If you want to build a successful dropshipping business, you must find the right suppliers. It’s crucial. In fact, 84% of dropshippers say that finding trusted suppliers and building strong supplier relationships is absolutely essential for long-term success.

It’s not hard to see why. Suppliers, after all, do a lot of work for your dropshipping business and have a big influence on what customers think of you. They’re the ones providing the products you market and sell to your audience, as well as packing and delivering those products when orders come in.

But finding the right suppliers isn’t always easy. That’s what this guide is here to help with. Below, we’ll explore why suppliers matter so much, before providing helpful tips and tricks you can follow to evaluate and choose the perfect suppliers for your store.

Understanding Dropshipping Suppliers 

Before we dig into the details of how to choose a dropshipping supplier, let’s first look at the part they must play in the dropshipping business model.

What Is a Dropshipping Supplier?

First, a quick definition. A dropshipping supplier, as the name implies, is the company that supplies the products you sell via your dropshipping store. They’re the ones who keep the items in stock and ready to ship out, and they handle several key processes for your store:

• Stock Management: Suppliers typically have warehouses or other storage areas to safely store the items they sell. They maintain and safeguard these products, so they’re ready to send out when orders arrive.

• Order Fulfilment: When a customer places an order via your store (or another of your sales channels) you pass it on to the supplier. They handle most of the fulfilment, finding the product(s) the customer ordered and getting them ready for dispatch.

• Packaging and Shipping: Suppliers also package the items your customers order and ship them out to the customer’s address. This is one of the reasons it’s important to find the right supplier, as some can be a little slow or unreliable with packaging and delivery.

Other terms, like wholesaler or manufacturer, are sometimes used instead of supplier. 

However, wholesalers are a little different – they typically sell products in bulk quantities, at a greatly discounted rate compared to buying items individually. 

Manufacturers are different, too, as they actually make the products they sell, which isn’t usually the case with suppliers.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Supplier

There’s no underestimating the importance of picking the right suppliers for your dropshipping store. In many ways, your choice can make or break your business’ chances of long-term success.

Pick the wrong supplier, and you may end up with dissatisfied customers, bad reviews, and a business in tatters. 

Pick the right one, and building your brand will be so much easier, with satisfied customers and much better chances of repeat orders, recommendations, and positive reviews to bolster your reputation.

Here are just some ways in which the best suppliers help dropshipping stores grow:

• Quality Products: Product quality varies massively from supplier to supplier. Low-quality suppliers sometimes even sell items that are simply unfit or unsafe to use. The best suppliers offer top-quality goods you can feel proud to sell.

• Strong Relationships: Certain suppliers can be difficult to deal with, lacking in communication, or unwilling to negotiate. The best suppliers are the opposite, working hard to establish strong understandings and bonds with the stores they supply.

• Speedy Fulfilment: We live in an age of convenience, where many people expect to order something one day and receive it in a matter of days. The best dropshipping suppliers understand this and work hard to process orders as quickly as possible.

• Safe Packaging: Often, dropshipping products travel great distances – from China to the U.K., for instance – and can get damaged en route. Good quality suppliers package their products with care to ensure they arrive safe and sound.

Criteria for Evaluating Dropshipping Suppliers 

Now you know how important suppliers are, let’s look at how to choose them. We’ll begin with the key criteria that every dropshipper should keep in mind when assessing a prospective supplier.

Product Quality and Selection

This is arguably the No. 1 factor and the one that can vary the most between suppliers. 

As touched on above, some suppliers sell very poor quality or even unsafe items. Others are at the opposite end of the spectrum, offering top-quality items that are made with care and meet international safety and quality standards.

If you want to impress customers and earn positive feedback, it makes sense to provide people with quality items. As such, dropshippers are encouraged to carefully review supplier catalogues and even request product samples that they can inspect in person to see how well-made they are.

A lot of savvy dropshippers nowadays prefer to sell high-ticket items, which are usually of much better quality than basic budget alternatives. This makes it easier to find trusted suppliers and even make more money per sale – the High Ticket Program can help you learn more.

Shipping and Fulfilment Capabilities

These days, people can order something online and get it delivered the very same day. As such, particularly among younger generations, there’s a growing level of demand and even expectation for ultra-fast order processing and delivery.

You must take that into account when choosing a dropshipping supplier. If you pick a supplier who takes days to even start preparing an order and weeks to ship it out, customers may quickly lose interest in your store and seek their products elsewhere.

Naturally, given that many dropshipping suppliers are overseas or even on the other side of the world, you can’t demand next-day delivery in this industry. But you can look for suppliers who are still relatively speedy and efficient in processing orders and sending items out.

Inquire about suppliers’ average delivery times to learn how fast they are, in general, and see if they offer any sort of order tracking – 90% of customers appreciate this feature.

Communication and Support

If you want to build strong working relationships with your suppliers, you’ll need to be able to get in touch with them. You might have questions about their items, for example, or want to consult with them about expanding your store’s catalogue or handling a customer return.

It’s crucial, therefore, for lines of communication to be open and free-flowing between suppliers and store owners. Read reviews of suppliers to find out how responsive they are and how willing they are to address concerns and resolve issues. Look for those who are amenable and easy to contact.

