How to Find Suppliers
Finding great suppliers is one of the cornerstones of building a succesful eComerce business. Check out our extensive resources on how to avoid the crooks and find reliable suppliers.
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Our Ultimate Directory of Dollar Store Vendors by Category
Finding suppliers with prices that are low enough that you can actually make a profit selling items for a dollar isn’t the easiest thing in the world… until now! We've already done the research for you, looking at the most promising suppliers in some of the most popular niches.
The Ultimate Guide to Sourcing Wholesale Products from China: Strategies and Tips for Success
💡 Key Insights:
Sourcing Methods: The guide covers four main ways to source products from China—online buying, trade shows, sourcing agents, and online directories—each with unique advantages and considerations.
Top Online Platforms: Alibaba, Made-in-China, and GlobalSources are recommended as reliable marketplaces for sourcing wholesale products, with tips for secure transactions.
In-Person Advantages: Visiting trade shows in China can lead to better pricing and stronger supplier relationships, though it requires more time and investment.
SaleHoo Directory: SaleHoo’s supplier directory is a key tool for finding trustworthy Chinese suppliers, with a step-by-step guide provided for effective use.
Sourcing products from China has long been a favored strategy for online sellers aiming to secure unique items at competitive prices. The expansive manufact
Navigating the Pitfalls: How to Avoid Common Issues with Dropshipping Suppliers
The dropshipping model seems too good to be true when you're first starting out in e-commerce. The truth is, it is not as easy as it sounds.
It's true that you never have to worry about coming up with funds to buy inventory, or about not having enough to fulfill your orders, or being overstocked. And having no inventory does take a lot off your mind. The essence of dropshipping is that you “drop” the “shipping” problems on your suppliers' laps!
However, your biggest advantage over traditional online retailers also presents your biggest problem: your dropshipping suppliers. We're presuming at this point that you've already vetted your suppliers and found them legitimate and reliable, since you're already on this blog, and well aware of the SaleHoo dropshipping supplier directory.
Dropshippers vs. Wholesalers: Which Supplier Model is Right for Your Business?
💡 Key Insights:
Comparison and Suitability: Understand the key differences between dropshipping and wholesaling, including which business types each model is best suited for, such as low-capital startups for dropshipping and established businesses for wholesaling.
Decision-Making Tips: Evaluate your budget, product line, scalability goals, and branding needs to determine whether dropshipping or wholesaling aligns better with your eCommerce business strategy.
Risk and Control Considerations: Dropshipping offers lower financial risk and easier scalability, while wholesaling provides higher profit margins and greater control over branding and customer experience.
When starting an eCommerce business, one of the first and most important decisions you'll make is choosing the right type of supplier. Should you go with dropshipping, where you can sell products without hold
Going Beyond Buying Online: Trade Shows
Imagine if you will, an oversized showroom filled with eye-catching displays, free giveaways and hundreds of eager product suppliers, all enthusiastically vying for your attention and offering the best prices possible on the latest products out. As amazing as it sounds, it's really not that far-fetched, it's just a typical scene from your everyday trade show.
We've always encouraged our members to try out new ways of finding and sourcing products, and attending trade shows is one more fantastic way for you to do just that. There may come a time in your product-sourcing career when buying online will no longer cut it, and it will be time for you to go beyond the limitations of Internet-based sourcing. When this time comes, you should definitely give trade shows a go!
What is a trade show?
A trade show (which may also be called a trade fair or trade expo) is an e
Supplier Relationship Management: Everything You Need to Know for 2024
Supplier relationship management is an essential element of growth and success for your ecommerce business. To ensure efficiency in your operations, you must develop a mutually beneficial partnership with suppliers.
16 Best Dropshipping Suppliers in 2024
Finding the right wholesale supplier is the first priority for any dropshipper. After all, without a reliable supplier, there is no dropshipping business. When you search for wholesale suppliers, you'll see thousands of listings. You can go the long way to reach your goal by checking them all out one by one. One mistake with your vetting process, however, and you'll find that scamming suppliers are probably more costly than your business model can afford. Alternatively, you can take the shorter path and check out the directories compiled by reliable websites that give you the low-down with all the hard work and trial-and-error taken out of it.
