Those with an online business may be a little cautious about using affiliate marketing on their site. However, if utilized correctly, affiliate marketing can be a great way to make money online. This blog will outline the things you need to keep in mind when considering posting affiliate links with your online business.

First! An overview of Affiliate Marketing. Affiliate marketing is the process through which an independent company, such as an online business selling various types of jewelry, advertises another site and then earns commission on the sales thus generated. You are not selling the actual product, you are simply posting a banner and some images on your website, and when anyone from your site clicks on this link and makes a purchase, you will earn a percentage of the profits. Immediately you can see the problem some people have with this: it redirects traffic from your website, and you lose money. This is why I am here to explain about how to use this process for your benefit: to make money online, not lose it.
Second! Consider the affiliate as your competition. You are trying to sell products online through your website, you don’t need the affiliate link to distract your customer! For example, the website in question is a jewelry site, selling many different types of jewelry. If you are going to place an affiliate link on your site, it should be for a site that does not have as great as variety as you, or else none of those customers will purchase from your site, but rather from your competitor! This is how people lose money with affiliate marketing.
Third! Choose an affiliate that compliments your site. If you are selling jewelry, a great affiliate for your site would be something like beads, handbags, belts, and other accessories. Placing a link in these categories on your site will expand your site’s marketability without directing your customers to a site that is in direct competition as yours.

Utilizing the affiliate marketing area of online business can be extra income for your business with virtually no effort. Following these steps will ensure that your site is still profitable through the process.

affiliate programs, internet marketing, make money online, online business

People who have just started to find dropshippers for the products they want to sell online may come across the term “wholesale dropshipper” and wonder what exactly that means.

Well, the process begins with a manufacturer. This company makes a certain product line and will wholesale those products to legitimate businesses who are looking to resell these items. For some products, like salon and spa products, or medical items, the manufacturer or wholesaler will only sell them to those who have a brick-and-mortar location, or a retail site. Some companies will even require that you own a salon or a medical practice in order to sell their products! This type of information is important to recognize when you are beginning to find products to sell online.

So… you find a manufacturing/wholesale company that you would like to work with, but you cannot possibly fufill their wholesale requirements and hold that kind of inventory on your own… you need a dropshipper! A wholesale dropshipper is a manufacturing or wholesaling company that will hold the products for you, allow you to resell them online, and then ship them directly to your customers, thus making your online business inventory-less. These companies will generally give you the wholesale price that is offered to those who buy in bulk!

This sounds like a dream come true… right?

While there is a lot of hype about wholesale dropshippers, I am sorry to say that these companies are fairly rare. Due to the nature of dropshipping and the extra costs/work it requires of the supplier, there tend to be many differences in pricing between wholesaling and dropshipping. However, the best way to find these wholesale dropshippers, aside from using Wholesale Match of course, is to attend trade shows where you can negotiate personally with wholesale manufacturers.

Understanding the many types of suppliers out there will make you a more dropshipper-savvy business owner. Once you decide what products you would like to sell, go ahead and get started with us at Wholesale Match, and we will venture into the great unknown to find you true dropshippers.

dropshippers, finding suppliers, selling products online, wholesale

Rite Aid has just launched a new online website. Rite Aid is so excited they are offering a 30% discount on Rite Aid Brand health products with coupon code RiteAid30 (expires 2/28/09)

Also receive free shipping on any order over $25!

WholesaleMatch not only is a great place to find products to sell for profit, but also a great place to know where to find the best deals. We find new wholesale type deals everyday.

How many of you knew that Rite Aid didn’t even have a web store until now? We can help you be in touch with the deals of the world.

selling products online

If you are reading this blog, you have already taken the first step towards finding dropshippers with our wholesale free trial. Wholesale Match has one of the best dropshipper directories out there, and our one-of-a-kind Research Team sends you the dropshippers you couldn’t find yourself.

So what’s the problem?   

You’ve got these great resources at your disposal, but you’re still having trouble finding dropshippers for the products you want to sell online.

