Dropshipping Suppliers: Where to Find the Best Drop Shipping Suppliers (Free List)
Have you ever wanted to sell products online?
If you look at how much money you can get out of the process – soon, you will want to. Because there is no limit to what you can earn by selling products online.
However, the problem with trying to sell items on your own is that it takes more effort than usual to make it work.
The process of getting an inventory ready and trying to ship items out to more places is certainly burdensome when you first start your online retail store.
There’s a solution to this – starting your own drop shipping campaign and using directories to scout for authentic and legitimate dropshipping suppliers.
But first things first – what is dropshipping?
Drop shipping is a simple practice that works with an easy to understand set-up. To begin with, you need a functioning website or online store with a full inventory of products to sell.
These products will come to you through a vendor that you can contact for your drop shipping needs. The vendor will link you to providers that are looking to sell a variety of products and will pay you a good cut of the sale for whatever you want to sell online.
What’s next?
You’ll get in touch with a drop shipping provider who will take care of the shipping for you – some even manage suppliers for you. The payments and orders that you collect will be forwarded to the provider who will then mail out the items on your behalf.
Some brands – usually the big ones – can repackage the goods with your marketing collaterals so it appears as if the product came from you.
After this, you will get your own cut of the sale. This means that you will get a profit off of the transaction without ever having to handle the inventory yourself.
This is an amazing practice, but there’s more to it than what meets the eye. In this guide, you will learn about some of the best drop shipping companies and the actual process of how to choose a trustworthy one.
Table of Contents:
1. Choosing Your Dropshipping Suppliers
2. The Top Eleven Dropshipping Directories Worth Their Salt
- AliExpress/Alibaba
- Doba
- SaleHoo
- Worldwide Brands
- Dropship Direct
- Megagoods
- WholesaleCentral
- Wholesale 2B
- Toptenwholesale
- TheWholesaler.co.uk
- Spocket
Let’s start with –
Choosing Your Drop Shipping Suppliers
You might be thrilled at the variety of drop shippers at your disposal.
However, there are only a few that you should work with.
This section is devoted to helping you understand what you need to do when choosing someone to provide you with products for selling on your website.
It’s true that you can look for different dropshippers through a variety of places. A simple online search will get you with thousands of options. As much as we’d like to tell you about the various drop shippers that are out there, it will take forever to go through all of them.
The best way forward is to train you on how to hunt for the best and then let you have a little bit of fun zeroing in on the right one for you.
No matter who interests you, you will have to take these factors into consideration when finding good drop shippers.
Experience Is Imperative
Check on how experienced a dropshipper is. You should look for one that has been around for at least five years as those are usually the most reliable.
Why?
Because the problem with newer drop shippers is that they might use improper business practices, unlike others. Some may not have enough inventory to sell either. By choosing someone with experience, it will be easier for you to sell things online without any problems.
How Is Packaging Managed?
A great part of drop shipping is that the provider offers a custom packaging feature. That is, the packaging will include your enterprise’s name and other relevant details on it.
You even have control over the packaging slips in case you want to add things like coupon codes or contact information details on them. There is a caveat; you need to check with your drop shipping provider on what you can print with regards to discounts.
Now that your product is packaged, let’s talk about how it’s shipped-
How Does Shipping Work?
The shipping process should be reviewed with care – because you want to deal with a client that uses reliable shippers to avoid delayed deliveries. If the company of your choice lists FedEx, UPS or DHL as their main shipping mediums, you have no reason to worry about unnecessary delays.
National shipping services like the United States Postal Service, the Royal Mail, Canada Post, and Australia Post are also worthwhile if you plan on doing business within one particular country.
Don’t forget to see if a shipper of your interest can handle international shipments. The cost for these shipments will obviously be higher than what is designated for domestic shipping.
Also, while many reputable companies like UPS and FedEx ship items to multiple countries, it helps to see if a supplier can still support more places. This could help you to expand your international reach over time.
How Are Payments Handled?
Review some of the payment methods listed on your supplier’s list. It’s true that credit and debit cards are popular, but at the same time, some parties won’t take all cards. Some shippers may not accept the American Express or Discover cards, for instance.
And what about online wallets?
Some drop shippers support online wallet services like PayPal with a few additional Wire transfers. A multitude of payment channels not only gives you the chance to pay from any one of them but makes it possible for you to work with a vast number of customers.
Bounce rates and cart abandonment rates are usually higher for sellers with limited payment methods.
