16 Best Dropshipping Suppliers in 2026 (Compared by Speed, Price, and Integration)

Thursday April 1616th Apr 2026
19 min. read
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The short answer

If you want a verified supplier directory, SaleHoo is the top pick. If you're a Shopify seller who wants products imported automatically, start with Syncee, DSers, or Zendrop. If you care more about fast US or EU shipping than rock-bottom pricing, look at SaleHoo, Modalyst, or Sunrise Wholesale. And if you're testing ideas with almost no budget, AliExpress and CJdropshipping are where most sellers start.

There is no single "best" supplier. The right answer depends on where you ship, what you sell, and how much you want automated. The table below sorts all 16 by the three things that matter most: price, shipping speed, and platform fit.

16 best dropshipping suppliers at a glance

#
Supplier
Type
Best for
Shipping speed
Integrations
Starting price
1 SaleHoo Verified directory + Shopify app Beginners who want vetted suppliers Varies by supplier Shopify  $9 / month
2 Worldwide Brands Verified directory Lifetime access seekers Varies by supplier None built-in $299 one-time
3 Doba Aggregated directory Multi-supplier convenience Varies Amazon, eBay, Shopify $29.99 / month
4 Wholesale2B Aggregated directory + app Multi-platform sellers Varies by supplier Shopify, eBay, Amazon, BigCommerce Free to browse, $37.99 / month to sell
5 Spocket App Fast US and EU shipping 2 to 7 business days (US/EU) Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, BigCommerce, Squarespace Free plan, $39.99 / month starter
6 Sunrise Wholesale US wholesaler US-only sellers selling branded goods Domestic US shipping eBay, Amazon, Shopify $49 / month (7-day trial)
7 Modalyst App Boutique and luxury brands Fast US/EU, varies Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce Free plan, $35 / month Start Up
8 Megagoods US dropshipper Consumer electronics 1 to 2 business days (US) Export files only $14.99 / month + $1.50 per order
9 CJdropshipping All-in-one platform One-stop sourcing with global warehouses 4 to 8 days (CJ Packet to US) Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, eBay, Lazada Free (pay per order)
10 Syncee Shopify app International Shopify stores Varies, most offer domestic Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce, EKM Free plan (25 products)
11 DSers Shopify app (AliExpress) AliExpress at scale AliExpress standard (15 to 45 days) or Premium Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix Free plan
12 Zendrop Shopify app Automation + training 5 to 8 business days (US) Shopify, WooCommerce Free plan, $49 / month Pro
13 AliExpress Marketplace Testing products with zero cost 15 to 45 days standard DSers, AutoDS, Shopify apps Free
14 Alibaba B2B marketplace Moving into private label / wholesale Varies (air or sea freight) Manual Free
15 Printful Print-on-demand Custom apparel and merch 2 to 5 days production + shipping Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, and more Free to join
16 Shopify Collective Free supplier network Shopify merchants buying from Shopify brands Varies by brand Shopify only Free (Shopify plan required)

Shopify Collective is US-only at the time of writing, with select features expanding internationally.

Quick note on SaleHoo's placement. We're the publisher of this page, so we've put ourselves first in the "verified directory" category because that is what SaleHoo is. But the rest of the list is ranked on merit, and where a competitor is genuinely better for a specific use case, we say so.

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How we ranked them

Every supplier on this list was evaluated against six criteria. If a supplier scored poorly on one but excelled on another, we kept it and told you where it wins and where it loses.

1. Supplier vetting. Does the platform verify suppliers before listing them, or is it a free-for-all? Verified directories score higher. Open marketplaces score lower, but they still make the list if they offer enough volume or pricing advantage to justify the extra diligence on your end.

2. Shipping speed and origin. A supplier that delivers to US customers in four days is not comparable to one that takes 30. We flag the realistic shipping window for each.

3. Pricing and fees. We include the annual or monthly cost, free plans where they exist, and any per-order fees or transaction cuts. No "pricing on request" entries.

4. Ecommerce integrations. If you sell on Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Amazon, eBay, or Etsy, you need a supplier whose products can be imported and whose orders can be fulfilled without manual work.

5. Product range and niche fit. A 100,000-product catalog is useful if you want variety. A tight 2,000-SKU electronics-only catalog is useful if you have a focused store.

