Find Wholesale Suppliers And Dropshippers - Working Smarter Not Harder

If your reading this you?ve probably already invested hours, weeks or even months of your time searching for products to sell on Ebay or your website. I?ve read that the majority of Ebay Powersellers make little profit.

This presents a dilemma, if the so-called experts aren?t making a decent living how can you expect to?

The 2 factors crucial to your online reselling success are:

1. Finding quality products that will sell.
2. Finding these products at a cost that allows you to sell at a competitive margin.

Most people will use Google or other search engines to find these products. This method has a few flaws. Firstly it is extremely time consuming. But more to the point, the wholesaler?s that will rank in Google will have search engine optimised their pages, ensuring your results are biased to the worst type of life form ? the middleman.

Another popular method of searching involves contacting manufacturers directly and asking them to supply a list of wholesaler?s in your area. This can be time consuming and difficult, but in the end can pay off.

A final and little discussed approach is to buy a wholesale directory. This technique is often written off, as these directories are typically out of date. However, nowadays some directories employ full time staff to research and present current and quality wholesale suppliers.

You might think, ?Why pay for something I can get for free?? This is probably true but it depends on how much you value your time.

As always you get what you pay for. Don?t expect to get information allowing you to triumph over your competitors for $20.

A great evaluation tool is http://www.ripoffreport.com/. You can see what (if any) complaints have been made against the company and assess the quality of the information.

In summery, work smarter, not harder: Assess the value of your time vs. the value of information and your computer-induced migraine might even disappear.

Jules Boven is a professional auction seller and CEO of http://www.thewholesale-hub.com, an online resource connecting retailers to wholesalers.

Small Business Q & A: Cut Start-Up Costs By Using a Dropshipper

Q: I'm starting an online specialty shop that sells gifts and home
accessories. I want to be able to have items dropshipped to customers
through my site. I already have a Web site and a domain reserved,
but I don't have a lot of money to get this going. Can you offer
any insight?

A: Setting up relationships with companies who will ship merchandise
directly to your customers for you-- dropshippers, as they're called
--is an excellent way to start your e-business and, if done properly,
doesn't have to be a costly endeavor. There are literally hundreds
of companies out there that will dropship products for you, everything
from gifts and housewares to power tools and furniture.

In a nutshell, here's how dropshipping works. You set up an account
with a dropshipper (or multiple dropshippers who offer different
kinds of products) who provides merchandise that you can sell on
your Web site. The dropshipper typically supplies you with images
and product descriptions that you can use to build your online
store or feature on static HTML Web pages.

You can locate dropshippers with the new e-book The 2003 Guide to
the Top 400 Dropship & Wholesale Companies. YOu will find it at:
http://www.dropshipwholesale.net op400.asp.

When a customer places an order for the product on your site, he
or she pays you for the product. You, in turn, place the order
with the dropshipper and pay them for the product. The dropshipper
then ships the item directly to your customer under your company
name. To your customer's knowledge, the product was shipped by you.

Dropshipping offers many advantages to the shoestring online
start-up. You don't have to pay for an item until it sells, and
your customer pays you, so your personal cash outlay for the product
is zero. You never have to handle or warehouse the merchandise,
as order fulfillment is handled by the dropshipper. You can also
offer a wide variety of items from multiple dropshippers, and your
end customer is none the wiser.

Dropshipping does have its downsides. Since you do not actually
stock the products featured on your site, you have no control over
inventory management, product availability, order fulfillment,
shipping processes and so on. Still, if you do your homework and
establish a good relationship with a reputable dropshipper, the
problems you experience should be few.

Your goal should be to find a dropshipper that will ship items one
at a time instead of requiring that you purchase a fixed minimum
number of items each time (single-unit purchases vs. minimum-order
purchases). With this arrangement, you don't have to invest your
limited cash reserves in inventory that might not sell (and that
sits in your garage for months).

Thanks to the stiff competition the Web has created, many dropshippers
will now do business with you without requiring that you pay a setup
fee or have a tax ID number. You simply set up a reseller account
(you're the reseller) and start marketing the products on your site.
Account registration can often be done online at the dropshipper's
Web site. With this process, you can literally be selling products
within minutes of setting up your reseller account.

