There is a growing number of drop shippers in China.  Why?  Because many times you can get the cheapest prices from a supplier who outsources to China.  Usually these are free drop shippers.  That doesn’t mean the products are free, just that the drop shippers doesn’t tack and more fees onto the products.  Finding a free drop ship supplier in China can boost your profit.

Here are three things you need to know before dealing with a drop shipper from China:

1.Are the product shipped plain so that the customer doesn’t know the original source of the product?
2.Is there a monthly fee for drop shipping?
3.Is there a minimum quantity of products that you have to buy?

You should ask the following questions before you work with a drop shipper from China:

What shipping method do you use?

Look for a shipper that uses a known carrier like DHL or FedEx.  Items shipped this way will have a tacking number that you can use to know where the product is.  That will reassure your customers.  You will also need to know how long it will take to arrive so that you can give an estimate to your customers.

How is your quality control?

Make sure there is double quality control.  That means the product is checked when it leaves the factory and again after it arrives before shipping to the customer.

Do you get to use their promotional materials?

This includes product images and descriptions. You don’t want to have to buy something form them to get this information.

What about customer service?

You must be able to count on customer service.  If a drop shipper doesn’t offer good customer service they probably aren’t going to be a good supplier for you.  You need immediate response to questions and problems.

How do you handle refunds and customer issues?

The supplier must stand behind the products.  You should never eat the cost of a broken product.

Does the supplier update inventory levels regularly?

You have to know this to know if you can fill an order.  Levels should be updates once a week at the least.

Ask these questions and you will know if you are dealing with a reputable supplier.