6. Returns, support, and the stuff that matters when things go wrong. Refund policy, responsiveness, and whether you can actually reach a human when a customer package goes missing.

Our team at SaleHoo has been vetting suppliers since 2005. That doesn't make us infallible, but it does mean we've seen most of the patterns that go wrong.

Best verified supplier directories

Verified directories are the lowest-risk way to find a supplier. Someone has already screened the companies, so you start with a list of businesses that are real, legitimate, and actually willing to dropship.

1. SaleHoo

Best for: Beginners and small sellers who want vetted suppliers without spending hundreds upfront.
Price: $9 / month. 60-day money-back guarantee.
Shipping: Varies by supplier.
Integrations: Shopify, via SaleHoo Dropship.

SaleHoo is the platform you're reading. We started in New Zealand in 2005 and we've personally vetted every one of our 8,000+ suppliers. Our directory spans more than 2.5 million products across 75 categories, from clothing and electronics to pet supplies and home decor.

What you're paying for is the screening. Most "free" directories will happily list anyone. We reject suppliers that can't prove they're real businesses with real inventory, and we back our picks with a supplier guarantee in case of defect or fraud.

On top of the directory, members get access to SaleHoo Insights, our product research tool with daily-updated sell-through data, and over 12 hours of training covering dropshipping, Amazon FBA, and brand-building. Support is 24/7 by live chat and email, which is not something every competitor on this page can honestly claim.

If you're on Shopify, SaleHoo Dropship lets you import trending products directly into your store.

Strengths: Fully vetted suppliers, 20-year track record, 60-day money-back guarantee, genuine 24/7 support, tight Shopify integration via SaleHoo Dropship.

Watch out for: If you want zero risk on the commitment, use the 60-day guarantee as your trial.

2. Worldwide Brands

Best for: Sellers who want lifetime access and are willing to pay up front.
Price: $299 one-time.
Shipping: Varies by supplier.
Integrations: None built-in.

Worldwide Brands is the other grandfather of verified directories, founded in 1999 by an eBay Powerseller. Like SaleHoo, every supplier is vetted: staff meet companies at trade shows, visit factories, and verify legitimacy. The directory covers more than 16 million certified products across pet supplies, jewelry, home decor, apparel, electronics, and more, with new suppliers added monthly.

The pitch is the lifetime fee. Pay once, use forever. If you stay in ecommerce for more than four or five years, it's cheaper than most annual subscriptions. The catch is that same fee is a $299 upfront gate, and if you bounce out of the business in six months, you're out the full amount with no refund.

Worldwide Brands also pushes affiliate partner products during the member experience (Quickbooks, niche research tools), which some members find useful and others find annoying. There's no native Shopify integration, so products have to be imported manually or through third-party tools.

Strengths: One-time payment, rigorous verification, huge catalog, US-heavy supplier base.

Watch out for: $299 barrier to entry, no refund policy, no built-in store integration, some upsells inside the member area.

Full side-by-side: SaleHoo vs. Worldwide Brands.

3. Doba

Best for: Sellers who want one login for multiple suppliers and don't mind paying for convenience.
Price: $29.99 / month basic. Higher tiers for advanced features.
Shipping: Varies by supplier.
Integrations: Amazon, eBay, Shopify, CSV/XML export.

Doba aggregates products from more than 200 suppliers into a single interface, so instead of managing relationships with ten different wholesalers, you deal with Doba. Its catalog tops 2 million products, and its PushList technology makes bulk export to major platforms fast.

The tradeoff is cost. $29.99 / month is entry-level, and the features most sellers actually want (Amazon data export, batch order uploads) are behind pricier tiers. Doba also has fewer distinct suppliers than SaleHoo or Worldwide Brands; the 2 million products come from a smaller supplier pool, so product variety depends more on those suppliers' depth than on network breadth.

Support is genuinely good. Higher-tier members get 24-hour phone support, and new signups get a real support rep to help onboard.

Strengths: One login for many suppliers, strong integrations, real customer support.

Watch out for: Monthly subscription adds up fast, fewer underlying suppliers than directory-style competitors, better for established sellers than beginners.

Full side-by-side: SaleHoo vs. Doba.

