. . . is not a lost Druidic art
Finding products to sell online does not require arcane pagan rituals . . .
and though that might be fun . . .
there are a few things to understand right at the start. There is no single, super list of wholesale dropship sources. There is no magic bullet. There is no alchemist's stone, no El Dorado, no fountain from which low cost wholesale goods spring eternal.
There are, however, real wholesalers, and real whole sale dropship sources. There is no mystery to this. There are manufacturers who make things and people who distribute and sell things. Distributors buy stuff cheaply from the manufacturer and sell it a little more dearly to the retailer, who in turn sell yet more dearly to the general public. Still, the misunderstanding and confusion surrounding wholesale product sourcing and distribution, dropshipping and dropship suppliers has made fertile the ground from which a cottage "industry" feeding that confusion mystery has arisen.
So, you desire a list or directory of wholesale product sources for your home business. You desire a better understanding of eBay product sourcing and just how eBay sellers find low cost goods. Keep in mind that real wholesale prices come from businesses legally authorized by the manufacturer to distribute their goods. As such, a real wholesaler must require proof that you have a sales tax permit. I apologize if you've heard this all before, but this point is so often misunderstood. A sales tax permit is a permit granted by your state of residence allowing you to purchase goods without paying sales tax because the assumption is, you being a business, that you will sell the goods and charge sales tax to your customers. You, in turn, will pay the sales tax to the state at tax time. Render unto Caeser and that sort of thing.
The word "wholesale" is often used to simply mean low cost goods. In fact, "wholesale," really means the price offered by a legitimate wholesaler to their clients, which may start around 32%below MSRP (manufacturers suggested retail price) depending on the products, the wholesaler's contract with the manufacturer, and the quantity purchased.
The point of this blog and article is to help you understand how to find product sources for your business, whether that is eBay, ecommerce, or selling to neighbors, and I intend to come through. Here is a list of some of the best free ways to find reliable product sources:
- Have you looked in the phonebook?
- Have you researched trade shows?
- Have you researched regional and national associations for your product area?
- Have you consulted trade magazines?
- Have you tried your local library references of manufacturers and distributors?
- Have you asked your local retailers what they do with their liquidation closeout stock?
- Have you simply searched on the Internet?
These resources may provide you with many direct leads to true wholesale, dropship, and manufacturer sources. This may require a little work, but the personal network of contacts you'll make is your wholesale dropship supplier philosopher's stone!
Now We Learn What Those Sexy Druids Knew about Product Sourcing
There is a way cut through the hours of work to develop your own wholesale list from scratch. There are a few good online wholesale directory and forum resources that can be helpful.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding some of the wholesale directory product sourcing sites, such as the Salehoo directory, much of which may be caused by misunderstanding what they are. A good directory provides an active forum that provides an ongoing conversation regarding product sources for many different kinds of goods. It also provides, in brief, a vast list of wholesale, dropship, and factory outlet sources. It is a place where you can get opinion and feedback to your product sourcing questions. And, it is inexpensive. Keeping in mind that you must always draw you own conclusions, I personally feel that a good online resource should offer the following benefits:
- Drop Ship Suppliers: Suppliers who send the product directly to your buyer from their warehouse, so that you as the retailer do not store inventory.
- Wholesale Suppliers: Access to many true wholesalers. You will stock inventory yourself but benefit from low bulk prices if you choose to purchase in bulk quantities.
- Liquidation and Closeout Specialists: Brand Name suppliers for bulk purchasing from some of the major retail outlets. These suppliers have products available for well below wholesale prices. Normally this means you must purchase substantial bulk lots, but this is where you get the low, rock bottom prices. This is one of the secrets of top eBay sellers.
- Factory Manufacturers: Able to offer members the lowest prices available from the factory. However, it is important to keep in mind that because selling to retailers is not their primary business, you may need to buy in bulk quantities of 1000 or more. And again, this is a secret of top eBay sellers.
- Suppliers From Asia: Get access to the closest source to the factories direct from countries such as China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. We warn you that buying from China can be a terrifying experience.
- Brand Name Products: Access to the best branded, high demand products.
- Daily Updates: The directory data base should be updated on a regular basis.
- All suppliers should be rated by not only the directory itself but also by the membership.
- Fully Searchable Database
- Private Members Forum
- Educational material to help you understand product sourcing and how to use eBay.
- Fulltime Customer Support
It is important to understand that the online directories such as the well recognized Salehoo are only directories. They provide the means of contact with the supplier and a means of networking with suppliers and other buyers. Online directory resources by themselves cannot make you rich or somehow enable you to click yourself rich overnight. They are tools, and like all good tools require understanding and a plan for use.
