The first step to launching an eCommerce business is finding the right dropshipping suppliers. Dropshipping is a great way for ambitious entrepreneurs to start selling products online.
Dropshipping suppliers can manage your store and make sure you don’t have to do any of the heavy lifting. They not only create the products that you want to sell but also pack and ship them to customers.
Dropshipping is a very popular option today. It will be worth approximately $591.77 billion in 2027, as the market continues its rapid growth. You must know how to identify the top dropshipping suppliers and avoid the rest if you want to be part of this expanding ecosystem.
This is your ultimate guide to finding dropshipping suppliers.
What is Dropshipping? An Introduction
Before we deep dive with the top dropshipping suppliers in the world, let’s first briefly explain what dropshipping is.
Dropshipping allows you to fulfill orders and make products without the need for your business to have any stock. Your store functions as a sort of middleman, passing orders from customers to third-party suppliers who then make the products and ship them out to you.
Dropshipping is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after business models thanks to its low barriers to entry and minimal initial setup costs. There are pros and cons to every entrepreneurial strategy. These are the pros and cons that you should consider.
Dropshipping Pros
- Dropshipping is simple. Dropshipping is easy because you don’t have to pack or ship anything, no manufacturing is required, and you don’t even need to design you product. You also have very little to worry about. There are no products to store or supplies to purchase, which allows you to keep your initial setup costs very low.
- No inventory management headaches. Inventory management can be complex, especially when it involves keeping track of warehouse inventory. Dropshipping takes the hassle out of managing inventory. Your dropshipping supplier handles the complicated task of creating and shipping products.
- Increased cash flow: Dropshipping allows you to test new products without any risk. You can offer your customers a broad range of items and not worry about what will happen if they don’t sell. It’s easy for business owners and managers to discover new products that can improve cash flow without spending much money.
- Passive income Depending on what type of dropshipping business your run, you may be able to create a passive income. While you must keep an eye on your dropshipping accounts and promote your store or position on dropshipping marketplaces, you can still make money without much effort.
Dropshipping Cons
- Low profit margins You won’t be able to control your profit margins because you don’t make your products. You can expect less from a business if you invest less. To make a good living, you may need to sell many different products in large quantities.
- Competition Because it is so easy to enter this market, there are many dropshippers already in the industry that you will need to compete against. You will likely be selling the same products to many people. This can make it difficult to stand out. It may be necessary to invest in solid branding and marketing.
- Dropshipping doesn’t give you control over the supply chain. If your customer has complaints about product quality, fulfillment, or returns, dropshipping won’t help. It would be best if you instead approached your supplier to make changes.
Finding Suppliers for your Dropshipping Business
How can you ensure your dropshipping business is successful? Do your research.
You need to research your products to determine which ones will bring you the most revenue and where to sell the best. Also, find the best dropshipping suppliers. Market research will help you determine which products are most likely to appeal and what industry they fall under. The next step is to start looking for suppliers and manufacturers who have products in your area.
Dropshipping is a popular way to find potential suppliers in many different settings. These are great ways to begin your search for suppliers:
- Contact the manufacturer. If you have a product in mind or are looking for dropshipping suppliers with branded products, it’s best to get in touch with the manufacturer. You can reach out to the manufacturer and ask about their current distribution channels. This will help you to avoid selling counterfeit products and ensure that you are dealing only with genuine suppliers.
- Use Google: Search engines are one of the most efficient ways to locate anything nowadays. Google allows you to do some basic research. If you are interested in becoming a fashion or footwear distributor, you might search for “Clothing distributor” and “wholesale sandals”. Look through every result and find contact information to request more information.
- Major B2B Marketplaces:These are the places where many manufacturers, wholesale distributors, and importers list their products. There are many great options available, including Alibaba, Global Sources (for the USA) and EC Plaza for Korea.
- Attend a tradeshow: Although tradeshows may seem outdated in the post-pandemic era of today, there are still many options available. Online tradeshows might be possible if you are unable to travel to the location or attend in person. You should find manufacturers as well as wholesalers and dropshippers.