4. Wholesale2B

Best for: Sellers who sell on more than one platform and want supplier options imported to each.
Price: Free to browse. $37.99 / month for most features. Plans range from $0 to $49.99.
Shipping: Varies by supplier.
Integrations: Shopify, eBay, Amazon, BigCommerce.

Wholesale2B has been around since 2004 and sits in the middle of the directory-and-app spectrum. You can browse 1 million products and hundreds of suppliers for free, but to actually sell you need a paid plan matched to your platform (the plan you choose determines which integration you get).

The platform's strongest feature is multi-channel support. If you sell on Shopify and eBay and Amazon, Wholesale2B lets you push products to all three without switching tools. Paid order handling (3% of order cost) automates fulfillment so you don't contact suppliers manually.

It's not the deepest directory and support is email-only during business hours, but for a sub-$40 monthly price the platform breadth is hard to match.

Strengths: Platform-specific plans, automated order handling option, free browsing.

Watch out for: Can't sell until you upgrade, slower support, shipping times depend entirely on the underlying supplier.

Full side-by-side: SaleHoo vs. Wholesale2B.

Best for fast US and EU shipping

If your customers are in the US or Europe and your marketing promises fast delivery, you can't use suppliers who ship from China in 30 days. The five below are built around domestic or regional fulfillment.

5. Spocket

Best for: Shopify, Wix, and WooCommerce sellers serving US or EU customers.
Price: Free plan available. $39.99 / month Starter. Pro and Empire tiers higher.
Shipping: Typically 2 to 7 business days in US and EU.
Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Ecwid.

Spocket's whole pitch is shipping speed. The platform curates suppliers based in the US and EU, so products reach customers in days rather than weeks. Popular categories include apparel, jewelry, beauty, home, and pet supplies. Branded invoicing is available on higher tiers, which matters if you're trying to look like a real brand rather than a dropshipper.

The catalog is narrower than AliExpress or CJdropshipping, and product costs are higher (you're paying for the fast-shipping location). But if your competitive angle is "I ship faster than the other guys," Spocket is the standard choice.

Strengths: Fast domestic shipping, clean Shopify integration, branded invoicing option, samples available.

Watch out for: Smaller catalog, higher per-unit cost than China-based platforms, Pro and Empire tiers get expensive.

Full side-by-side: SaleHoo vs. Spocket.

6. Sunrise Wholesale

Best for: US-based sellers selling branded consumer goods.
Price: $49 / month after a 7-day free trial. No extra dropshipping fee.
Shipping: Domestic US.
Integrations: eBay, Amazon, Shopify, and others.

Sunrise Wholesale has been operating since 1999. The catalog is around 30,000 products across about 20 categories (jewelry, gardening, home decor, more), with a focus on branded products from names like Sony, Panasonic, and Apple. The platform includes single-click order sync, automatic product updates, and analyzing tools.

It's US-only. Sunrise Wholesale does not ship internationally, so if your store serves customers outside the United States, skip this one.

Strengths: No per-order dropshipping fee, no minimum order quantity, 7-day trial, strong branded-goods inventory.

Watch out for: US-only shipping, narrower catalog than most competitors, business-hours customer service only.

7. Modalyst

Best for: Shops selling boutique, fashion, or luxury-tier products.
Price: Free Hobby plan (25-product limit). $35 / month Start Up. $90 / month Pro.
Shipping: Fast in US and EU; varies elsewhere.
Integrations: Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce.

Modalyst curates a higher-end catalog with brands like Calvin Klein and Dolce & Gabbana alongside independent makers. Most suppliers are US or EU based, so shipping times are competitive. The platform pre-negotiates shipping, pricing, and return policies with suppliers, which cuts a lot of the back-and-forth dropshippers usually deal with.

The 5% transaction fee on all plans is something to model into your margins, and the full supplier list is gated behind the $90 Pro plan. If you're a general store, this is overkill. If you're a boutique selling jewelry, apparel, or home goods above a certain price point, it fits.

Strengths: Well-vetted suppliers, pre-negotiated terms, strong brand inventory, solid US/EU shipping.

Watch out for: 5% transaction fee on every plan, full supplier access only on Pro, narrow fit if you're not in fashion or home.

8. Megagoods

Best for: Stores focused on consumer electronics and video games.
Price: $14.99 / month + $1.50 per order. 20% restocking fee on unwanted returns.
Shipping: 1 to 2 business days, US domestic, with tracking.
Integrations: Export files only (limited).

