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As the online shopping industry continues to witness unprecedented growth, new companies are constantly in search of products and tools that give them an edge over their competitors.
SaleHoo is one of such products. In this review, we’ll run through the platform and its features.
What is SaleHoo?
SaleHoo was established in 2005. It started in Christchurch, New Zealand, where it grew and became one of the foremost dropshipping and wholesale directories available on the Internet.
Since its establishment, SaleHoo has grown into a directory that covers over 8,000 wholesale and dropshipping suppliers. The companies themselves offer over a million branded products for sale, which they provide to thousands of SaleHoo paying members.
SaleHoo is a service – not a supplier. Essentially, it provides a directory for people to search for products they will like to sell to their customers. While SaleHoo is based out of New Zealand, it has developed a service that spans several countries – including China, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
SaleHoo allows you to boost your profits and sales by giving you access to all the tools and connections required to flourish in the wholesale and dropshipping market. You can connect with suppliers across various industries and access the best-selling products available per category.
In addition, you don’t have to go through the arduous process of looking through and vetting wholesale suppliers. The platform has done that for you. Just make a connection and start selling.
How SaleHoo Works
Once you find a product that you’re interested in selling and a supplier that can provide it to you at the best profit, get in touch with them and set up the supply chain. All suppliers offer their contact information, as well as essential parts of their business – minimum order amounts, time taken for shipping on the SaleHoo platform.
It’s not so easy to find a wholesaler on popular search engines like Google. And even if you were lucky and did find them, you need to go further to find their contact details.
SaleHoo makes the process of sorting through suppliers quicker. You can easily discover trending products and the prices they’re being retailed for on popular e-commerce platforms. You can also compare the products with the suppliers stocking them to ensure you get only the best deals. If you feel comfortable about them, you can contact them immediately.
Dropshipping & Wholesale
Once you sign up on SaleHoo, you have to decide on whether you want to offer wholesale or dropshipping services.
Wholesale
When you’re a wholesaler, you purchase bulk inventory. This translates to more money for the supplier and cheaper prices for you. Depending on your target audience or platform of choice, wholesalers tend to make more money in the long term through brand recognition and volume sales to retailers.
Dropshipping
Dropshipping is essentially the process where you sell products to customers without having to stock up on inventory. This process is more popular with small scale business owners or those who are risk-averse.
With dropshipping, you primarily sell an item first. Then, you contact a supplier and let them know how much of the unit you will need. Once you make your payment, the supplier ships directly to the customer. With this method, you don’t see the product at all. Just process the order and get paid.
SaleHoo Features
Dropshipping suppliers
SaleHoo has thousands of dropshipping suppliers in its directory. What makes this group trustworthy is the vetting process on the platform. SaleHoo vets its dropshippers to ensure legitimacy before listing them on the site. This doesn’t mean you should ignore the reviews on the platform either. But, it does give you a certain peace knowing you’re dealing with legitimate businesses.
However, it’s also worth noting that your niche might determine the supplier count on the platform. You can easily find suppliers for broad niches like gadgets, jewelry, and training gear. However, niche products like electronic cigarettes or a specific brand of beauty products might only get you a few suppliers, if any.
When you click on a supplier, SaleHoo provides the following information:
- Product range
- Company details
- Their shipping method
- Locations they ship to
- Customer reviews
Various wholesalers
Wholesalers are also in no short supply on SaleHoo. On this platform, you can find a selection of over 8,000 suppliers. Since these suppliers mostly buy from big-time manufacturers, you can expect factory prices for their products. You can also compare suppliers selling the same product to identify the seller that would help you earn more. Buying goods from wholesalers is
Sourcing products from wholesalers is not for everyone. It’s suited for those who have confidence in their products and experience in their niche. Besides forking out the money upfront to buy the goods, you also need to budget for a place to store the goods once you receive them.
Market Research Labs
SaleHoo’s Market Research tool is one of the platform’s best features. The product essentially gives you insights into some of the best-selling products on the market, so you don’t get stuck trying to sell something that isn’t driving demand.
