Deciding to start a dropshipping business is no small feat. Sure, thanks to platforms like WordPress and Shopify it can be simple enough to set up your store, but dedicating the time, effort and budget to making a real go of your business takes guts. So if you’ve decided to be your own boss and start up your own e-commerce site, the last thing you want to do is let yourself down by choosing the wrong products. 

But the key to sourcing the best products is finding the right wholesalers for you. The good news is, there are several strategies you can use to help you find the right suppliers, some are more effective than others. So if you're ready to start searching for a wholesaler, don’t delay any further! Using the tips below from NI Parcels, you’ll be able to find the supplier for you and get your dropshipping business up and running in no time.   

1. Contact the manufacturer directly 

If there is a particular product that you know you’d like to include on your dropshipping store and you know that this is a possibility but you're just not sure where to find it, you can approach the manufacturers directly. For example, let’s say there is a range of health food products you’d like to add to your e-commerce site and you know the name of the brand, you can reach out to them directly and they should be able to advise you on the best and most legitimate wholesalers that stock their product. 

By calling around to a few of the top products in your niche that you’d like to sell in your store, you should be able to identify the names of a few wholesalers that keep coming up. These are likely to be some of the industry-leaders for your niche. Armed with this information you can get in touch with the wholesaler or go to their website and set up an account. 

2. Use helpful platforms like Oberlo 

There are several providers out there that aim to support dropshipping businesses by offering a range of services, including an easy way to import products to your store directly from suppliers. Oberlo is one such platform that allows you to browse a range of wholesalers and import the products there and then. It works in conjunction with sites like Shopify to help make the dropshipping experience as simple and easy as possible to set up. 

But the greatest thing about using this type of platform is that they can connect you to a range of wholesalers. Not only this, but you know these are going to be some of the best and most legitimate suppliers as they are used by these popular platforms (like Oberlo). 

3. Run a good old Google search 

Is there any problem that can’t be solved by running a Google search? Can’t find a plumber - Google search. Not sure what year your favourite actor was born - Google search. What time does the Chinese takeaway close - Google search. You get our drift! But this can also be a very effective way to help you find wholesalers too. 

That being said, there are a few things to keep in mind when relying on an internet search to help you find suppliers. First, be sure to do your research and search extensively before settling on a wholesaler - don’t just go for the one that appears first on Google’s search results. Don’t be put off by the appearance of their website, some suppliers are great but they just haven't updated their site since the late 1990s! And finally, use lots of relevant keywords to help you with your search, for example: wholesalers in X niche, supplier, distributor, bulk orders. 

4. Attend a trade show 

Attending a trade show can help you to connect with some of the biggest manufacturers and wholesalers in your chosen niche. Not only is it a great way to make contacts and network, but it gives you a chance to get to grips with what products are on offer and what sells well. Of course, this is only helpful if you already know what your niche is going to be, so you can find industry-specific trade shows to attend. These do often require a fee as well, but it’s totally worth it if it helps you to find the wholesalers and the products you’ve been looking for. 

5. Look for helpful directories 

A supplier directory is essentially a huge database of information about wholesalers arranged by their niche, product or volume of sales. These can be a very helpful way to find wholesalers for your dropshipping business, yet many are put off by the fact you have to pay for access to these databases. But is it worth it? 

We say yes it is! Firstly, because it pulls together a neat list of wholesalers in one place making them easier to find. And secondly, because these often use a screening process to ensure that any suppliers added to the database are genuine and decent. Plus, once you’ve got your business established and you’ve got the products you want, it’s unlikely you’ll need to keep revisiting the directory so after that you can cancel your subscription. 

There are several supplier directories out there for you to choose from. Some of the most popular and well-recognised include Worldwide Brands, SaleHoo, Wholesale Central and Doba. That said, a quick internet search should highlight some other helpful databases as well and you can look into which is going to be the most helpful and cost-effective for you before signing up. 

6. Order from the competition 

Last on our list of helpful ways to find wholesalers is to order from the competition. It might sound a little unorthodox, but if you're having a tricky time finding a supplier for a particular product you want to sell, you could always find it on a competitors website (choose the site where it is cheapest) and purchase from them. 

The only downside to this is that your profit margins might be lower, so we wouldn't suggest doing this for all your products, but if there is something specific that you know your customers will love, this could be a useful way to source and sell that product.