Megagoods is a narrow, deep pick. Around 2,000 products, all consumer electronics and video games, all shipped from California with fast domestic delivery. The big bonus is blind dropshipping: packages go out under your brand, not the supplier's.

The catalog is small and the data export is limited, so you're not building a varied store on Megagoods alone. But if your niche is electronics, the combination of US fulfillment, cheap monthly fee, and blind shipping is hard to match.

Strengths: Fast domestic shipping, blind dropshipping, low monthly fee, strong single-niche focus.

Watch out for: Tiny catalog, per-order surcharge, 20% restocking fee, data feed limitations.

More in our guide to US dropshipping suppliers and finding American suppliers.

9. CJdropshipping

Best for: Sellers who want one-stop sourcing, photo services, and access to global warehouses.
Price: Free to sign up. Pay per order plus processing and shipping fees.
Shipping: CJ Packet delivers to the US in 4 to 8 days. Standard takes longer.
Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, eBay, Lazada, more.

CJdropshipping is Chinese-headquartered but maintains warehouses in the US, Germany, Thailand, and Indonesia. That means you can often ship domestically even though the products originate in China. Their in-house CJ Packet method delivers to US customers in four to eight days, which competes with some US-based suppliers.

CJ also handles product sourcing on request (send them an AliExpress link, they'll find the factory and quote it back), quality checks, photo and video production, print-on-demand, and private labeling. For a platform priced at "free to start," the surface area is unusually wide.

The interface is busy, and warehousing / processing / shipping fees can stack up. Read the fee schedule before you commit to a product at scale.

Strengths: Global warehouses, fast CJ Packet shipping, broad service range (photography, print-on-demand, private label), no subscription fee.

Watch out for: Interface complexity, fee stacking, product quality varies (as with any China marketplace).

Best Shopify automation apps

If you're on Shopify specifically, three apps do the single job of importing products and automating orders better than full-service platforms.

10. Syncee

Best for: Shopify sellers who want a global supplier pool with automated sync.
Price: Free plan (25 products). Paid plans scale from there.
Shipping: Varies. Most suppliers offer domestic options in their region.
Integrations: Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce, EKM.

Syncee connects you to 12,000+ brands across the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, and beyond. Products import straight to your store, inventory syncs automatically, and many of the suppliers are also open to wholesale agreements if you scale beyond dropshipping. Support is 24/7, which is unusual at this price tier.

Syncee is a cleaner fit for stores targeting international customers than apps anchored to a single region.

Strengths: International supplier network, free plan to trial, 24/7 support, wholesale path as you grow.

Watch out for: 25-product limit on the free plan, catalog varies in depth by region.

11. DSers

Best for: Shopify sellers running AliExpress-based stores at any scale.
Price: Free plan. Paid tiers starting around $19.90 / month.
Shipping: Inherits from AliExpress. Standard is 15 to 45 days; Premium Shipping is faster but varies.
Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, and more.

DSers is the AliExpress automation tool that replaced Oberlo when Shopify discontinued it in 2022. Bulk order processing lets you fulfill dozens or hundreds of AliExpress orders in a few clicks instead of placing them one by one. Supplier comparison, automatic inventory sync, and variant mapping are built in.

If you want AliExpress products, this is the tool. If you want better shipping speed or more verified suppliers, you're in the wrong category: look at Spocket, Syncee, or SaleHoo instead.

Strengths: Built specifically for AliExpress, free plan is genuinely usable, bulk order processing is a real time-saver.

Watch out for: You inherit AliExpress's weaknesses (variable quality, long standard shipping, inconsistent supplier English).

Full side-by-side: SaleHoo vs. DSers. Related: Shopify apps for dropshipping.

12. Zendrop

Best for: Sellers who want automated fulfillment paired with training.
Price: Free plan. $49 / month Pro. Higher tiers available.
Shipping: 5 to 8 business days to the US on most products.
Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce.

Zendrop packages automated fulfillment and an education layer (live coaching, training materials, community) into a single subscription. The supplier catalog is north of 500,000 products, most sourced from vetted Chinese manufacturers but shipped faster than AliExpress's default options. Sourcing is also available: send them an AliExpress link and they'll match it from their own supply side.