Here are some steps you should take when evaluating and contacting the dropshippers you find.  This is very important, because although we stand behind the quality of the suppliers we help you find, every business is different, and you need to decide whether or not each supplier is right for your online business.

1. Check out the dropshipper’s site:
   • Look at their range of products.
     • Does the company have multiple products that you would be able to use, or just one?  This could be important to you if you do not like the idea of having to source your products from many different suppliers.
   • Look at their company information.
     • Does the dropshipper seem professional?  How long have they been in business?  Usually the more legit companies will also have a phone number for you to contact them, but you can also correspond by email.
     • Do they have wholesale or dropshipping information right on their site?  Look closely at these pages for the information I will discuss below.  If this page does not exist, you will need to call and speak to someone personally about their company.
2. Call and speak to someone in charge:
   • Once you are on the phone, keep in mind that there are still many people out there who do not understand dropshipping, or who have not even heard of dropshipping!  This means you will need to explain the basic process of dropshipping to the company to see if they are interested.  Here are some important things to ask:
     • Do you have a dropshipping fee that is in addition to shipping charges?
     • Do you have wholesale pricing for dropship orders?
     • Do you ship internationally?
     • Do you require a Tax ID or a Resale License?
3. Decide!

• • Now is decision time.  Consider all the information you just learned about this dropshippers.  What are your options?  Is this a good fit for you?

Sorting through the dropshippers you find with Wholesale Match will allow you to make better business decisions.  Carefully evaluating the suppliers you find is smart, and a great way to expand your online business.  Happy searching!

dropshippers, dropshipping, finding suppliers, online business, product research blog, dropshipping, free trial, online business, wholesale

Many who are new to dropshipping are surprised at the differences in costs between dropshipping and wholesaling.  When are you starting to sell products online, it is important to be aware of the different pricing involved in dropshipping, so you can acurately set up your online business to make profits.

Here are some of the major differences between the costs involved in dropshipping and wholesaling…

Dropship Fees:

Dropshipping fees are fairly common among dropshippers, and here’s why – because the company is allowing you to resell their product without purchasing in bulk, like wholesalers do, they are forced to ship out their products one-by-one to each of your individual customers.  Therefore, they will place a small fee, either per item shipped or per address shipped to, in order to make up the difference it costs them to ship out their products individually, which is not as desirable to them as wholesalers who make large orders every time.

Wholesale versus Retail Pricing:

When you contact a dropshipper, make sure to ask whether or not they give wholesale pricing to people who want to dropship their products.  Suppliers sell at wholesale prices for those who purchase in bulk.  However, there are many dropshippers out there who will give you wholesale pricing on a dropship basis!  But keep in mind that there are also many companies out there that will tack on 10%-20% on the wholesale price for dropship orders, because those orders are not a profitable to them.

These added expenses are the cost of having an inventory-less online business!  Acknowledging the fact that these costs are fairly common will ensure that you will not be surprised by so called “hidden fees” tacked on by your dropshippers.

Also, here are some things to keep in mind that may allow you to receive discounts from your suppliers:

• Having a Tax ID or EIN number:  Suppliers like dealing with businesses that are federally registered.
• Making a lot of sales:  If you generate a company lots of revenue through your site by selling their products like crazy, they will be more willing to lower their prices.

I hope this allows all of you out there be more mindful of the pricing differences between dropshipping and wholesaling when you are trying to sell products online!

dropshipping, pricing and profits, selling products online

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Go directly to Dells (www.dell.com) website and remember to use the coupon code. This coupon will only work for Inspiron Laptops over $899.

Wholesalematch provides daily coupon codes for some of the top name brand products. You will find so many wholesale and dropship deals when you subscribe.

pricing and profits, selling products online, wholesale blog, name brand products, website, wholesale

A dropshipping business is a great way to make money online.  Whether you are setting up a store on eBay or creating your own site, you have many options to increase your business’ money making ability.  Today I will be going over the basics of these various dropshipping ventures that you can set up as a home based business. 