- Join industry associations: Many retailers don’t want to share supplier information with their competitors. It might take some networking to gain some insight. You can help yourself by joining LinkedIn forums, subscribing for various industry publications, or simply working on your professional network.
Dropshipping companies or services can help you avoid all the hassle of finding a dropshipping supplier. These companies connect you with dropshipping suppliers for you. Dropshipping solutions include AliDropship and Printful, among others.
A few more details will be provided about some of the best websites to find dropshipping suppliers. Let’s first look at how to find a reliable dropshipping supplier.
What to Look for in a Good Dropshipping Supplier
It is essential to know how to distinguish reputable dropshipping companies from others if you are going to start your own dropshipping company. While you cannot avoid making mistakes or ordering from the wrong company, careful strategies can help you determine if a supplier will be right for you.
You’ll likely see the following things when you interact with a dropshipping supplier:
Good customer service:
Dropshipping companies can fulfill your orders, but you still have to resolve any issues your customers may have with your products. You will be notified if an item does not meet your customer’s expectations. You need to be able to quickly reach out to your supplier for help.
Dropshipping suppliers that are difficult to reach or not clear on their return policies can make your life difficult. Before you begin working with any dropshipping provider, make sure you are satisfied with the service you receive.
No hidden fees:
Dropshipping is difficult because hidden fees can eat into your profit margins. Dropshipping websites like the ones we have listed below should allow you to easily calculate the fees that you can expect in advance.
If you are working directly with a dropshipper, you should ensure that they do not charge any extra “per order” fees when you place an order. You should also check for hidden fees. Make sure that the fees charged by the manufacturer you are working with are reasonable, and based on the quality of your order.
Fast Shipping:
Again, although you may not be responsible for shipping products to customers, your clients will be liable if they are delayed in receiving their goods. You should not be able to trust a supplier who takes longer than 48 hours to ship an item.
Dropshipping is a highly competitive business model that doesn’t allow for lengthy shipping times. It is important to ensure that you are able to get your products to your customers as quickly as possible. Double-check that your supplier is able to ship to customers around the globe. Otherwise, you might end up disappointed customers.
Quality products:
It’s obvious that you need to ensure your products are of high quality. Otherwise, you will have many returns and unhappy customers. It’s a good idea to order samples before you decide to sell the product as part of your drop shipping company.
When choosing a dropshipping supplier, you might order multiple versions of the same product from different suppliers. This allows you to compare the quality of different suppliers and help you choose the one that will give you the best results.
You might consider dropshipping companies that sell specific products. A brand name can make your company more trustworthy.
Useful technology
Dropshipping technology is a great tool to help you provide better customer service. If your dropshipping supplier has order tracking tools, they can provide accurate updates to customers about when their order will arrive at their home.
You might also want to consider other technology innovations for dropshipping suppliers, such as a detailed website with lots of product descriptions, inventory data feeds for product listings, and the ability to place orders automatically.
How to spot low-quality dropshippers and scams
Dropshipping is a growing industry, and there are many people who don’t want to be trusted. These red flags are important to watch out for:
- Ongoing fees: In most cases, there should be ongoing fees for wholesalers or dropshipping suppliers. However, with some dropshipping suppliers you may have to pay a monthly fee to access a list of dropshipping suppliers branded by the manufacturer.
- Minimum order quantities: While some wholesalers may have minimum order sizes, dropshipping suppliers do not. You might consider stocking your own warehouse.
- Low quality products: If you receive a sample of a product, and it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t as good as you expected, you should immediately drop your supplier and move to someone else.
Where to find Dropshipping Suppliers
Now that you are well-versed in the basics of dropshipping, let’s take a look at how to connect with dropshipping companies and manufacturers to help you find the right products for you.
Many directories and online tools can be integrated with eCommerce tools like Shopify and WordPress. This makes it very easy to sell your products online.
These are some of the most popular websites to find dropshipping suppliers.
