Best dropshipping suppliers

Running an ecommerce business is getting easier and easier if you’re running the right software. Growing a profitable online business can be done and dropshipping suppliers are helping more and more people make it happen. 

With continuing advancements in software, you can set it up to help your business run itself if you put in the work initially. Don’t be fooled, being profitable in this industry requires you to put in the work and do the research. However, thankfully, the best dropshipping suppliers are here to help you make sure things are always running smoothly. 

And when you’re finished, check out the other articles in our ‘Dropshipping fulfillment’ series:

• Best dropshipping suppliers
• Choosing dropshipping ecommerce fulfillment automation software
• Top fulfillment companies for dropshippers

Quicklook: Best dropshipping suppliers

• Best for experienced dropshippers: Doba
• Best for product variety: Wholesale2B 
• Best for finding legitimate suppliers: SaleHOO 
• Best for startup ecommerce businesses: AliExpress
• Best for dropshipping consumer electronics in the U.S.: Megagoods
• Best for Shopify dropshippers: Oberlo
• Best for dropshipping in the U.S. and Canada: Sunrise Wholesale 

7 best dropshipping suppliers

Choosing the best dropshipping supplier will vary on your experience and online business needs. Be sure to look at all factors before committing. 

Doba  

While Doba does have a no-cost start-up option for their membership plans, they are more suited for the experienced dropshippers. As a leading dropshipping supplier, Doba helps those that know how to sell get it done efficiently. They are known for their speedy shipping times and high-quality products. 

Best for: Experienced dropshippers

Location: Doba is headquartered in Lehi, Utah.

Number of suppliers: Doba aims to integrate with all their suppliers so they do have a smaller number of suppliers, but still more than 150 of them. These suppliers are still able to offer an impressive option of more than two million products. 

Cost: Doba offers three plans. 

• Start-up: Free
• Business
  • Paying annually equates to $29.99 per month 
  • Paying quarterly equates to $32.99 per month
  • Paying monthly equates to $49.99 per month 
• Enterprise
  • Paying annually equates to $249.99 per month 
  • Paying monthly equates to $299.99 per month 

Shipping methods: Doba suppliers ship their own products, which means shipping methods and times will vary. 

Special features 

• Advanced search and filter options 
• Inventory alerts
• Customizable data reports 

Benefits

• Free 30-day trial 
• User-friendly website 
• Educational resources available 

Disadvantages

• Membership required
• Membership can be costly 
• Products can be more expensive 

Wholesale2b

Wholesale2b has been in the game for 15 years and their experience shows. While some may view their not shipping internationally as a downside, it allows them to excel at what they do in the U.S. and Canada. Fast shipping times and trusted products are almost always a guarantee with Wholesale2b. Not to mention, their affordable plans come packed with features. 

Best for: Product variety 

Location: With an office in Las Vegas, they’re proud to be a U.S.-based dropshipping supplier. They ship throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

Number of suppliers: Wholesale2b has around 100 suppliers, but these suppliers offer millions of products in all categories.  

Cost: While you can register for free, Wholesale2b has three types of plans available depending on your needs. 

• $29.99 per month to import your existing store
• $37.99 per month to import to marketplaces
• $49.99 per month to have a webstore created for you 

Shipping methods: Suppliers use Fedex, USPS, UPS, and DHL for their dropshipping services. 

Special features

• Fast shipping times 
• Browse product list at no cost with free account 
• Many U.S.-based suppliers 

Benefits

• Integrated with 100+ suppliers 
• Low-cost commitment with many features 
• User-friendly dashboard

Disadvantages

• No international shipping 
• Varying subscription fees can add up
• Some suppliers may charge restocking fees

SaleHOO

One of the greatest advantages to choosing SaleHOO as your dropshipping supplier is the training and support they offer. You can stay up to date on trending products and know what your customers want. Their extensive list of suppliers is pre-vetted so you can rest easy knowing you’re working with trusted, legitimate suppliers. 

Best for: Finding legitimate suppliers  

Location: Headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand, you can dropship to anywhere as long as the suppliers support it. Most suppliers support global shipping, but you can check on the dashboard. 

Number of suppliers: SaleHOO offers more than 2.5 million products from more than 8,000 suppliers. 

Cost: Their basic plan costs $27 per month and the premium plan costs $97 per month. Annual access to their wholesale directory is $67 while lifetime access is $127. 

Shipping methods: Shipping methods will vary depending on the supplier. 