Watch out For the Charges
While it is easy for you to generate a good amount of money from drop shipping, you have to look carefully in terms of what you might have to pay to your dropshipper. A drop shipper will typically have a per-order fee, and you’ll be paying a certain share of the transaction amount for every sale.
The pre-order fee will only make sense if you make a profit after expenditure deductions. The normal per-order fee for most drop shippers is around $2 to $5.
And that’s not the only charge applicable-
The membership fee varies based on who you contact. You might have to pay at least $50 to get started with a drop shipping provider.
And to make things worse:
The membership fee could be charged on a monthly or annual basis. Fortunately, you could get some discounts if you go for an annual plan.
Restocking and minimum order sizes fee should also be considered with care. For the former, you may have to pay a small percentage of the sale in the event that a product is returned and has to be restocked for whatever reason.
Regarding minimum order sizes, some suppliers do put up a huge figure (sometimes up to $500) to fend off window shopping merchants-which is okay. The higher figure is usually there to ensure only legitimate clients buy in. Most dropshippers do provide samples though.
So don’t be afraid to spend such amounts if it will put you on the good side with the company. After that initial purchase, the price usually goes down.
Is a Free Trial Available?
Some dropshippers will provide you with free trials. A trial allows you to get access to the inventory that you can use for your website or online store. This session helps you to learn how the platform executes sales and handles payment and delivery times.
Be advised that the trial offer will last for a brief amount of time. It lasts for a month through most places.
Also, you will be charged for services if you stick around after the trial is over. If you feel their services are not suitable for you, cancel before the free period ends. If you delay and your credit card is already linked, they will charge you.
By the way, any money you make during the trial process will be yours. The same fees associated with what the provider will collect still apply. The only key is that you won’t have to pay to get access to the system unless you decide to stick around for a while.
Check the Website
The last tip is to look at the websites of the parties that you are looking to work with. Check to see if the site is presenting enough information on individual products. Are they transparent in their dealings?
If they’re not, you’re better off not taking up their offer.
You will know if a supplier is or isn’t being open by reading through their terms of agreement.
Keep your eyes open when looking for dropshipping suppliers. Many people have gone through nasty experiences dealing with scams and suppliers that just take forever to deliver goods.
Read below to discover some of the top choices you can pick for your online store.
Top Ten Drop Shipping Companies Worth Their Salt
As you already know, looking for reliable and trustworthy dropshipping suppliers is just as hard as looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Many wholesalers know the art of marketing, and they will come up with attractive and irresistible slogans that make you want to choose them even if they are a downright scam.
Thankfully, your stress will end here today.
We are going to provide you with a list of directories that strive to highlight only the best distributors on their platforms.
Let’s go for a ride.
1. AliExpress/Alibaba
[1]
You will pelt us with snowballs if we don’t start with Aliexpress, won’t you?
Alibaba is an elder brother to Aliexpress and links you up with wholesale suppliers in Asia.
But there are a few issues with the platform (which could have been the reason for the creation of its younger brother-Aliexpress).
First off –
It’s not beginner-friendly,
And secondly-
The product listing is done by manufacturers who happen to lack websites and don’t speak English. Most of the payments are completed through a wire transfer as opposed to the common use of credit cards.
Aliexpress does a nice job of improving on Alibaba’s shortcomings. It’s a platform that connects Chinese stores to customers around the world. You wouldn’t be wrong if you refer to it as China’s version of Amazon – the only difference is that the prices of the former are lower and shipping takes roughly 2-3 weeks.
The best part about this platform is the free sign up process.
If you don’t know it yet, bigger and reputable platforms of Aliexpress’ caliber require upfront registration fees and at times, monthly activation fees. Payments can be made through either AliPay or Credit cards.
What about their customer support? Well, they are slow, but they eventually solve your issues.
This is a directory site (a third party) and therefore must communicate with the other end before getting back to you with reliable answers. As you have probably guessed, feedback will be delayed if a supplier is unresponsive.
Pros of Aliexpress:
- They offer buyer protection
- Their rating systems make it easy to find a good supplier
- No upfront sign up fees
- Makes integration of your website with third parties like Oberlo possible
- A huge product selection list
- Multiple suppliers
Cons of Aliexpress:
- Shipping takes a maximum of two weeks, especially to the US and more than that for other corners of the world
- You can’t bundle up several products because they come from different sellers
- You will bump into a few communication barrier issues
Aliexpress is a juicy option for beginners who are trying to avoid having to part with registration fees. On top of that, buyer protection, several payment models and easy integration with one’s website makes it a go-to drop shipping platform.