Why Don't Suppliers Reply to My Emails? [And How to Fix It!]
Suppliers are very busy people, or at least like to think they are, so you should treat them as such!
One big reason suppliers don’t respond to your emails is due to the sheer volume of inquiries they get on a daily basis — many of which aren’t ser
How to Work With Dropship Suppliers (Everything From Shipping to Communication)
Developing a good relationship with your supplier isn’t complicated...
As long as you communicate clearly, tell them your needs and standards, treat them fairly, and pay them on time, it’ll be smooth sailing.
Sounds easy, right?
Well… not so much.
That is, unless you’re willing to put in the work.
Today, we’re going to talk about the benefits of having a reliable supplier, how to build (and keep) a good relationship with your supplier, and much more!
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Benefits of Having a Reliable Supplier
How to Build a Good Relationship with Your Suppliers
Managing and Coordinating Multiple Suppliers
How to Keep Shipping Effective
Manage Order Fulfilment Process With Suppliers
A Final Word: How To Manage Dropship Suppliers For Best Results
Let’s get right to it!
Benef
35 Questions to Help You Get Down to Business with eCommerce Suppliers
No one likes to look stupid.
You’ve probably had times when you’re talking with a friend and the conversation moves onto a subject you know absolutely nothing about.
“You know what I mean, right?” your friend says.
“Um, yeah… totally,” you reply.
People often prefer to play along than admit that they’re out of their depth.
The same can be true in business. When you come across an eCommerce concept you don’t know or an issue you can’t handle, the ego rears its head and stops you from asking a “stupid” question.
You think that you should know the answer already. You’re afraid that asking for help might expose you as incompetent.
Whenever you feel uncertain, just remember this: There’s no such thing as a stupid question.
This famous phrase has stood the test of time for a reason. And it’s backed
How to Find Solid Suppliers for Wholesale Electronics
“Watch that first step.”
It’s a common phrase that means you'll take sharp fall in your immediate future unless you pay attention to the beginning of the journey. When applied to a dropshipping business, it indicates that you can save yourself a lot of trouble by putting the effort in early.
Dropshipping wholesale electronics is an attractive business model. It seems like being the middleman means you get to shave off the lion’s share of the work. Unfortunately, when one door closes, a window opens up; and in this case, a gigantic list of chores flies through that open window.
How to Solve Common Communication Problems with Suppliers
Communicating with suppliers can be difficult.
In fact, it’s one of the toughest problems to solve in the world of eCommerce.
To help you have the best relationship possible with your suppliers and manufacturers, we’ve put together this list of common supplier communication problems and how to handle them.
Enjoy!
1. How many manufacturers should I contact?
The more the merrier! When first starting out, contact at least 20 suppliers.
You want to contact as many as possible because you’ll be narrowing down your list based on the number of responses you receive.
Once you start getting replies, choose 3-5 to work with.
You want more than one so you don’t stress when one of them runs out of inventory or ups their prices on you. (If you’re in business long enough, these problems happen eventually. It’s just a matter of time.)
Rem
10 Importing Tips for Working with Chinese Suppliers
Importing from a foreign country is always a bit of a chore. You have international tariffs, customs, and the like to take into account. Before any of that comes into play, however, you've got to consider the subtleties involved in doing business with people from another culture. This issue is particularly pronounced in the East-meets-West scenario that occurs when importing from China.
Today I'll explain some of the intangible communication issues that arise between Chinese manufacturers and Western importers. There are many cultural differences that play a big part in the way Chinese business contacts will interact with you, and you've got to understand these differences to really succeed when importing from China. Otherwise, you'll be stepping on some unexpectedly temperamental toes.
How to Evaluate and Choose Super Reliable Suppliers for Your Business [Free Checklist]
Let’s get something cleared up, here…
You need good suppliers in order to have a successful eCommerce business.
In time, you’ll realize that you rely on your supplier to keep your business operational.
Today, we’re going to talk about how to find a kickass supplier, how they could make (or break) your store, and how to deal with sticky situations.