Be warned, however, that some dropshippers are not as reliable as
others. Also, be aware that some companies who claim to be dropshippers
are really middlemen who have positioned themselves between the online
merchant (that's you) and the real wholesale merchandise distributor.
These middlemen will eat into your profits and usually don't offer
much in the way of customer support and service. They can actually
hurt your business more than help it, so make it a point to do
business only with--and directly with--established, reputable
dropship companies.

Spend the time to research the dropshippers doing business in your
particular product category, and try to get feedback from their
current customers. Remember that your customer doesn't know (or care)
that the product they are purchasing from you really comes from a
dropshipper. If there is a problem, your customer will come back
to you for resolution, not the dropshipper, so make sure that the
dropshipper you use has a policy for resolving problems quickly.

Setting up an online store that offers merchandise from dropshippers
doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming. However, this brings
up the age-old question: If I build it, will they come? The age-old
answer is: Only if you let them know you are there, but that's
another column.

Here's to your success!

Tim Knox
tim@dropshipwholesale.net
For information on starting your own online or eBay business,
visit http://www.dropshipwholesale.net
accessories. I want to be able to have items dropshipped to customers
through my site. I already have a Web site and a domain reserved,
but I don't have a lot of money to get this going. Can you offer
any insight?

A: Setting up relationships with companies who will ship merchandise
directly to your customers for you-- dropshippers, as they're called
--is an excellent way to start your e-business and, if done properly,
doesn't have to be a costly endeavor. There are literally hundreds
of companies out there that will dropship products for you, everything
from gifts and housewares to power tools and furniture.

In a nutshell, here's how dropshipping works. You set up an account
with a dropshipper (or multiple dropshippers who offer different
kinds of products) who provides merchandise that you can sell on
your Web site. The dropshipper typically supplies you with images
and product descriptions that you can use to build your online
store or feature on static HTML Web pages.

You can locate dropshippers with the new e-book The 2003 Guide to
the Top 400 Dropship & Wholesale Companies. YOu will find it at:
http://www.dropshipwholesale.net op400.asp.

When a customer places an order for the product on your site, he
or she pays you for the product. You, in turn, place the order
with the dropshipper and pay them for the product. The dropshipper
then ships the item directly to your customer under your company
name. To your customer's knowledge, the product was shipped by you.

Dropshipping offers many advantages to the shoestring online
start-up. You don't have to pay for an item until it sells, and
your customer pays you, so your personal cash outlay for the product
is zero. You never have to handle or warehouse the merchandise,
as order fulfillment is handled by the dropshipper. You can also
offer a wide variety of items from multiple dropshippers, and your
end customer is none the wiser.

Dropshipping does have its downsides. Since you do not actually
stock the products featured on your site, you have no control over
inventory management, product availability, order fulfillment,
shipping processes and so on. Still, if you do your homework and
establish a good relationship with a reputable dropshipper, the
problems you experience should be few.

Your goal should be to find a dropshipper that will ship items one
at a time instead of requiring that you purchase a fixed minimum
number of items each time (single-unit purchases vs. minimum-order
purchases). With this arrangement, you don't have to invest your
limited cash reserves in inventory that might not sell (and that
sits in your garage for months).

Thanks to the stiff competition the Web has created, many dropshippers
will now do business with you without requiring that you pay a setup
fee or have a tax ID number. You simply set up a reseller account
(you're the reseller) and start marketing the products on your site.
Account registration can often be done online at the dropshipper's
Web site. With this process, you can literally be selling products
within minutes of setting up your reseller account.

Be warned, however, that some dropshippers are not as reliable as
others. Also, be aware that some companies who claim to be dropshippers
are really middlemen who have positioned themselves between the online
merchant (that's you) and the real wholesale merchandise distributor.
These middlemen will eat into your profits and usually don't offer
much in the way of customer support and service. They can actually
hurt your business more than help it, so make it a point to do
business only with--and directly with--established, reputable
dropship companies.

Spend the time to research the dropshippers doing business in your
particular product category, and try to get feedback from their
current customers. Remember that your customer doesn't know (or care)
that the product they are purchasing from you really comes from a
dropshipper. If there is a problem, your customer will come back
to you for resolution, not the dropshipper, so make sure that the
dropshipper you use has a policy for resolving problems quickly.