Like every other e-commerce sourcing platform, SaleHoo provides research and tracking data on all its products. However, unlike the research tools that you get from other platforms, SaleHoo makes things easier. The service uses metrics such as competition data, profitability rates, successful sales, etc. to connect you with the tools that sell. For members, this data is readily available, helping you make the right decisions concerning what to sell.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t decide to sell what you want to. If you have demand for a product already and you’re looking for a company that can deliver you, all you have to do is go on SaleHoo and do your search – even if it isn’t a top-mover on its platform.
However, newbie wholesalers and dropshippers who just want to sell stuff can connect with the research labs to make sales.
Getting a trending product and finding out that you’re late to the party can be frustrating. This is why SaleHoo considers competition data and sell rate in its analysis. With these tools, you can find products that have low competition and pick them. Thus, you get a unique position in the market and improve your chances of making a sale.
The platform also provides monthly sales reports for you to catch products that trend based on seasons before your competitors. Christmas lights will sell quite fast towards the end of the year – we know that. With the monthly sales reports, you can plan and ensure that you don’t end up splurging on inventory for nothing.
SaleHoo Suppliers
SaleHoo suppliers are genuine wholesale suppliers and manufacturers authorized to sell some of the most popular brands in the world.
When you sell products as a retailer or a dropshipper, the last thing you want to do is market something original and sell a fake. You could open yourself to terrible reviews from your buyers, as well as a possible lawsuit if your impersonating brand gets a hold of you.
Every seller requires the peace of mind that comes from knowing their product is what they claim it to be. And what better way to do this than to get the product straight from the manufacturer?
Thankfully, SaleHoo provides sellers and dropshippers with access to a wide array of international brands.
Disney, Adidas, Sony, LEGO, 3M, and Oakley are just some of the top brands that supply products on SaleHoo.
Signing up on SaleHoo
The process of signing up on SaleHoo is quite straightforward:
- Visit the SaleHoo homepage
- Select either the annual or lifetime package
- Click on “Get Started” and fill your details
- The service immediately takes you to the payment portal. Make your payment
For payments, SaleHoo accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Eurocard, Bravo, Diners Club, Carte Blanche, and JCB. You can also pay via PayPal.
Once you pay the subscription fee required, you’ll be granted access. There are no hidden fees or upsells with this platform. The whole platform becomes fully available to you, and you’re free to avail yourself of its services.
SaleHoo Pricing
SaleHoo offers a pricing structure of $67 for a year. The second pricing tier costs $127, and it gives you lifetime access to the platform.
The platform’s pricing is pretty competitive, although the fact that there is no pricing tier for monthly or quarterly access is a bit of a drawback. So, while it’s cheap, there are people who won’t be able to afford that for just access to wholesale and dropshipping services.
If you’re going to make payments, it is recommended that you consider the supplier and the type of relationship you will like to have with them. If you’re in it for the short-term, you might not be inclined to pay $67 for a year – even if it’s pretty low.
Can I Cancel My SaleHoo Account?
SaleHoo allows customers to cancel their accounts whenever they like. You have 60 days to cancel the membership, and you’ll get a full refund. Note, however, that you won’t be able to request a refund once the 60 days have passed.
To process the cancellation, send an Email to support@salehoo.com with your receipt number. The company has a direct line too, but that might be busy.
SaleHoo Dashboard
People who love user-friendly interfaces will like the SaleHoo dashboard. As a supplier, you will be able to find three critical tabs – products, training, and suppliers. All of them are seamlessly integrated and easy to use.
The products section, as its name suggests. Shows you the products you’re selling. It provides details on some of your key milestones and gives an overview of your activity viz a viz sales. SaleHoo also provides a training section that shows how you can set up your business, sell on Amazon and eBay, and select the most profitable products.
Directory
The “Directory” tab is also quite important. Here, you can search for products directly and find them based on the sellers. You can check out a filter on the left side of the screen to refine your search based on several parameters, including;
- Product category
- Location
- Minimum order
- Tax ID requirement
- Worldwide shipping
Click on a product, and it will open up its details. You will be able to find information on the product and the supplier, and you will be able to contact the supplier immediately.
Suppliers
The “Suppliers” tab allows you to search for and connect with prospective suppliers on the platform. You can save suppliers for future use and build relationships later.
There’s an inbox that collates communication with suppliers on the platform. The platform provides a messaging template for swift communication depending on the stage of conversation with the supplier.
