You’ve just arrived on the scene and are eager to launch your new dropshipping business.
The first step in starting an online business, be it on eBay, Amazon, or your own website, is locating a reliable supplier from whom to purchase inventory.
Here are 12 simple strategies for locating reliable dropshipping partners for your company. Follow these steps and you’ll be able to track down providers in any market or field.
Use a Wholesale Directory
The quickest way to find reliable dropshippers for your company is to use a wholesale directory. Because they are essentially a list or database of suppliers, wholesale directories can help you save a lot of time and energy by allowing you to find the best dropshippers in one convenient location.
While some wholesale directories do require a paid membership, there are many free options that are just as useful and often include the same suppliers.
Try Dropshipping Software
Find dropship products, list them on popular selling channels like eBay and Amazon, and track their performance with the help of a dropshipping software program.
Since most of them are already linked to a number of different dropshipping companies, finding products to source manually is unnecessary. The availability of a vast network of suppliers means you can jump right into online sales on the marketplace of your choice.
Everything from listing creation and maintenance to inventory management and order fulfillment is taken care of by the program.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out our roundup of top dropshipping apps. Without the software at all, you can still see the list of compatible suppliers and begin sourcing from them directly.
Join a Dropship Marketplace
The popularity of dropshipping software has coincided with the development of numerous dropshipping e-commerce websites. Marketplaces, as opposed to software, provide a more direct method of integration with dropshipping suppliers by permitting them to list their products on the marketplace.
Resellers (also known as “dropshippers”) select products to sell and then list them for sale on online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon.
One of the primary advantages of using a marketplace is the consolidation of product sourcing into a single, convenient location.
Listings, orders, and returns can all be handled without leaving the platform, while automation software often necessitates juggling multiple providers.
Spocket and Avasam are two of the most well-known dropshipping marketplaces available. Both are free to join or provide free trials, and while they are not interchangeable in terms of sales channels and products, they are otherwise similar.
Search on Google
Google, the most popular search engine, can be an excellent resource for locating virtually any business or organization, but only if it is put to good use.
Use long-tail keywords in your searches instead of broad ones, which may yield less relevant results.
Use more specific terms, like “womens clothing dropshippers uk” or “fashion jewelry dropshippers usa,” instead of just “uk dropshippers.”
Don’t be scared to delve deeper into the results and explore pages beyond the first.
The time spent using Google to find a reliable vendor is, admittedly, well spent. As a result, many dropshipping businesses, especially the smaller ones, don’t use directories or put forth much of an effort into advertising.
Therefore, the only way to locate such vendors is to conduct extensive, individual research.
Fortunately, less competition means higher profit margins and a longer runway for growth in businesses that are harder to find.
Attend Trade Shows
One of the best places to find dropshipping suppliers is at trade shows, also known as trade exhibitions or wholesale fairs.
Getting to know the people behind an organization is the best way to develop trust and cooperation.
You can get firsthand experience with products, make deals, and iron out logistics, not to mention save money with exclusive discounts, anticipate trends, and network with like-minded people by going to a trade show.
It’s not uncommon for there to be a handful of trade shows spread out across the globe in any given year. You can easily find upcoming trade shows in your area by conducting a Google search.
Toy and furniture fairs, for example, focus on distinct subsets of the retail industry. Since this is the case, it is recommended that you investigate the event thoroughly before showing up.
Contact Wholesalers Directly
Dropshipping has become increasingly common in recent years, especially among sellers on marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. As a result, many wholesalers are opening up to the idea of one-item orders to make dropshipping easier.
Even though dropshipping is permitted by most wholesalers, you might not realize it because bulk sales are the wholesalers’ bread and butter.
So, rather than looking for a dropshipping company specifically, try contacting general wholesalers instead.
Inquire as to whether or not dropshipping is allowed, and describe your distribution strategy and anticipated sales volume if it is.
Indicating your desire to develop a long-term partnership that benefits both of you will go a long way.
Join Online Forums
There are many online discussion forums dedicated to the topic of dropshipping, making them an excellent resource for both finding and learning more about potential suppliers. Forum participants often feel free to be candid about their views.
Learning from the experiences of others is the best way to sort out the good options from the bad ones.
There are a plethora of free dropshipping, ecommerce, and wholesale buying-specific forums available online. You can find links to the most active dropship forums in your country with a simple Google search.
Use Facebook
Facebook is one of the most popular websites in the world, used by over 2 billion people every month. Facebook is used by a wide variety of businesses and organizations for more than just communicating with existing and potential clients. If you’re interested in dropshipping or online business in general, you could look for relevant Facebook groups or pages.
You’d be surprised at how many dropshipping-specific Facebook pages there are, with thousands of members discussing suppliers and where to find them.
Try Q&A Sites
Websites that allow users to post questions and receive answers on a wide range of topics, such as dropshipping supplier discovery, are incredibly useful resources.
Quora is the most widely used question and answer platform in the world, with millions of users and over 5,000 new questions posted every day.
Searching for questions related to dropshipping is a breeze, and it doesn’t cost a dime to use.
You can ask your own question if you don’t get any responses. Inquire about specific recommendations in your country and field by name. I’m looking for some recommendations for reliable dropshippers of women’s clothing in the United Kingdom.
Incredibly illuminating responses will present themselves to you in a surprisingly short amount of time.
Use Business Directories
Business directories, especially those listing local businesses, can be a useful resource for finding suppliers, despite being less specialized in helping you find dropshipping partners.
The two most well-known online business directories, Yell and Yelp, feature extensive lists of distributors and manufacturers that offer a wide range of goods.
Using a wholesaler-specific directory is preferable, but general business directories are still a good resource to have on hand. 192 Business and UK Businesses are two other well-known business directories.
Search B2B Marketplaces
You can locate reliable Chinese dropshipping suppliers on B2B marketplaces such as Alibaba, DHgate, Global Sources, AliExpress, and Made-in-China.
Even though most of these marketplaces are designed for wholesale purchases, many of the third-party sellers provide international dropshipping services.
Simply search for relevant keywords and add ‘dropship’ to the end of your input term to find the ones that dropship.
The marketplace itself facilitates drop shipping, or you can directly contact the vendor and inquire as to whether or not they have a website.
You can find products with no minimum order value and free global shipping in a flash by using the dropshipping automation solutions that integrate exclusively with AliExpress or other B2B marketplaces.
Study Competitors
There are thousands of people who dropship on sites like Amazon, eBay, and their own websites. Actually, you have probably bought a dropship product from a marketplace before without even realizing it.
Unless you have connections to the supplier, there’s nothing stopping you from doing the same. It’s not hard to track down merchants who employ a dropshipping strategy.
Start by doing a Google image or text search using the title or description of the listing.
Dropshippers frequently resell their supplier’s pictures and product descriptions. As a result, the brand ought to be prominently displayed.
Alternately, place a low-priced order if you have reason to believe the vendor is drop-shipping. You should inquire about the return policy once the product arrives. If you need to return something and have been given a return address, you can find it by searching Google for the company’s name, postal code, or address.
The vast majority of dropshippers will have you send returns to the manufacturer, bypassing them entirely. If there is any documentation that came with your purchase, read it carefully to see if it contains the name of the manufacturer or retailer.
Final Word
There are benefits and drawbacks to each of these 12 easy ways to locate dropshipping suppliers. Automated software and supplier directories can help you find a reliable vendor quickly.
If you want to find what you’re looking for without having to pay a membership fee, all you have to do is use free resources like Google, Facebook, forums, and question and answer sites like Quora.
If you pick one approach and stick to it, you’ll find the best vendor in no time.
