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If you run a dollar store or an online discount shop, your profit lives or dies by one thing: where you source. The right wholesaler gets you reliable case packs at prices that still leave room for margin. The wrong one burns cash, eats your shelves with slow movers, and makes your customers doubt your quality. This guide walks you through exactly how dollar store sourcing works, how to spot a good supplier, and where to start looking today.
Who this guide is for
You're opening a physical dollar store, a 99-cent or pound shop, or an online discount general store. You need a predictable supply of inexpensive, high-turn products at case-pack prices. You are not a shopper looking for bargain tips; you're a retailer trying to stock shelves profitably. Good; let's get to work.
Where do dollar stores actually get their products?
Before we talk about your store, it helps to understand how the big chains do it. Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Dollarama, and Family Dollar do not pull their stock out of thin air or magic. They use four well-worn channels, and you'll use some version of the same ones.
1. Direct factory imports. Large chains order full shipping containers directly from factories in China, India, Vietnam, and Mexico. Per-unit pricing is the lowest available, but you need volume (typically thousands of units per SKU) and patience (60 to 90 days of lead time). Dollarama, for example, moves container loads from Asia and re-packages products under its own branding. Here's what to know about importing from China if you want to explore it.
2. General merchandise wholesalers. These are the workhorses of the dollar store industry. Import wholesalers and domestic distributors buy in volume, hold inventory in US warehouses, and sell to retailers by the case. Most independent dollar store owners build 60 to 80% of their stock through these suppliers.
3. Closeouts and liquidation. When a manufacturer overproduces, a retailer cancels an order, or a product line gets discontinued, that inventory hits the closeout and liquidation market. This is how dollar stores end up with name-brand products at a buck. Stock is unpredictable and moves fast, but prices can be unbeatable. Master liquidation auctions here.
4. Private label and contract manufacturing. Chains commission factories to produce branded or generic versions of high-demand items at a target price point. This is mostly a chain-scale move, but small retailers can access private-label candy, cleaning, and HBA lines through certain wholesalers.
Your job as an independent operator is to blend sources two and three, add a little of source one if you have the volume, and be ruthless about the price you pay landed.
The 5 types of dollar store suppliers (and which one is right for you)
Not every "supplier" plays the same role. Before you reach out to anyone, know which type you're dealing with.
Supplier type |
Best for |
Typical MOQ |
Lead time |
Margin potential |
Risk level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General merchandise wholesaler | Everyday core inventory | $100 to $500 total, case packs of 12 to 144 | 3 to 10 days | Solid | Low |
| Import wholesaler / direct importer | Lower per-unit cost on staples | $500 to $5,000 | 1 to 3 weeks | Strong | Low to medium |
| Closeout and liquidation supplier | Deep-discount brand names, seasonal fills | Often by pallet or truckload | Same week if in stock | Very strong when it works | Medium |
| Overseas marketplace (Alibaba, DHgate, 1688) | Custom, private-label, or very low-cost items | 500 to 5,000 units per SKU | 30 to 90 days | Strongest on paper | Higher |
| Dropship supplier | Online stores testing product-market fit | None | Supplier ships direct | Thin on $1 to $5 items | Low inventory risk |
A few honest notes. Alibaba can land you the lowest price per unit, but shipping, tariffs, and quality variance eat into that advantage quickly. Dropshipping rarely works at true dollar-store price points because per-unit shipping costs exceed the retail price; it's a better fit for $5 to $25 discount items sold online. Closeouts are the margin cheat code, but you can't build a whole store on inventory that might not be available next month.
How to evaluate a dollar store supplier: the 7-point check
Once you've got a shortlist, run every potential supplier through these seven filters before you send a cent.
1. Legitimacy. Look for a real business address, a working phone number, a resale account application (legit wholesalers almost always ask for your resale certificate or sales tax ID), and verifiable years in business. If a "wholesaler" sells to anyone with a credit card and asks nothing about your business, that's a retailer with extra steps, not a wholesaler. Dig deeper in our supplier vetting guide.
2. MOQ and case-pack structure. Ask for both. A supplier with a $250 minimum is useless if their case packs are 144 units per SKU and you have to order three SKUs to clear the minimum. You want flexibility, especially at launch. Here's what MOQ actually means and how to negotiate it down.
