Learn how dropshipping works, what to prepare before opening supplier accounts, and the steps to take before listing your first product.
Dropshipping is a retail model where you sell products without keeping those products in your own inventory. When a customer places an order, you purchase the item from your supplier and the supplier ships it directly to the customer.
Add an approved supplier product to your store or selling channel.
The customer places an order and pays your business.
You pay the supplier and provide the customer's shipping information.
The supplier sends the product directly to your customer.
You may not need every item below for every supplier, but having these prepared will make the process much easier.
DropshipStarter includes a mix of supplier platforms and direct wholesale suppliers. Knowing the difference helps you choose the right starting point.
EPROLO and CJdropshipping offer large catalogs and tools designed to help ecommerce sellers source and fulfill products.
Trendsi focuses on fashion and boutique products, making it easier to build a store around a specific audience.
Fast Furnishings, Essential Pet Products, and Costway work more like traditional supplier relationships and may require additional business information or approval.
Follow this order instead of opening multiple accounts and importing hundreds of products before you understand the process.
Decide what type of customer you want to serve and what group of products your store will focus on.
A focused store is usually easier to understand, research, and market than a store filled with unrelated products.
You do not need all six supplier accounts.
Choose one supplier that matches your niche and selling channel, then learn how that supplier works before adding more.
Follow the step-by-step supplier guide on DropshipStarter.
Some accounts are simple to create, while direct wholesale suppliers may require an application and approval.
Before listing products, check both the supplier's rules and the marketplace's current policies.
A supplier may permit sales on your own website while restricting Amazon, eBay, Walmart, or another marketplace.
Start with approximately 20–25 products that fit your niche.
Do not worry about choosing the perfect product immediately. You will narrow the list after researching demand, competition, shipping, and profit.
Look at whether customers are buying similar products and what existing sellers are offering.
Compare selling prices, reviews, shipping promises, product presentation, and customer complaints.
Do not look only at the supplier's product price.
Include product cost, shipping, selling fees, payment processing, advertising, and other predictable expenses.
Remove products with weak demand, poor margins, difficult shipping, or unclear marketplace permissions.
Begin with a small group of well-researched listings.
Before placing the supplier order, confirm the item is still available and that your supplier cost has not changed.
Then place the order using the customer's correct shipping information.
Add tracking to the customer's order and monitor delivery.
Over time, use views, clicks, sales, returns, and profit to decide which products deserve more attention.
Good starting point for broad general merchandise and sellers who want access to multiple product categories.
Good for sellers who want a broad catalog, product sourcing, and several ecommerce integration options.
Best fit for fashion, apparel, and boutique-style ecommerce stores.
Useful for furniture and home-focused stores looking for direct supplier relationships and higher-ticket products.
A strong niche option for stores focused on pet supplies and pet-related products.
Useful for home, outdoor, fitness, appliance, and lifestyle niches.
Supplier pricing, marketplace permissions, shipping costs, application requirements, and product availability can change. Always review the supplier's current terms before listing products or making business decisions.
Compare the six supplier options, choose one that fits your niche, and follow its step-by-step setup guide.
View the 6 Supplier Guides →