requires thought and research, but otherwise shouldn’t stimulate the growth of grey hair, worry lines, ulcers, or panic attacks. The hardest part of the work involved in product sourcing where small home business is involved occurs in nailing down what your market is, who your customers are likely to be, and just what it is you are going to sell.

In earlier posts, I have talked about how to go about finding product suppliers using the Internet and other offline resources. In today’s post, I’d like to cut to the chase and mention 3 tools that you can put to use to help provide a wide variety of product sources for your home business. These should help you find wholesale and dropship product distributors as well as liquidation-closeout specialists, factory distributors, and other distributors who specialize in surpluss and discounted goods.

First, the Salehoo online wholesale directory:

Salehoo is an online directory of resources. It also includes an active forum where members share information. Salehoo verifies the legitimacy of all suppliers listed and actively encourages member feedback.

Next, a newcomer to product sourcing for home business, Aid and Trade:

Aid and Trade is also an online directory of wholesale and dropship suppliers. It offers several subscription options and is relatively inexpensive.

The third resource is somewhat unusual in the wholesale product supply. Chris Bernard has over a decade of experience in the wholesale and dropship industry and says the truth is that dropshipping sucks:

Chris Bernard write, “. . . the key element to drop shipping was, and still is, a secured market. The companies . . . sell products exclusively through personal sales reps and do not sell in retail outlets, to wholesalers, to the public. This is what makes them work. The prices, distribution channels, and markets are all tightly controlled.”

Chris Bernards Better Sources guide is not just a list of wholesalers. In fact, what make this a novel, out of the box sourcing solution is that it is not just a list of wholesaler. Chris says that his guide is a, “complete manual for finding profitable products you can sell anywhere.”

Probably every resource you will ever need can be found by research on the Internet, at your local library (ask the librarian!), through the local chamber of commerce, and through national associations for manufacturers and wholesale distributors. However, the above resources may help you get a leg up and cut to the chase. We have taken pains to insure that the sources are reliable, and so we don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the results. However, it is important that you are serious in your reasons for seeking product suppliers. If you have or are planning a home business, these may solve some of the problems of product sourcing.

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Tags: Ebay Wholesale Sources, Wholesale List, Wholesale Merchandise, DVD Wholesale Distributors
DVD Wholesale Suppliers
Wholesale Electronics, Wholesale DVD Movies, Drop Shipping, Wholesale Directory, Dropship Wholesale Directory

It is difficult to identify top wholesalers without knowing the niche or product area you are interested in. For consumer electronics, I can tell you right off, for example, that the top product sourcing wholesalers are WYNIT and DBL. There are many other distributors, and you can always look at Chinese distributors and manufacturers, but for the United States, these two are The Game.

Sources for wholesale DVDs are also hungrily sought after. I know that Salehoo has leads to a number of DVD dropshippers. Brent’s list is the best–in our opinion–and most comprehensive guide to wholesale DVD distributors. Again, this guide will show you the real distributors. I know because I own it and have accounts with some of the sources given.

Product sourcing memberships . . . . Are product sourcing memberships worth joining? That’s a tough one. That really depends on your needs. We think Salehoo is reliable and lives up to its promise. We are members and have no complaints. Sign up for a free newsletter or take a video tour. Action is free. Take a second to check it out if you think a membership might serve you needs.

Another membership that looks good is Aid and Trade. We are not members, but I mention this only because it may be of interest. Let us know what you think.

are available if you know where to look. Both WYNIT and DBL, the two major wholesale distributors of consumer electronics, have data feeds. However, these are real wholesale distributors and require that you establish an account and provide proof of your sales tax permit. If you ask, they will help set you up with their data feed.

To find more sources of data feeds you may have to contact wholesale distributors directly to see if they offer a feed and whether or not there is an extra fee. Keep in mind that most legitimate dropshippers are either real wholesalers or manufacturers who offer dropshipping as a service. They may or may not have a fee. In other words, they are not “selling” dropshipping, and as such they do not generally cultivate search engine visibility or positioning. They don’t have to because it isn’t essential to their business.

Sidebar Comment

The noise and brouha about dropshipping has largely been created by Internet marketers trying to create a demand for a particular kind of service. They have largely succeeded as many people are now convinced that they can make easy money dropshipping products.

It is important to understand that these companies such as WYNIT and DBL are not dropshippers, per se. That is, they offer the data feed as a service and offer dropshipping as an option. BUT, they are not warehouse dropshippers such as dropshipdesign.com. Dropshipdesign is a discount retail business that sells products to you at a discount, but it is not a wholesaler and should not be confused with true wholesale businesses.

You can find more dropship distributors offering data feeds by using a reliable online wholesale directory such as Salehoo. Using Salehoo as an example, you would have access to a list several thousand product distributors to work from. The Salehoo forum would be a valuable asset in this regard, as well, as you’d be able to tap the knowledge of the membership base.

