Over 84% of dropshippers say the biggest challenge they face is finding good suppliers. But did you know the platform you choose for your dropshipping store can actually have an impact on how you find suppliers? In this guide we will go through how you can use ecommerce platforms for dropshipping, the pros and cons of each platform and how you can use some dropshipping tools to help find you great suppliers.

What Is Dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a business model and order fulfillment method where the stock is held by the manufacturer or a third party, rather than by the owner of the ecommerce store. When the order is placed by the customer, a message is sent to the manufacturer or wholesaler with the shipping address, and they then ship the product to the customer. 

In regular ecommerce fulfillment, the shop owner has all the inventory in stock, and fulfills the order themselves. 

Usually, the ecommerce business owner will keep either a % of the sale as a commission, or they will pay the manufacturer the manufacturing and shipping cost, and then keep the rest as profit. 

The benefit of dropshipping products is you don’t have the risk of buying lots of stock that might not sell. Import products are potentially expensive and risky as you have storage costs and the risk of damage. 

The downside is it can be hard to build a brand using this method, and you are completely reliant on the manufacturer having the stock and not going out of business! 

The dropshipping profit margins are usually tighter than a regular ecommerce website, but this can be offset by the lower risk.

What Are Ecommerce Dropshipping Platforms?

An ecommerce platform is a software that allows shops to sell products to customers online. A dropshipping platform is software that also allows businesses to offer dropshipping. There are lots of different options to choose from, but most ecommerce platforms will include:

  • Product catalog
  • Product listings
  • Product search functionality
  • Shopping cart…


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