Oh, and we’re going to provide you with a supplier evaluation checklist, free of charge!
Let’s dive in.
How a supplier can make or break your store
Did you know that 89% of shoppers will stop buying from an online store if they see or hear of one bad experience?
That’s… frightening.
Keeping your customers happy is key when starting a business, sure.
But what about your relationship with suppliers?
Not only do suppliers provide you with the goods and services you
Tired of Scams?! Try these Top 10 Alibaba Alternatives!
Got hoodwinked on Alibaba?
Sick of slow supplier communications?
Want some alternatives to rocket business performance?
You’ve come to the right place! At SaleHoo, we’re well aware of the ins and outs of running a successful eCommerce business, and we know dealing with Alibaba can be both a blessing and a curse.
The B2B behemoth is the largest marketplace of its kind, and home to over 150,000 suppliers offering products at low prices (predominantly from China), making it a go-to for many businesses looking to order in bulk.
However, despite Alibaba’s dominance in the market, its reputation in the industry is questionable. All too many buyers report being sold poor quality goods or counterfeit products, products arrivi
8 Key Tactics To Find Quality Clothing Manufacturers + 10 Trusted Suppliers to Get Started
Whether you want to be the next big fashion entrepreneur, or you simply want to sell everyday clothing items online, finding the right manufacturer is critical to your success.
The clothing industry is extremely competitive and dominated by major brands with big budgets, celebrity endorsements, and decades of experience.
However, the rise of ecommerce and boutique clothing lines has seen many aspiring fashion entrepreneurs find success online - and there’s no reason why you can’t do the same.
If you’re reading this, your clothing business idea is probably already well developed. You have a niche in mind and, perhaps, some clothing designs, or ideas for the clothing items you’d like to sell.
But you’re not quite sure where to start - or who to t
Find Quality Alibaba Suppliers: 3-Step Guide to Safe Alibaba Dropshipping
There are two initial things you need in order to start an online business:
A product idea
A supplier
If you already have your product idea, the next step is finding the perfect supplier.
Thanks to Alibaba, it’s easy as pie to find a wholesale supplier overseas. The problem, however, lies in finding a trustworthy supplier.
As you may know, Alibaba has tens of thousands of suppliers. But they’re not all real suppliers - there are lots of reports of scams.
Luckily, this guide will teach you how to find the best suppliers on Alibaba, while avoiding the frauds and helping you start (or expand) a successful online store.
Let’s get right into it!
Why should you use Alibaba?
First of all, why Alibaba? Why not some other online supplier directory?
Well, the number one reason is that you can get almost anything for a fraction of the cost of what you could get i
How to Sweet Talk Suppliers Like an eCommerce Pro
Have you ever watched that TV show Shark Tank? The one where budding entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to multi-millionaire investors.
Aside from having a viable business idea, there’s one thing that sets the successful entrepreneurs apart from the rest:
Clear, concise, confident communication.
Knowing how to communicate effectively with potential business partners is crucial to your success as an online entrepreneur.
And the most important business partners you have in eCommerce are your suppliers.
Approaching suppliers can be daunting. No one wants to come across as a nervous newbie.
Your lack of confidence can send suppliers running. Your naivety can result in you being ripped off.
But approaching suppliers doesn’t have to be difficult.
By approaching suppliers like an eCommerce pro, you can close more business deals, establish long-term relationships, and
12 Simple Methods to Find Reliable Manufacturers in China
Finding reliable and trusted manufacturers to make your private label product is one of the most important steps in your online business journey.
After all, manufacturers are the people you’re handing your money over to in order to get your business off the ground.
This will most likely be your biggest financial investment as a new eCommerce entrepreneur, which is why it’s so important to get it right.
The internet is full of product manufacturers, based all around the world.
And they all make claims and promises about quality, reliability, and price.
But how do you know which manufacturers walk the talk and deliver on their promises?
How do you know which manufacturer is right for you?
This guide will help you get started on the right foot.
Here we’ll take you through 9 different ways to find manufacturers to make your product.