1. Oberlo: Dropshipping for Shopify
If you already have a Shopify website, or you’re thinking of building your dropshipping business with a Shopify site, then Oberlo is likely to be one of the most valuable tools for you. With Oberlo, you get direct access to a list of manufacturers and dropshipping suppliers from AliExpress.
The Oberlo app simply plugs into your Shopify eCommerce website, where you can import products and their descriptions to your store. When a customer buys one of your items, the Oberlo application automatically notifies your supplier via AliExpress, and the product is picked, packed, and shipped to your client.
Oberlo comes with a host of tools to teach you how to dropship, as well as courses, so you can build your ideal store from scratch. You’ll also get access to all kinds of data to help you make the right decisions about which products you should be selling.
Pros:
- Instant integration with the Shopify ecommerce store builder
- Available in 6 languages with shipping for customers all over the world
- A huge range of product options to choose from direct from AliExpress
- Automatic inventory and price updates for your website
- Bulk order support and real-time order tracking, for better customer service
- Customizable listings to help make your business stand out
Cons:
- No direct relationships with any dropshipping suppliers
- Not ideal for anyone who isn’t using Shopify
2. Worldwide Brands: Global Dropshipping Directory
Worldwide Brands is a comprehensive dropshipping supplier directory, where you can find all kinds of manufacturers, and products, without the risks of having to look for contacts yourself. There’s a fee to join this directory, but it does mean you’ll be able to sort through potential dropshipping suppliers while taking advantage of Worldwide Brands strict vetting policy.
The directory has more than 16 million certified wholesale product options to choose from, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding the items you need for any industry. There’s also a mobile app, so you can browse through supplier options when you’re on the move.
Worldwide brands is BBB accredited, and WBI certified, and it’s one of the most reputable companies on the market for wholesale selling. You’ll need to pay a $299 lifetime account membership fee to get on the directory, which really isn’t too bad compared to the price of alternative options.
Pros:
- Vetted, high-quality dropshipping suppliers from all over the world
- Literally millions of dropshipping products to choose from
- Mobile app for managing relationships on the move
- Excellent quality of products, and great customer service
- Refund policy to help protect your brand image
Cons:
- Membership can be costly
- You’ll still need to seek out the right manufacturer from the directory yourself.
3. Megagoods: Electronics dropshipping
Want to start your dropshipping business with a focus on electronics? Megagoods, has you covered. A comprehensive dropshipping supplier directory, Megagoods makes it quick and easy to get your hands on all kinds of branded products, so you can build a powerful presence among your target audience. You can even access private label shipping.
Megagoods puts the safety of companies and customers first. You get a great selection of branded dropshipper items, but you also get PCI and EDI compliance with every manufacturer you work with. As an added bonus, the dropshipping suppliers connected with this company are known for delivering at exceptional speeds.
Megagoods even offers free shipping on certain items, but you’ll need to be careful to watch out for any minimum order requirements. Because this company focuses heavily on wholesalers, rather than just dropshippers, you may not be able to buy all products one at a time.
Pros:
- Excellent range of branded electronic items
- Fast shipping with free delivery options on some items
- PCI and EDI compliance included
- Great private label shipping options
- Good quality of customer service
Cons:
- May be some minimum order requirements
4. Printful: Print on Demand Dropshipping
Dropshippers come in a variety of different flavors, from companies who sell products directly from the manufacturer to organizations selling customizable solutions. Print on Demand dropshippers, like Printful, are a great choice for business leaders looking to make their dropshipping solution stand out from the crowd.
If you’re worried about competing in an environment where everyone sells the same thing, Printful will allow you to differentiate your products by selling custom items to suit your specific needs. It’s free to sign up, and there are absolutely no minimum orders. You’ll also have more than 225 products to choose from, which you can enhance with your own designs.
You can print various creative elements onto hoodies, hats, t-shirts, laptop cases, and more, or allow your customers to customize their products as they choose. The shipping rates are surprisingly low with Printful, and you can deliver the items your customers order in no time.
Printful offers worldwide shipping, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble building an international audience.
