Best Dropshipping Websites

Having minimal startup costs, dropshipping has become an increasingly attractive option for entrepreneurs looking to run an online business.

When starting a dropshipping store, one of the first steps to achieving success is finding the right suppliers. Your suppliers should be reliable and provide high quality products to ensure product satisfaction from your customers.

They will be responsible for keeping products in stock, storing all inventory and ensuring that orders are fulfilled within the determined time frame.

Due to cheaper wholesale prices, many online business owners have turned to Chinese drop shipping companies to source products.

While an illegitimate dropshipping supplier can endanger your brand’s credibility, finding a good one will lead to positive customer reviews.

One of the top factors that will determine the success of your store is the responsiveness and professionalism of your suppliers.

Before settling with a dropshipping company, make sure that they provide a responsive support staff. They should be able to answer any questions or concerns arising during or after the sales process.

If you are dealing with dropship companies in China, language and time difference will not necessarily be a barrier. This is as long as your supplier is willing to assist you with inquiries.

There are many dropshipping sites you can use to locate and compare product suppliers. But how will you know whether they’re reliable?

Here’s a short list of important factors to consider before starting your research:

Product Quality

The best way to evaluate products from a specific supplier is to check for product ratings and reviews.

In the case that you’re having doubts about the quality of a certain item, it is always a good idea to personally test it.

You can contact the seller and have them ship you a product sample for you to determine whether it’s the right product for your business.

Supplier Punctuality

The estimated shipping time is undoubtedly one of the top factors in the buyer’s decision when looking for products online.

Longer shipping times and higher shipping rates can be unattractive to your customers. This can leave them with no other option but turning to your competitors.

Since all shipping for your eCommerce store is handled by your supplier, your shipping times are bound to be slow.

Make sure to ship your orders to the customer within the advised time frame.

You can test a supplier’s punctuality by personally ordering a product in order to make sure that they abide by the established shipping time.

In the case that your supplier does not offer free shipping on cheaper products, make sure to have a discounted shipping fee on your more popular items.

Return Policy

When it comes to product return policies, you can either directly pass on your supplier’s return policy or personalize it based on your preferences.

While some suppliers will provide your customers with return shipping labels, in many cases you or your customer will be responsible for covering any applicable return shipping fees.

Make sure that return policies are flexible and allow for sufficient time for the product to be shipped back. This cannot be overstated especially for suppliers located overseas.

Ongoing Fees

When signing up with a supplier, you should expect to be charged a set up fee and pre-order fees.

Pre-order fees cover all packing and shipping costs and give you access to significantly cheaper wholesale prices.

Another thing to consider is that suppliers will often require you to meet a minimum purchase threshold on monthly basis, to ensure that they are dealing with legitimate businesses that will increase their sales.

While all the above mentioned fees are expected, you should avoid suppliers who charge on-going monthly fees as this indicates poor service and lack of legitimacy.

Best Dropshipping Websites

Now that you have learned about the top indicators of a reliable dropshipping supplier, you may be wondering where to begin your search.

Wholesalers often have little to no web presence and limited marketing efforts. This might it difficult to get in contact with them.

We have put together a list of the best dropshipping websites to help you find potential partners for your business or simply look for product ideas and inspiration.

🔥AliExpress

AliExpress has become one of the largest and most popular marketplaces for dropshippers. It is a cost-effective and low-risk option for new entrepreneurs.

Here you will find heavily discounted products from China-based online wholesalers, along with free shipping offered on the majority of products.

Note that AliExpress is not a supplier but rather a platform helping buyers connect with sellers.

The platform allows you to easily import the products of your choice along with all relevant descriptions and images straight into your eCommerce store through apps like Oberlo.

You can then edit this content and mark up prices to ensure profit generation.

Benefits

• No Upfront Fees: You can easily test products listed on the platform without any financial commitment. While many marketplaces have strict minimum order quantity policies, AliExpress allows you to order one product at a time making it ideal for dropshippers.
• Detailed Product Information: When browsing AliExpress you will notice that majority of suppliers offer quality products photos and detailed descriptions which you can directly import onto your online store or use for reference.
• Price: AliExpress sells heavily discounted products from Chinese suppliers. These suppliers often provide a free international shipping option which can significantly affect your profit margin.
• Customer Service: In the case of logistical or technical inquiries, AliExpress offers online customer support available to you 24/7. They also give you an option to contact the supplier at any time.