The subscription gate is real. Zendrop is most valuable to sellers who will use the training, fulfillment, and sourcing together. If you just want a product importer, Syncee or DSers is cheaper.

Strengths: Fast shipping vs. AliExpress, strong onboarding and training, native Shopify integration.

Watch out for: Product costs are higher than direct AliExpress, subscription is the main cost driver.

Full side-by-side: SaleHoo vs. Zendrop.

Best for low-cost testing and private label

If you're testing whether an idea sells before you commit to anything, these three give you access to enormous product pools at almost no upfront cost.

13. AliExpress

Best for: Testing new products with zero monthly fees.
Price: Free.
Shipping: Standard 15 to 45 business days. Premium Shipping 7 to 15.
Integrations: DSers, AutoDS, most Shopify dropshipping apps.

AliExpress is the retail-facing sister site of Alibaba. More than 100 million products across fashion, electronics, skincare, furniture, jewelry, home goods, and more. You can pay with credit cards, the rating and review system gives you some signal on suppliers, and buyer protection resolves most disputes.

The tradeoffs are everything you'd expect: shipping is long, supplier English is inconsistent, product quality varies wildly, and bundled orders aren't possible when items come from different sellers. If you're running ads and your customers expect two-day Prime-style delivery, AliExpress is the wrong supplier. If you're building a test store on a tight budget and your customers know they're buying specialty items that take three weeks, it works fine.

Full guide: AliExpress dropshipping. Faster alternatives: AliExpress alternatives. How shipping actually works: ePacket shipping.

Strengths: Enormous catalog, no fees, easy to test products, integrates with nearly every Shopify automation tool.

Watch out for: Long shipping, variable quality, no bundling across suppliers, minimal support for complex disputes.

Full side-by-side: SaleHoo vs. AliExpress.

14. Alibaba

Best for: Sellers moving from dropshipping into wholesale or private label manufacturing.
Price: Free.
Shipping: Varies (air freight for smaller orders, sea freight for bulk).
Integrations: Manual.

Alibaba is Alibaba Group's B2B marketplace. It connects you directly to manufacturers, which means lower per-unit cost if you can commit to a minimum order quantity. Some suppliers offer dropshipping arrangements, but the platform is really built for bulk buying and for building direct manufacturer relationships.

The reason Alibaba belongs on this list is that most successful dropshipping stores eventually outgrow per-order fulfillment. When you're ready to order 500 units at a time, custom-package them, or private label under your own brand, Alibaba is where you do it. Orders are paid by wire transfer, negotiation is normal, and a trial sample order is standard before scaling.

Strengths: Factory-direct pricing, custom manufacturing, huge scale, a clear path from dropshipper to brand.

Watch out for: Minimum order quantities, wire-transfer payments, communication variance, and a steep learning curve for first-time importers.

Full side-by-side: SaleHoo vs. Alibaba.

15. Shopify Collective

Best for: Shopify merchants who want to resell products from other Shopify brands.
Price: Free (requires a paid Shopify plan).
Shipping: Varies by brand.
Integrations: Shopify only.

Shopify Collective is a network where Shopify stores can sell products from other Shopify stores. If you hold inventory yourself, you can also list as a supplier. Eligibility is region-gated (most features are currently US-only), but for US Shopify stores this is essentially a free built-in supplier network with strong brand-name products and clean order routing.

Strengths: Free, curated to Shopify-native brands, easy to sell brand-name products, deep integration with the Shopify admin.

Watch out for: Shopify-only (you're locked into the platform), region-gated features, supplier quality depends on the individual brand.

Best specialty pick: print-on-demand

16. Printful

Best for: Stores selling custom-designed apparel, accessories, or home goods.
Price: Free to sign up. Pay per order.
Shipping: 2 to 5 business days production plus shipping.
Integrations: Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Wix, Squarespace, and more.

Printful prints, packs, and ships your designs on demand. Apparel, mugs, phone cases, posters, home goods. You don't hold inventory; each order is produced when a customer buys. Printful handles the whole production and fulfillment chain and supports branded packing slips and inserts.

Margins are tighter than general dropshipping because you're paying for printing and fulfillment on every order, but for creators and brand-building stores the trade-off is usually worth it.

More options: best print-on-demand companies.

