That sounds like a fantastic way to find suppliers.

I’m a huge fan of meeting with local suppliers – it’s a great way to build a good business relationship, and it almost eliminates the issue of dealing with a ‘fake’ supplier who is only out to con you.

I completely agree with your final point also: \This method would work well when you plan to sell branded products online.\

Contacting the brand owner of a designer or branded item is a fantastic way of finding distributors for a particular item.

You can also use that method backwards: If you find a supplier selling a branded item you want to sell, call the brand owner, and ask if they are a registered distributor – that will help determine whether they are selling fakes!

Thanks Robert!

That was a nice list of alternative marketplaces. Thanks.
How about others such as bonanzle, addoway, ecrater, overstock?

Cheers,
Robert.

We have used a method of finding suppliers/manufacturers that has been fairly successful so far. First, decide on which product or range of products you wish to sell online. Then, go to the manufacturer’s website or his physical location, and get the list of distributors or wholesale suppliers for each state from them. Use those leads to directly go meet those wholesale distributors in your area and who knows, they could even be doing drop shipping! This method would work well when you plan to sell branded products online.

You’re right, it can be really tough to find a drop shipper who can offer a price that still allows you to make a profit.

The trouble with a lot of drop shippers is that they also list their items on eBay, so you are immediately undercut, before you even start using them!

I can only assume that you are selling on eBay, but have you considered selling on an alternative platform?

99% of the time, there is MUCH less competition, so it’s a lot easier to make a profit.

Alternatively, you could look into setting up your own website, or using a service such as http://highwire.com/ which gets you your own store set up and helps you maintain it.

All the best!

Thank you

Mike

Good question! And thanks for helping me out Barry

If an item shows up and is defective, or not what you ordered then the supplier, they should accept a return and refund you what you paid for the item (though it would be rare however for them to refund the cost of the shipping).

Just as you can return an item to a retail store like Walmart if you find that it is faulty, you should be able to return it to your supplier.

However, if the item is broken in transit, it will be up to you (and sometimes the supplier) to take it up with the courier/fright company and sort it out.

As I said though, check the supplier’s individual return policy.

I hope that helps

A good dropship company will guarantee their products and accept returns from the customer. Bearing in mind that you don’t touch the items from a dropshipping company as they send them directly to your customers for you.

Some wholesalers will accept returns but like Alice said you need to check this before you place an order. Its no good buying a pallett load of items that you find to be faulty and sold as seen. You owe it to your success to double check everything before parting with your money.

Hope that helps, Barry

Thanks.