Im looking to source some glass products for my shop but I hadnt considered just how much prices can vary between suppliers for the same item. Im finding some really nice options at good prices but others are charging quite a bit for what is basically the same thing. Im not sure if its the seller's markup, customization or quality that influences this.

Ive checked a few online stores and marketplaces like alibaba and dhgate. They seem to have a much wider selection when you look beyond local retailers. Ive only ever done overseas shipping once before but when it comes to glass, packaging and shipping make a big difference.

Right now Im more interested in finding suppliers with a decent variety of products and ideally an option for buying smaller quantities rather than a bulk order. Im wondering if there is anyone who's bought glass products, how do you compare prices before landing a steady supplier?

I run a newer Shopify watch store selling affordable watches and luxury brands like Seiko, Bulova, etc. I’ve gotten some sales, but nothing consistent yet, and I’m trying to figure out what’s working for other small stores.

Currently running Meta sales ads optimized for purchases at $13 a day. One ad set with watch and fashion interests and two creatives—a video and a single image. The current offer is buy one, get the second 50% off, with free shipping.

I’m mainly curious:

• Are you getting better results with broad Advantage+ audiences or specific interests?
• What’s working best for creative—product videos, customer-style videos, images or carousels?
• How much do you spend before deciding an ad needs changing?
• What cost per purchase are you seeing, and roughly what’s your average order value?

Would especially appreciate hearing from people selling watches or similar accessories on smaller budgets. Trying to learn how to get consistent profitable orders before throwing more money at it as I am selling but a lot of my sales vs profit are thin after ad spend.

When I worked in the dropshipping business, I frequently heard sellers—those processing 30–50 orders a day—complain that shipping rates from YunExpress were too high.

I used to argue that "our shipping channels are more stable," but in truth, the price difference often deterred many sellers. For stores with a steady, mid-range volume of orders, profit margins are everything.

I’ve recently joined a new team, and we’ve established partnerships with Yanwen and RD Shipping, allowing us to secure better shipping rates for packages bound for the U.S. The results have been excellent, and the feedback from our clients has been very positive.

Take a standard 100-gram package, for example; here is the comparison in shipping costs:

- Yanwen / RD Shipping: $5.96

- YunExpress: $6.38

This translates to a saving of at least $0.50 per order, with comparable delivery times. When you’re handling 30–50 orders a day—or even more—these savings really add up; this advantage becomes especially critical during peak seasons.

If you’re struggling with shipping costs to the U.S., or if you have any questions regarding the stability of shipping routes, tracking, or transport restrictions, feel free to leave a comment below—let’s discuss!

Im not from there

I’m currently building a small ecommerce store and I’m trying to understand how experienced sellers manage the supplier/agent side after they start getting consistent orders.

Right now I’m talking directly with Alibaba/1688 suppliers for different products, and I’ve also found a private fulfillment agent in China who can fulfill orders one by one and later integrate with my Shopify store.

A few things I’m trying to understand:

1. Once you have a private agent, do you normally still communicate directly with the factory/supplier, or does the agent handle most supplier communication?
2. If I find a good product/supplier myself, should I just send the Alibaba link/specifications to the agent and ask them to source the same product?
3. At what order volume does it make sense to negotiate directly with the factory instead of letting the agent source everything?
4. How do you prevent the agent from sourcing a cheaper/lower-quality version of the product? Do you normally send samples, specifications, photos, packaging requirements, etc.?
5. Who normally handles QC before shipment: the supplier, the private agent, or both?
6. How do experienced sellers negotiate pricing? Do you compare the supplier's factory price + shipping against the agent's all-in fulfillment price?
7. If you sell multiple products from different factories, does the agent usually consolidate everything in their warehouse and fulfill orders from there?
8. What are the biggest red flags when working with a private fulfillment agent in China?

I’m mostly interested in hearing how people actually structure this once they move past the very first orders, especially from anyone running a multi-product/niche store rather than a single-product store.

How? It’s been around a while. It can get a bit confusing starting off. What is the most straight line way to get to a decent point. All help greatly appreciated.

To put things into context I’ve found suppliers and understood right now I’m in a position to be an agent. But how would I go one step further to actually become a drop shipper.

Is this a common thing by any chance? Finisubf toue self having all the knowledge and resources but not knowing the. Next steps to take. Kinda interesting.

