Starting a dropshipping business is a very nice idea for anyone who has what it takes to venture into it. It’s very profitable with limited risk compared to the usual physical businesses you know of.
If I’m to recommend any goods-purchasing business for someone, I’ll recommend dropshipping. So I’m going to be telling you more about dropshipping in case you don’t know about it, and I’ll be drafting for you the best online dropshipping suppliers in Nigeria.
Dropshipping simply means buying products wholesale without stocking them. It’s similar to a wholesale business but the difference is that dropshipping is more about buying the products when the customer needs them, unlike buying to store and waiting for customers to purchase.
Dropshipping is more like a retail business, and it’s a kind of business we usually see in some affiliate e-Commerce marketing, which you can be running in the comfort of your home without bothering about getting a shop for storing goods.
I had this friend of mine who deals with rice supply. He doesn’t have a specific kind of rice he supplies as he deals in both foreign and local products, depending on the one that sells faster at that moment.
We all know that many people patronize foreign rice more than local ones. Most of us feel that our locally-produced rice is not of a high-quality standard.
Even when the federal government has made effort to ensure that our rice is well-milled with high quality, people will always go for foreign rice.
Now, looking at the rate at which people purchase foreign rice more than local rice made him switch focus at that moment. He imported lots of them and stocked them in his warehouse, only for the government to ban the importation and movement of foreign rice both outside and within the country.
So, in the actual sense, he would have made more sales because the demand will be high, but the issue was that he deals mostly in retail sales which he supplies to customers in different states. You know what that means; he’ll need to bypass custom checkpoints if he’s traveling to another state to deliver to his customers.
Imagine that he was not able to sell the rice the way he was supposed to because of deliveries and some started turning dry and spoiling.
Okay, some of you will say he should have sold in bits to nearby consumers. The fact is that he doesn’t deal with that and doesn’t want to. Probably maybe because he was optimistic that he would get the deal done in one or the other as usual. But he got it all wrong. It was bizarre because the moment he moved away from the local rice entirely was when foreign rice was banned.
What I’m I trying to make out from this story? You can see that in the wholesale business, you’re buying in optimism that customers will soon come and patronize you, but in dropshipping, it’s entirely different.
In wholesale, you buy even without anticipating how the market will be in the future, cos you just buy and stock.
Dropshipping is more robust and active. As a customer, if I need foreign rice from you in a week or within a few days, I’ll place my order while you get it for me ASAP. You don’t need to store it in anticipation.
For instance, when I demand a bag of rice from you, you’ll have it shipped down for me while I pay you. That’s why I said it’s more like a retail business.
Another beneficial factor about dropshipping is that it enables you as an entrepreneur to be versatile in your line of business. You don’t need to stick to one line of business, depending on the marketing connections you have.
Some may ask how? Now, if you’re into dropshipping and supplying rice to me, I’ll one day ask you whether there’s any possibility of getting another food product like bags of beans. And being that you’re already into the food supply, you can easily hop into another product like beans and start supplying.
It’ll be easier for you to trade on other lines of business, unlike wholesale business.
Now, with the emergence of technology for communication, dropshipping business is making waves in the country and all other parts of the world.
This technological advancement has made it possible for us to get in touch with some best online dropshipping suppliers both in Nigeria and all over the world to partner with for this kind of business.
All the best online dropshipping suppliers which I’m going to be highlighting for you here in terms of the kind of products they deal with, their costs and charges, and also how they operate.
But the unique fact is that they perform the same function, cos it’s all based on the same activities. So it’s left for you to choose anyone based on how they best suit your need.
So, therefore, I’m gonna be listing them here so you can know about their deals, how you can be able to operate with them, and also the necessary steps you need to take if you want to venture into the dropshipping business.
List of 10 Best Online Dropshipping
- Alibaba
- AliExpress
- Amazon
- Chinabrands
- CJ Dropshipping
- Jiji
- Jumia
- Konga
- SaleHoo
- 1688
Also Read: 20 Best Daily Online Businesses for you
Alibaba
Alibaba is a Chinese technology company that deals in e-commerce, retail, internet, and technology businesses. The company also offers an online marketplace for businesses, offering shipping and payment options as well.
The company is known to offer what is termed business-to-business services (B2B), business-to-consumer services (B2C), and consumer-to-consumer services (C2C).
It is considered one of the largest retail and e-commerce companies in the world, with annual revenue of $134.567 billion in 2022.
With over 2.8 million suppliers ranging from about 600 categories, you’ll find what you’re looking for on Alibaba.
For dropshippers who want to use Alibaba, you need to first of all search for the supplier you want, the next thing is to get what is called the ‘Minimum Order Quantity’ which is the least amount of the particular supply you can get, after running through some checks on the supply, you can now come into agreement with them on the payment system.