Special features 

• 60-day money back guarantee 
• Training and resources available 
• Offers one of the largest online shipping and wholesale directories 

Benefits

• Vetted suppliers 
• Market research for trending products available 
• User-friendly dashboard

Disadvantages 

• Limited products 
• Retail orders not allowed 
• You build relationships with suppliers 

AliExpress 

Founded in 2010 under the Alibaba Group, AliExpress is an impressive wholesale marketplace based in China. AliExpress is ideal for product sourcing and has made it possible for people on a budget to have a chance to start an ecommerce business. 

Best for: Startup ecommerce businesses 

Location: AliExpress is headquartered in Hangzhou Shi, China. They have office locations in Hong Kong, Singapore, and China. They ship to more than 250 countries.  

Number of suppliers: AliExpress offers millions of products to their customers. Whether you need clothing, electronics, beauty products, tools, you name it, AliExpress likely has what you’re looking for.  

Cost: Dropshipping is free with AliExpress unless you pay for premium shipping. 

Shipping methods: ePacket delivery is generally the most common, although you can pay more to ship through UPS, USPS, FedEx, EMS, or China Post. 

Special features

• No upfront costs or fees for dropshipping 
• Customizable tools 
• No minimum order requirements

Benefits

• Often more affordable products 
• Order without speaking to suppliers 
• Avoids language barrier issues
• Extensive product selection 

Disadvantages

• Most suppliers are overseas which may mean a longer shipping time 
• Returns and refunds can be a difficult and lengthy process
• Thin profit margins 

Megagoods 

Don’t let their smaller range of products fool you, Megagoods offers brand name electronics at amazing prices. As a dropshipping supplier, knowing you’re working with high quality products is ideal. 

Because they are headquartered in the U.S., their customer service is hard to beat when you do have an issue arise. Megagoods has gained a reputation as being an ideal starting place for those looking to get into dropshipping with electronics. 

Best for: Dropshipping consumer electronics in the U.S. 

Location: Megagoods is headquartered in Santa Clarita, California. They ship throughout the U.S. as well as internationally.  

Number of suppliers: Megagoods focuses on consumer electronics and has thousands of products for customers.  

Cost: After a free 30-day trial, it costs $14.99 per month. There will also be a drop-shipping fee of $1.50 per order.

Shipping methods

• FedEx Ground
• FedEx Saver
• FedEx 2nd Day Air
• FedEx Next Day Air 

Special features

• 30-day free trial
• No permit or license required 
• Lower than retail costs 

Benefits

• No minimum purchase requirements 
• Simple, easy to use website
• Products from top brands 

Disadvantages

• Limited products available 
• Not ideal for international shipping 
• Does not integrate with ecommerce platforms 

Oberlo 

Oberlo offers simplicity for dropshippers. The seamless integration with Shopify and AliExpress keeps things easy and organized without the hassle. Ideal for product sourcing, managing an online store has never been easier. 

Best for: Shopify dropshippers 

Location: Headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania, Oberlo has warehouses in the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, Spain, China, and the U.K. They are able to ship throughout the world, shipping times will vary. 

Number of suppliers: Oberlo works with AliExpress suppliers. 

Cost: There are two plans available through Oberlo. The Explorer plan is free and allows for unlimited monthly orders up to 500 products. The Boss plan is $29.90 per month and it is good for up to 30,000 products. 

Shipping methods: Shipping methods will vary depending on the supplier.

Special features

• Easily integrates with AliExpress
• Automatically syncing with Shopify store 
• Instantly updating software for inventory 

Benefits 

• Product importing 
• Training courses 
• Customizable product info 

Disadvantages 

• Longer shipping times
• Some products are poor quality 
• No automatic fulfillment 

Sunrise Wholesale 

While Sunrise Wholesale may not offer as many products as other dropshipping suppliers, they do offer a wide variety of products. They are also able to get these products shipped out quickly and that’s a leading appeal they have. Based in the U.S., they offer outstanding customer support and fast shipping throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

Best for: Dropshipping in the U.S. and Canada

Location: Sunrise Wholesale is based in Los Angeles. They ship throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

Number of suppliers: With more than 15,000 products available from various suppliers, they have products available in every category.  

Cost: After a free seven-day trial, their membership costs $49 per month. 

Shipping methods: Products shipped using UPS ground, FedEx, or USPS depending on product line and weight. 

Special features

• Typically 1-2 day shipping 
• Automatic price adjustments for consistent profit 
• Live customer support 

Benefits

• Easy integration with ecommerce platforms 
• Sales reporting and data tools among other resources 
• eBay and Amazon listing or research tools

Disadvantages

• Limited product selection
• No international shipping 
• Monthly subscription required 

What is a dropshipping supplier?

