The ideal number of suppliers in dropshipping

Dropshipping is a real solution for doing business, without having to face the risk of loss. In order to ensure success, it is essential to take steps, especially for beginners. One of the main things to consider is how many suppliers dropshipping is ideal with.

The choice of a single supplier in dropshipping

Choosing a single dropshipping supplier is the first option, however, there are a few things to consider.

The advantages of a single supplier

The main advantage of a single supplier in dropshipping is the shipping method. This is because each customer can benefit from a single package for each delivery. This is especially true for orders of several items from one customer in one shop. They can be shipped in a single package, since all items are from the same supplier. Moreover, building a relationship with a given supplier can be done in an easy way. This is especially true of maintaining a good relationship with the supplier, rather than building relationships with many suppliers simultaneously. Creating such a relationship helps in obtaining customised packaging or a discount later on.

The disadvantages of a single supplier

The main disadvantage of this option is that if anything goes wrong, it is because you have already established trust in one supplier. This is because you have already established trust in one supplier. If the latter stops shipping or communication, you will be forced to start from scratch. This gives competitors a head start. In order to avoid such a disaster, one should ensure that one or more backup suppliers are available. This will allow quick access to another one if the main one is unavailable. When choosing back-up providers, special attention should be paid so that the main provider is chosen.

The choice of several suppliers in dropshipping

As with choosing a single supplier, there are also some advantages and disadvantages.

The benefits of multiple suppliers

If a supplier is unable to dispatch orders or to communicate, multiple options are available. In fact, this allows us to remain constantly active, in terms of shipping from the various suppliers. However, it is essential to check that customers are receiving the same items. Opting for several suppliers allows you to benefit from a greater number of available products. As a result, you can offer a wider range of items to your customers, compared with a single supplier. In terms of relationships, it offers a better opportunity to establish several relationships, instead of just one. This can be a considerable advantage when developing or expanding an online store.

The disadvantages of several suppliers

The main disadvantage of choosing multiple suppliers is the shipping of multiple packages to one customer. If a customer chooses to purchase additional products from many suppliers, he or she will receive several packages at once. This particularly affects suppliers who do not work together or in different countries. In addition, this can have an impact on the shipping costs, as one is forced to pay for several. The first method to overcome this inconvenience is to add a follow-up question to the FAQ page. The main objective is to provide an explanation of the possibility of receiving several packages. In addition, politeness should be used when dealing with complaints from customers who have only received part of their orders.

How much does dropshipping cost suppliers?

Compared with physical stores and traditional online stores, dropshipping offers considerable advantages. One of these is the extremely low cost of doing business, which favors the dropshipper as a distributor. With dropshipping, there's no need to manufacture products, let alone store them. This eliminates the vast majority of expenses. What's more, the exclusion of logistics costs is a huge advantage, as these are left to the suppliers. Finally, the only expenses dropshippers have to pay are :

• Wholesale product prices: the costs of buying products for resale
• The cost of subscribing to an e-commerce platform: in general, you have to pay about €30 per month
• Fees for transactions on a platform: amounts vary between 0.5% and 2%, depending on the sale and the package chosen
• Costs related to the client purchase in SEA: the purchase of keywords and the expenses related to advertising, in particular on social networks
• SEO costs: creation and optimisation of the site and content

Compared to other methods, the costs of dropshipping are almost non-existent. In fact, this is the main reason why so many people start this business. Nevertheless, it is essential to take into account the above-mentioned costs in order to ensure profitability.

Conclusion

The ideal number of suppliers in dropshipping varies according to the main objective. Taking into account the advantages of each option as well as the disadvantages, you need to be careful in the selection process. By using Minea, you can be sure that you will succeed every time.