Pros:
- Excellent range of options for customizing your products
- Choose from a wide variety of items to sell to your target audience
- Quick and convenient shipping with low fees
- Excellent customer service and support
- Easy to integrate with solutions like Shopify
Cons:
- Limited range of products compared to some dropshippers
5. Spocket: Dropshipping Supplier app
Looking for a quick and convenient way to add new products to your portfolio? Spocket could be just the thing. A powerful solution for seeking out dropshipping suppliers, Spocket allows entrepreneurs to find high-converting products in no time, often with quick shipping times. You can choose from various suppliers based in the US and Europe to ensure faster deliveries.
Spocket makes it quick and easy to find dropshipping products from a range of categories, including apparel and accessories. You can order samples from an easy-to-use dashboard to ensure you’re getting an excellent level of quality too.
As an added bonus, Spocket is extremely easy to use with existing eCommerce website-building tools. The service integrates with WooCommerce, Shopify, Wix, and BigCommerce. This means you can quickly and conveniently import information about your products to your store.
Spocket deals with various parts of running your store on your behalf, including inventory and order fulfillment. The processes are automated, too, to save your team time.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface with integrations for ecommerce stores
- Convenient quick shipping from local suppliers
- Easy to order samples from a range of categories
- Good pricing for most products
- Wide range of product types to choose from.
Cons:
- Not a lot of branded dropshipping options
6. Salehoo: Pre-vetted dropshipping suppliers
Great for business owners who want to minimize the headaches of searching for reliable dropshipping suppliers on their own, Salehoo does most of the hard work for you. There are more than 8000 dropshipping suppliers listed on the directory, all of which have gone through a careful vetting process. This ensures you deal with companies you can trust.
Although 8000 suppliers might not seem like much compared to some other dropshipping directories, it does mean you’ll have access to millions of products. This allows you to build your dropshipping business with confidence and add as many new products as you like.
As an extra bonus, Salehoo also has a convenient market research lab, where you can find profitable and trendy products generating the most attention in your industry. Salehoo helps you to find and connect with dropshipping suppliers while offering a range of free resources and guides to improve your chances of making the right decisions.
Pros:
- Excellent level of support and great business resources
- Millions of product options to choose from
- Pre-vetted suppliers ensure you don’t have to worry about poor service
- Fantastic direct dropshipping options from AliExpress
- Educational guides and courses to teach you how to sell more
Cons:
- Fewer suppliers than some alternatives
7. Alidropship: WordPress dropshipping
Similar to Oberlo, AliDropship is an application that makes it easier to add AliExpress items to your store in a matter of moments. With AliDropship, you can integrate the service directly into your WordPress website and start adding products in a matter of seconds. To help minimize the headaches modern business owners face with getting up and running, AliDropship is all about ease of use.
Various aspects of your dropshipping journey are automated with Alidropship, including the ability to automatically export all the products you want to sell and their information into your product pages. Whenever a customer makes an order, their information is automatically transferred to AliExpress too. With this service, you can keep life simple and focus on just marketing and sales.
There is a lack of flexibility with this dropshipping solution, though. Rather than giving you a directory full of suppliers, the app just offers access to one central source of wholesale items (AliExpress). The good news is that AliExpress has millions of products to choose from, so you should be able to easily find items for your portfolio.
Pros:
- Excellent range of products from AliExpress
- Extremely easy to use integration for your WordPress site
- Fantastic automation options to minimize your hard work
- Build a store and brand it however you choose
- Make it easy to keep track of critical customer information
Cons:
- You can only access products from AliExpress
8. Inventory Source: Automation software and suppliers
Inventory Source is a unique solution for companies in search of dropshipping suppliers. With this solution, you can monitor and update your inventory by syncing your order and IT data between your sales channels and dropshipping suppliers, which makes running a successful business easier.
Inventory Source integrates with more than 230 dropshipping suppliers, so you can easily find a wide range of potential manufacturers with products for your store. The whole system puts automation first, so you can minimize the amount of work involved in sending orders to suppliers and fulfilling customer requests.
Inventory Source monitors your suppliers’ feed on a daily basis too, to ensure you’re always up-to-date on what’s available, and you never disappoint your customers by having to cancel their orders. The software can even automatically upload your supplier’s product data to more than 25 eCommerce platforms and marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart.