Throughout the economic turmoil that Americans have been put through recently, it’s even more important for you to consider a home based business.  This type of employment has many benefits, in that you can create your own hours, spend more time at home with family, and you can control how much you will earn WITHOUT having to worry about being laid-off!  This financial certainty will bring a sense of security and well being into your life that will be greatly beneficial.

Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of a home based business, we can now move on to the nitty gritty details of getting your dropshipping business started.

Here are some important steps to think about:

How much time, energy and money can you invest in a dropshipping business?

–  Answering this question can help you decide the basic format of your business:

• If you are looking for something more casual, less time consuming, that costs less money, does not require federal identification, and will not require that you set up a business… you are looking at an EBAY BASED HOME BUSINESS.
• However, if you are able to spend time and money setting up a business entity, creating a web site, and marketing your site… you are looking at an ONLINE DROPSHIPPING BUSINESS.

Your eBay Home Based Business:

– Here are some basics to consider about creating your eBay business:

• With an eBay business, you can sell when and where you like, with virtually no start up fees or investements needed to begin.
• This type of venture will allow you to sell products online through dropshipping or wholesaling.  Learn more about which option is best for you in this blog, Dropshipping or Wholesale for your Home-Based Business?
• With your Wholesale Match membership, you will have access to our education section that has a vast series of videos teaching you how to set up a dropshipping business with eBay.  And don’t forget to read Mani’s blog about our Daily Deals section, which is also an eBay resource.
• There are some DISADVANTAGES to an eBay business:  Finding suppliers for the products you want to sell can be tough, you may have a great amount of competition, and it can be difficult to establish a large profit margin with the products you sell (because some dropshippers give better discounts to those with an online business and a Tax ID).

Your ONLINE BUSINESS:

– Here are some important things to consider when starting an Online Businesss:

• You will need to pick a name for your business, decide what type of business entity to create (a sole-proprietorship, a limited-liability corporation, etc), and register through the appropriate State and Federal channels for a Tax ID.  All of this busy work will be profitable for you in the end, because your customers and suppliers will know that you are a true business entity and that you can provide the appropriate information for them to check you out.
• You will need to get your website set up!  This will include choosing a web-hosting company to register with.  Creating and marketing your site can be tricky for those who are unfamiliar with the process, and you may want to consider hiring a professional to create your site for you.  For more information on setting up your webite, or marketing help, check out this section of our blog:  Website Design / Help.
• You will need to find dropshippers for the products you would like to sell!  Because you now own your own online business, you will also be eligable to use affiliate marketing to make even more money from your site.  Wholesale Match can find you various suppliers for the products you would like to sell.
• Keep in mind that this option will require a considerable amount of investment.  However, in the long run, this option will be more financially beneficial!

Remember, whatever path you choose, a dropshipping business is a great way to attain financial freedom and security in this time of economic uncertaintity.  If you begin your online venture with selling on eBay, you can always work your way towards the top and create your own online business!

Whichever way you choose to sell products online, Wholesale Match is here to educate you and help you find the dropshippers that will be most beneficial for your home based business.  Good luck, and don’t be afraid to send any questions you may have my way.

alyssa@theshipper.com

dropshipping, eBay, home based business, internet marketing, online business, selling products online, website design / help affiliate marketing, e-commerce business, eBay, home based business, make money from home, online business, selling products, tax id, website, wholesale

Everyone recognizes brand names like: Nike, Reebok, Prada, Gucci, Rolex, Craftsman, Sony, Ipod, and thousands more high end quality name brands. These brands have been around for years and there’s definitely a demand for them. If these brands are so popular, and you can see them being sold all over the internet including eBay why is it so hard to find a dropshipping supplier for such products?

Not to say that it can’t be done, or that Wholesale Match won’t try it’s hardest to find a source for the exact product that you are looking for, name brand or not. Sometimes there are just certain restrictions implemented by the manufacturers that do not allow their products to be sold by just anyone. Here are some reasons that it is difficult to find dropshipping suppliers for large name brands.

1. These manufacturers spend millions of dollars on marketing to get people to purchase their product, and it works. They sell billions of dollars a year worth of product through their authorized brick and mortar retailers, and a select few websites. The question is; why would a manufacturer need to have dropshipping distributors help sell their products? They are doing just fine on their own!

