Let’s face it — starting a traditional retail business with warehouse stock, packaging logistics, and the stress of leftover inventory is hard work. That’s where dropshipping comes in.
If you haven’t met the term before, it’s simple. Dropshipping is a low-risk eCommerce model where you sell products online without holding any inventory. Instead, you team up with a dropshipping supplier who ships the products directly to your customers. You handle the storefront and marketing — they handle the stock and shipping. Easy, eh?
This fulfillment process streamlines operations for eCommerce businesses by having suppliers manage the picking, packing, and shipping of products directly to customers. But of course, you need to find trustworthy, efficient, and quality-focused suppliers for dropshipping, and that’s where this guide comes in!
- Why Dropshipping Works
- Understanding the Different Types of Dropshipping Suppliers
- How to Find Dropshipping Suppliers (That Won’t Let You Down)
- Top Dropshipping Suppliers
- Supply Chain & Inventory Management
- Steps to Start Your Dropshipping Business
- Dropshipping Automation: Work Smarter, Not Harder
- Managing Returns, Payments & Shipping
- Dropshipping Marketing Strategies
- Dropshipping Customer Service
- Planning for Growth: Scale Like a Boss
Why Dropshipping Works
Dropshipping is a smart, lean business model that’s taken the eCommerce world by storm. Before you start your dropship supplier directory research, take a look at why dropshipping is ideal for online entrepreneurs:
It’s User-Friendly
eCommerce user-friendly platforms simplify the overall process of starting and managing a dropshipping business. Now, you can get a platform that it’s ready to sell your products, without being a technical expert on how to set it up.
It Needs Minimal Upfront Costs
You don’t need thousands of dollars to launch your business — just a laptop, an idea, and an automated dropshipping store or app to help reduce initial investment by connecting you with a solid supplier.
It Doesn’t Include Inventory Hassles
Forget renting a storage unit or organizing shelves in your garage. Dropship suppliers manage inventory for you, storing and shipping the products directly to your customers. You’re only responsible for creating the product listings and managing and sending orders from wherever you are.
More Product Variety
You can list hundreds (or even thousands) of products in your store without stocking a single one yourself. This includes a diverse range of categories, ensuring a wide selection for your customers.
You Can Focus on What You’re Good at
Marketing, building your brand, and engaging customers are important factors you should be focused on to manage your own business effectively — leave the logistics to your dropshipping suppliers.
Understanding the Different Types of Dropshipping Suppliers
There are three main categories for dropshipping suppliers from which you can find the best one that fits your needs. You can always try some of these if you want
- Manufacturers: These are the people who make the product. Going straight to the source means better prices, but not all manufacturers handle dropshipping. Most items are shipped from overseas and can take a while to reach your customers, so keep that in mind.
- Wholesalers: They buy in bulk from manufacturers and sell at lower prices. Some offer wholesale dropshipping services directly to eCommerce sellers, providing the benefit of lower costs and the convenience of not having to manage inventory.
- Dedicated dropshipping companies: These are built for this model. They offer ready-to-ship products, tools to sync with your store, and customer support to keep things smooth.
Remember, wholesale suppliers and dropshipping companies play important roles in the overall dropshipping ecosystem, as they provide the connections between buyers and sellers, and offer diverse product ranges to support your eCommerce growth.
Dropshipping Wholesalers: Everything You Need To Know
Dropshipping wholesalers play a crucial role in the success of any dropshipping business.
They are the backbone of your supply chain, providing products to your online store at wholesale prices, which you then sell to customers at a markup. The best dropshipping suppliers offer a wide range of products, competitive pricing, and reliable shipping, ensuring that your business runs smoothly and profitably.
A good dropshipping supplier directory can be a great tool in this process, helping you find reliable dropshipping wholesalers and connect with them easily. Some popular dropshipping wholesalers include Spocket, and Worldwide Brands. These platforms offer a vast array of products and services designed to help you start and grow your online store right away!
How to Find Dropshipping Suppliers (That Won’t Let You Down)
So, how do you actually find dropshipping suppliers you can trust? Here’s what works — especially if you’re based in Canada.
1. Use Dropshipping Directories
Utilizing supplier directories can significantly aid in finding the right dropshipping supplier by streamlining the process of sourcing reliable suppliers and ensuring their legitimacy. Websites like SaleHoo and Wholesale2B provide vetted lists of suppliers. These directories include detailed supplier information, such as supplier reviews, shipping details, and product categories.
2. Check Online Marketplaces
Suppliers on AliExpress and DHgate often offer dropshipping services. AliExpress suppliers, in particular, provide an extensive directory and are easily connected through dropshipping tools like DSers. You can filter by country to find suppliers that ship from within Canada or North America to reduce shipping times!
3. Search Google Like a Pro
Type in things like “wholesale + [your product] + dropshipping [your country].” Dig past the first page — often, the gems are hidden further down!