Alibaba accepts payment systems such as bank transfer, credit/debit card payment, PayPal, and through Alibaba Trade Assurance (ESCROW).
After the processes, you’ll have to wait for about 4, 5, or even 6 weeks to get your deliveries cos Alibaba takes a bit of time. So if you plan on using it, you need to be ordering for your deliveries at least a month ahead.
Aliexpress
Just like Alibaba, AliExpress is also owned by China and is regarded as one of the top-notch marketplaces that’s very popular.
According to Wikipedia, it is regarded as “the most visited e-commerce website in Russia, and the 10th most popular website in Brazil”.
AliExpress offers products to international online buyers who then sell to customers all over the world
Given its wide range of products with more than 100 million on the platform, from computer accessories to home electronics, fashion, gadgets, toys, tools, etc., you’ll be very lucky to use AliExpress for dropshipping cos it’s much easier to find the products you need.
Most importantly, using AliExpress equally makes it easier to find a product you want via different categories.
If you want to use AliExpress, you’ll have to use the search bar to browse for the product you need, once you’ve successfully done so, you can simply go through the product review to know more about the product, or you can contact the seller to get proper information about the product.
Amazon
You can’t mention online marketplaces without mentioning Amazon. It is the first e-commerce platform that always crosses the mind.
With Amazon having announced the opening of its first office in Nigeria (Lagos), you can surely believe that running a dropshipping business with the top platform is an enticing one.
If you want to start dropshipping on Amazon, you need to strictly adhere to their rules and regulations (read their seller agreement & policies and their dropshipping policies).
There are lots of products in different categories which you can search for on Amazon, ranging from grocery, jewelry, fashion, etc. You’ll stand a chance of making good profits as a dropshipper on Amazon.
Signing up on Amazon dropshipping, you’ll have to select either the Individual Plan which costs $0.99 per month or the Professional Plan which costs $39.99 per month irrespective of the number of units you sell for that period.
Amazon dropshipping fees vary by the type of product, ranging from 10% to 15% charge.
To get started on Amazon dropshipping, you’ll need to first create what is called an ‘Amazon Seller Account’. You can click on https://central.amazon.com to get started > You’ll need to fill in your details, such as business details, home and business address, ID, tax information, as well as your credit card information > get approval for your product category > connect your e-commerce business with your Amazon Seller Account > then create an Amazon product listing, and start marketing your products.
Chinabrands
Chinabrands is another leading online dropshipping supplier based in china. It is the subsidiary of GlobalESource, which is considered one of the largest e-commerce companies in China.
It has warehouses across the U.S., UK, Russia, France, Australia, Hong Kong, and Spain.
It offers a large range of products with affordable wholesale prices, very good and easy shipping solutions, with access to over 200 countries worldwide.
All the categories you’ll find in Chinabrands are computer and office tools, jewelry, clothing, shoes, bags, watches, toys, electronics, etc.
Unlike Alibaba, Chinabrands does not have a Minimum Order Quantity.
If you want to use this platform, you’ll, first of all, have to find products you want to sell from the search bar, add the products to your store, and sync their prices, you can then use the DSM Auto-Paste to automate your processing orders, then update the tracking information to follow-up.
To get started with Chinabrands, you can open the site and click on sign up so you can be transferred to the registration page > authorize your eBay store via your Chinabrands dropshipping account > now start ordering for sales.
Chinabrands accepts online payment methods such as PayPal, and also Payoneer, and Wire transfer.
CJdropshipping
Another Chinese e-commerce dropshipping platform is CJdropshipping, which was established back in 2014.
It has warehouses in about 30 countries, with orders for over 300k active sellers around the world.
It’s another good marketplace for good dropshipping business for retailers.
Unlike the above-mentioned, CJdropshipping has better rates and it’s quite faster in terms of deliveries.
Now what makes CJdropshipping fun is that you can sell anything as long as it’s approved by the laws of your country.
If you choose to use CJdropshipping, you’ll have to first register for an account for free just like others, then you can select the type of product(s) you want to be selling, once your orders have been received it’ll now be processed and approved to leave the warehouse to your location.
There’s something peculiar about CJdropshipping; you can either decide to sell the already-listed products, you can sell their print-on-demand products using your custom designs, or you can source a product from AliExpress, 1688, or Taobao.
As for your deliveries, you’ll have nothing to worry about as CJdropshipping makes use of DHL, FedEx, USPS, and UPS. But if you’re shipping your products directly from China, it makes use of its shipping line called ‘CJPacket’, which is a fast delivery service.
Jiji
When you talk about top e-commerce platforms in Nigeria, Jiji is always mentioned cos it’s an old show in the industry.