Inventory source syncs everything from order details and status to price. However, accessing this functionality isn’t exactly cheap. Inventory automation prices start at $99 per month, while full automation begins at around $199 per month.
Pros:
- Excellent range of product options to choose from
- Automation to make managing your customer service demands simple
- Lots of integrations with ecommerce tools and marketplaces
- Convenient rapid syncing functionality
- Daily tracking of product updates and inventory count
Cons:
- Can be quite expensive
9. Wholesale2b: Dropshipping with Heritage
One of the older dropshipping supplier solutions on the web today, Wholesale2b has been running for almost 20 years, making it an extremely reputable company. The solution is home to over 1 million dropshipping products, with absolutely no minimum order requirements, so you can pay for only what your customers want to buy.
Wholesale2b allows you to sign up and access the directory for free, and when you’re ready to start importing products, the pricing packages are actually quite affordable. Although a number of the suppliers in this network are based in China, you can also find companies producing high-quality items in the United States too, which is excellent if you want to prioritize quick shipping.
Wholesale2B is compatible with a range of eCommerce platforms, including Amazon, Etsy, WooCommerce, Magento, Shopify, and BigCommerce. The more expensive your choice of pricing plan, the more you’ll have access to integrations and advanced services.
On the plus side, ordering products is as simple as just clicking on whatever you need.
Pros:
- Extremely reputable and trustworthy dropshipping solution
- Ships directly from the United States in some instances
- Fantastic integrations with a range of ecommerce tools
- One-click order management
- Very affordable pricing packages
Cons:
- Fewer dropshipping product options than some alternatives
10. Doba: Dropshipping with account managers
If you’re familiar with dropshipping, you’re probably familiar with Doba. One of the more comprehensive options for dropshipping businesses today, Doba allows companies to find the suppliers they need and the products their customers want in minutes.
You can browse through the most popular products on the platform or check out available options specific to your industry. There’s also the extra peace of mind of knowing all of the suppliers on Doba have been thoroughly vetted, to ensure you’re getting exceptional service and high-quality items from a range of amazing brands.
Doba makes dropshipping extremely simple. You can discover the products you want within the directory and add them straight to your store while managing various supplier relationships through your Doba account. This means you don’t have to spend as much time managing everything manually on your own.
Pros:
- Excellent range of product options to choose from
- Easily find top and fast-selling products in your chosen industry
- Pre-vetted suppliers offer exceptional peace of mind
- Integrate with your chosen marketplace or ecommerce tool
- Streamline your dropshipping process with automation
Cons:
- Monthly subscription fees required
- May have fewer suppliers than some alternatives
11. Sunrise Wholesale: Cheap branded dropshipping
Sunrise Wholesale isn’t quite as well-known as some of the other dropshipping suppliers we’ve covered so far, but it still has a lot to offer. The company specializes in offering a wide range of branded products for low prices. At the same time, you also get access to automated solutions to help streamline your ordering and fulfillment process.
With over 18 years in business, Sunrise Wholesale is a veteran at sorting through reputable suppliers to provide products in around 20 different categories. You’ll have access to more than 30,000 products with this supplier, from companies like Apple, Clinique, Disney, Canon, and even Hello Kitty.
You can integrate Sunrise Wholesale directly with the tools you’re already using to build your business, like BigCommerce and Amazon. Adding products to your store is as simple as clicking a button, and you can even access same-day or next-day order fulfillment with some suppliers, depending on where you are in the world.
Pros:
- Excellent customer service with rapid shipping times
- Automation and integrations with major marketplaces
- Thousands of products to choose from
- Top-rated customer service and support
- Access to a wide range of insights, including product feeds
Cons:
- Fewer product categories and options than some larger supplier directories
12. Modalyst: Instant Access to Dropshipping Products
Modalyst is a dropshipping application for companies looking to avoid some of the headaches of seeking out their own dropshipping suppliers. The service connects you directly to eco-friendly suppliers, designer brands, private label manufacturers, and AliExpress sellers.
