity and poor ratings/reviews.
Dropshipping offers tons of dropshipping wholesalers each having its advantages and disadvantages. The wide range of options might be enticing, however, we have streamlined the list to the best nine. They are:
General Dropshipping Companies
General dropshipping companies not only connect dropshippers to suppliers and products, but they also provide a platform that allows retailers to choose from millions of products in different categories. SaleYee, Wholesale2B, Oberlo, AliExpress and Dropshipper are some of the best dropshipping wholesalers and suppliers.
SaleYee stands out from other general dropshipping companies by providing 20,000+ profitable SKUs, free and fast delivery from local US/UK warehouses, and 24/7 customer support. More impressively, you don't need to contact tens of suppliers by yourself, SaleYee is always ready to solve your problems.
Clothing & Apparel
As the fashion industry gets more popular by the day, the competition gets stiffer. Only those who have the right niche and audience for your products can thrive and make massive income in this industry. Popular dropshipping suppliers in the clothing and apparel category are Nordstrom and Trendsgal.
Shoes
Just like the clothing category, shoes are one of the best selling products on the internet today. Popular shoe dropshipping wholesalers like Brands Gateway and Born Pretty offer a wide collection of men's, women's, and children's shoes. You can contact them for more information.
Jewelry
If your audience is interested in gold, silver, and stainless steel, you can check out Danforth Pewter, Ruby Imports, and Plum Island Silver for the best dropshipping wholesalers.
Furniture
The global market for furniture is gradually gaining popularity and is forecasted to reach $695 billion according to Furniture Today. Visit Fast Furnishings, Mod Made or VIG Furniture to find wholesale suppliers for tables, lamps, couches, and other home furnishings.
Beauty & Cosmetics
Women's beauty products such as nail polish, skincare, body paint, hair shampoo, nail art, and hair care are popular dropshipping products in the beauty category. You can visit Iso Beauty, Fragrance, and Volcanic Earth for more information about their dropshipping program.
Home Décor
Top wholesale and dropshipping suppliers like Koehler Home Decor and Park Designs specialize in home décors such as accent furniture, lanterns, decorative clocks and more.
Electronics
The gadget and electronic industry are taking over the world today. Everybody possesses one form of gadget or electronic device making the demand for this market huge. Cost Tag, Novatech, and Reiko are the best dropshipping wholesalers that offer a large selection of gadgets and electronics including laptops and smartphones.
Toys
Toys, dolls, kid puzzles are products with insane potentials. If you have the right audience, you can dropship toys from Brybelly, Aulola, and Duplay.
Conclusion
Today, anyone with as little as $25 can start a profitable online business. However, finding a trustworthy dropshipping wholesaler for e-commerce is the most difficult part of dropshipping. Follow these tips and be sure of finding the ideal supplier for your small business.