3. Landed cost, not unit cost. The price on the invoice is not what the product costs you. Add freight, duties (if imported), fuel surcharges, handling, and any card-processing markup. We'll do the math in the next section.
4. Shipping terms and lead times. For a dollar store, freight math can kill a deal. A $300 order shipped LTL at $180 is a margin disaster. Ask: What's the average order subtotal needed to unlock reasonable per-unit freight? How long from PO to delivery? Can they drop-ship if you need to?
5. Return and defect policy. Cheap goods break more often. Get the defect allowance, return window, and damage-in-transit policy in writing. "No returns, all sales final" is a red flag on any order above a few hundred dollars. Here's how returns policies affect your store.
6. Quality control and consistency. Order samples before you commit to a case pack, and reorder samples twice a year from any long-term supplier. Quality drifts. For licensed or branded goods, insist on proof of authorization; counterfeit goods are a legal and reputational minefield. Here's how to avoid counterfeit products.
7. Communication and support. Email replies within one business day. A real person you can call when an order goes sideways. Reorder speed matters more than pretty packaging. If they ghost you during the sales process, they will ghost you when a pallet arrives damaged.
The landed-cost math you have to run at dollar store prices
Most new dollar store owners miss this and regret it later. At dollar store price points, pennies are profits.
Say you're pricing a product at $1.25 retail. You want a 50% gross margin, which is already tight for this category. That means your landed cost needs to be $0.625 or less, all-in.
Now picture a case pack of 48 units at a unit cost of $0.48. Looks great. But LTL freight on that case is $22. That's $0.46 in freight per unit, pushing your landed cost to $0.94. Your margin just collapsed from 50% to 25%, and you haven't accounted for shrinkage, card fees, or bag cost.
The fixes:
- Order multiple SKUs together to share freight.
- Negotiate freight-included pricing for orders above a threshold.
- Prefer suppliers with US warehouses close to your store.
- Use closeouts for your "wow" pricing on selected SKUs, not core inventory.
For a deeper dive, see how to build profit margins on low-cost products.
Top dollar store suppliers worth knowing
Curated shortlist of wholesalers that actually serve independent dollar stores and online discount resellers. Each entry includes the signal you care about: who it's best for, where it ships from, what to expect on minimums, and why it made the list.
Four Seasons General Merchandise (4SGM)
- Best for: Core dollar store mix across HBA, household, kitchen, and toys
- Region: US, Los Angeles
- MOQ notes: Low case-pack minimums, strong breadth
- Why it's here: One of the most recommended general-merch wholesalers among independent dollar store owners; a sensible first call.
DollarDays
- Best for: Online retailers stocking general merchandise, HBA, and school supplies
- Region: US, with nationwide shipping
- MOQ notes: No overall order minimum on many categories
- Why it's here: Low barrier to entry and a practical mix of everyday essentials.
Dollar Empire
- Best for: Pure-play dollar and 99-cent store inventory
- Region: US, California
- MOQ notes: Case-pack based
- Why it's here: Over 40 years supplying dollar stores; catalog is purpose-built for this format.
Kole Imports
- Best for: Variety-store assortments and seasonal fills
- Region: US, Southern California
- MOQ notes: Standard case packs
- Why it's here: Importer with deep catalog and reliable fulfillment; strong on outdoor, toys, and general merchandise.
Regent Products
- Best for: Direct-import staples and brand closeouts
- Region: US, Midwest
- MOQ notes: Mid-range minimums
- Why it's here: 4,000+ SKUs positioned squarely at the extreme-value retail segment.
Midwest Trading Group
- Best for: General merchandise and household fillers
- Region: US, Illinois
- MOQ notes: Flexible case packs
- Why it's here: Reliable resupply partner for bread-and-butter inventory.
Via Trading
- Best for: Liquidation pallets and overstock deals
- Region: US, Los Angeles
- MOQ notes: Pallet or truckload
- Why it's here: One of the best-known names in US liquidation; useful for deep-discount SKUs when availability works.
Oriental Trading Company
- Best for: Party, holiday, and craft inventory
- Region: US, nationwide
- MOQ notes: Low, retailer-friendly
- Why it's here: The easiest on-ramp for seasonal and party-category inventory.
Entertainment Earth
- Best for: Licensed goods and pop-culture merchandise
- Region: US, nationwide
- MOQ notes: Wholesale account required
- Why it's here: Legitimate licensed distribution; a safer alternative to random licensed-goods sellers.
