The dropshipping market is saturated with products and suppliers to choose from. Knowing what they offer and how easy they are to use is an important step in choosing where to source your products.
Now that you understand what droppshipping is and what types of business models work, it's time to select a product and a supplier. It’s obvious to locate suppliers through large online retailers like AliExpress, AliBaba, or Amazon, but let's explore the most popular alternatives for dropshipping sources.
SaleHoo
SaleHoo is a members-only database with over 8000 suppliers, has greater reliability than the large eCommerce fronts, and boasts a wide product catalog with over 25 million products! The platform is intuitive, works with dropshipping suppliers, and provides excellent customer service. The yearly membership fee is only $67, you get a 60-day free trial, and the platform scores an average of 9.6/10 on Trustpilot. This is definitely one to check out.
Spocket
Somewhat similar to Oberlo, Spocket is a Shopify database that allows you to find reliable dropshipping suppliers. This platform offers a comprehensive selection of 20,000 suppliers from all across the globe. You don't have to limit yourself to China-based suppliers as you do with Oberlo and AliExpress, making it easier for you to engage in local dropshipping by finding wholesalers from the US and EU. Spocket even offers integrations with FedEx and other shipping options. The major downside is that it is pricey at $99 per month for unlimited products. If you are starting out, consider their free basic plan, which allows you to import up to 25 different products and receive unlimited orders.
Doba
Doba offers over 2 million products and is considered to be one of the most comprehensive dropshipping platforms on the web. The dropshipping process is well-organized and allows you to manage lists for bulk imports. Doba may offer fewer supplier options than AliExpress, but makes up for it with other benefits. You get a 14-day free trial and can sign up for a membership for just $29 per month.
There are tons of shops besides these to choose from, so spend some time researching what kind of sources will work for your dropshipping business. When you’re ready, continue to the next chapter to learn more about marketing with social media.
Print-on-Demand Dropshipping: Ucraft x Printful
Another alternative to classic dropshipping is print-on-demand. At Ucraft, we offer an integration with Printful - one of the best print-on-demand retail fulfillment services. POD is a form of dropshipping, but it differs from the standard model in the sense that you work with a specific fulfillment center (in this case, Printful) to design custom goods, which the center then manufactures and sends to your customers when an order is placed. Sounds confusing? Let's look at this option in more detail.
Say you already have some designs that you would like to see printed on various products. With a print-on-demand dropshipping solution, you upload your designs to the chosen POD platform and select the items you want the design to be printed on (e.g., t-shirts, hoodies, beanies, mugs, etc.), and the company takes care of the rest. As soon as an order is placed through your online store, they will print your designs onto said items, package them under your own brand and send them to your customers. Let's see how Printful works, step by step:
1. Go to Printful, select a product category, and choose a product (e.g., Men's clothing > hoodies);
2. Customize the default design by uploading your own graphics and adjusting the placement on the item via Printful's drag-and-drop tool;
3. Set the main mockup image, and fill in the product description and title;
4. Choose your markup price, and Printful will automatically configure the product prices;
5. Submit the Printful products to your Ucraft online store;
6. When an order is placed, Printful will manufacture and ship the product to your customer.
POD is essentially a form of dropshipping. However, a dropshipping business model implies selling a wide variety of products, often from several dropshipping suppliers. With POD, you work with a print-on-demand dropshipping company to design, manufacture and print your items. In terms of shipping, POD works precisely the same as dropshipping - a customer places an order on your website while the supplier manufactures, packages, and ships the product.
There are several benefits to selling Printful products as a print-on-demand fulfillment solution. First of all, it allows you to get started for free, meaning that you only pay for the product once you have designed it, uploaded it to your online store, and a customer has placed an order. Although the solution doesn't offer the same extensive variety of products as the classic dropshipping model, Printful products still come in a reasonably wide range: starting from clothes for all genders and ages to homeware and design pieces such as wall art. This is ideal for dropshipping beginners who are not immediately looking to sell niche products or do not wish to set up a general store. Not to mention that their customer support is exceptional.
It's safe to say that our guide's theoretical part is over, and it's time to delve into the practical aspects of setting up a successful dropshipping store. And for that, you are going to need a memorable brand.