So, you own a brick-and-mortar store in the heart of Antwerp or Ghent. Now you want to expand your retail business internationally by opening an online store. You have no previous experience in running and maintaining a store online and, this is your first attempt. Yes, it is relatively simple than running a physical store across the continents. For this, you can make use of any of the available eCommerce platforms to open your store in just a few clicks. But, how would you source products for your online store? How would you ensure the product quality? How does your fulfilment partner/dropshipping suppliers make deliveries fast? How do you ensure the commitment of the shipping service provided? These questions have to be answered in one go before you open an online store.

Choose Wisely

When you set up a store online for offering products, you can use either of the two options- Invest in stock by holding the products in a warehouse and fulfil orders, or you can go for competent and experienced dropshipping suppliers who send products to your customers. Under the latter circumstance, you get entirely relieved from handling and shipping products on your own. Further, you no longer require to keep stock or arrange for delivery or returns, if any. When you do not need to hold the products, it also eliminates the need to own/rent a warehouse. As a result, it further cuts down unnecessary overheads on maintaining large warehouses.

Why should you go with dropshipping suppliers?

But fret not; there are plenty of ways in which you can ensure the fulfilment process once your customers leave the checkout page. Among the fulfilment models, dropshipping is the most effective, where you can outsource the order processing, packing, picking and delivery of products through a trustworthy dropshipping supplier. The reasons why we recommend the service of a dropship supplier are many. Because you can start selling products on your online store before you see, handle or hold the inventory! Unlike other business models, you do not need to keep products in hand to sell them.

Your dropshipping partner is liable to keep the inventory in his factory (sometimes, a dropshipper can be a manufacturer as well) or warehouse that also sends products to customers directly. Here, under a dropshipping business model, you can start an online store straightaway without seeing or handling the products you sell. When you receive an order, it gets sent automatically to the website of the dropshipping supplier and, later, prepare the order for delivery after packing and customs clearance. If you partner with a dropship supplier, the burden of processing orders gets transferred to him. At the same time, as a store owner, you can access information about shipping in real-time while keeping customers informed about the status of their orders.

What do you need to assess?

The entire process seems very simple once you find a trustworthy dropshipping supplier. How would you find a responsible dropship supplier who can meet the needs of your customers? Let’s help you walk through a few points that would facilitate every prospective shop owner to find reliable dropshipping suppliers.

Often, you would start with searching on the internet to find a website with endless product catalogues and real-time inventory. However, you never know how far, to what level they can meet your business needs. Hence, the following points would count when you are about to select dropshipping fulfilment model. 

1. Ensure Product Quality 

Whether the dropship supplier sells quality products or not is a matter of concern for online store owners. Because the business is entirely dependent on the quality of the products, they dropship to complete the order fulfilment. Therefore, while searching for the right dropshipper, keep in mind the quality factor of the products they have with them, no matter if the dropshipper is a manufacturer or a wholesale supplier. Always go with the manufacturers who make top quality products and suppliers who deal with premium products. Above all, you want your customers to stay with you as long as you go ahead in your business. Would you compromise on the quality factor when you are in a race to win more customers? No. You have already noticed that such dropship suppliers charge more normally. But you can compensate it by winning more and more customers by selling first-rate products. 

2. Test the Products

When you rely on the internet, you can move things quite fast. However, there are so many uncertainties as well. You have shortlisted a few dropshipping Belgium suppliers and are sceptical if they could bring your customers standard quality products. Therefore, you need to place test orders to check if they are authentic. Also need to verify whether they sell quality products, as advertised. There is no better way to get their service and products assessed than placing test orders on their website. Simultaneously, during the process, you can also evaluate their fulfilment, shipping speed and delivery time. You can find out the efficiency at which most of their functions are carried out in one go by placing test orders before selecting a particular dropshipper. 

3. Per Order fee

Dropship per order fee is the fee that you pay your suppliers for rendering service just like the way you wanted them to do. This fee may vary with the service quality. Because as we all know, when the quality of service is high, it may not be possible to offer them at economical rates, often. However, you can always work on a reasonable per-order fee that is suitable for both of you. Recently, one-time set-up fees have become very common. It is the fee a dropship supplier charges to access their products at wholesale prices. It includes the dropship service charges as well. Some manufacturers and wholesale suppliers are charging monthly/yearly fees. Dropshipping is worth paying for as it is undeniably a remarkable service that lets an online store owner sell online without holding any inventory upfront. Besides, you get access to hundreds of thousands of products, and the entire logistics and shipping part gets handed over to them.

Dropshipping on AICart

Dropshipping in AICart work with StockLess, which is a new concept in the realm of eCommerce dropshopping. It is an exclusive feature that you do not see on other similar eCommerce platforms so far. Whether a supplier is a dropshipper or not, every function gets automated, and no supplier is responsible for organising the boxes or generating orders for couriers. The packing list and AWB labels get generated automatically. The dedicated modules in the software application such as OptimPack, Live Courier and StockLess are exclusive to AICart, which streamlines and automates the logistics and shipping tasks. AICart can also run as a marketplace, where you can start adding products after the successful registration and approval of your account. Also, set the data of sellers as visible or hidden. AICart can also be used to function as a B2B reseller/distributor platform. Also, sell goods without displaying their prices by hiding them in your admin panel. You can display AI-powered “related products”, “frequently bought together” products and, therefore, it is easy to convince customers to purchase additional merchandise on the AICart eCommerce/marketplace. Build your store/marketplaces online with the eCommerce software from AICart. You can access a limitless range of product catalogues from dropshipping Belgium suppliers or suppliers from anywhere to keep your store up and running.