I’ve written an article about choosing a dropshipping supplier on AliExpress, but it was based solely on objective factors such as order quantity, customer reviews, etc. However, to make the collaboration with a supplier long-lasting and effective, you also need more detailed insights about them. Naturally, there’s no other way than to talk to them directly. Thoroughly researching a potential dropshipping supplier is an important step you shouldn’t overlook.
Once you’ve established a long-term partnership with a supplier, you can have a smooth collaboration, but in the initial stages of exploration, focus on the following questions.
Does the supplier want to work with Dropshippers?
Not every supplier wants to work with dropshippers because many companies prefer wholesale and want minimum order quantities to be at a certain level.
Additionally, the systems of some suppliers may not be set up to process individual retail orders, etc. So, it’s best to ask immediately if they can’t provide dropshipping options, you can quickly move on to explore other dropshipping suppliers.
Does the supplier want to work with someone starting a business for the first time?
Many dropshipping suppliers will work with any business model (corporate, individual, etc.), but they may have different requirements based on how long you’ve been in business.
For example, they may offer different payment terms for someone who’s been in business longer compared to someone starting their first business.
You’ll want to know exactly how they will work with you if there is a difference in how they deal with different business types.
Questions to Verify the Supplier’s Background
Before partnering with a potential dropshipping supplier, you’ll want to “check” them to ensure they are a legitimate supplier. Since there are many scammers in this field, it’s crucial to know if you can trust them when collaborating with your business.
Here are some important questions to find out and verify the background of a dropshipping supplier:
- How long have they been in business?
- Can they provide some references?
- Can they provide business registration?
- Do they have any feedback or ratings for you to view online?
- Have you searched online for people’s feedback on the supplier and their products?
How responsive are they to questions and requests?
You need to gauge their responsiveness regarding both the speed of response and the quality of their feedback.
- How do they handle quality issues with products and respond to your queries?
- Are they prompt in answering questions and requests?
- How do you feel about their responsiveness in terms of time to receive feedback and the quality of their feedback?
Supplier’s Dropshipping Options
You’ll want to know things like:
- Do they provide unbranded products so that your customers don’t know who fulfilled the order?
- Do they provide a tracking number so that you can provide that information to your customers?
- Do they accept returns directly from your customers?
What are their payment terms?
Different suppliers can provide or require different payment terms when working with them.
Here are the questions you’ll need answers to:
- Do they have a minimum order requirement or a monthly volume for you to continue working with them? If yes, how many and within what time frame?
- How do they prefer payment to be made and when?
- Can you pay per order, or do they invoice monthly?
- Can you pay by credit card or through a bank?
- Are there any additional fees related to dropshipping?
Can they meet your inventory and shipping needs?
While many suppliers can work with dropshipping, you also need to know if they can meet the demands in terms of the quantity of goods and shipping time.
Here are some critical questions you need answers to:
- How much inventory do they have on hand?
- How many other sellers are currently selling similar products?
- How long does it take for them to replenish inventory?
- Will they alert you if they are about to run out of stock or when they run out?
How fast do they ship products when you place an order?
Their shipping time is a crucial aspect to consider.
Do they provide information about product quality?
When you start working with new products and import them into your store, you need quality information for each product to write appropriate product descriptions.
Can you build a brand for the products you want to sell?
This issue is not important if you don’t have any plans to introduce a product line under your brand and only plan to sell products as they are.
However, one of the best ways to increase your profit margin and income is to build your brand product line.
So, if you think this could be an option for you in the future, you’ll want to know if you can create a brand for the products, including packaging and anything related such as product guides, etc.
Conclusion
The suppliers you work with are a crucial link in your business, so you must be extremely careful and ensure that they are reliable and willing to collaborate with you to ensure your success.