We’re co
Find a Product Supplier
Looking for the best wholesale drop shipping companies? Read our guide to finding the best!
Beginner's Guide to Finding Private Label Manufacturers in 2024 [with examples]
Private labeling is one of the most effective ways to make your products stand out from the millions of others listed for sale online.
Creating a private label product can give you more control over production, pricing, branding, and profitability.
It has become a very popular business model for sellers on online marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon, and Etsy.
And the good news is that it’s not hard to get started.
However, there are common pitfalls that you need to be aware of before committing to your first private label product.
This guide will take you through the benefits and risks of private labeling, including tips for how to source the best private label products.
What is private labeling?
A private label product is one that is manufactured and supplied by one company and offered for sale under another company’s (or individual seller’s) brand.
For example,
Finding American Dropship Suppliers For Your Online Store (+ Verified US Dropshipper List!)
If you’re looking to start a dropshipping business (or you’re already running one), you’ll be familiar with the money making formula that most people use.
It looks something like this: Find cheap wholesale products from Chinese suppliers and sell them for massive profits to customers in the US, Europe, or Australasia.
That business model still works today. BUT, with more and more people using this formula we’re seeing more and more Chinese products flood the market.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. However, it means it’s getting harder to differentiate your business from all the others, especially if you’re relying on crowded marketplaces like eBay and Amazon.
One way that you can differentiate is by using suppl
How to Find Reliable Chinese Suppliers When You Don't Know Anyone in China
While it can be a pain in the butt to ship goods internationally, re-selling goods from China is ridiculously lucrative.
Buying goods for pennies on the dollar, then selling them for a 1000% markup? Count me in!
Today, I’m going to go over the benefits you’ll receive when working with wholesale suppliers from China.
I’m even going to give you a free email template and our top ten Chinese suppliers!
Ready to get started? Let’s dive in!
Why should I source from China?
China is fast becoming a production super power, manufacturing a hefty proportion of the world’s consumer products (particularly in the technology sector).
What does this mean for you?
Because the Chinese economy is in a growth period, costs of manufacturing are very low compared to elsewhere in the world.
This presents a fantastic opportunity to you as a seller! By sou
The Ultimate 2024 Guide to Dropshipping in Canada [Plus 53 Profitable Suppliers]
So you think you’ve identified a huge opportunity to dropship using Canadian suppliers, both within Canada and globally?
Well, you’re onto something big.
This article takes a deep dive into why dropshipping with Canadian suppliers might be your next biggest breakthrough. We are leaving no stones unturned here.
What’s inside? [ show hide ]
How to Start Dropshipping in Canada
Research your products/niche
Choose a platform to sell on
Find your Canadian suppliers
57 Dropshipping Suppliers in the UK [Tested & Vetted]
For a relatively smaller land mass, the United Kingdom certainly punches above its weight when it comes to eCommerce. In fact, it's the fourth largest eCommerce market in the world and has the highest eCommerce spending per capita in the entire world!
It is expected that fast growth will continue to define the UK market in the coming years as people start shopping online more frequently. Already, research has found that 82% of the UK population have bought at least one thing online in 2020.
As home to the companies Asos, Boohoo and Gymshark, it’s hardly surprising that fashion is their top eCommerce industry. But be warned, because this industry is so saturated you may not want to be heading straight towards opening your own clothing store, yet.
Instead you may look at dropshipping, where y
Dropshipping in Europe: The Ultimate 2024 Guide [+21 Vetted Suppliers]
The European eCommerce market has seen some phenomenal growth in recent years, with a slim chance of slowing down anytime soon. It is expected that total annual eCommerce sales in Europe will surpass half a trillion ($USD) by 2024.
How to Find Great Suppliers for Dropshipping
Step 3
How to Find Great Suppliers for Dropshipping
Choosing a supplier for your dropshipping business is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. If your supplier screws up, it’s your responsibility to make it up to your customer, not theirs. You want to make sure you choose someone who will have your back.
What makes a great dropshipping supplier?
Not all dropshippers are great at what they do. However, there are a few keys to finding the diamonds in the rough. Before we discuss how to find your dropshipper, let’s take a look at what a great supplier looks like.