Also, you can get free data feeds through Sharasale.com. These are affiliate data feeds, not dropship inventory feeds, but this might be helpful for some of you. Commission Junction merchants also offer data feeds, but I think use of the feeds requires a payment of 200 and some dollars.

A DVD dropshipping source I’ll reveal is buyritedvd.com. Buyrite is not a true wholesaler because they don’t require a sales tax permit. However, their prices are very good and are often the same as or sometimes even a little below wholesale. They do have a free data feed. The downside is that they charge a small monthly membership fee. Check them out. They might work for you. I have found them very easy to work with, and the customer service I have received has been friendly and quick. I have even spoken with them on the phone, and they were friendly, professional, and helpful.

You can get datafeeds as well from some of the major DVD wholesale distributors. If you want what we think is the best Wholesale DVD directory available, you need the Jillian guide. This will give you the top 3 true wholesale DVD distributors for the United States and Canada and just about every other major source of DVDs in North America. It is an extensive list. These are the companies who distribute to the major retail outlets in the U.S. I know that two of the distributors do have ecommerce solutions, and their promo and production are very good. However, be warned that wholesale DVDs are not cheap. If you think you can set up an account and get new release box office hits for $2, you are mistaken.

I apologize for not telling you outright who the three major distributors are. My feeling, here, is that if you are serious about this, you should be willing to buy the list. It is not expensive. The sales page is a little cheesy, but please do not be put off. Brent really knows his stuff, as you’ll find out if you take the time to get into the business.

Again, I’m sorry, but the information offered in the directory is, in my opinion, top flight, and just handing out for free would, again in my opinion, show no respect for the value of the information.

Thank you for reading. I hope you have found the posts herein helpful.

In terms of eBay or ecommerce, your best deals may not always come from true wholesale distributors. That will depend on what you want to sell, whether or not you have access to the manufacturers, and whether or not you will be able to purchase liquidation/closeout inventory. Some of you may have the opportunity to work directly with a local factory and bypass the distributor altogether.

In earlier posts I’ve given away a number of leads to many different sorts of product distributors–some wholesale, some dropshippers, some liquidation specialists. I apologize for not putting up another link or relisting them, but it is late and I’m a step away from bed.

However, in addition to my own research into other sources, I personally use my “ace in the hole” or my all purpose shotgun source, which is an online wholesale directory that lists in the neighborhood of 5000 product distributors. It also includes a forum with many active members. So, before hitting the sack, I’ll mention Salehoo. You may want to check it out or sign up for the free newsletter.

Wishing you luck. And you may want to take a few moments to search this site, or leave me a comment if you need help with something. I might have a product source up my sleeve that could help.

Tags: Wholesale Products, Wholesale List, Wholesale Directory, Wholesale Merchandise, Dropship Wholesale Directory, Wholesale DVD Movies, DVD Wholesale Distributors
DVD Wholesale Suppliers
Wholesale Electronics, Best Ebay Wholesale Directory

Many people find their way to this blog seeking an answer to that very question. We talk about the the Salehoo scam question in a number of earlier posts. I bring it up again only because we are asked again and again.

I think what people are hung up on is having to spend $67 for the membership. That’s a lifetime membership and a one time fee. And, it is fully refundable, no questions asked, for 60 days. The Salehoo membership is sold through Clickbank, and Clickbank handles all refund requests. Salehoo has nothing to say about the refunds. Clickbank protects you in that regard. You have that protection.

From one point of view, it doesn’t really matter if Salehoo is a scam or not. You could pay, check the site out, and be refunded within the hour. However, most people aren’t buying with the intention of refunding. The fact is, you don’t want to be betrayed; you don’t want the disappointment of it not being what you hoped.

But, your question is, “Is Salehoo a scam?” Salehoo promises to provide you with a list of apporoximately 5000 product distributors offering products that cover roughly 150 categories. Their list is a mix of wholesale businesses, dropship businesses, liquidation closeout specialists, factory distributors, and other distributors who sell discounted goods. The businesses represented in the Salehoo directory have also been verified. What that means is that Salehoo has made an effort to be sure that the business is legitimate. If you, or any memeber should feel that a business on the list is a scam or in some way not legitimate, you can complain to Salehoo, and the business will be investigated. I, personally, have seen businesses removed from the directory. Salehoo also provides a forum on which members network and share information. And finally, Salehoo provides some training material to help you get started if you are starting from scratch. If you are starting from scratch, you will have a learning curve. And I would also advise using the forum to ask questions. Salehoo itself cannot make you money. Salehoo itself does is not a product supplier. If, by chance, you buy products from a company listed on Salehoo and they don’t deliver, Salehoo is not responsible for your loss and will not reimburse you. However, you complaint to the Salehoo staff could get the company banned from the list, and you also have the chance to warn others via the forum that the company is no good.