CBB Group
- Best for: West Coast stores wanting showroom access
- Region: US, Commerce, CA
- MOQ notes: Case-pack based
- Why it's here: Walk-in showroom access is a real advantage for quality inspection before ordering.
For category-specific sourcing, browse SaleHoo's supplier pages for cleaning supplies, toys, stationery, beauty products, and pet products.
Regional supplier picks
United States. Start with 4SGM, Dollar Empire, Kole Imports, DollarDays, and Midwest Trading Group. If you have volume, add a direct importer like Regent Products. Full US supplier guide.
Canada. Dollar Item Direct and Creations Global Retail are the two most cited suppliers for independent Canadian dollar stores. Wholesale Club is a fallback for general grocery-adjacent inventory. More Canadian suppliers here.
United Kingdom. For pound shops, Pound Wholesale and Clearance King lead the field on selection and pricing. Harrisons Direct is a useful third option for household and HBA. UK supplier guide.
Australia. Discount Wholesale and Dollar King are the two most established names for Australian $2 and discount variety stores. Dynamic Gift covers promotional and gift-category inventory. Australian supplier guide.
How to find vetted dollar store suppliers fast with SaleHoo
If you want to skip the months of hunting, SaleHoo gives you a shortcut. Over 8,000 wholesale and dropship suppliers, 2.5 million products, all vetted before they ever hit the platform. Here's how to put it to work for a dollar store build.
- Search by category or keyword. Try "cleaning supplies," "party favors," "stationery," or any of the categories above. Browse by supplier type to filter for wholesalers specifically.
- Filter for what matters. Region, MOQ, ship-from country, product type. Aim for US-warehoused wholesalers with low minimums if you're just starting out.
- Read the profile, not just the listing. Every supplier has a profile with trust rating, years in business, contact details, and the categories they specialize in. You're pre-screening with information most reseller forums simply don't have.
- Request samples before you commit. Use the built-in contact tools to ask for samples, lead times, and bulk pricing. Templates are provided so you don't start cold.
- Cross-check with SaleHoo's market research tool. Before you stock a new product, confirm demand, competition, and sell-through rates so each SKU earns its shelf space.
See how the supplier directory works. Here's how to order from a wholesale supplier once you've shortlisted.
FAQs
Yes, in almost every case. Legitimate wholesalers in the US will ask for a resale certificate (also called a seller's permit or sales tax ID) before opening an account. It lets you buy inventory without paying sales tax on the purchase; you collect and remit sales tax when you sell to the end customer. Here's how to get one.
With a general-merchandise wholesaler, expect a $100 to $500 total order minimum with case packs of 12 to 144 units per SKU. Import wholesalers typically ask for $500 to $5,000. Direct factory orders from Asia usually start at $3,000 and go up from there.
Ask directly. Most reputable wholesalers will send samples for a small fee or free if you're clearly serious; some require that the sample cost get credited against your first order. Always sample before a large order, and resample annually on any long-term SKU.
Honestly, not at $1 to $2 price points. Per-order shipping usually exceeds the product price, so margins vanish. Dropshipping can work at $5 to $25 discount-store price points where shipping is a smaller percentage of the sale. Compare dropshipping to wholesale here.
Most wholesalers accept returns for defective or damaged-in-transit items within 14 to 30 days, often with a photo-documentation requirement. Change-of-mind returns on bulk orders are rare. Always confirm defect allowance in writing before a large order. How to handle returns.
Stick to wholesalers who can show documented brand authorization for any licensed product. Avoid deals that look implausibly cheap on branded SKUs; if it's half the price of everywhere else, it's almost certainly fake. More on avoiding counterfeits.
A mix of direct factory imports (primarily China, India, Mexico, and Vietnam), manufacturer overruns, closeout and liquidation buys, and private-label contract manufacturing. Independents can use the same channels on a smaller scale.
Your next move
You don't need 50 suppliers to build a profitable dollar store. You need three to five good ones, a sharp eye on landed cost, and a process for evaluating new SKUs before you commit. Start with two general-merchandise wholesalers for core inventory, one liquidation source for deep-discount SKUs, and one specialty supplier for the category you lean into hardest.
If you'd rather skip the search and work from a pre-vetted list, start a SaleHoo trial and browse the supplier database today.
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