Dropshipping Supplier Sourcing and Vetting 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When evaluating a supplier on AliExpress, which metric is most important for judging order fulfillment reliability?
- Order fulfillment rate and positive feedback score (Correct answer)
- Number of product images
- Store banner design
- How many countries they ship to
Correct answer: Order fulfillment rate and positive feedback score
A high order fulfillment rate and positive feedback score indicate consistent shipping and product quality from the supplier.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes a 'private label' dropshipping arrangement?
- A supplier manufactures a product under your own brand name (Correct answer)
- Reselling products listed on Amazon
- Buying overstock from retail stores
- Using print-on-demand for custom shirts
Correct answer: A supplier manufactures a product under your own brand name
Private label dropshipping involves a supplier making products branded under your store's name, increasing perceived value and brand differentiation.
Question 3: What is 'blind dropshipping' as it relates to supplier agreements?
- Shipping without including the supplier's branding or contact info (Correct answer)
- Shipping products without tracking numbers
- Using an anonymous payment method
- Hiding profit margins from the customer
Correct answer: Shipping without including the supplier's branding or contact info
Blind dropshipping means the supplier ships packages without identifying themselves, so customers only see the retailer's branding.
Question 4: Which of these is a red flag when vetting a potential dropship supplier?
- They charge ongoing monthly fees just to access their catalog (Correct answer)
- They offer a free sample upon request
- They have an established return policy
- They respond to inquiries within 24 hours
Correct answer: They charge ongoing monthly fees just to access their catalog
Legitimate dropship suppliers typically do not charge recurring fees just to browse their catalog — this is a common scam tactic.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of negotiating a 'dropship fee' with a supplier?
- To cover the cost of individual order fulfillment and packaging (Correct answer)
- To get a bulk discount on wholesale pricing
- To reserve inventory exclusively for your store
- To access premium product images
Correct answer: To cover the cost of individual order fulfillment and packaging
A dropship fee (or per-order fee) compensates the supplier for the extra effort of picking, packing, and shipping individual orders.
Question 6: Which approach helps a dropshipper avoid stockout issues caused by supplier inventory changes?
- Using inventory sync tools or apps that update stock levels automatically (Correct answer)
- Manually checking the supplier website daily
- Only selling one product
- Advertising only seasonal items
Correct answer: Using inventory sync tools or apps that update stock levels automatically
Inventory sync tools automatically pull live stock data from suppliers, preventing you from selling products that are out of stock.
Dropshipping Supplier Sourcing and Vetting 2
When evaluating a supplier on AliExpress, which metric is most important for judging order fulfillment reliability?