However, you need to be prepared to deal with longer shipping times.
2. Doba
[2]
Doba is a comprehensive drop shipping company that not only helps you find the best manufacturers but helps you onboard multiple products without partnering with several (usually 20+) drop shippers. Once a customer buys from you, Doba will ensure it gets to them on time.
Do you know what that means? No more troubles of managing all the drop shippers on your platform.
Besides managing drop shippers, this e-commerce hub features an upgraded search tool and useful filters that let you pick products based on their price, available quantities, shipping details and much more. No more challenges while looking for the right product.
One of the biggest challenges of e-commerce is having to deal with refunds for products that have run out of stock. Imagine selling a product only to realize later on that it is out of stock.
Sucks, right?
Some customers could go ahead to ask why the product was listed on the inventory if it wasn’t available. Doba helps you avoid such unpleasant situations by sending inventory alerts on goods that are about to go out of stock so you will know when to remove them from your shelves.
There are three plans available; basic ($29 per month), advanced ($69 per month), and Pro at $249 per month. If you still need more features, you could contact them for a custom enterprise level package.
Not sure if Doba would be ideal for you?
Request for their 14-day free trial (without your credit card).
Why Doba rocks:
- Stocks over 2 million products and nearly 200 suppliers
- You get email updates on the deals that matter most to you, i.e. new products, discounts, seasonal and hot products
- You can bundle up products for mass export to your preferred marketplace or store
- Access to hundreds of suppliers
- Streamlined order management
Cons of Doba:
- Its membership cost is a little higher compared to other sites
Doba will save you a lot if you are ready to part with the few dollars for their membership plans. They have plenty of tools that make your work a lot easier than it could be on other platforms. There is also a large list of products and suppliers to choose from.
3. SaleHoo
[3]
If you want to find the best suppliers to partner with for your ecommerce business, try SaleHoo. This New Zealand-based directory is well-detailed and hosts about 8000+ companies whose products add up to a total number of over 1.6 million.
Every company on the list has been vetted and verified to be authentic and legitimate.
Salehoo makes it easier for you to find what you are looking for thanks to the wider range of selections. And that’s not all. There are specific tools in place that you can use to find wholesalers who allow clients to make minimum-amount orders.
In case of a defective or scammy product, the platform will take care of that.
Make use of Market Research Labs to find out if your product ideas will make the cut on major ecommerce hubs like Amazon or eBay. Besides this product discovery tool, SaleHoo has many tutorials to help newbies get acquainted with the ABCs of building a dropshipping business.
What do they charge?
$67 for an annual subscription and an additional of $27 if you wish to have them build your online store. When compared with other dropshippers, SaleHoo is extremely affordable.
Pros:
- They have an active forum where you can chat and learn from others
- Reliable and responsive support
- Has a Market Research Lab where you can learn about the most profitable offers
- Cheaper pricing plans than competitors
- Detailed directory with many products, manufacturers, and suppliers
Cons:
- They don’t offer a free trial
SaleHoo should be your top choice if your priority is to have as many products and distributors as possible. The platform is easy to use and vets all its distributors to make sure you don’t end up getting scammed.
4. Worldwide Brands
[4]
Drop shipping business is profitable when you deal with wholesalers and not retailers. Some directories don’t vet their clients well and the results-working with retailers who pose as wholesalers and charging exorbitant fees.
The cure to this craziness is Worldwide Brands.
The platform boasts of hosting many wholesalers and up to 16+ million products in almost any category you might think of. Since there is a wide range of goodies, this platform may be appealing for virtually all business niches.
You get to bag most your profits as Worldwide Brands neither works with intermediaries nor does it let fake suppliers go unnoticed.
Their pricing is nothing short of amazing. As other platforms charge for monthly and annual subscriptions, this one demands only a single lifetime payment of $299 with no other recurring charges.
If you can’t raise the needed lifetime fee of $299, you can opt for a lighter Easy Pay Plan that charges $99 during your initial registration and two more monthly payments of $110.
There is a free trial for those interested in checking out the platform’s services before handing in their credit cards.