Strengths: No inventory, custom branding, broad product catalog, integrates with most selling platforms.

Watch out for: Per-order production cost compresses margins, design is on you.

Still figuring out what to sell?

A supplier is only as useful as the products you pick. Grab our free list of 250 trending products for 2026, hand-picked from our product research data, and start your sourcing search with a shortlist instead of a blank page.

How to choose the right supplier for your store

Seven factors decide whether a supplier fits your business. Run a new supplier through this list before you sign up for anything paid.

1. Shipping speed and origin. If you're advertising fast delivery, your supplier has to ship locally. A China-based supplier with 25-day shipping will destroy your conversion rate and your reviews. Match your supplier's logistics to the expectations you're setting in your ads.

2. Product quality and samples. Always order a sample before you list a product. A $20 sample that reveals a flimsy zipper saves you 100 refund requests later.

3. Pricing and margins. Calculate your landed cost (product + shipping + packaging + platform fees) against your selling price. If your margin is under 25% after ad spend, the supplier is too expensive or the product is too cheap.

4. Platform integrations. If you're on Shopify and your supplier only exports CSV files, you'll spend every Saturday uploading products. Match your supplier's integration list to your store's platform.

5. Niche and catalog depth. A supplier with 50 products in your niche is worth more than a supplier with 5 million products and 10 in your niche.

6. Returns and refund policy. Get the RMA process, return window, and restocking fees in writing before you commit. If a supplier won't put this in an email, they're not a supplier you want.

7. Support and responsiveness. Send a test question before signing up. If it takes five days to get a reply about pre-sales, it'll take ten days when a customer package goes missing.

Deeper guides: How to find dropship suppliers and how to handle common supplier problems.

Red flags and how to vet a supplier before you commit

Supplier fraud is the single biggest risk in dropshipping. A scam supplier takes your customer's money, ships nothing or ships counterfeit, and your store absorbs the reputation hit. Here's the checklist.

Verify they're a real business. A registered business address, a working phone number, and a company registration you can look up. If the "supplier" is a Gmail address and a WhatsApp number, walk away.

Check the payment methods. Legitimate wholesalers accept credit cards, PayPal, or bank transfer. "Western Union only" or "cryptocurrency only" is a near-guaranteed scam.

Test-order before you scale. Place a small order yourself. Measure the actual shipping time, inspect the product, and photograph the packaging. If the reality doesn't match what was promised, you've found out for the price of one order.

Confirm the return policy in writing. Ask specifically: what happens if a customer receives a damaged product? What's the refund window? Who pays return shipping? Get the answers in writing before you list their products.

Watch for "too good to be true" pricing. If a supplier is offering branded electronics at 80% below retail, they're selling counterfeit or they're not going to ship. Cross-check their pricing against Alibaba wholesale or the brand's own MSRP.

Confirm MOQ and any hidden fees. Some "dropship suppliers" quietly require a minimum order quantity or charge setup fees that only appear in the fine print. See our guide to minimum order quantities.

Look for verified badges, but don't trust them blindly. SaleHoo, and eSources all verify suppliers. Marketplace badges on Alibaba and DHgate mean less and require your own follow-up.

More on this: How to avoid online shopping scams and spotting counterfeit goods.

Dropshipping suppliers in your region

Local sourcing is often the easiest way to beat competitors on shipping speed. If you know your target market is concentrated in one country, start your supplier search there.

Frequently asked questions

Fake suppliers usually share a few signals: vague business details, unusual payment demands (Western Union, crypto only), pricing that undercuts legitimate wholesale by 50%+, and reluctance to put policies in writing. Use a verified directory like SaleHoo or Worldwide Brands to avoid most of this upfront, and always place a test order before scaling a new supplier.

Yes. Wholesale Central, Shopify Collective (Shopify users), AliExpress, Alibaba, and CJdropshipping are all free to sign up for. The tradeoff is that vetting is lighter or nonexistent, so you do more of the due diligence yourself.

Typically: a customer requests a return from you. You contact the supplier and get a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number. The customer ships the product back to the supplier. The supplier refunds you, and you refund the customer. The details (who pays return shipping, restocking fees, time window) vary by supplier. Get the policy in writing before you sell. More: dropshipping returns.

