Things To Look For In A Drop Ship Vendor

With all the choices out there of different vendors and manufacturers who are willing to drop ship for you, how do you make the decision of which one(s) to use?

Do they have a product you really want? Especially starting out, make sure that they provide products that you really think you can sell. Do some research online to see where the same or very similar products are being sold. If the vendor’s products seem to be everywhere, and you’ll just be another fish in the pond, maybe you should move on to something else. Also remember, there is a fine line between the things you like, and things that may actually sell. Don’t get stuck with a store full of your favorite things, that no one else is interested in.

Do they seem put together? Do they have a page on their site that gives general information about their drop ship program? Are they able to send you detailed information to permit you to make an educated decision before using their services? If drop shipping seems to be an afterthought for them, and they are not prepared to give you details, then they might not be ready for your relationship. In order to succeed, you will need to depend heavily on your vendors. If they are unable to give you a good feeling in the beginning, chances are they may not be real dependable when the orders start rolling in.

Do they have any weird fees or rules? Make sure you fully understand all of the requirements and fees associated with your new account. It is my opinion that you should never have to pay an upfront fee to use a vendor. You are their customer, and they should be happy to have and help you. While I could be swayed, I’ve yet to see a vendor that requires a setup or maintenance fee to be worth it. They should also not restrict other areas of your business such as selling price (which actually is illegal), what other products you sell, or your terms/conditions. Make sure that you can live with any rules they may have, which shouldn’t be many.

Check out their customer service. While it’s certainly not a requirement, I do prefer to work with companies where I have a specific person to contact with a question or problem. Regular customer service is fine for the everyday questions, but if something really is amiss, I want to have a dependable person that understands my account and is ready to help.

What are they willing to give you to get started? Finally, a good vendor should be prepared to provide you with product information from the start. This should include product details (item numbers, options, price, weight, etc.) and web ready images. If they cannot give you these things, it could be very difficult for you to sell their goods. While this is not an all inclusive list, it is at least a staring point. Remember that as a business owner, you need to make the best decision for the business and keep your personal feelings out of it. Even if you really want to sell a certain manufacturer’s product, if they can’t meet the things we’ve talked about, the relationship may be doomed from the start. What things do you look for in a drop ship vendor?

Tags: drop ship, business, ecommerce, suppliers

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