Drop shipping is a favorite business model for many industries. Particularly for clothing and t-shirt design, drop shipping saves you from some common headaches (like maintaining inventory) and can also save you some serious dough.
Here are some of the FAQs and tips for finding the best drop shipping suppliers for clothing.
Is Drop shipping Still Profitable in 2021?
The short answer is yes, drop shipping can be quite lucrative. When working with a legitimate drop shipping supplier, you focus on business management and marketing.
So basically, your marketing skills determine your success.
Drop shipping is a great way to be entrepreneurial. It’s considered a “medium risk” business model, meaning it has about a 20% average first year success rate, and the cost of failure is lower than some higher risk fields (like restaurant ownership, for example).
The fact that you don’t need to hold an inventory can save you lots of money, making startup costs for a small business much, well, smaller.
The most successful drop shippers focus on a niche product.
T-shirt entrepreneurship is a great option!
Do I Need to Subscribe to a Supplier Directory?
One way to find a drop shipping supplier is through a supplier directory. These are paid directories, where the suppliers jump through certain hoops to get listed, and you have to pay to access the information in those directories.
You do not need to subscribe to a supplier director to find a t-shirt fulfillment company.
Supplier directories are a great way to explore reliable drop shipping companies when you are also exploring what products you want to offer. When you already know you want to drop ship clothing, you can use Google to find a reliable supplier.
How Do I Spot a Fake Drop shipping Company?
Unfortunately, the internet is full of fakes in every industry, and drop shipping is no exception.
There are a few clues you can use to spot a fake, such as:
- They ask for your credit card information, but not your business licensing. You need to be a legal business to drop ship. If they want you to pay upfront but haven’t confirmed your business, go elsewhere.
- They want you to pay with gift cards. Any business or person insisting you pay with gift cards is fraudulent. Never send someone you don’t know gift cards, money orders, cashier’s checks, or any other kind of money that cannot be retracted.
- They want ongoing fees. A legitimate drop shipper will not charge you beyond the cost of actual products and services. If they try to sell you on a monthly “membership fee” or ongoing monthly service fees, take your business elsewhere.
- You cannot talk to an actual person. A legitimate drop shipper will get to know your business, often assigning a designated customer service representative. If you get nothing but voicemail and no call back, it’s probably a fraudulent.
- They sound too good to be true. Unfortunately, if the pricing and fulfilment sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
If you have any doubt about a company, make a list of questions and call and speak to an actual person. If they cannot answer your questions, go elsewhere.
How to Find the Best Drop shipping Service in the US
Most drop shippers are not in the United States. Such companies might be cheaper, but come at a high premium. Shipping from a Chinese warehouse can add time, anywhere from 15 to 50 days. You also might not be able to speak with an English-speaking representative.
The best drop shipping suppliers for US-based companies are US-based themselves.
Ideally, your drop shipper will also offer:
- Efficiency and reliability, so you do not waste time with returns or disappoint customers with poor quality.
- Private labeling, so as you grow you can label your t-shirt designs as your own brand.
- Negotiated shipping rates, reliable shipping at the lowest possible costs.
- Rapid turnaround, not just in terms of shipping times, but also in printing time, you want t-shirt fulfillment services that operate at the speed of your business.
- Assistance when you need it, from design input to fabric supply changes, a reliable t-shirt fulfillment company will guide you through bumps in the road to success.
T-Shirt Labs are Your Local Drop shipping Experts
We at t-shirt labs live and breathe custom t-shirt design. We offer drop shipping from our Tampa Bay area headquarters directly to your customers–anywhere in the world. We pride ourselves on rapid, reliable service.
Contact us to find out how you can get drop shipping clothing with the best supplier in Clearwater, Florida.