I need a fulfillment service recommendation, with good quality products and fast delivery

17, doing online school, thinking about going all in on dropshipping. Been studying/following this space since I was 14, so I know it's not a get rich quick thing takes real time and effort to actually work.
Few questions: Is $2,000 capital enough to start properly? Do you think a mentor's worth it at this stage or should I just start testing first? And for anyone who's been through it, what are the big mistakes or traps that make people fail early that I should watch out for. Cheers

Been seeing this lately. Really curious about it. Wondering if anyone else is using it for their brands. Emails, ad accounts, creative strategists etc.

If anyone uses it, would love to hear more about it.

I ran an ecom store selling dog accessories around 5/6 years ago. I actually found some really great initial traction. My first month I did £10k revenue with around 5k profit.

For a while it felt magical, but then the shipping complaints came flooding in…

As a decent human being I couldn’t keep it up, the continuous loop of letting customers down. It felt wrong.

So, like many… I gave up. I wish I didn’t.

Fast forward 6 years and I’m looking into building a new ecom brand to support the arrival of my first child expected Dec 2026. Something I can set up for my partner to run from home, during her maternity.

I value building real brands, real reputation & trust. From the people out there who have managed this I’d love to know:

- how did you solve the shipping delay problem?

- what tools/suppliers out there can help me with the problems I’m describing

- overall advise for restarting dropshipping in 2026/27

If you’re still operating a successful business using dropshipping, I’d really value your feedback. Please help me get back in the game, without copying the same rubbish method the YouTube gurus preach.

Thanks!

Is it common for sellers on alibaba to scam?
I know to purchase with trade assurance, but I have had 2 sellers tell me they want to change the delivery address to another address to save on taxes but it will still be shipped to my address ??

I don't know if this is like a way for them to make it so trade assurance isn't gonna allow me to get a refund or if its legit. pleeeeaseee help 💔

Hey everyone!
I’m currently running a dress/clothing dropshipping business and I’m looking for a reliable China-based sourcing and fulfilment agent who can handle the entire process from receiving orders to shipping directly to my customers.
I’m specifically looking for an agent who can do the following:
1. Reliable order fulfilment and shipping
Receive/source dresses from platforms such as Taobao and other Chinese suppliers.
Process orders and dispatch them to customers in a timely manner.
Ideally, offer reasonable international shipping times and reliable tracking.
Handle individual customer orders rather than requiring me to purchase and store large quantities of inventory upfront.
2. Custom branded packaging (this is the main thing I’m looking for!)
I want to create a more polished, recognisable brand experience without spending a fortune on packaging.
Think of the experience you get when ordering from brands like SHEIN, Zara, Cider, PrettyLittleThing, or Lululemon. Obviously, these brands have different packaging styles, but the general idea is that your order arrives looking intentional and branded, rather than like a random parcel from a wholesale marketplace.
For example, I’d love to have:
Clean, minimal, aesthetically pleasing outer mailers rather than the typical messy-looking shipping bags that some Taobao orders arrive in.
Custom-branded inner garment bags or sleeves with my brand name/logo printed on them.
Ideally, neat folding and presentation so the dress looks like an actual retail product when the customer opens the package.
The option to customise packaging without needing to order thousands of units upfront.
I’m not looking for luxury packaging, expensive rigid boxes, or anything extravagant. Simple, affordable, minimal packaging that makes the product feel like it belongs to a real fashion brand would be perfect.
3. Affordable pricing and low MOQs
I’m still growing my business, so I’m looking for someone who can offer cost-effective packaging, sourcing, handling and fulfilment. I’d prefer to start with relatively small quantities or low minimum order requirements and scale up as the business grows.
I’m also interested in whether you can source packaging locally in China, print custom logos on garment bags, or offer other affordable private-label packaging options.
If you work with an agent who offers these services, or you have experience using one yourself, I’d really appreciate any recommendations!
If you’re an agent yourself, feel free to comment or DM me with your services, pricing, minimum order quantities, shipping options and examples of your custom packaging.
Thanks! :)

Hello i have been trying to Learn dropshipping for about three months now. Learning something about how to make my website on shopify was reletively easily and not many struggles. However i keep getting stuck at making ads for the last 2.5 months. Today i tought i would try it with higgsfield and claude together. That failed terribly it made about 8 videos ads spend almost all my credits on my newly obtained plus account and not a single ad was even close to usable.