The solution has been rated as one of the best dropshipping software options by leading publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and Elle. What’s more, the service integrates with some of the top eCommerce platforms on the market, including Wix, BigCommerce, and Shopify.
If you’re looking for a quick and convenient tool for sorting through dropshipping suppliers and products, Modalyst is an excellent choice. You’ll get access not just to AliExpress vendors, but a range of US suppliers and dedicated dropshippers within the Modalyst directory too.
Pros:
- Connects online stores to millions of products instantly
- AliExpress and private label sellers available
- Easy-to-use application with tons of automation
- Connects with various ecommerce platforms and marketplaces
- Affordable pricing structure
Cons:
- Can be limited in product options compared to finding manufacturers directly
Do You Need Multiple Dropshipping Suppliers?
While you’re building your business plan for your new dropshipping company, it’s worth asking yourself whether you need more than one dropshipping supplier for your brand. The ability to work with multiple suppliers at once is one of the main reasons why dropshipping websites and directories like the ones mentioned above are so popular.
While searching manually for a range of suppliers can be a headache, having the option to interact with multiple through a pre-built directory can deliver advantages like:
- More products: When you’re finding dropshipping suppliers for your business, you’ll need to think about the kind of products available. A clear benefit of having multiple suppliers is you should have a wider range of products you can add to your store.
- More business relationships: Building relationships with your suppliers opens the door to a wider network. Your business network can lead to a host of new opportunities in the long term, including access to additional customers and potential partners (capable of helping to grow your brand).
- Greater variety: Aside from a wider range of products, more dropshipping suppliers also means you can access more potential sales opportunities. Some suppliers will be able to work with you on private label products or print on demand products, so you can expand your company and differentiate your brand even further.
- Access to better quality: By working with different providers, you can test the quality of various products, and make sure you’re getting the very best. This improves your chances of delivering the kind of items your customers are looking for, and ensures you’re going to get the best possible profits in the long-term.
- Better profit margins: In some cases, working with multiple suppliers means if one company raises their prices, and narrows your profit margins, you can search for a less expensive alternative elsewhere. It’s good to have options when you’re striving to keep your costs as low as possible.
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Dropshipping Business?
As mentioned above, a dropshipping business is one of the most affordable ways for entrepreneurs to start selling online. However, the exact costs of starting your venture will depend on a number of factors, including which suppliers you choose to work with. Branded dropshipping suppliers are generally more expensive than standard dropshipping marketplaces like AliExpress.
Outside of the costs of actually paying for your wholesale products, you’ll also need to think about expenses like:
- Domain name and hosting: A domain name for your website can cost anywhere from $2 to hundreds of dollars, depending on your provider, and if you need help choosing a business name. Hosting can cost $2.95 per month and also range into the hundreds, depending on what kind of traffic you expect to see on your site.
- Logo design: If you’re going to be building a brand image, you’ll need a logo. You can get a cheap graphic designer on Fiverr and similar sites, but you may end up spending a lot more depending on the kind of service you need.
- Advertising: This depends entirely on what kind of promotion you want to get involved with. Pay-per-click advertising can be a good choice for some companies who want to generate attention as quickly as possible. Some forms of content marketing can be free to implement, if you create your content yourself, but you will need to account for time.
If you need extra help managing customer service, you can also consider hiring staff members to assist with your dropshipping company.
Are You Ready to Launch Your Own Dropshipping Business?
Dropshipping businesses are becoming increasingly popular these days, particularly as the post-pandemic era pushes more people to consider the benefits of starting their own business. If you’ve ever considered building your own eCommerce store, a dropshipping business can be the ideal way to keep costs low while unlocking endless growth opportunities.
While there are a number of factors that can affect how successful your dropshipping business actually is, nothing is more important than having the right dropshipping suppliers on your side. As a dropshipper, everything depends on your ability to work with companies that can create fantastic products for your customers and deliver them at speed.
Use the tools above to start building your network of dropshipping suppliers, and you’ll be on your way to a successful business in no time.