The dropshipping agent is a professional who is now very much in demand by dropshippers. He plays a very important role in the international trade sector. How to collaborate efficiently with a dropshipping agent to succeed in your business?
What should I know about dropshipping agents?
It is a professional who acts as an intermediary between a wholesale supplier and a customer. Most of the time, the said customer is also a merchant reseller. The dropshipping agent allows to break the language barrier between the interlocutors. Most of the time, the supply is done in China. It is therefore difficult to exchange with a Chinese supplier, if not in Chinese. Thanks to the agent, the exchanges are more fluid and fast.
In addition to being an intermediary of exchanges, he is also a negotiator. He helps his client to obtain better purchase prices. The customer can thus benefit from discounts ranging from 5% to 10% and sometimes more. A dropshipping agent is also very useful and efficient in organizing the different orders. This facilitates their delivery in a short time. As far as the quality of the products to be ordered is concerned, the intermediary between the dropshipper and the supplier is the one in charge of checking them. To personalize the packaging of the ordered items, it is also your dropshipping agent who helps you.
How to work with a dropshipping agent?
To collaborate with the dropshipping agent, you must base your exchanges on your needs and expectations. During your exchanges, you must clearly present your activity to your agent. Don't forget to mention what is your commercial niche. This will help the agent to have a clear idea of what you are used to selling.
Also, these exchanges help him to anticipate on some products that could improve the customer experience. The main bridge between a dropshipping agent and you is the orders. To place your orders, it is to the agent that you address yourself using a CSV type table. It is important that the order table is written in English.
One of the most important points that determine the success of a collaboration with a dropshipping agent is the payment. Of course, you have to pay for two services. The first is undoubtedly the service of your agent and the second is the orders placed. It is important to agree on the method of payment since the fees applied are not standard. Among the multitude of existing payment methods, one of the most reliable is PayPal. However, there are other transfer apps that are just as reliable.
What are the different types of sourcing agents in dropshipping?
You hear about sourcing agents as well and you may wonder if it is a different concept. It is actually a term that also refers to dropshipping agent. China is now one of the main destinations for dropshipping. We find more on the market, Chinese sourcing agents, but also those of other nationalities. The particularity is, at the same time, the limit encountered because of the Chinese agents who operate only in China. The others on the other hand, as it is the case of the French dropshipping agents, master several languages and several other markets.
Choosing a Chinese dropshipping agent is advantageous when you are sure to be able to source from China. However, the choice of a versatile agent should not be neglected. Indeed, a versatile agent allows you to survey several other markets to get the best products at the best prices.
To do this, you must not lose sight of your target niche. A versatile dropshipping agent scans markets like Turkey, Dubai, etc. for you. In other Asian countries such as India, dropshipping agents are on the rise. The service offered is efficient and the prices are very competitive, from purchase to import. Japan is also represented by its agents who are making their mark in the high-quality electronics sector.
The advantages of working with a dropshipping agent
Having a dropshipping agent offers you the opportunity to acquire your items at very affordable prices and therefore advantageous. This allows you to put forward convincing commercial arguments in order to make a good turnover. But above all, the most advantageous is obviously the interesting profit that you manage to make.
Another advantage of partnering with a dropshipping agent is the delivery time. This is also one of the criteria that determine whether your agent is effective. A good dropshipping agent most often manages to achieve short and timely delivery times.
The distance between suppliers and customers when it comes to dropshipping or online business is a factor that does not offer the assurance of product quality. The dropshipping agent intervenes on this point. According to the customer's needs, he will prospect and find the best offer in terms of quality/price ratio. To achieve this, he makes physical visits to the target factories.
Thus, on the basis of several criteria, it selects the appropriate supplier. These criteria include, on the one hand, ecological commitment, compliance with standards, company values, etc. On the other hand, we list the respect of the processes and the character of the structure.
On the other hand, repackaging is the customization of the packaging from the supplier's factory. This is an important asset you have to stand out in your business, and this is thanks to your dropshipping agent. The language can be changed as much as possible and you can also add tips and tricks for additional consumer satisfaction.
The limits of a partnership with a dropshipping agent
The cost of an agent's services is relatively high because of the agent's demands. Aware of his importance first and his efficiency second, the sourcing agent can be a little too sure of himself and imposing.
At the same time, it can happen that you choose an agent who is not very competent. In this case, you lose money, time and even customers. An inefficient agent fails to deliver orders on time. Also, the probability of receiving counterfeit goods is quite high. It can happen that you are a victim of a scam.
In the worst case, illegal substances such as drugs can be introduced into the orders. When the agent is solicited, the customer does not have a direct follow-up of his orders and therefore the risk is present and imminent. Therefore, one must be very careful when choosing a dropshipping agent.
How to find a dropshipping agent?
Finding an agent is not an easy task, especially when you are new to the field. They tend to work with experienced clients. Most of the time, the Chinese language is the one most spoken by the agents. Therefore, finding one who is fluent in English is a bit difficult.
For an easier search, it is recommended to invest in dropshipping agent search sites. These sites are indeed catalogs where several categories of agents are referenced. Indicators such as feedback or ranking of the best agents guide the choice.