Now my question is how do people make good ads i know it is hard for everybody but it feels like i am running into a steel wall. Also i should add i am selling in a non english speaking country so the voices have also been one of my main struggles even with using elevenlabs.

Thanks for reading and thanks for the help in advance.

Hi everyone!

I’m a beginner looking to start a Shopify dropshipping business in Africa, specifically from Benin.

I’m trying to figure out which payment gateways actually work for African entrepreneurs selling products online, both locally and internationally.

Besides PayPal and Cash on Delivery (COD), what payment methods or payment gateways would you recommend?

I’m particularly interested in:

• Payment gateways available to entrepreneurs based in Africa.

• Solutions that support Shopify integration.

• Options for accepting international payments (USD, EUR, etc.).

• Alternatives such as Paystack, Flutterwave, or other reliable providers.

• Any solutions that work for someone living in Benin, even with a US LLC.

If you’re currently running a Shopify store from Africa, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience, including which payment gateway you use and any difficulties you faced during setup or verification.

Thanks in advance for your help!

I already know the basics of organic dropshipping, like finding products, building a Shopify store, posting TikToks and Reels, testing hooks, etc.
What I’m really looking for is the stuff you don’t usually hear about in YouTube tutorials. The little tricks, lessons, and mistakes you only learn from actually doing it.
For example:
How do you come up with new video ideas when you’ve already tried a bunch of different angles?
If a video gets good views but no sales, what do you usually change first?
How do you know when a product isn’t worth testing anymore, instead of just giving up too early?
Have you found that posting more videos actually makes a difference, or is it more about the quality and the idea behind them?
What metrics do you pay attention to besides views and likes?
If one video does well, do you try to recreate it with different hooks, or do you move on to a new idea?
What’s something small you changed on your product page or store that surprisingly helped you get more sales?
Do you think filming your own content is a big advantage, or can supplier videos work just as well if you edit them properly?
Are there any underrated ways to get people from your videos to actually visit your store and buy something?
What’s the biggest mistake you made when starting out that you wish someone had warned you about?
I’m also curious about how you approach your first few weeks with a new product. Do you have a specific system for testing content, or do you just keep experimenting until something works?
I’m not expecting anyone to share some magic trick that guarantees sales. I just want to hear about things that have genuinely helped you, especially stuff you learned through trial and error rather than from watching tutorials.
Even if it’s just one small tip that made a difference for you, I’d love to hear it. And if something you tried completely failed, that’s useful to know too.
Thanks!

I try everything to found winning product in Amazon but nothing works and can you tell me what is sign of a winning product in Amazon.
Is it true that if you found a lot of of sale in october 2026 it is a sign of winning product true or false in Canada or worldwide.

Hi! I am looking for crazy, mind-blowing examples of Shopify store designs. I have been struggling with the design for a while. I want to see whether there are advanced level, crafted, unique example stores. If you know any, could you please share some links? Thanks in advance!

Most cases get opened because the buyer felt ignored or confused, not because something went massively wrong. A decent message at the right time sorts most of it. This is what I go by now (and what my VA works from).

Golden rules

* Reply fast. Same day at the latest. Silence is what makes buyers open cases

* Keep everything in eBay messages. If it turns into a case, eBay can see you tried

The obvious stuff

* Stay polite even when they aren't. Someone at eBay might read it

* Answer what they actually asked, not a template

* Offer a fix in your first reply: replacement, refund or return

* Give a timeframe. "I'll update you by tomorrow" beats "looking into it"

* Don't argue over small amounts. A case costs you more

The not so obvious stuff

* Message them first if tracking looks stuck

* Warn them up front it might arrive in different packaging or with a different courier

* Not as described? Ask for a photo politely, then actually sort it

* Make returns easy. I start the return on Amazon and send them the QR code

* "I'll open a case"? Don't get defensive, just say what you're doing and when

* Tweak your saved replies. Use their name and mention the item

* Check messages at weekends. Saturday messages left until Monday went worst for me

* Same question keeps coming up? Fix the listing, not the reply

None of this is clever, it's just being quicker and clearer than the buyer expects. I learnt it the hard way in the first few months.

If you want to chat about this stuff with other eBay dropshippers, I run a small free Discord where we help each other out daily: https://discord.gg/phb7EVQE62

Happy to answer questions in the comments too :)