Evaluating Dropshipping Suppliers: What to Look For
Once you’ve found a few options, it’s time to vet them. Don’t just go with the cheapest — you’ll want:
- ✅ High-quality product photos and descriptions
- ✅ Reasonable shipping times (within 1–2 weeks is ideal)
- ✅ Positive customer reviews and testimonials
- ✅ Clear return and refund policies
- ✅ Excellent communication and response time
- ✅ Inventory syncing options for your store
- ✅ Canadian warehouses or North American shipping (if possible)
Pro tip: Always order samples. Experience what your customers will — from product quality to packaging and delivery time.
Top Dropshipping Suppliers
To ensure you partner with the most reliable dropshipping suppliers, we recommend evaluating online reviews, customer feedback, and their compatibility with various eCommerce platforms, to stay cautious of potential scams in the industry.
Here’s our shortlist of well-known dropshipping suppliers you can trust:
EasyHosting DIY Website Builder
A great dropshipping business needs a reliable web hosting provider and an excellent website to showcase all its offerings. EasyHosting offers a pathway to success with its DIY Website Builder, which now includes plenty of eCommerce features, allowing you to showcase your latest and greatest dropshipping products to your visitors.
Shopify
Probably the most popular one, and for a reason. They not only offer tons of templates for you to use as a whole website, but they are also one of the most connected dropshipping sites, shipping worldwide, and as if this weren’t enough, they offer marketing services so your brand can grow. It’s a whole package.
Worldwide Brands
A paid directory with thousands of pre-vetted suppliers. It’s ideal if you’re serious about finding long-term dropshipping partners.
Wholesale2B
A great all-in-one solution that offers product listings, store integration, and automated inventory updates. Plus, they support Canadian sellers.
Inventory Source
This platform not only connects you with dropshipping suppliers but also helps automate order processing, inventory, and tracking.
For electronics & specific items:
AliExpress, GearBest, and Banggood are popular choices for consumer electronics and specific items, including a wide range of gadgets, tech accessories, jewelry, house items and many other things. Look for suppliers with local (Canada/US) warehouses for faster shipping!
Supply Chain & Inventory Management
Supply chain and inventory management are also needed for a successful dropshipping business. Since you don’t hold any inventory yourself, you need to rely on your suppliers to manage inventory quantities and ship products to customers quickly and efficiently. This is where a good dropshipping platform can make all the difference because fulfilling your orders as quickly as possible will create those loyal customers you dream.
A robust dropshipping platform can help you streamline your supply chain and inventory management by automating tasks such as order tracking, shipping, and inventory updates. Thankfully, some of the best dropshipping companies like AliExpress offer a range of tools and features to help you manage your supply chain and inventory seamlessly.
Choose the right dropshipping platform and suppliers to ensure your customers receive their products quickly, this will be the secret for building trust and loyalty with them. A proper supply chain and inventory management strategy not only boosts customer satisfaction but also frees up your time to focus on growing your business!
Steps to Start Your Dropshipping Business
Now that you have your product and you’ve made your decision on a dropshipping supplier, what’s the next step? Ready to make moves? Here’s your checklist if you are good to go!
- Pick your niche: Don’t try to sell everything. Go for a focused category: tech, fashion, pet gear, etc. If you have a wide range of products, specify them even more or place categories between them.
- Find suppliers for dropshipping: Use the strategies above to find reliable partners!
- Choose an eCommerce platform: Shopify is the gold standard in Canada, but WooCommerce and EasyHosting are solid choices too. Anyhow, check the other dropshipping suppliers here in case they can be the house for your specific niche.
- Connect your store to your supplier: Automation tools (like Oberlo or DSers) make this easy. Once connected, you can start selling quickly and easily, illustrating the ease of launching a dropshipping venture!
- Set up payments and legal stuff: Stripe or PayPal works well. Don’t forget to register your business.
- Launch & market your store: Get on social media, run ads, and test different strategies.
- Handle customer service like a pro: Respond fast, be kind, and fix problems quickly!
Tips for Working Smoothly with Your Dropshipping Supplier
Your supplier is your business partner — treat them that way! It may be strange at the beginning as they’re not there with you physically, but you may interact with them almost daily. Here are our tips to build a solid relationship with them:
- Keep communication open and professional
- Stay on top of inventory updates and stock changes
- Efficiently manage customer orders to ensure smooth processing and avoid issues like accepting orders for out-of-stock items
- Review performance monthly (are customers happy with the products?)
- Have a backup supplier in case of delays or out-of-stock issues
Dropshipping Automation: Work Smarter, Not Harder
Want to run your store while you sleep? That’s everyone’s dream, isn’t it? Well, that’s possible.
Almost all of the dropshipping suppliers listed here have automated actions built into their platforms, but nevertheless, it’s important to look for these features in case you want to already look for how things will go once your brand gets steady and filled with customers.
You will need to sell even in hours you’re not there. That’s where automated dropshipping comes in, offering seamless integration of product data, order management, and fulfillment.