Before choosing the agent who seems to be the most reliable, it is necessary to carry out a small test before. This test consists of contacting several potential collaborators by messaging in English. Do not limit yourself to one agent at a time. Save time and try to contact most of the ones you are interested in.
The right agent is responsive, speaks good English, appears to know the market and makes proposals. He gets you good prices and delivery times. He works with all your recommendations in mind. In practice, you can clearly see that there is a conformity between the profile put forward and the service offered.
Where to find the best dropshipping agents?
Start with social networks, especially Facebook. More than just entertainment, Facebook is a powerful online business hub. Just run the search and wait for feedback. The social network has a large number of sourcing agents within it. You can also direct your search to dropshipping groups. Don't get distracted either and be very careful, so you don't fall victim to a scam.
There are also platforms such as Fiverr, 5euros, Upwork and many others, on which it is possible to find a dropshipping agent. On the Comeup platform, the particularity is that you are offered to select the agent who would best meet your expectations for your business.
Today, the dropshipping sector is booming and is of great interest to many. Although the Chinese agents dominate the market, the revolution is more and more French speaking. Indeed, to facilitate the exchange, the offer of French dropshipping agents is growing.
Dropshipping agent pricing
Generally, a sourcing agent's service fee is determined by the volume of the order. They earn commissions by applying a percentage to the amount of items purchased. The applicable rate varies depending on the quantity of the order and the regularity of the customer. The average rate is 5%, but ranges from 2% to 6%. For smaller items, the commission rate is higher.
The commission is set when the agent succeeds in the first step of the process. This step consists of prospecting the market and selecting suppliers. After contacting the suppliers and communicating what the client is looking for, the amount of the commission is notified to the client.
The service of a dropshipping agent is also invoiced on the principle of hourly rate. It is a question here of taking into account the number of hours worked. This is a billing method that is often used by dropshipping companies. Nevertheless, it is a method that is sometimes not very beneficial, because it happens that the agent works more hours than expected. In this case, the agent will also charge for the extra hours. This inconvenient situation for the stakeholders is mainly justified by the difficulty that the agent has to evaluate his working hours.
If you happen to come across an agent or company that offers a flat feefor their services, do not accept such an arrangement. In reality, the service is owed by the client long before the work begins. It is also a way of doing business that results in neglect of the task by the agent or structure.
Another method of charging for the services of an agent is the mixed payment method. It can be useful for customers who are new to dropshipping or order smaller quantities of goods. The principle of mixed payment is that the customer pays the service fee according to a certain scale. If the quantity ordered exceeds a certain threshold, a commission percentage is applied.
How to become a dropshipping agent?
Before getting into dropshipping as an agent, you need to go through several steps. To begin with, you have to follow training modules on dropshipping. These are designed to help you understand what dropshipping is really all about. As the training progresses, the knowledge deepens.
This knowledge comes in handy when the learner is engaged in research to understand the concepts in a practical way. Secondly, it is essential to learn and master several foreign languages to be a versatile agent. The main languages that are essential to learn are English, Chinese, Arabic and also French.
In addition to language, anyone who aspires to the profession ofdropshipping agent loves computers and likes to travel. He probes and scans the different markets, analyzes the prices offered on each of them and builds an address book. It is easier to have a website to better promote your work. As with any beginning, there are many difficulties. But with a little perseverance and creative ideas, it is quite possible to succeed as a dropshipping agent.
How to work as a dropshipper?
Like the dropshipping business, being a merchant in this field requires a good training that allows you to better master the workings of the sector. Today, there are computerized ways to manage your business online. From the creation of a website to the opening of a virtual store, you can manage your customers in a fluid and automated way.
Working in dropshipping sharpens the sales force, the spirit of innovation and the quality of persuasion in those who practice it. You have to be constantly on the lookout for new opportunities in the market. To establish your reputation in the market, work on the marketing strategy in order to reach more people. When you are a beginner in dropshipping, you should start with small orders and know how to target your niche.
Gradually, when the implemented strategy works well, the market expands. You innovate, you adapt to your different customers and with a good collaboration with your sourcing agent, you improve your efficiency. Diversification of your business matters a lot because of the competitive environment that prevails nowadays. Also, the dropshipping sector is more and more coveted, it is wise to target several different niches . Also, several categories of products must be proposed in order to maintain the clientele, but also, to better apprehend the crisis seasons.
Working with a dropshipping agent: summary
Considering all the above, we can say that the dropshipping agent is a professional that a dropshipper merchant necessarily needs. As an intermediary between a wholesale supplier and a reseller, he plays the role of negotiator. By obtaining preferential purchase prices for his client, the dropshipping agent also works to ensure that the orders are delivered within a short time. Being on site, he ensures the quality control of the ordered products.
To work with a dropshipping agent, you must first have a clear idea of what you are looking for. The list of orders must be drawn up with all the specifications, in a file in CSV format. Exchanges are most often done by courier. Generally, the agent is very demanding, because he is aware of his importance and efficiency. It is therefore necessary to have a well-defined roadmap to work with him.
Also, it is very important to be punctual in the payment of service fees. Using an agent is very beneficial, but when you fall on a pseudo agent, you lose money, time and sometimes you risk big problems. There are platforms specially dedicated to help you find the right agent.