It is considered one of the biggest online marketplaces in Nigeria alongside Jumia and Konga.
Now let’s say you don’t want to go as far as shipping products from abroad, you can consider Jiji for your dropshipping business, as it focuses specifically on Nigerian retailers and consumers.
There are different categories of items you can find on Jiji, ranging from clothing, vehicles, electronics, food, furniture, and a host of others.
You just need a small amount of capital to start. Then you’ll need to create an account on Jiji, search for items you want to sell, place your orders, and make your payment. It’s as easy as that.
Jumia
Jumia is one of the best and the most popular e-commerce business in Nigeria founded in 2012.
Jumia is widely used in Nigeria and some parts of Africa for the purchase of products online at affordable prices.
Just like other dropshipping platforms, Jumia is also equal to the task when it comes to the wide range of products it offers to retailers and consumers out there at low costs.
So if you’re purchasing from them as a dropshipper, you’ll stand a better chance of making good profits.
And mind you, since Jumia’s headquarter is in Lagos, and with over 20 houses and more than 1,300 drop-off and pick-up stations located in 11 countries, you surely have nothing to worry about in terms of deliveries.
The payment system is not a problem as Jumia makes use of its Payment System Provider (PSP), bank transfer, credit/debit card system, PayPal, etc.
Konga
Konga is the second-largest online marketplace in Nigeria behind Jumia. Just like Jumia, it was also founded in 2012 and also in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Konga offers a wide range of products, which includes fashion, computer accessories, phone accessories, electronics, home appliances, kitchen equipment, fashion, etc.
Konga is suitable for dropshippers due to its easy user interface.
To get started, all you need is to create a Konga account, add your products and start promoting them as a dropshipper.
Once a customer places an order on your website for a particular product, you can easily forward it to Konga, who then ships them directly to you or the customer.
SaleHoo
SaleHoo is another top marketplace for dropshippers (retailers) and wholesalers.
With more than 8000 suppliers and over 2.5 million products, you’re rest assured of enjoying good service delivery from them.
SaleHoo has locations in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, giving access to millions of dropshippers all around the world to access their platform.
SaleHoo offers products at an affordable price, and trusted suppliers who will deliver your orders at a swift rate.
1688
1688 happens to be the biggest and one of the most popular e-commerce marketplaces in China.
The platform is so large that it connects manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers all over the world.
So, if you want to build and enhance your dropshipping business in Nigeria, 1688 should be your go-getter.
Unlike Alibaba and AliExpress, 1688 offers cheaper prices and lower rates.
Well, people have raised issues about the site’s write-up in Chinese, which has made it difficult for foreigners to interpret what’s there. But thanks to the development of Google Translator, you can use it to translate every word so you can discover how their products work.
You can use the search bar to find the product you want to be selling. And if you already have what you want to be dealing with, all you have to do is take a snapshot of it, click on the camera icon located on the search bar, and then upload the picture so the site will help you upload the related search results for what you’ve uploaded.
To start dropshipping on 1688, you have to register. All you need is to click on “Register” > fill in the required information, and click on “Submit”.
If you want to start placing your orders, you just need to search for suppliers that offer the kind of product you’re dealing with, and then contact them for your orders.
How do You then Start Dropshipping Business in Nigeria
You’ve gone through all the 10 best online dropshipping suppliers and you need to start the business, there are tips and steps you need to take:
The first thing is to get the right idea of the type of dropshipping business you intend to do; you know that dropshipping deals on multiple product sales, so some might not be necessarily what you’re interested in.
So you must choose that particular product that you know you have the idea for and are interested in. This is the best way to kick-start.
The next step is to get a supplier; now, this is where you’ll have to choose from the 10 best online dropshipping suppliers which I’ve highlighted for you above. You should check the platform that’ll be suitable for you.
Merge your e-commerce site with your chosen dropshipping platform supplier; if you want to start dropshipping, you should know that you need to have an e-commerce site. This will practically enable you to merge your site with the platform you’ve chosen as your supplier.
Some platforms like Jumia and Konga are easier to merge because you’re already operating in Nigeria. Others depend on the available resources you have because they’re mostly Chinese companies.
Start marketing your business; now this is the final continuous stage for you. Once everything is now set, you can now start promoting your business through social media marketing platforms, and other marketing tools available.
Conclusion
Dropshipping business has proven to be the best form of retail business for people at the moment.
It’s easier and quicker, and most especially convenient cos it’s something you can do anywhere you are without the need of owning a shop.
With the best online dropshipping suppliers already in place, you can also decide to sign up as a freelance dropshipper and earn your daily income.
There are popular freelance sites for you such as Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, Dropshipping One, Truelancer, etc, where you can sign up and get lots of clients.