To answer your question, “Is Salehoo a scam?” I personally say, “no.” I am a member of Salehoo and have never been treated badly or have reason to believe that the service has been misprepresented. That is the best I can do. Does Salehoo have an answer for everybody? Is Salehoo a one-size-fits-all product sourcing solution? No. Absolutely not. The truth, in my experience, is that if you are serious about selling physical products on ebay or throug your own online store, then you research doesn’t ever really stop. Ecommerce is not a lazy way to riches, unless you are already rich enough to hire people to do it all for you and sit back and let the money roll in. For us who have to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, as it were, there is no truly easy way to riches. The easy life come after the riches, and then we enjoy the glory.

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Tags: Wholesale Directory, Wholesale DVD Movies, Wholesale Merchandise, Wholesale List, Wholesale Products, Best Ebay Wholesale Directory, DVD Wholesale Distributors
DVD Wholesale Suppliers
Wholesale Electronics, Drop Shipping

Tags: Wholesale Merchandise, Wholesale Products, Wholesale Directory, Ebay Wholesale Sources, Wholesale DVD Movies, Drop Shipping, Wholesale List, Dropship Wholesale Directory

draws many people to this site. And I have revealed secrets. The question I have is whether or not those seeking product sourcing secrets recognize the answers for which they search.

If you know how to search this blog, you will find leads to hundreds if not at least a thousand wholesale suppliers. I’m thinking of putting some of this into a short report and selling it for a few bucks to support the upkeep of this site. For the time being, however, the information is free, and yours for the finding.

Right now, you want to know how to gain access to the private, members only forum where deals are brokered. Keep in mind that a truly private wholesale forum, a truly secret wholesale forum will be one which no one knows about. When you receive emails advising you to “keep mum” about such and such, it is important to understand that intention is to promote advertising, not to keep a secret.

However, to the matter at hand, the secret wholesale forum . . . . I have to tell you that in the world of wholesale, it doesn’t really work that way. If you want to broker a “secret” deal, it happens on the phone between you and your sales rep. It might happen between you and another member of a business or wholesale forum, but the deal making will take place behind closed doors, as it were.

For example, this afternoon I wrapped up a phone conversation with my WYNIT sales rep about getting their data feed. The data feed it free, by the way, as opposed to going through a company such as Inventory Source who charges you a montyhly fee for access. We discussed a number of technical details such as file format and how their feed and the CNET feed would work together. My point, here, though, is that person to person human communication is important. Very important.

Now, I do know a forum where secrets are discussed and given out. This is also a private forum, a private members only forum, and wholesale secrets and deals are made between the members. That, I can tell you , is the truth. However, I also have to tell you that secrets alone do not generate money. It is, and always will be, up to you to figure out how in the name of lawyers, guns, and money to make sense of it all to make a buck or two.

You can do a Google search for “wholesale forums” and find bucket loads of forums. I advise you do that and spend the time sorting through them to see if they’re worth your time.

In the meantime, I’ll suggest the Salehoo forum. This is my forum. It works for me. Secrets are discussed, deals made, business saving advice handed out on a daily basis. Find out what’s a scam and what isn’t. Not for everybody to be sure, but happily works out for me.

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Tags: Wholesale List, Wholesale Directory, Ebay Wholesale Sources, Drop Shipping, Wholesale DVD Movies, Wholesale Merchandise, Best Ebay Wholesale Directory, Dropship Wholesale Directory

running riot on the Internet than many of us would like to think about. One of the reasons Salehoo was set up was to protect people from the con- artists out there by giving them the security of authenticated suppliers. However, Salehoo isn’t the be-all and end-all of online wholesale directories and we certainly encourage people to search out additional suppliers other than the ones in our directory to enhance their range.

There are a number of ways you can tell if you are dealing with a fraudulent site as opposed to a genuine supplier. Here is one of the most important:

Just How Important is Search Engine Ranking in Judging a Site, Anyway?

First of all, be aware that a high position in the search engines and a slick website does not necessarily correlate with the quality of the supplier. In fact, sometimes it’s quite the opposite. The best wholesalers will often have big clients already and don’t need to go after internet users surfing for a get-quick-rich opportunity. For this reason, their websites – if they even have one – may be quite basic. High-ranking websites are often middlemen calling themselves wholesalers, but providing discounted retail prices rather than genuine wholesaler.

One thing you will learn is that the easier it is to find a wholesaler and place an order, the poorer the results. At best you’ll be dealing with a middleman, at worst a scammer. Basically, if any Joe can order from the wholesaler then they will and you won’t be getting a competitive deal. On the other hand, if you need to get off your derriere and phone the wholesaler to negotiate a deal, you’re immediately putting yourself above the average and increasing your chances of getting a very good deal.

