How do you manage product sourcing when starting a small online store?

I decided to run a small online store. Do you prefer finding suppliers yourself, working with platforms like Zendrop, Sellvia, or Spocket, or using a mix of both?
Curious what has worked best for those who've been doing this for a while.

to be honest we all have what we like doing and how active we can be while working just do what every make you feel happy but for me i dont like stress i will just work with platforms and make work easier for me

a mix of both makes sense when starting out. use sourcing platforms to test products, then compare direct suppliers for better pricing always order samples first to check quality nd shipping times

inibupujen890 said:

I decided to run a small online store. Do you prefer finding suppliers yourself, working with platforms like Zendrop, Sellvia, or Spocket, or using a mix of both?
Curious what has worked best for those who've been doing this for a while.

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first, I had conduct demand tests via procurement platform without sinking huge sums of money; when the product proves popular, I'd then get in touch with the suppliers. But keep in mind that you must order the sample first because price is nothing if the quality is poor.

Are you planning to hold inventory or dropship, and which country will most of your customers be in?

khunglong991 said:

Are you planning to hold inventory or dropship, and which country will most of your customers be in?

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That is where I would begin as well since the business model and the target country would play an impact on the shipping prices and margins. When these two factors have been figured out, then everuything else becomes clearer.

I would compare suppliers using a simple scorecard instead of selecting one solely because a platform makes integration easy.

Include sample quality, delivered cost, realistic shipping time, tracking reliability and how disputes are handled. It is also worth testing whether stock information stays accurate during busy periods. A platform can be useful for product discovery, but having a backup supplier for a proven product may reduce operational risk. The right approach will also depend on whether you plan to hold inventory and which country your customers are in.