Where to Find Wholesale Products

One part of the formula for a successful drop ship business is having the right wholesale products at the right price. You might be a wonderful marketer and salesperson, but if your products aren’t competitively priced or products that are in demand, you’re ultimately going to fail.

So, where do you find wholesale products? There are several sources you can turn to:

1. eBay. Believe it or not, there are a growing number of wholesale suppliers that are listing their items on eBay. Many of these are suppliers who are trying to move their inventory in bulk orders. However, many of those same suppliers are also drop shippers, and can work with you to set up a drop ship supplier arrangement that will work for you and your business.
2. Trade shows. We’ve talked on this site before about the benefits of trade shows when it comes to finding wholesale suppliers. Trade shows offer you personal access to wholesalers. This is becoming more and more a rare thing, as so many suppliers tend to do business exclusively in an electronic manner.
3. Wholesale directories. As we’ve said before, wholesale directories are one of the best ways to find wholesale products. Make sure you take the time to choose the right directory, and one that offers the kinds of services you need.
4. Word of mouth. You might be surprised to find that even your competitors are willing to tell you about where they find their wholesale products at times. This can be especially true if the other party is in a similar, but not identical, niche to yours, or if you are targeting your marketing to an entirely different niche or demographic.
5. Directly with the manufacturer. More and more manufacturers are starting to offer drop shipping services. You might find a particular product that you’re interested in and contact the manufacturer directly to see if they offer this kind of a service. Many of the most successful drop ship businesses have become so in part because they work directly with the manufacturer.

The main thing to keep in mind here is to always be on the lookout. If you find a product you think you might want to sell, spend some time asking around, digging through directories and asking colleagues where you might be able to get the product wholesale.