Dropshipping suppliers are companies that sell products individually to drop shippers. 

How do dropshipping suppliers work?

Dropshipping suppliers manufacture, store, and ship products for dropshippers. The drop shippers are the ones that have interactions with customers, while the suppliers simply store and handle the products. Dropshipping suppliers and retail warehousing are growing as ecommerce businesses continue to be an ideal way for consumers to shop. 

Tips for finding the best dropshipping suppliers

The number of dropshipping suppliers continues to grow. Where and what you’re looking to dropship makes a huge impact along with other factors to consider below. 

Read the reviews

Word of mouth will always affect a company’s success. Reviews are a critical piece in choosing a dependable dropshipping supplier. Thankfully, Google and other ways to search have made it easier than ever to do a little research into suppliers before you commit to a subscription or membership with them. 

Are they legitimate? Are their products high quality? How long are shipping times? What are shipping costs? What is their customer support like? Look through varying suppliers to ensure you are signing up with a reputable one. 

Review supplier policies

Every dropshipping supplier will have different policies for their drop shippers. Extensively review their policies in full. What are their return and refund policies? What are their shipping and handling policies? 

Do they have service level agreements? Every drop shipper is different and will have their own policies. Ensuring you understand these policies will only help you in both the short and long term. 

Test out products

Knowing the quality of the products your customers will be receiving is important as it varies greatly between different suppliers. Placing test orders will not only allow you to actually see the products for yourself, but you’ll also experience how the shipping process operates. This helps you ensure you’re offering your customers high quality products that they can count on being delivered in a timely manner. 

Understand the fees

The majority of the best dropshipping suppliers have several membership options available for their services. While they may offer one beginner plan at no cost with limited features, the plans you will be charged for will often come with the extensive list of features you need to help boost and grow your business. 

Their membership costs will generally cover most of the services you require, but they may have additional features available at an added cost. Most suppliers will offer a discount for paying annually versus monthly. 

Understanding individual fees they may charge will help you be as profitable as possible. From different shipping rates to restocking fees and more, even small fees can quickly add up to take away from the profit you’re working to earn. 

Look for automation 

One of the biggest ways dropshipping suppliers can help your business thrive is by providing you with the data you need before you need it. With advanced software programs, they have the tools your business requires to run efficiently. 

Seamless integration with more and more ecommerce businesses is only growing among the best dropshipping suppliers. Their software can generally help you manage your inventory levels and keep the entire order fulfillment process on track from the first click until your customer has the order in hand. 

Understand distribution channels

Understanding the distribution channels of dropshipping and where you fit in the world of retail supply chain management will help you find the right supplier for your business. Not all wholesale suppliers offer the same products, even the ones that do will have products varying greatly in quality and shipping times. 

Your end goal is to get a high quality product to your customer at a fair price for them, while allowing you to see a profit. Knowing what steps it takes to make this happen will help it happen without hassle time and time again, keeping you seeing a profit for your business. 

Get specific

Creating a niche market for yourself can be more work initially, but it can help you draw in the right target audience to be profitable. You don’t have to sell the largest number of products out there to be successful. 

Setting a more narrow range of products allows you to focus more on those specific products and know you are offering high quality your customers can rely on. Maybe these products are harder to find and you’re the spot your customers can get it? 

Niche markets are well known for their recurring buyers. You may not have it all, but you can have what they want and need. 

Creating a successful niche will require research. You’ll have to find out what’s trending, what are people interested in? Once you’ve decided on your niche, choosing a name should take more time than most think to give it. 

Drawing in your target audience will be easier with the right domain name. Your domain name will be your website URL; choosing a name with the right keywords can help draw more people to your website. Don’t rush into choosing a niche or name, give it the time it deserves so you can see the profit you’ve been dreaming of. 

Once you’ve chosen your niche, you’ll be able to narrow down dropshipping suppliers that will allow you to keep your business operating with products moving smoothly. 

Help your online business run itself 

With the best dropshipping suppliers supporting your business, you can see your online business thrive and run itself efficiently. Finding reliable suppliers can seem overwhelming. Slow down and think about what you need, you can figure out what each supplier has to offer your business. 

Choosing a dropshipping supplier with the largest product base may not be the one you need. Maybe customer support or U.S.-based shipping are more important factors for you to consider. Choose your business model and find a dropshipping supplier that will help your business become a profitable one. 

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