Pros of Worldwide Brands:
- Hosts only certified wholesalers
- Affordable payment plans
- Millions of products from many niches
- There is a free preview for those interested
Cons:
- The upfront cost of $299 is too steep for many people
- Upsells its customers to third parties who pay them a commission
If you crave to work with a topnotch directory that gives you lifetime access, then think of none other than Worldwide Brands. It’s one of the safest bets that charge fairly, has zero scammers, and stocks many wholesalers and products from almost every niche.
5. Dropship Direct
[5]
Besides providing thousands of products and many suppliers, Dropship Direct strives to make your work easier by taking care of backend management.
Some of the valuable tools at your disposal include geeky manufacturer reps, wholesale files product data, stock keeping unit and marketplaces data.
Like other platforms, their suppliers go through a thorough vetting process to ensure only the legitimate ones are let in. Furthermore, they are transparent with their dealings. No ambiguity at all.
The best part about Dropship Direct is its PushList data feed tech. It allows you to customize data for many markets including Shopify, Amazon, eBay, etc.
The goods sent to your customers are delivered blind.
What the heck does that mean?
It means the company doesn’t send along material promoting themselves. Instead, they make the package appear as if it came directly from you (“white labeling”). And it’s free to join the platform.
From then on, you will be expected to part with $37 a month to enjoy their services. Premium members get more services like more detailed statistics, restricted product lines and better inventory automation.
Pros:
- A robust dropshipping directory with 100,000+ products and 900+ suppliers
- Transparent processes
- Offers white labeling services
- Takes care of all the logistics
- Free to join
- Great at back-end management
Cons:
- A smaller catalog of products and suppliers to choose from
If you want a platform that is free to join and takes care of many things including back-end management, try Dropship Direct. They may have a small number of products and suppliers, but their extensive services make up for that.
6. Megagoods
[6]
If you are an electronics aficionado that would like to delve deeper into the electronics market, link your store with Megagoods. This US-based drop shipper lists about 2000 products on its shelves-mostly electronics and video games.
Having gone through the vast line of products and suppliers offered by previous directories, you are likely to dismiss the importance of Megagoods. But before you do that, keep reading to know why this platform can be a good fit for you.
Many drop shippers take a long time to deliver goods to customers. Well, Megagoods doesn’t. It only takes roughly 1-2 days for customers to receive their goods. They do blind-dropship with your details or those of your company on the package so no one knows they came from a third party.
This is great for those who would wish to be considered a business and not a middleman.
If a product is defective and your client returns it before 30 days are up, the platform will take care of the reimbursement or replacement (including return costs). The company charges a monthly fee of $14.99 and an additional of $1.50 for drop shipping an item. Any unnecessary returns will be charged a restocking fee of 20% of its price.
Pros:
- Excellent customer service
- Multiple payment options
- Low per-order fees
- Short delivery times
- Blind-dropshipping
Cons:
- Deals with electronics only
- Lacks broad search functionality
If you deal only with electronics and video games, you stand to gain a lot working with Megagoods than any other platform. However, if your business covers many different products, check out the other directories we have reviewed.
7. WholesaleCentral
[7]
Running low on cash?
No to worry. WholesaleCentral gives you access to over 740,000 product from 1400+ suppliers at no cost. They don’t charge anything because suppliers and manufacturers part with a small fee to get listed on their platform.
They also promote ads on their site to raise revenues.
The company claims to screen and review all their suppliers before onboarding them. However, there is a caveat; some suppliers are actually just retailers posing as wholesalers – and we already know what that means with respect to the price.
So you need to be more discriminating when singling out your options.
The issue with WholesaleCentral is that you need to contact and find trusted suppliers on your own. That could be challenging for beginners who don’t have the time or resources to initiate calls.
But if you are willing to put in the work, everything will work out.
Pros:
- Free to use
- A satisfactory number of products and suppliers
- It’s an older and more reputable directory
- No middlemen
Cons:
- Limited product catalog compared to other options
- A lot of work needs to be done from your end in looking and managing suppliers
Those with limited financial resources can peruse through WolesaleCentral’s catalog to scout for dropshipping suppliers. The journey is not easy, and the site will not help you with backend management.
However, it’s more reliable than many other options.
8. Wholesale 2B
[8]
Wholesale 2B boasts of millions of products coming from hundreds of suppliers. You don’t get charged to browse through their product listing.
Once you get something you like, just post it to your site, and when someone purchases it, the company will do the shipping and take their commission.
