Top Challenges When Dropshipping From China

Dropshipping is the new and modern online business technique that requires even less effort and resources. It is the process of selling products on the internet without having a physical presence or inventory, but an agent or seller who will ship those products to the given address. China, being the hub of manufacturing and innovation, has roughly over 2.8 million production plants, and you can get access to each of these products through dropshipping. Dropshipping from China removes storage, inventory, and warehouse costs and gives access to multiple manufacturers to scale your online business. 

However, dropshipping is not always peaceful and fun. Since you are operating a business in a cross-section area, many things can hit the off-trail, making it more stressful and challenging. 

Top 7 challenges when Dropshipping from China 

There are plenty of challenges that can come when shipping products from China. Some of the challenges when dropshipping from China are:

1. Long Shipping Time 

One of the major issues of dropshipping from China is that it takes a long time to reach the destination. The fast and express service can complete this process in 3-5 days, but the cost is high. Dropshipping agents use special line shipping, or ePacket service, for dropshipping that takes 10 to over 14 days to reach the delivery address. 

2. Quality Issues

A seller cannot touch or feel the quality of the product, which often leads to frequent quality complaints. Without proper quality inspection, issues like manufacturing defects, poor packaging, or even counterfeit products can go unnoticed. Additionally, if your dropshipping agent is not verified or reliable, they can easily manipulate the product quality. These problems ultimately raise concerns about the authenticity and credibility of the seller.

3. Navigating Import Regulations

As dropshipping is done across the world, each country has its import regulations and compliances that the agencies must be aware of. It is difficult to keep up with different rules. Commonly, shippers might make a few mistakes here and there, which cause delays and obstructions to the service. 

4. Returning and Cancellation Issues

Returns and cancellations are a big deal when products are shipped internationally. The refund process is long and often denied without a foolproof reason. Since the product already takes almost two weeks to get to the destination. Tracing the whole way back costs money, time, and storage space. It may be inconvenient to the buyers, but it is effective for the shipping agencies. 

5. Dense and Competitive Market

Dropshipping is highly competitive and saturated, especially when it comes to niche products. It is difficult to find and build genuine connections with suppliers and manufacturers. Also, suppliers find it hard to get recognition, gain customers, and increase profit when selling widely available products. 

6. Communication Barriers

Time zones and language disparities can cause obstacles in communication with the Chinese suppliers. Also, the difference in work culture, background, and ethical understanding makes it hard to understand one another. Miscommunication is the underlying destroyer that can potentially hamper the business. 

7. Stockout and Inventory Fluctuation

As fluctuation in demand is pretty common, it causes massive inventory fluctuation, which results in overstocks or stockouts. Also, it consumes a lot of storage space in the warehouse. As restocking can take weeks, it slows down the entire supply chain process, and sometimes, order fulfillment is also not possible. 

Do you know what to expect from a professional shipping agency from China? Learn everything about a professional shipping agency. 

Solutions to the Challenges When Dropshipping from China

The challenges when dropshipping from China should not be underestimated, but here are a few things we can do to overcome these obstacles. 

1. Choosing the Reliable Dropshipping Services in China

This is where Kingsler comes in! Kingsler’s dropshipping services are private, cost-effective, customer-centric, and have a global network. By choosing Kingsler’s dropshipping service, you do not have to worry about inventory, quality, or manufacturers because it has a connection with hundreds of factories that produce varieties of products to match the bulging demand. 

2. Bridging the Communication Gap

Communication barriers due to language and time zones create challenges in dropshipping products from China. Finding agents who use language translators or are fluent in English can help to bridge the communication gap and smooth the supply process for effective dropshipping. 

3. Re-evaluating the Return and Cancellation Policy

A strong return policy should be implemented by both suppliers and dropshipping agencies to make the supply chain unbreakable. The agencies can establish themselves in another major part of the world, like the USA and the UK, where dropshipping is popular. It connects the return and refund of the two parties, eliminating the challenge of dropshipping. 

4. Building a Relationship with the Customers

People doing a dropshipping business find it hard to build a relationship and retain their customers. Branding and marketing campaigns will help create a solid base with the customers. Also, a service guarantee is hard to offer from dropshipping agencies; customers often get frustrated with the service. However, you can mend this by establishing a genuine relationship with them.

Conclusion

Dropshipping is a great way of conducting a business that requires no physical store and products. However, dropshipping from the hub of production, China, can be challenging. You can overcome this challenge, and one of the best ways is by choosing your dropshipping agent in China wisely. Kingsler is a product sourcing agency in China.

Do you want to know how to choose the right product sourcing agent for your business?

FAQs