How to Find Drop Shippers

Drop shippers can allow you to carry numerous products without the cost of inventory.

The idea of using a drop shipper for your online retail business sounds great if you can find high-quality products and suppliers. The Internet is full of drop ship scams and websites that are ready to charge you significant money each month for a list of drop shippers that may not have current information. Retailers should research manufacturers and products carefully before choosing a drop shipper.

Instructions

1. Research the products you wish to sell in your business. Compile contact information for the manufacturers of those products.

2. Call or email each manufacturer and ask if it offers a drop ship program. Often, small manufacturers may be willing to drop-ship for you even if they do not have a formal program in place.

3. Ask for referrals to other small manufacturers if the initial companies that you choose do not offer drop ship programs. Be persistent, because drop shipping is not as common as many people think but can be advantageous if you find the right manufacturers.

4. Calculate your profit for each drop ship sale. Determine the point at which purchasing stock inventory will lower the product cost sufficiently that shipping product yourself is more advantageous.

Tips & Warnings

• Small manufacturers that do not offer drop ship programs may offer low minimum purchase amounts and fast shipping, which would make it advantageous to you to stock small amounts of their inventory so that you can carry the products you want.

• Ask your drop shippers if they are willing to include your company fliers in the shipments if you supply the materials.

• Most drop ship companies will charge an additional fee for shipping the items to your customers.

• Beware of companies that promise you large income if you use their drop shipping programs. These programs are often scams.

References

• Entrepreneur.com: How to find a drop-shipper