Disadvantages

• Supplier Professionalism: When looking for a trustworthy supplier on AliExpress, make sure to carefully research about the company to ensure the quality of their products. Some suppliers will send you defective products or ones that do not match the listed product images. Carefully examine the AliExpress Buyer Protection in the case of any order related disputes.
• Shipping Times: Aliexpress often offers a free shipping option for its customers. But keep in mind that shipping from China is often a lengthy process. Shipping times vary from a few days to a month, which can be a key deciding factor for the buyer. However, if you choose your products wisely and they are in high demand to your niche audience, delivery time will not necessarily lead to a loss of a sale.

🔥Etsy

Etsy is a great marketplace if you’re looking to build a store with less generic, unique products to target a specific niche audience.

The platform provides a wide range of one-of-a-kind handcrafted products ranging from jewelry to custom-made souvenirs and vintage products.

If you’re looking to grow a business that will stand out from the competition, Etsy is the perfect marketplace to drop ship from. By selling on Etsy, you will promote craftsmanship by helping artists get rewarded for their creative work.

Platforms such as Importify and Spocket are available to import products from Etsy directly into your Shopify store.

Benefits

• Shipping Times:  Shipping from China-based suppliers is often a lengthy process. Meanwhile, Etsy sellers are typically located in North America and will ship an order to the customer within a week. 
• Less Competition: While dropshipping from Chinese suppliers can have high-profit margins due to low-cost products, you will also experience a high competition. Selling eye-catching and unique products will give your store a market advantage.

Disadvantages

• Pricing: Etsy products are often priced higher than what you will find on AliExpress. This is generally an indicator of high quality. As many suppliers will be looking to grow their business and increase sales, they might offer product discounts.
• Inventory: Most artists selling their handmade items on Etsy, do not have a large inventory of the same product. If a product becomes popular your online store, your Etsy supplier might not be able to fulfill large orders. This will require you to frequently update your product listing and constantly search for new products to sell.

🔥Doba

Doba is a popular dropshipping platform, connecting entrepreneurs with retailers who wish to sell their products.

They offer about 2 million products in one centralized marketplace, with the ability to easily view trendiest items and categories.

You can easily find products in your niche using category, price range, and brand-related filters.

They also evaluate their suppliers in regards to processing times, shipping times and fulfillment rates, saving you significant research time.

Benefits

• User-Friendly Platform: Doba is easy to navigate due to its various filters and product categories. It also offers an up to date supplier directory. Dropshippers can access a large variety of resources such as insightful lessons and educational articles. Tools such as an extensive product feed and inventory exporting tools are also available. 
• Inventory Alerts: Once you sign up with a supplier, you will receive updates when a product you dropship is low on stock. This feature comes handy if you’re dealing with several suppliers and have a hard time keeping track of all products. 

Disadvantages

• Cost: Many might find Doba to be an expensive option for new dropshipping entrepreneurs.  Their plans range from 29$ monthly fee for a basic package to 249$ fee for a pro version. Despite its extensive features, this may not be the best platform to use for someone with little experience. 
• Lack of Customer Ratings: Unfortunately, Doba does not offer ratings for products. This makes it difficult to sufficiently evaluate and compare items. Lack of ratings may lead you to start searching other marketplaces such as Amazon or AliExpress for specific products. This will be time-consuming but necessary in order to determine whether a product is right for your business. 

🔥Wish.com

Wish is a similar marketplace to AliExpress, however, it is founded and headquartered in the United States.

This platform is a great research platform, both for product inspiration and quality suppliers.

Here you will find anything from fashion items to accessories and more. Popular products are highlighted giving you a good insight into customer demands.

As most retailers are located in Asia, items found on Wish are heavily discounted. Shipping times are similar to that of AliExpress.

The biggest advantage of this platform is the extensive product feed. Similarly to Pinterest, the feed will show you the trendiest products that are in high demand.

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