Setting up an online store that offers merchandise from dropshippers
doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming. However, this brings
up the age-old question: If I build it, will they come? The age-old
answer is: Only if you let them know you are there, but that's
another column.

Here's to your success!

Tim Knox
tim@dropshipwholesale.net
For information on starting your own online or eBay business,
visit http://www.dropshipwholesale.net

Tim Knox as the president and CEO of two successful technology
companies: B2Secure Inc., a Web-based hiring management software
company; and Digital Graphiti Inc., a software development company.
Tim is also the founder of dropshipwholesale.net, an ebusiness
dedicated to the success of online entrepreneurs.
http://www.dropshipwholesale.net
http://www.smallbusinessqa.com

Top 7 Dropshipper Advantages

Here are seven reasons you should consider being a dropshipper.

1. Low Capital Requirement: Instead of paying to stock inventory, your customer finances the order. For example, if an item costs fifty dollars from your dropship supplier, you might charge your customer one hundred dollars for the product plus applicable shipping charges. When you receive payment from your customer, you will then send fifty dollars plus shipping charges to your dropship supplier. You have just made fifty dollars gross profit entirely financed by your customer.

2. No Inventory Required: You will not need to worry about how to finance high minimum orders of wholesale merchandise, getting stuck with stock that won't sell. or extra costs for warehouse space, insurance, shrinkage, and so on.

3. Expanded Product Line: In addition to your own products and services, you may increase your sales and profits by selling other peoples' products.

4. No Product Fulfillment: Your dropship supplier picks, packages and ships the orders to the customer.

5. Keep Expenses Variable: Instead of having a high fixed overhead, more of your costs will be variable. You don't pay for inventory, for example, until you have a sale.

6. No Minimum Order Requirements: Dropship as little as one item.

7. Increase Sales of Your Own Products: On the other side of the coin, have you considered the advantages of drop shipping your own products? In return for giving your dealers a wholesale price, you may sell significantly more product than you could on your own. You would have to ship the products on behalf of your drop shipping dealers.

Resource Box:

J. Stephen Pope, President of Pope Consulting Inc., has been helping clients to earn maximum business profits for over twenty-five years.

To discover the hidden secrets behind dropshipper profits, visit http://www.dropshipsecretsrevealed.com/ea2/

 

How to Make Money Selling on eBay ~ Selecting Your Dropshipper

If you are asking how to make money selling on eBay, dropshipping might be one of the answers. The majority of those who make money on eBay seem to make the assumption that they must have a dropshipper to supply their products. There are some great advantages to using this form of product supplier. If you can establish the right relationship, the benefits far outweigh the risks.

As with all business relationships, a word of caution is required! There can be some major impacts to your business if you make the wrong decision when selecting a dropshipping company. As with all business-related issues, the motto 'Buyer Beware' is appropriate as you begin your search for a dropshipper. Be sure to thoroughly investigate the prospective dropshipping companies. Your investigation should include gaining an understanding of the size, reliability and overall reputation of the dropshipping company. Many of those who know how to make money selling on eBay are committed to the dropshipping process.

Dropshipping can be a very good option for you if you take your time, do your homework, and investigate before you start. Just make it a practice to thoroughly investigate new dropshipping companies before you ever commit to using them as one of our merchandise suppliers. That investigation can make you one of those who know how to make money selling on eBay.

The following checklist represents the MINIMUM criteria to use when examining a potential dropshipper. Never accept less than this level of performance. There are many who pass this criteria with flying colors. They are the ones who know how to make money selling on eBay. DROPSHIPPER CHECKLIST
YES/NO CRITERIA
Does the dropshipper carry products that are within your market niche?
Can you make a profit on the product(s) that you sell/ship using this dropshipper?
Does the dropshipper ONLY include your company information on the packages that they ship on your behave?
Does the dropshipper ship within 3-5 business days of payment?
Guarantees. Are manufacturer/other product guarantees still valid when using this dropshipper?
Is the inventory stated by the dropshipper updated and accurate at all times?
Does the dropshipper offer a discount for larger (volume) purchases?
Does the dropshipper have a minimum order size?
Does the dropshipper have programs in-place to aid those who use it? (Website? Instant online access to inventory? Promotional tools? Other?)
Is there a charge for establishing an account with the dropshipper?
Does the dropshipping company use other companies as a part of its service? (Using brokers and others in the middle adds to the cost and should be avoided if possible.)
Does the dropshipper carry BRAND NAME products?

