Is it possible to dropship licensed products?

All commercial activities are aimed at selling not only the product, but more importantly the brand of the product. Consumers who buy online are looking to save time and at the same time, quality and authenticity. Dropshipping licensed products requires you to find a niche and target customers interested in these products. 

Verifying the authenticity of a trademark: an essential step

Some consumers are willing to spend a fortune to have a genuine product. Verification is therefore important, especially for dropshipping products. If you offer counterfeit products for sale on your website, whether intentional or not, you will be charged with trafficking and face heavy penalties and fines, as the responsibility for verifying the authenticity of what you sell lies with you. Similarly, if you offer for sale a trademark that you do not have a licence for, you will be warned and cautioned. If you do it again, you will be prosecuted by law. 

On the other hand, if your dropshipping product is not a registered trademark and only has a logo and a text (a slogan, a word...), you can market it without worry. In this case, there will be no way to verify the authenticity of the trademark in question. Dropshipping licensed products is therefore rather risky, but not impossible. 

Checking the authenticity of a trademark: how to proceed?

To verify the authenticity of a brand, you can start by researching the brand. You will be able to find information about it on search engines: articles, images, detailed information... But above all, you will probably find the official website of the trademark. If the trademark is protected or if the procedure for obtaining a licence seems cumbersome, it would be ideal to look for another trademark or another article. You can also go ahead with the same dropshipping products by going directly to the site and asking, from your dropshipper shop, where you could sell its products.  

Log on to the INPI's database of certified trademarks and see if the trademark of your choice is registered there. If current demand is high, keep them on hand for future supply. Before you start your dropship of licensed products , make sure your supplier can match your business. All of these steps will keep you safe and ensure the security and growth of your business. You will know whether or not you can market the products concerned. Whatever the product you want to sell, it is imperative that you have the necessary authorisations before launching your dropshipping business. 

The choice of supplier for licensed dropshipping 

If your choice is based on dropshipping licensed products, you need to find out about the legislation in force, because there are laws that protect the image of companies. And breaking them is not really a good idea. You risk prosecution for image or name theft which can lead to exorbitant fines.  

For your dropshipping of licensed products, the choice of your supplier is limited. Indeed, shops like Shopify sell licensed products while others like Alibaba, Aliexpress or Amazon do not. You will not be able to develop your dropshipping business. Create a relationship of trust with your preferred brand and obtain the authorisations. 

Find out about the reliability and origin of your products 

It is by selling licensed products that the risk of selling counterfeits increases. Is it possible to dropship with licensed products? Yes, but you must take all the necessary measures. 

• Make sure you are in order, as counterfeit items are easily detected by customs.
• Make sure that the dropshipping site you create is reliable and that the wholesalers you work with are reliable.
• Apply to the company holding the licence rights. There is a fee schedule to fill in, as the reseller fee is subject to a specific quantity of products.   
• Check how you will sell licensed products through dropshipping, starting with the form of distribution (exclusive or selective). 
• Check where your product comes from, as the European Union may object to certain freedoms of movement of goods. You can find out if your product is on the EU market to speed up the process. 

All of these precautions should be taken if you are really planning to dropship licensed products in order to protect yourself from the negative aspects that your choice could generate. This being the case, as far as possible, try to sell authentic products, as the values of dropshipping are based on the quality of the products offered for sale. Moreover, selling licensed products is one of the mistakes to avoid in order to develop and succeed in your online business. 

Conclusion

Dropshipping is a form of online sales that allows you to satisfy a specific need of a targeted customer. Although the general rule of dropshipping forbids the sale of licensed products, it is not impossible and could even generate significant revenue. Whatever your choice, let Minea help you make your business the success it deserves.