No. Many US-focused suppliers (Sunrise Wholesale, Megagoods) are domestic only. Most China-based suppliers (AliExpress, CJdropshipping, Alibaba) ship almost anywhere but with long transit times. Always confirm shipping zones before you commit.

Most accept credit card, PayPal, and bank transfer. Larger Alibaba orders are typically paid by wire transfer. Avoid any supplier that demands only wire transfer, Western Union, or cryptocurrency; these are classic scam indicators.

A wholesaler sells in bulk. You buy inventory upfront at a per-unit discount and store it yourself. A dropshipper ships each order directly to your customer after you sell it. Some suppliers are both. Read more: dropshipping vs. wholesale.

Yes, and most successful stores do. Using multiple suppliers reduces risk (stockouts at one supplier don't kill your catalog) and lets you match each product to the best fulfillment option. The tradeoff is that a single customer order may arrive in multiple packages.

In most jurisdictions, yes, at least a basic registration plus a sales tax ID if you're selling taxable goods in your state or country. Requirements vary. See our dropshipping LLC guide for US specifics, and consult a local accountant for your region.

Premium methods like CJ Packet, YunExpress Premium, or ePacket-successor services deliver to the US in around 4 to 10 business days. Standard ePacket successors run 8 to 15 days. "Standard Shipping" on AliExpress can be anywhere from 15 to 45 days depending on origin and carrier.

New suppliers go through initial verification before being listed, and we re-check active suppliers regularly against complaints, quality issues, and performance data from our members. Any supplier that falls below our standards is delisted. Details: our verification process.

Technically, you can start with $0 if you use a free supplier like AliExpress or Shopify Collective and a free-plan store builder. Realistically, budget $100 to $300 for a Shopify subscription, domain, a couple of sample orders, and a small initial ad spend. The people who spend $0 usually give up in week two because they haven't committed enough to learn.

Minimum order quantity — the smallest number of units a supplier will sell in a single order. Dropshipping suppliers usually have no MOQ (order one unit at a time). Wholesalers and manufacturers usually do. See what is an MOQ.

Bottom line

Picking a supplier is the most consequential decision a new dropshipper makes. Get it right and your shipping times, product quality, and margins all line up. Get it wrong and you're stuck refunding customers and rebuilding your store's reputation.

Our shortlist: use SaleHoo if you want a verified directory and 20 years of vetting on your side. Use SaleHoo or Syncee if you're Shopify-first and shipping speed is your edge. Use AliExpress plus DSers if you're testing ideas on a shoestring. 

Whichever you pick, test-order before you scale, put the return policy in writing, and match your supplier's logistics to the expectations you're setting for customers. Get those three right, and the supplier you choose matters less than the discipline you bring to choosing one.

Ready to skip the research? Browse SaleHoo's 8,000+ verified suppliers today. 60-day money-back guarantee. Yes, we built this.

 

About the author
Simon Slade
Vetted author
This author meets all the quality and excellence requirements by SaleHoo. Learn more about our verification
CEO of SaleHoo Group Limited

Simon Slade is CEO and co-founder of SaleHoo, a platform for eCommerce entrepreneurs that offers 8,000+ dropship and wholesale suppliers, 1.6 million high-quality, branded products at low prices, an industry-leading market research tool and 24-hour support.

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20 Comments
  • Rene Chauvet 10th of May
    Best summary of dropshippers I've read yet
  • 16th of June
    need info want to know a lot more
    • Justin Golschneider SaleHoo Admin 19th of June
      Hi George! I recommend visiting https://www.salehoo.com/dropship