If the answers to all of the above are positive, you might consider conducting a 'test' of the drop shipping company. This is done by making a one-time purchase for yourself or someone you know. While this test isn't foolproof, it does provide an idea of what to expect if and when you begin to use the dropshipper for eBay sales. Remember: Those who know how to make money selling on eBay take the time and invest the energy to investigate and test before they use a specific dropping company.

The bottom line is to take the time and invest the effort to thoroughly investigate all prospective dropshippers. A little investment in due diligence now can save you untold headaches and costs later. It can also yield happy customers.

Bob Hamilton, Entrepreneur, writer, consultant. www.OnlineAuctionsMadeSimple.net www.MarketingSuccessCenter.com www.OpeningADollarStore.com.

THE HOTTEST TOPIC ON eBAY FORUMS - WHOLESALERS & DROPSHIPPERS

<head> <title>SaleHoo Independent Review</title> <style> <!-- div.Section1 {page:Section1;} span.SpellE {} span.GramE {} --> </style> </head>

<body>

<div align="center"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" width="703" height="539" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#FFFFFF"> <!-- MSTableType="nolayout" --> <tr> <td valign="top" height="539" width="703"> <!-- MSCellType="ContentBody" --> <div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Many established eBay <span class="SpellE">Powersellers</span> like myself will agree with me that getting goods at wholesale prices and <span class="SpellE">dropshipping</span> them directly to customers has always been a dream. If you have also been in the online retail business, selling on your website or on eBay, I have good news for you. Having spent lots of time, resources and money scouting for a credible directory of wholesalers/<span class="SpellE">dropshippers</span> for my business to stay afloat, I can now confidently announce to other retail traders about my recent discovery. It is a wholesale/<span class="SpellE">dropshipper</span> directory that recently came around big and strong at the beginning of this year (2006) and had been the rave of the moment ever since.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">The name of this company is SaleHoo (accessible at http://www.salehoo.com for those who want a quick check). SaleHoo is a website directory of cheap but quality wholesale suppliers and <span class="SpellE">dropshippers</span> with a wide variety of categories to choose from. The categories listed on SaleHoo have retail & member prices. The concept is that as a SaleHoo member, you can buy these products at very good wholesale discounts and resell them on eBay or retail stores and of course, keep the difference as profits. Member prices are as much as 50% off the retail prices. For regular '<span class="SpellE">eBayers</span>' and <span class="SpellE">Powersellers</span>, this is exactly what they will be looking for, because many of them that I have spoken to, complain about the NEED for cheap and reliable suppliers for their goods.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Honestly, this discovery was one very pleasant surprise for me because I now have at my disposal, very cheap but high quality products, delivered at the right time and my customers have NEVER complained about my deliveries. Some of the suppliers drop these prices just to make sure they attract more sales for their brands. This way, both parties benefit from the arrangement. The products list is impressive - latest consumer electronics, designer jeans, jewelry, fashion handbags, computers, laptops, digital cameras, <span class="SpellE"> LCDs</span> & Plasma TVs, DVDs, fashion accessories and lots more.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">SaleHoo also has excellent phone, email and live customer support. I once emailed them and said that I was having a hard time finding drop shippers for some sports equipment so they sent me a list of the best companies for these products. I was extremely surprised by their willingness to help me. They also sent me a newsletter email recently to let me know that their suppliers of PS3 had just dropped their prices by 25%.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">It is no secret that Chinese products are available at cheap prices. However, we don't know who the suppliers are; how to do business with them and how to handle money transactions especially with so many dubious merchants around. SaleHoo guarantees that it has two cheap sources from China who sell at rock bottom prices just because they want to do business with western countries. SaleHoo's sales technique is based on the simple business principle of Economics 101: the cheaper you source your products, the more your profits. This is no Einstein Equation, just shrewd business sense. ??????????????????????????????????????