This directory will help you sync inventory and automate product uploads on both eBay and Amazon. If you don’t have a website, you can get in touch with them and provide what you want your shelves to have, and the company will handle the rest.
It’s possible to integrate your website with Shopify, BigCommerce and Magento for easy product imports and that too in many file formats.
Pros:
- You gain access to millions of products
- You can integrate it with big platforms like Magento, Shopify, and BigCommerce
- Integrates with Amazon and eBay
- Multiple plans to choose from
Cons:
- You can talk to support by raising a ticket which is slow
- Offers little with regards to sales and performance analysis
With no credit card required upon sign up, Wholesale 2B gives subscribers a chance to check out what they have on their shelves. The company will drop ship for you and also allows your website to integrate with many other third-party apps for more services.
9. Toptenwholesale
This is a trade board that lists products and suppliers for buyers, distributors, and resellers. As a platform that majors on wholesale goods, you will get low prices that translate in huge commissions. The website design is clean, and products can be spotted without much hassle.
However, it still lacks some nuances found in other bigger directories.
There are two big issues with this drop shipping directory;
One, you have to reach out to your suppliers one by one, and without industry knowledge, newbies are likely to fumble and fall.
Two, products are purchased in bulk, and that may not be ideal for some drop shippers.
Toptenwholesale, however, scrutinizes all their suppliers before listing them on their site. This minimizes the chances of dealing with scammers or those with improper business ethics. Additionally, most of their suppliers are from the US.
Pros:
- Most of their suppliers are verified and are from the US
- A fairly large database of products and suppliers
- It’s free to join
Cons:
- Purchases are made in bulk only
- Poor navigation and thus beginner unfriendly
Free sign up and the fact that most suppliers come from the US makes Toptenwholesale a go-to for those in the US. That means faster deliveries, happy customers and more profits. However, the site lacks a lot in terms of integration with third-party apps.
10. TheWholesaler.co.uk
[10]
For those in the UK, TheWholesaler.co.uk could be the best place to look for local suppliers who are capable of delivering goods within short timelines. It is the largest directory in the UK offering wide product categories and subcategories.
Unlike some directories that host products, this one is merely a trade board with a list of suppliers and manufacturers. Once you click on a choice, you will be redirected to their website for their goods and contact information.
This means the website offers limited functionality in terms of integrating with advance third-party apps.
The best part is that their services are free and some suppliers upload licensed goods from respectable brands like Disney. Note that not all suppliers are from the UK or ship within the region- they extend to regions outside the UK as well.
Pros
- One of the largest databases for UK-based manufacturers and suppliers
- Offers licensed goods (for instance, Disney)
- Free to join
- quick delivery time
Cons
- Their support sucks
- Hard to link with suppliers as you have to communicate through calls
TheWholesaler.co.uk gives those living in the UK an advantage of dealing with local manufacturers and suppliers. This should foster timely delivery which can improve customer loyalty.
Unfortunately, it’s a tough hassle linking up with clients particularly if you are still learning the ropes of running a drop shipping business.
11. Spocket
If you are seeking US and European suppliers, look no further than Spocket. This Canadian-based company focuses on local dropshipping by vetting American and European suppliers to ensure they are consistent and reliable so that your customers can receive their orders as fast as possible.
There is no minimum order per supplier and Spocket has set up branded invoicing with each one so the end customer can see your brand’s invoice when they receive their order.
Spocket offers 24/7 customer support and a clean, easy-to-use interface with ample product selection and a forever-free plan allowing you to import 25 products at one time. The Pro plan ranges from $49/mo or $29/mo if you subscribe to the annual plan.
Pros:
- Unique, quality products from US and EU suppliers
- Vetted suppliers
- Great UI
- Branded invoicing
- 24/7 customer support
- Forever-free plan
Cons:
- Not as many products as Chinese suppliers
- Items are not as cheap
Spocket is for you if your priority is to sell quality products that will allow you to build a brand and business. It is available on Shopify and WooCommerce with ongoing developments.
-> Read more about Spocket in our directory
Wrapping it up
The drop shipping companies you work with decide whether you will succeed or fail. That’s why you need to invest both time and money in finding a reliable partner. All the suppliers listed in this article have a massive number of dedicated followers.
However, that’s not to say they don’t lack in some areas.
It’s up to you to figure out dropshipping suppliers that meet most of your needs.
If there’s anything we’ve left out or you have some questions, feel free to interact with us via the comment section below.
Happy hunting!
Image sources:
[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10]