Finding Dropshipping Suppliers 

Now you know what to look for in a dropshipping supplier, but you may still be wondering about where to actually find them. Here are a few options.

Dropshipping Supplier Directories

For ease and convenience, most new dropshippers should head straight to one of the top supplier directories to find suppliers of the products they need. As the name suggests, a supplier directory is basically a big database of drop-shipping suppliers that you can browse, compare, and contact.

Examples of these directories include:

• SaleHoo: Featuring more than 8,000 suppliers and wholesalers, SaleHoo is particularly appealing to those who plan to sell on platforms like eBay or Amazon. It focuses on AliExpress-based suppliers and vets each one before listing it.

• Wholesale Central: Unlike many other directories, this one is free to search and use. It screens all suppliers for legitimacy and quality and includes suppliers from lots of big niches, like apparel, accessories, and beauty products.

• Worldwide Brands: Around since 1999, this is a well-established dropshipping suppliers directory that only lists legitimate, good quality wholesalers, with over 16 million certified products from dozens of major niches.

• Supplier HQ: It is the first and only high ticket dropshipping supplier database in the world. It has thousands of vetted and verified distributors and suppliers. Aside from its extensive directory, it also features a CRM for supplier outreach and management as well as a product research tool in high ticket niches. 

Dropshipping Apps and Platforms

Alternatively, you might choose to use a leading dropshipping app or platform, offering easy integration with your eCommerce store and access to a plethora of pre-vetted suppliers. This takes a lot of the research and guesswork out of dropshipping, making it even easier for beginners.

Examples of popular apps and platforms include:

• Oberlo: A dropshipping app that helps you identify and add trending, popular dropshipping items to your store, importing them directly from AliExpress, complete with photos, descriptions, and additional info.

• Spocket: A dropshipping app that helps users start selling products from leading suppliers from around the globe. It also supports sample orders, and lets you fulfil orders in a single click on Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, and other top platforms.

• AliExpress Dropshipping: AliExpress is one of the leading platforms to find dropshipping suppliers, with lots of products and generally low prices. Dropshippers may choose to head straight to AliExpress to source products, rather than paying for “middleman” apps or services.

Don’t have an online store yet? Check out our Done-For-You custom Shopify stores.

Attending Trade Shows and Events

Another way to connect with prospective suppliers – and the dropshipping community at large – is to attend trade shows and events. There, you may be able to meet suppliers in person and see their products first-hand or connect with other dropshippers and get recommendations and guidance from them.

So, consider looking up trade show and event calendars to see if any events are on the horizon in your area. Look up the list of attendees, prepare some questions, note down the details of key people you meet, and follow up with the most promising leads.

Vetting and Onboarding Dropshipping Suppliers 

Once you’ve identified one or more suppliers who seem like the right fit for your store, it’s time to move on to establishing a connection with them and negotiating terms.

Evaluating Supplier Reliability

First, and this cannot be stressed enough, make sure you do your homework on any supplier before you commit to a contract or long-term partnership of any kind. Dig into their: 

• Business history, focusing on suppliers with a proven track record of success and years of experience in the industry. 

• References from other dropshippers who have used this supplier and can vouch for them. 

• Online reviews which detail the quality of the products provided by the supplier and the general level of their service in terms of fulfilment, communication, delivery, etc.

Negotiating Terms and Agreements

If all seems well, and you’re ready to move to the next step with a supplier, it’s time to think about negotiation. 

This is something that a lot of new dropshippers wrongly overlook. Negotiating is important. It can help you secure the best possible rates for a supplier’s products, which can maximize your profits and potential for success. 

Open discussions with suppliers and talk about aspects like product pricing, minimum order amounts, and the possibility of exclusivity agreements. 

Such agreements can be very beneficial, especially in today’s highly competitive climate. If you’re the only seller of a particular product, buyers will have no other option but to buy from you, giving you more leverage over pricing and profit margins.

Before beginning negotiations, research industry standards, look up how other dropshipping businesses operate, and define your objectives. That should help you head into any discussion with a clear purpose and plan in mind.

Integrating Suppliers With Your eCommerce Store

After negotiating a fair agreement with your supplier, you’ll want to get their products listed on your store (and other sales channels) as soon as possible to start making sales. 

This process will vary, depending on what platform you’re using.

On Shopify, for example, it’s really easy to integrate suppliers and their product catalogues into your store in a few clicks, but other platforms may require the use of third-party apps, extensions, or custom integrations.

Look up details and guides for the software you’re working with, and make sure to test and preview new products as they’re added to ensure everything looks and works as it should.

Conclusion: Find the Best Suppliers for Dropshipping Success 

Overall, there’s no doubt that if you want to succeed in dropshipping, you can’t go it alone. You need trusted, reliable suppliers of high-quality goods to fill your store, attract your target audience, and keep customers coming back for more. Keep the principles of this guide in mind and do your research to hone in on the perfect suppliers.

But don’t forget – picking suppliers is just one part of the puzzle. There’s much more that goes into running a successful dropshipping business, and if you want expert help, every step of the way, look no further than the High Ticket program. Our expert-led program has helped thousands of people succeed in this increasingly competitive field, and it can do the same for you.