Check for the following features if you want to take this step:
- Order automation: Auto-send orders from your store to your supplier
- Inventory sync: Auto-update your site with available stock
- Price markups: Automatically adjust your retail price
- Tracking and notifications: Keep customers informed on shipping status
Some great automation tools: Modalyst, DSers, Oberlo, AutoDS, and Shopify’s built-in features.
Managing Returns, Payments & Shipping
Now that you have set your overall path, it’s time to consider all payment-related functions and how to operate them. Here are our tips for the most common scenarios you will encounter on your dropshipping journey.
Payments
This is critical. Set up your shop with friendly gateways. The most popular ones are:
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Square
Returns & Refunds
This is a basic feature to provide to your customers; remember, clear policies help avoid customer headaches. Here’s a simple approach to treat these situations:
- Offer refunds or exchanges for damaged items
- Have customers send photos as proof
- Outline who pays for return shipping
- Mention any restocking fee that may apply to returns, as suppliers might impose additional costs
- Make your policy easy to find on your site
Shipping
To keep customers happy, set clear expectations for your shipping methods:
- Use local courier tracking
- Display expected delivery times on your product pages
- Offer free shipping above a minimum spend
Dropshipping Marketing Strategies
Dropshipping also needs marketing. Well, everything does!
The marketing strategies that you will need are simple and the ones you already know: promoting your online store and products to attract customers and drive sales. These strategies will help you reach a wider audience and convert visitors into buyers!
- Social media marketing is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok allow you to engage with your audience, showcase your products, and run targeted ads.
- Email marketing is another effective strategy, enabling you to build a relationship with your customers and keep them informed about new products, promotions, and updates.
- Paid advertising, such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads, can drive targeted traffic to your store quickly.
- Influencer marketing, content marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO) are also valuable strategies to reach a broader audience and improve your store’s visibility.
When creating a marketing strategy, it’s essential to consider your target audience, budget, and goals to ensure that you’re using the most effective tactics. If you want to know which strategies will get you there and target more and more customers, be sure to read our guide with the newest trends: 13 Digital Marketing Trends to Watch in 2025.
Dropshipping Customer Service
Even though with dropshipping you are in a partnership, customer service is still required, and you’ll need to manage it. Excellent customer service is the essence of building trust and loyalty with your customers.
Responding promptly to customer inquiries, resolving issues with orders, and providing refunds or replacements when necessary are all part of good customer service. It’s essential to be responsive, friendly, and helpful to ensure that your customers feel valued and supported.
Using tools such as chatbots (in social media, for example) and FAQs can provide quick and easy support to your customers, helping to resolve common issues without the need for direct human intervention. These tools can help your business to solve doubts beforehand, so we recommend including everything you consider may arise as questions from your customers.
Planning for Growth: Scale Like a Boss
Imagine your business is up and running. You have succeeded in marketing, shipping, and customer service. What’s next? Well, once you’ve nailed the basics, it’s time to grow and think about the future for your dropshipping journey. Here’s what we recommend:
- Test new marketing channels: TikTok, YouTube Shorts, influencer collabs
- Upsell and cross-sell in your store
- Add new suppliers or expand to new countries
- Automate more to save time
- Use analytics tools like Google Analytics and Meta Ads Manager to track performance
- Conduct thorough market research to identify potential suppliers and understand the competitive landscape
Conclusion
Dropshipping is one of the easiest ways to break into the world of eCommerce — especially if you’re young, ambitious, and ready to learn. The secret to success? Finding solid dropshipping suppliers and building smart systems around them.
No matter what your product is, the right supplier can make or break your business. So take your time, do the research, and go in with a plan. You’ve got this!
If you want to equip your site with digital marketing solutions, EasyHosting is here to help you in this journey. Feel free to reach out, give us a call or drop us an email!
support@easyhosting.com
Call us: 1-888-390-1210
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I find Canadian dropshipping suppliers?
Use platforms like SaleHoo, or Google searches with “Canada” in your query. You can also look for suppliers that have warehouses in Canada or North America.
Do I need a business licence to start dropshipping?
Technically, no—but it’s recommended. Registering a sole proprietorship or corporation helps with taxes and trustworthiness. Most international suppliers own one to sell online, so this is highly recommended.
Is dropshipping legal?
Absolutely! Dropshipping is a legitimate business model. Just make sure you’re not infringing on trademarks or selling prohibited items. Dropshipping products is legal and is an important part of the whole eCommerce business.
Can I make a decent income from dropshipping?
Yes — with the right niche, strong suppliers, and solid marketing, many dropshippers make a full-time income. Worldwide brands have started like this, so nothing is impossible. Consider an automated dropshipping app for all of your mobile users, as that is essential to get more customers.
How can dropshipping benefit my existing eCommerce store?
If you have an existing eCommerce store, dropshipping can help you expand your product offerings without the need for inventory management. This allows you to integrate additional services and products, boosting your business and potentially increasing your revenue.
