Drop-shipping

We split the delivery and ship directly to your customers

If your business operates without holding inventory and instead orders products on demand as customer orders come in, this drop-shipping service is ideal for you.

Here’s how it works: You place orders with your supplier, and the products are shipped directly to us. We then split the delivery and ship the items to your end customers. We can also receive goods from multiple suppliers, consolidate them, and repackage them for final delivery. This service is also highly effective for promotional products and bulk mailings.

We specialize in helping e-commerce businesses streamline their logistics and free up time to focus on their core operations. Drop-shipping is one of the many flexible fulfillment solutions we offer.

How does drop-shipping work?

Drop-shipping is a streamlined way to manage logistics for your e-commerce business. Instead of holding inventory yourself, your suppliers store the products and you place orders only when a customer makes a purchase. You can choose to order item by item or collect multiple orders before placing a bulk request with your supplier.

The products are then shipped to our warehouse. From there, we handle the entire fulfillment process: splitting deliveries, picking, packing, and shipping directly to your customers. This means you don’t have to manage logistics yourself.

We take care of everything from start to finish, so you can focus on selling and marketing your products.

How we work with drop-shipping

Our proprietary Warehouse Management System, DreamPack, is fully equipped to support and manage drop-shipping operations. Whether your entire business model is built on drop-shipping, or you choose to apply it to specific products or segments, our system is designed to adapt. Combined with the expertise of our on-site teams, we deliver a high-performance solution that ensures smooth, reliable, and scalable drop-shipping, tailored to your logistics needs.

Here’s how it works

- Sales happen in your own channels, and when it’s time to place an order, you submit a request to your supplier. The order can be uploaded to our WMS either automatically or manually.

- Goods arrive at our warehouse, and we perform standard inbound handling. The exact process and steps are agreed upon during onboarding.

- The products are now in stock and can either be shipped immediately or held until additional items arrive for the same order. This means we can split an order into multiple deliveries or wait to consolidate everything into one shipment. You manage these settings in our Partner Portal, where you can adjust preferences at any time.

- Orders are then shipped directly to your customers.

Benefits of drop-shipping

One major advantage of drop-shipping is the reduced risk of overstock and outdated products. You no longer need to guess which items will sell or how many to order, which helps lower inventory holding costs. Instead, you can operate with a flexible inventory model and quickly adapt your product portfolio based on demand. This approach is especially useful if you want to test a new product category, evaluate a new supplier, or showcase a wider range of products than your capital would otherwise allow.

Here are the five key advantages of drop-shipping:

We’ve listed what we consider the top benefits of using a drop-shipping model.

- Lower initial investment: Since the business doesn’t need to purchase or store products in advance, initial capital requirements are significantly reduced.

- Wider product range: Drop-shipping allows businesses to offer a broader selection of products, as they’re not limited by warehouse space.

- Reduced inventory costs: Drop-shipping eliminates the need to pay for storage-related expenses, such as warehouse space, security, and insurance.

- More efficient delivery: By outsourcing logistics to a third party, businesses can streamline their delivery process and reduce the risk of delays or incorrect deliveries.

- Less labor-intensive: Drop-shipping enables companies to focus on sales and marketing rather than managing logistics and inventory.

Tips for working with drop-shipping

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when choosing to work with a drop-shipping model:

Avoid inventory issues

Since you don’t control the inventory directly, there may be challenges with product quality or delivery delays from your suppliers. Make sure your suppliers understand your business and choose them carefully.

Challenges with returns and refunds

If your business has a higher return rate, you may unintentionally end up holding inventory, even if your model was designed to avoid tying up capital. Ensure your suppliers allow you to return items as needed when your customers send products back.

Prevent delivery problems

Make sure your suppliers have a transparent process and tracking for all shipments. This allows you to monitor the entire delivery flow and respond proactively.

Building customer loyalty

Because customers don’t interact directly with your company, it can be harder to build strong relationships or loyalty. Competitors may offer faster delivery and have better control over their supply chains. Your advantage is your broad product range, just be sure to clearly communicate delivery times and any potential delays to your customers.

Summary

We manage everything from freight booking to delivery confirmation, ensuring a smooth and stress-free logistics experience. Your customers’ needs always come first; we make sure products arrive on time and in perfect condition. In short, with Shelfless’s drop-shipping service, you can outsource your logistics and focus on growing your business. We handle everything from inventory management to picking, packing, and shipping, so you can concentrate on selling and marketing your products.