There are a number of ways to find the right dropshipping supplier for your business. Each supplier will offer their own guarantees, policies, and pricing, so it’s important to extensively research not only what your options are, but whether a potential company will be a good fit for your business and brand.

Methods for Finding Dropshipping Suppliers

Contact the Manufacturer

If you already know what products you’d like to sell, the easiest method is to contact the manufacturer. They will be able to point you to their authorized distributors, who may be willing to establish a dropshipping relationship with your business. After a few phone calls to the leading manufacturers of your industry, you’ll have a handy list identifying the top distributors you can potentially partner up with.

Search Using Google

Searching on Google will likely yield results, but thanks to drop shipping companies’ notoriously awful marketing, it can sometimes be a time-consuming process. Don’t expect to find what you’re looking for on page one of search results – you’ll likely have to dig deep and scour through numerous spam listings before landing on a legitimate dropshipper.

Subscribe to a Directory

A supplier directory is a database that contains profiles of dropshipping companies related to a specific product or niche.  There are numerous dropshipping directories online, and although many of them feature a screening process to ensure suppliers are legitimate, a number of them are of poor quality and provide little value. Directories are highly praised for their usefulness in brainstorming new ideas, although you likely won’t need to revisit one once you’ve found a supplier for your product(s).

Some examples of dropshipping directories include:

• Doba
• Worldwide Brands
• SaleHoo

What Kind of Dropshipping Fees Can You Expect

Pre-Order Fee

Many dropshippers charge a pre-order fee to cover the expenses of shipping, with prices typically ranging from $2 to $5 depending on the individual product. More complex items that are extremely large or heavy are likely to incur a higher fee.

Monthly Fees

Be wary of dropshipping companies that charge ongoing monthly fees, as this can be an alarming indication that the business is illegitimate. Very few genuine dropshipping companies charge their customers a membership or service fee.

Purchasing Minimums

Each dropshipping company’s purchasing minimums will vary. Some may require a minimum initial purchase size, either for your first order or per month. If you fail to meet their specified minimums, you may incur a fee. This is a popular policy among dropshipping companies to weed out potential business owners that are more interested in “window shopping” or aren’t serious about their business.