This is called a barrier to entry and it’s amazing how effective it is at putting people off. The same applies for wholesalers who say they won’t ship to Canada. Don’t take no for an answer - ring them and ask! Seventy-five percent of the time they’ll agree to make an exception. If you are put off too easily, you’re not going to get very far in this business. Successful people are those who go above and beyond what the average person will do.

How Can We Be Sure a Canadian Wholesaler or Dropshipper is Legitimate?

Here’s how to tell whether an internet company is genuine:

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Tags: Dropship Wholesale Directory, Wholesale DVD Movies, Ebay Wholesale Sources, Drop Shipping, Wholesale Directory, Wholesale List, Wholesale Merchandise, Best Ebay Wholesale Directory

Yes. We are account holders with WYNIT, and yes, WYNIT is reliable. WYNIT is a one of the major wholesale electronics distributors for the United States. WYNIT is the real thing, not one of the fly by night middleman dropshippers that are now so prevalent on the Internet.

In my experience, WYNIT dropships for no extra fee and shipping rates are very reasonable. In fact, their shipping rates overall, not just for dropshipping, are reasonable. Remember, this is a real wholesale business and does not make money or otherwise fleece you on shipping. They will require proof of your sales tax permit, and you will need to establish a credit account with them.

I have found WYNIT very easy to deal with and customer service has been excellent. I have also found them sympathetic to the small, home business.

Also, please see our earlier post, Tips for Finding Wholesale Distributors for more information.

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Tags: DVD Wholesale Distributors
DVD Wholesale Suppliers
Wholesale Electronics, Wholesale Merchandise, Drop Shipping, Best Ebay Wholesale Directory, Dropship Wholesale Directory, Wholesale DVD Movies, Ebay Wholesale Sources, Wholesale Products

We have talked about finding products to sell online in earlier posts and have even offered specific tips to finding dropship suppliers who cater specifically to you if you are running a sort of mass market consumer goods ecommerce online store. In an earlier post, we talk more about the kinds of things you may need to consider if you plan on running an online ecommerce store as business. The article goes into a little more depth, so be prepared to give it some thought.

In order to find online (or offline) dropshippers, wholesalers, product distributors and a wide range of products to sell online, we have three basic tips:

(1) Network with other business people and resellers of the line or lines products you are interested in selling.

(2) Attend trade shows.

(3) Do research using search directories of manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers.

These three basic tips apply pretty much universally, regardless of the type or level of business you want to get into. I realize that these tips may sound a little like me telling you to, “get a magic rug, sit on rug, now fly.”

If you are planning to start a one or two person home business selling mass market goods from your website, Craigslist, eBay, other online or offline classified ads serives, garage sales or at flea markets, many of your needs may be met by using one of the reliable online wholesale directory and forum sites. The good ones, such as One Source or Salehoo, will provide you with the means to:

(1) Network and share information with other members through a forum.

(2) Research product line information and suppliers.

(3) Contact many hundreds and possibly thousands of suppliers.

Many people starting out and search for information and tips on finding distributors for products to sell online via eBay or on Craigslist or on a small ecommerce site. You probably encounter the plethora of middleman businesses who essentially thrive on your lack of product sourcing knowledge. A good online directory can help you cut through that level of distraction.

For essentially mass market consumer goods, The two reliable, workhorse directories that I personally know of are:

Salehoo

and

World wide Brands

If your market is somewhat more esoteric, then you may need more specialized registers of manufacturers and distributors. You may need to search manufacturer register such as:

The Thomas Register

You may also need to look into manuracturer trade associations and wholesaler associations. These are more likely to be of interest to you if you are seeking products such as awning bolts, lens coating solutions, tractor treads, semi-conductor parts, machining supplies, fertilizer, components for robotics, and so forth. In other words, items that are not generally oriented toward the consumer mass market.

Tradeshows. We haven’t compiled a list of tradeshows yet, but you can get current information by contacting your local chamber of commerce or possibly even your local news outlet. You can search online under “tradeshows” or “tradeshow directories.” One such site listing tradeshows all over the world is:

www.biztradeshows.com

I think it goes without saying that tradeshows and product exhibitions will allow the opportunity to network with and meet the manufacturers in person and share information with other business people.

These are pretty solid tips and should help you get your bearings. Again, if your area of business or intended business is mass market goods, we invite you to:

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Tags: Wholesale Directory, Best Ebay Wholesale Directory, Drop Shipping, Ebay Wholesale Sources, Wholesale List, DVD Wholesale Distributors
DVD Wholesale Suppliers
Wholesale Electronics, Wholesale Merchandise, Wholesale DVD Movies