      That page has a quick overview of the steps involved in dropshipping, and you can click on each step to be taken to an article with an in-depth explanation of that topic.
  • Momo rahman 5th of August
    Is it necessary to have my own website? Isn't it good to work on Facebook instead of opening a website,?
    • Justin Golschneider SaleHoo Admin 7th of August
      Hi Momo! It isn't necessary to have your own website, but you'll definitely want to use more than just Facebook for dropshipping. I would recommend selling on eBay and Amazon and supporting those stores through Facebook, and opening a site of your own once you've gotten established.
  • Galit 14th of August
    Good information, thanks.
  • 23rd of August
    Wow, helpful information. Looking to start an ecommerce store that sells quality children's clothing from sizes 0-20. I would love to find suppliers that are in the United States.
  • Maurice Moinat 4th of September
    Not impressed
  • jeanericblass 20th of September
    hi, i am a Salehoo account holder and running eCommerce store from the last couple of months but recently i launched another website so can i use the same account for another website? or i have pay again for using your drop-shipping products list to my another website. However i found an article with who write an review on you https://www.withintheflow.com/salehoo-review/ but they didn't mention about this service and i have also checked all pages of your websites but didn't got the answer of my question.
    • Justin Golschneider SaleHoo Admin 20th of September
      Hi Jean! You can use your SaleHoo account to sell on as many websites as you want. :-)
      • jeanericblass 20th of September
        Thanks justin .
  • 14th of November
    Good info. and comparisons. Thank you
  • While drop shipping may be good for some, manufactures dont like it bc now, the market place is not only competing against peopl who have thier product but also now competing against people who simply want to make 0.25 cents on the deal. that hurts the brand. bedsides most drop-shippers have associated costs involved andf it becomes a very competitive marketplace with slim margins. at oem experts
    ( www.oemexperts.com ) we have a solution to this . for more information reach out to us. you will be surprised how much potential there is out there by simply not going with the main stream. get updates at www.oemexperts.com/contact-us . you will be happy you did
  • Kay 13th of August
    Very informative, am thinking about getting involved in drop shipping, but how do combined goods when your customer place numerous order, and it from possible from 4 different supplier?
    • Rhea Bontol SaleHoo Admin 19th of October
      You have very limited options here. Most of the time, sellers doing drophipping create a method wherein they analyze which courier would be taking the longest shipping time, the most expensive shipping cost and develop their own uniform warranty policy so to have a uniform structure across all suppliers. This way, if you have suppliers that ship quicker than others, then those customers will get the items quicker than they expect.
  • Ala 24th of September
    hello If I live in UK I can do this?
    • Rhea Bontol SaleHoo Admin 1st of October
      Hi Ala,

      Yes, you can definitely do dropshipping even if you're in the UK. Most dropship suppliers can deliver items internationally so that's not a problem.
  • Miriam Staggs 2nd of April
    I’m new to this a learning how to start
  • Wholesale clothing suppliers in uk 6th of April
    Reading this article gave me many things to think about. You have some quality information here that any reader would enjoy. I share many of your views in this article.
    • Rhea Bontol SaleHoo Admin 8th of April
      The suggested list gives you unbiased reviews of each. This will definitely help retailers decide which path to take on.
  • vincent 4th of June
    I live in Italy, How much it cost shipping with salehoo in my country?
    Thanks
    • Rhea Bontol SaleHoo Admin 7th of June
      SaleHoo provides a directory list of suppliers located worldwide. With this factor in mind, shipping details (fees, and delivery time) is best discussed with our suppliers.
  • kleverorlando25 11th of June
    I'm from Ecuador.
    Very interesting the summary.
    And I want to sell online.
    Best regards
    • Rhea Bontol SaleHoo Admin 17th of June
      Hi Klever! Most of SaleHoo suppliers ship internationally so that wouldn't be a problem for you then :)
  • zubee 13th of December
    i live in canada i want to sell at amazon where from i could get product, please tell me thanks.
    • Rhea Bontol SaleHoo Admin 13th of December
      Hi Zubee! If you join the full membership here, you'll get access to our verified and trusted suppliers and sell their products on Amazon.
  • Good morning, great post. More information about this process i have come across since i began sourcing. Very much appreciated.
  • Teri 2nd of June
    Hello,

    If I pay $67/year up front and I live in the states and want to dropship using only US dropshippers, I won't know how many US dropshippers you offer on your platform until after I pay to see what is available? What if what you have available isn't what I want? There should be a 14 day free trial for newbies to get a feel of your platform to see if it's something they can afford to pay for or want to use and develop relationships.
    • Rhea Bontol SaleHoo Admin 3rd of June
      Hey, Teri! We don't have a free trial period, but we have a money back guarantee. You can checkout the demo here to give you an idea of the products/brands our suppliers have.
      • Teri 3rd of June
        Thanks Rhea
  • Beverley Moyo 18th of July
    i need information about about droop shipperd
  • Awais arain 5th of September
    Thanks for sharing such a beautiful information with us.Please keep it up.
    Fitness