How To Find Best Shopify Supplier For New Product in 2024

Hello again! In the previous article, we discussed how to select the most suitable dropshipping agent to better provide you with one-stop sourcing and delivery service (read article: How To Choose Best Dropshipping Agent: The Ultimate Guide In 2024) As beginning of the new year in 2024 has already come, Shopify store owners are facing the constant challenge: developing new products, which leads to choosing a reliable Shopify supplier is crucial, because a good supplier is like a dream maker— they can turn your idea into reality.

Why is necessary to find your own Shopify supplier?

If your current Shopify business are in most simple way — operating as dropshipping, of course you can directly place orders and fulfill them from platforms like AliExpress or CJ dropshipping, which will simplify your operations significantly.

However, if you aim for higher level, such as offering specialized new products or brand customization for Shopify store, I strongly recommend to find you own suitable Shopify supplier. A good Shopify supplier as your business partner can offer the following benefits:

• Providing you most suitable priceon market
• Manufacturingqualify products
• Creating brands and product customization
• Supportingdevelopment and improvement ideas
• Offering professional advice
• Growing together

Supplier VS Manufacturer

Before seeking Shopify suppliers, you should decide which type of them you need most, depending on your e-commerce business model and knowing differences between manufacturer and supplier.

Manufacturer: A company capable of supporting product ideas

Manufacturer as known as factory, mainly handle production the most, with their clientele comprising various wholesalers and distributors. They have complete control over production capacity, and some even possess development capabilities. Many customers prefer direct collaboration with manufacturer for simple reasons:

• Lower price
• Transparent production process
• Quality control

But like coin always have two sides, you will find many difficulties while working with them. 60% Shopify owners find communication is not satisfied, many factories focus more on product itself and lack sightseeing for other needs. 30% customers also think factory lack services consciousness and market adaptation awareness.

Supplier: A Role can be manufacturer or wholesaler (or both) who can provide various product solutions

Supplier are playing buyer&vendor roles almost at same time, it means they need to adapt selling market and manufacturing. Without production capacity and price advantage, many Shopify owner still consider working  with them, why? There are following reasons can be referred:

• Better weigh the pros and cons of productswhich suits market
• Communicate effectivelyfor both ended
• High flexibilityfor product development ideas and overcome limitations
• Compare prices and quality from different manufacturers
• Strong desire to meet the needs of all your request

But there are still few points you minded, like higher prices may not good for your competition, it will also required strict control over product quality because they do not control production themselves.

How to find Shopify supplier in 5 steps

A great supplier will go to great lengths to find products for you or support your development ideas to improve your products. Follow these five steps to find the best manufacturers and suppliers for your business.

Step 1: Target new product idea

Before finding suppliers for Shopify store, it’s better to target products you need first. We advise to find at least  prototype of product rather than just a concept, because it will definitely cost you more for self-independent development. You can always find some new product ideas from:

• Google trend
• Amazon
• Alibaba
• Your competition Shopify store
• Hire a professional product hunter

Step 2: Searching and screening Shopify suppliers

Now your have your golden product, with that you can be more specific and easy to finding professional suppliers. Try to research by image on Google or other B2B website, gather at least 10 suppliers and listing following terms and rate them from score 1-10:

1. Price
2. Quality level
3. Respond time
4. Product Knowledge
5. Communication
6. R&D ability
7. Custom ability
8. Workshop/warehouse scale
9. Processing normalization
10. Target market
11. Certificate and Audit
12. After-sale service

Now leaves 3-5 suppliers with higher scores and contact them for next step, remember, always holding at least 1 more as back up to prevent accidents

Step 3: Get quote and test sample

Try to be as detail as possible when you make your inquiry, you will need your supplier to offer a  comprehensive quote include full product specification (material, process or craft, packing data etc..) These will be matters to effect final price, so don’t think cheapest is always the best, you need to learn this product first then will know price you get is whether cost-effective

Before placing a order, sample testing is very important, to see if product quality meet price. Once sample meet your standards, remember to keep it as record and sign. Keep one for you and another one for supplier. This can be your strongly proof to control production and protect your rights in case there is further dispute over production.

Step 4: Negotiate

Before order is final confirmed, it’s still getting chance to negotiate price or other terms. Try to get best discount from your Shopify supplier by asking directly but politely, believe me mostly will agree happily because it’s only one small step to reach your cooperation. Negotiation will happens time to time, try not always take advantages but consider step back to think for your supplier, It’s the only way to build a long-term, healthy relationship.

Step 5: Place Order

After completing a long way for above 4 steps to make sure every terms meet your requests, you can place your order and get the production process started. Try to make detailed contract and payment officially to protect your rights.

Growing together with your supply partners

Collaborating with the right supplier is a great decision for your Shopify business, but finding the right one is not always easy. You may need to keep looking to find the perfect partner to support every new business and ideas. CreativeDrop as professional Shopify supplier, plays a guide role for many loyalty customers, as their trusty partner we grow with them and continuous making self improvement, in order to provide better services.