Let’s face it, e-commerce and dropshipping is only getting more and more competitive by the day. Of course, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Many new sellers are coming into the market without a single clue as to what to do. These sellers design bad stores and sell poor quality goods, funneling more customers to higher quality stores.
As more sellers advance in sophistication, it’s becoming increasingly imperative that all sellers source high quality goods for their stores. Sourcing high-quality products is essential for maintaining customer satisfaction and maximizing profit margins. So where and how do you source excellent products?
This article will guide you through the best methods for sourcing high-quality products and explain where to look for the best sourcing agents.
To start, you’re probably going to want to avoid sourcing and fulfillment platforms like AliExpress, AutoDS, CJDropshipping, DSers, and other platforms that simply plug into the AliExpress marketplace. Most of the suppliers on these platforms are NOT trustworthy, exposing you to scams and fraud.
Some common fraudulent practices include:
Aside from that, the experience itself is often unpleasant. These platforms will contract third party support call centers or just direct you to a non-English speaking supplier. That combined with time zone differences could result in a three week waiting period for the simplest customer support inquiries.
Click here for a more in-depth comparison of these platforms
Sourcing products for your store can be a daunting task, especially with the vast number of suppliers and manufacturers available. The key to success lies in finding high-quality products that meet your customers' expectations while keeping costs low. Professional sourcing agents can streamline this process, ensuring you get the best products at the best prices.
Quality products are the foundation of any successful e-commerce business. High-quality products lead to:
Because most suppliers are going to be located overseas, sourcing products can prove to be a significant challenge. There’s very little you can do to reliably inspect products, get the best prices, or exercise any authority over the individual steps in the supply chain.
Since most sellers are unable to negotiate directly with manufacturers, they’ll often turn to private agents. What is a private agent?
Simply put, a private agent is someone you designate to represent your agents. In the dropshipping and e-commerce space, they’ll often have access to a network of various manufacturers, suppliers, shipping lines, and other entities you need to contract.
Some benefits of a private agent include:
The primary issue with private agents is the same issue you’ll have with manufacturers and suppliers: they’re folks you can’t hold accountable.
At the end of the day, a private agent is a professional middleman. If your manufacturer suddenly goes back on their word, there’s nothing the agent can do. In fact, sometimes unscrupulous agents will partner with factories to hold your order hostage.
Or what if something happens to the shipping line? What if there are issues with customs? What if your agent just disappears?
Granted, there are many reputable private agents who’ll do their utmost to help you. But, these agents offer an exclusive service only available to the largest sellers. For most people, reliable private agents simply aren’t an option.
Zendrop isn’t just a basic sourcing and fulfillment platform. Zendrop is the most reliable e-commerce partner for sellers of all sizes and expertise. Users get access to industry-leading shipping times and the highest quality products at the lowest costs.
Users often ask the question, “First of all, how can Zendrop provide that. Second, what’s the catch?”
The key difference between Zendrop and other platforms is ownership over the supply chain. Zendrop owns a proprietary network of thousands of manufacturers as well as access to some of the best supply lines both domestically and abroad.
Unlike other platforms, Zendrop isn’t a 15-layer cake of one middleman after the other. You get direct access to vetted manufacturers that produce the highest quality goods. On top of that, orders that come through Zendrop are first filtered through Zendrop’s own warehouses. Here, products are inspected for quality and then repacked in nondescript packaging without any Chinese lettering.
The best part? All users, both free and paid, get access to high quality goods.
Plus users also get access to custom thank you cards, US suppliers, custom bundling features, and more.
Zendrop Select users get access to custom quotes for even lower prices, custom branding, private labeling services, and a dedicated account manager who is like a private agent, but on steroids.
Start by clearly defining the types of products you want to sell. Consider factors such as product specifications, target audience, and market trends.
Once you’ve identified the sort of products you want to sell, browse through our catalog to find the exact items you’re looking for.
If our catalog doesn’t have what you’re looking for, move onto the next step.
Use online platforms, industry directories, and trade shows to identify the exact product you’re looking for or a collection of similar products. You can share these with a Zendrop support agent, and they’ll hand it off to our support team to find the product you’re looking for.
Once the sourcing agent has found your product, they’ll reach out to thousands of manufacturers to find the highest quality version of your product for the lowest costs. Zendrop leverages its immense buying power and brand authority to negotiate group discounts and volume discounts for its users. It’s like getting the benefits of buying in bulk without actually having to. Within 24 hours, they should reach back out to you with a custom quote.
From here, you can either start selling or request a sample. If you want a sample, you can request one from your product dashboard. If you want to start selling, simply push the product to your Shopify or ClickFunnels store.
Sourcing high-quality products is crucial for the success of your e-commerce store. By following the steps outlined in this guide and leveraging the expertise of Zendrop’s professional sourcing agents, you can secure the best products at the lowest prices.
We highly recommend focusing on quality and brand longevity in order to take full advantage of Zendrop’s services. This way, you can set the foundation to really scale your store. Afterwards, it’ll only be a matter of time before you evolve beyond dropshipping and start selling your own custom products.
Learn More About Zendrop Select’s White Labeling, Private Labeling, and Custom Branding Services