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> http://www.salehoo.com has now reduced the price of its updated directory for just $49.95 from the usual price of $99.95. It is a limited offer for the holiday season. They also offer a full refund in 60 days if you are not satisfied with the product. This is fair enough considering some negative reviews about them. For these <span class="GramE">type</span> of uninformed reviewers, SaleHoo ensured that they got certified by Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Fair Trade Authority as indicated by the seals on their websites. REAL testimonials are also on their website and forum to vouch for SaleHoo's integrity. All the same, only a trial will convince you.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">They have a money back guarantee which some forum members said they once tried and got back but decided to join again since they couldn't find others like SaleHoo. In this forum, you can ask questions about similar interests with other members who share very valuable ideas. I have equally found these forums to be educating especially when I run short of ideas.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Whether you're a beginner or veteran like me; looking for a user-friendly database of <span class="SpellE">dropshippers</span> and wholesalers, and a forum where you can learn from other people in the business, then do NOT hesitate any longer. Therefore, I especially recommend SaleHoo for those who belong to these two categories. Liberate yourself right now and follow the profit makers on eBay and elsewhere - http://www.salehoo.com </div> ?</td> </tr> </table> </div>

Mutar Idris runs a consultancy firm - Global Business Concepts Limited in the central business district of Singapore and regularly reviews online businesses as part of his consulting business.

Dropshipping scam?Not this Dropshipper

Fellow Internet Trader,

My names Curtis. I've been selling on eBay for about 7 years now. I think I do quiet well. I use to eran about $2500 a month from it. I heard of dropshipping but have also heard that there are some dropshipping scams. I got a recommendation from a friend who used a company called DropShipping Wholesalers.com. I decided to check them out. So was it any good?

You can get access to hundreds of real wholesale dropshippers that carry 75,000 hot and in demand name brand products that can be dropshipped for you. By joining you can also get a full turnkey ecommerce website built and fully stocked with products for you to sell.

By becoming a member of DropShipping Wholesalers.com, you will not only have access to hundreds of real wholesale dropshippers, but you get access to helpful tools and resources that will help you profit by selling on ebay, your own website, and more. Plus you get access to their members only forum that provides inside information from other members that are profiting from using wholesale dropshippers. Because I don't have as much work to do (It's dropshipping, all I have to do is send the orders and collect the money) I've now had more time to list things. From dropshipping I now earn an average of $4000 a month.

For a limited time, they are offering their best wholesale dropshipping package with NO monthly fees! You get access to hundreds of wholesale dropshippers that you can use to sell products on eBay, your own website, or a website they custom build for you. To learn more about dropshipping or become a member go to http://hop.clickbank.net/?fishonkb/dropship

Regards,

Curtis

My name is Curtis Lewis, I average $4000 a month from this dropshipping company.I have been burend by a few of these dropshipping companys but this one works for me.

Top 7 Dropshipper Disadvantages

Don't get me wrong; I love drop shipping too! However, I would be remiss in my duty if I didn't tell you about the pitfalls as well as the advantages of being a dropshipper. Here, then, are seven disadvantages of drop shipping.

1. Merchant Account Violation: The terms of your Internet merchant account require that you not charge your customer until the order has been shipped. Your dropship supplier might take a few days to get your order out.

2. Inadequate Product Knowledge: Since you've never even seen the products you sell, how will you be able to answer customer questions about the product? Sometimes you can obtain sales literature or samples from your supplier to assist you in your product knowledge.

3. Increased Customer Support: When customers request information about a product, you will have to phone the supplier for product data and then contact the customer with the information. This can be very time consuming.

4. Responsible for Dropshipper's Actions: If your dropship supplier runs out of inventory, sends the wrong item, is slow in fulfilling the order, or experiences similar problems, you are the one who is responsible. You are the one that will have to apologize and straighten matters out with the customer.

5. Increased Competition: If you are not the exclusive source of the product, others can and will sell the same product from your dropship supplier.

6. Dropship Supplier Scams: Some suppliers claim to sell at wholesale prices but actually sell to you much closer to retail. Sometimes shipping and handling charges extracted are exorbitant. This, of course, leaves very little, if any, profit margin for you.

7. Loss of Control: If you maintain your own inventory, you have much more control over how quickly and securely your inventory is shipped.

Enjoy the benefits of drop shipping but be sure to avoid the pitfalls.

J. Stephen Pope, President of Pope Consulting Inc., has been helping clients to earn maximum business profits for over twenty-five years. To discover the hidden secrets behind dropshipper profits, visit http://www.dropshipsecretsrevealed.com/is1/