2. If every new website that wanted to sell large name brands and was able to get the latest and greatest from dropshipping suppliers, it would compromise the value of the product. The authorized retailers pay a lot of money to have exclusive rights to a certain product.

3. The value of the items themselves would be driven way down because everyone selling the product would try and offer the lowest price, and undercut everyone else.

Of course you will find drop shippers mainly from overseas that say they offer many name brands at ridiculously cheap prices, but as we have discussed before in a previous post; Dropshipping Products that Sell Online… from China, these products are not always authentic and could be replicas. There are some Drop shippers though that carry authentic product but they are usually closeout product and after market, so you won’t be selling the latest product to hit the stores it will be from a couple of years ago and you won’t have the variety that you would like. Usually the only option is to contact the manufacturer and see what requirements they have for you to meet in order to resell their product. It may require that you purchase in large bulk wholesale from them which could cost thousands of dollars.

Wholesale Match has access to thousands of drop shippers and a lot of them have great quality products, some are new to the market and are looking to be the next big hit. Be one of few to be selling these new up and coming brands when they get noticed and strike it big. If you have not been on our site check us out and sign up for the wholesale free trial. You won’t regret it.

Mani
mani@wholesalematch.com

dropshipping, finding suppliers, product research, selling products online brand names, dropshipping, eBay, find products, finding products, finding suppliers, hard to find products, name brand products, product research

There are deals everywhere during these tough economic times. Be a smart shopper, look for deals and do not buy on impulse.

WholesaleMatch.com offers a “Daily Deals” section where we post roughly 50 great deals everyday. You will find great wholesale prices.

Here is a great deal we found today.

Target has the Philips 42PFL3603D27 42” LCD HDTV for $698. That is after a $202 instant discount, which is 22% off the $900 list price. This deal is only available at the store, so call ahead.

Wholesalematch will provide you many deals every day. You could buy these products for yourself or sell them to another customer for a profit.

Sign up for a wholesale free trial and get access to all our wholesale daily deals. We will save you… and make you thousands of dollars a year.

Stay tuned to our next great deal.

pricing and profits, wholesale wholesale products

So… today is Friday the 13th, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day AND the beginning of the NBA All-Star events, and this Monday is President’s Day.  What can this holiday and event-packed weekend teach us about finding and choosing products to sell online?

Three-day weekends are home to some of the best discounts and sales both online and in-stores.  These times are a great opportunity to generate revenue for your dropshipping business by giving special discounts, free shipping, and other promotional items.  People love sales, and they will flock to your online store if you make the effort to pull them in!  These tips are also beneficial to those who are just selling on eBay.

Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th, Valentine’s Day, NBA All-Star events, and President’s Day:

Adding Holiday and Current Events products to your dropshipping site can be greatly beneficial.  However, I am not suggesting that you drop your current ventures and switch to all-holiday merchandise!  This would place you in competition with thousands of stores who are already doing the same thing, and probably better than you could do it too.  Here are some tips that can help you take advantage of holidays and other events:

• Research:  Looking ahead to what major events are coming up will keep you on the ball.  Check out other sites to see what people are starting to advertise, and don’t forget to check eBay often to see what’s selling.
• Add Products:  Once you find out what events look like good business to you, find dropshippers and products and start selling!  Adding these products to your current niche will keep your current customers while attracting new ones who are interested in your promotional items.
• Promotions and Sales:  Holidays are a great time to create extra revenue by offering discounts like a certain percentage off of some items or free shipping.  This is necessary because many sites will be doing promotions, and you need to keep your site competitive with the rest!  These discounts could be the deciding factor for some customers between buying from you, and not buying from you.

These current events can be a huge resource for your online business, if you choose to take advantage of it!  Use these suggestions wisely, and start making more money with your dropshipping business.  Don’t forget that we can help you find the dropshippers you are looking for… all you need to do is ask!  Good luck.

Alyssa

alyssa@theshipper.com

dropshipping, online business, product research, selling products online dropshipping, find products, finding products, holidays