1. Experienced and helpful sales reps
One thing I personally look for in a dropshipping supplier is an awesome sales rep. I want to know that I can call them and get my questions answered as fully as possible, and that they’ll know how to handle any
25 Best Dropshipping Suppliers in USA [Tested & Vetted]
If you haven’t yet considered selling to American customers or establishing relationships with US suppliers for your online business, then this is your sign to!
There are plenty of compelling reasons to get the country with the second largest annual eCommerce spend per capita on your side. We’ll get into some of those reasons shortly.
This article is for you if you wish to:
Start selling to customers in the USA
Start using suppliers based in the USA, or
Both!
The United States eCommerce market is a force to be reckoned with, boasting rapid year on year growth, making it the second largest market for eCommerce behind China. It looks like Americans love their online shopping, especially for fashion, electronics & media and toys, DIY & hobbies, which came in as the top 3 categories by sales volume in 2021.
What’s inside? [ show hide ]
How To Source Trendy Niche Products That Will Sell
Sourcing trending niche products is an excellent way to take your eCommerce business to new heights. However, not every niche product is quite the same no matter how unique or trendy it is.
The process of choosing products that truly sell involves a bit more than simply picking items that look good.
The good news is that you're about to find out exactly what you need. Below are 8 steps for sourcing trendy niche products that can make your eCommerce store prosper.
Step 1: Choosing a Niche
If you are completely new to eCommerce, there’s one more step you should take before diving into sourcing trendy niche products. And that's choosing your niche.
Why Do You Need a Niche?
Most vendors sell two different kinds of products:
commodity products, and
niche products.
Commodity products are those that all consumers continuously need no matter what. T
How Top Sellers Find Hot Products to Sell Online
Have you ever wondered how profitable a product will be if you sell it? We've just rolled out our exciting new Market Insights platform to help give you answers!
We now offer you deeper insights into what's selling best on Amazon so you can pick the products with the best success rates and make more sales.
When you view a category within the directory, you can click through to a Market Overview report.
You'll then see our brand new reports that give you advice on the best way to approach that market (as well as any warnings about the market you should know about) and a list of the current top selling items in that category.
Ultimate Guide to Alibaba Dropshipping
One of the biggest challenges for dropshippers is finding reliable suppliers.
You need a trusted partner that can fulfill orders and deliver a quality product every time a customer click “Buy Now.”
In this guide, we will look at one of the world’s largest directories of wholesale suppliers:
Alibaba.
You’ll learn everything you need to know about Alibaba dropshipping, including:
The pros and cons
Alibaba vs. AliExpress dropshipping
How to find Alibaba dropshipping suppliers
How to negotiate and place your first order
We&rs
Top 16 AliExpress Alternatives + 11 Non-AliExpress Dropship Suppliers
AliExpress started out in 2010 and is an offshoot of the Alibaba group. Its parent platform alibaba.com (launched in 1999) is a B2B marketplace where manufacturers and suppliers (mostly from China) can sell their products in bulk to international businesses.
2024 Guide to Dropshipping in Australia Plus 47 Profitable Dropshippers [Vetted & Tested]
Want to discover profitable, vetted Aussie suppliers? Whether you want to dropship in Australia or dropship using Aussie suppliers, this guide is for you!
What to do When Wholesale Prices are Too High
It's not uncommon for SaleHoo members to find products on eBay that appear to be cheaper than what our approved suppliers sell the items at.
Have you been conned? Are you missing something?
No, you're not being conned, but yes, you could be missing some crucial points that will help you understand how wholesale prices and wholesale buying works and how you can get the best prices possible. Here's a quick guide to why sometimes, you can't find wholesale prices lower than eBay prices and what to do about it.
Why are eBay prices sometimes lower than wholesale prices?
1. eBay has become a wholesale marketplace for many, many products.
A quick search on eBay for "bulk wholesale" reveals that you can purchase pretty much anything in bulk for decent wholesale prices.
A lot of sellers purchase bulk lots on eBay and split them up to resell them on eBay, their own website, or