Note, however, that SaleHoo’s messaging interface only handles the bare minimum in terms of interactions. When you and a supplier have to iron out details like returns, invoices, and order processing, it might be best to move to a separate platform – perhaps Email or phone call.
This tends to fall in line with SaleHoo’s goal – connecting sellers with suppliers. Most of the platform’s features help you to determine the right product to sell and the people who can help you make those sales.
For communicating and ensuring long-term business, the service might not be the best bet.
Resources
Free Guides
The “Free guides” section will show you educational material on using the SaleHoo platform. It’s recommended that you check this spot if you have some problems with getting used to it.
The guide section includes aspects such as selling on eBay and Amazon, finding the right product to sell, starting an online store, etc.
Community
SaleHoo provides a community forum that you can join and interact with other, more experienced users. The forum includes various posts and guides, and you can also ask questions from people who will help make your experience on the platform easier.
Customer Support
While there’s a training module to help you get around, you have several options if you need additional clarification or run into a problem:
Live Chat
Once you get on your SaleHoo page, you can access a live chat feature. Click on the “Chat with a SaleHoo expert” to access the option. Note, however, that the option isn’t available every time. As the company’s Contact us page shows, they’re available for 12 hours on weekdays. You can only access 24-hour live chat on weekends.
Contact Forms and Email
This is perhaps the surest way to get in touch with SaleHoo. Head over to the “Contact Us” page, and you will be able to talk to them directly through Email. However, it might take a while before you get your response.
Phone Support
SaleHoo has an official phone number that you can call to make any inquiries or get issues solved. The company hasn’t claimed when it would be open, and there’s the propensity for it to get congested from too many calls.
Pros & Cons of Using SaleHoo
You might wonder what makes this platform advantageous to dropshippers and wholesalers alike. Are there any downsides? We examine the pros and cons below.
Pros of using SaleHoo
- Easy setup
- Competitive fees
- Ease of search
- Effective research and training tools
- User-friendly interface
Cons of using SaleHoo
- No monthly or quarterly fees
- Limited live chat feature
SaleHoo FAQs
Can I Make Money With SaleHoo?
SaleHoo does make it easy for you to start a dropshipping business and make money. However, there is a caveat to note. The e-commerce space is increasingly competitive, and you will need to conduct your research to ensure that you structure your business to be as profitable as possible.
When you find a product, check various suppliers and see the prices that they offer. From there, you can pick a supplier that helps you make the most.
At the same time, you should also pick suppliers who have a track record of reliability. You don’t want someone who sells fake stuff. Remember that SaleHoo’s job is to vet them and ensure that they’re legitimate. However, some legitimate sellers give counterfeit products as well.
The profits you can make will also depend on the product and your niche. Some niches are very competitive, and you might not make so much. However, if you’re a wholesaler or a dropshipper and you have more demand in your area, you can make a killing SaleHoo will help you with that.
SaleHoo vs Doba – Which is Better?
Doba primarily works like SalesHoo. The service acts as a middleman, helping users to find products that they can dropship to their customers.
However, while SaleHoo allows you to contact the supplier directly, Doba doesn’t. Instead, the service acts as a channel and fulfils orders on your behalf, in exchange for a membership fee.
SalesHoo provides a better chance of you making profits. Since you can develop relationships with suppliers, you can negotiate better with them and get some impressive discounts. With Doba, however, you work with the service as an interface, thus eliminating the possibility of getting discounts.
However, it’s also worth noting that Doba provides greater convenience. Since the service fulfils your order for you, there is little work on your path.
Read our full review of Doba here.
SaleHoo vs Orbelo- Which Should You Purchase?
Oberlo is another company that serves in a similar niche to SalesHoo.
While SaleHoo operates as an online directory for suppliers and wholesalers. Oberlo, however, is a service that allows you to import dropshipped products into a Shopify store and sell them to your customers directly. SaleHoo vets every supplier, so you can rest assured that anyone you find on SaleHoo is top-notch. While Orbelo automatically syncs your products, inventory, and much more directly.
There are some differences between both services. However, the most significant distinction comes in terms of how they work. SaleHoo has a more thorough vetting process, while Oberlo primarily looks for dropshippers that update their inventory constantly. However, the latter tends to allow more fraudulent sellers.
Read our full review of Oberlo here.
Conclusion
New e-commerce industry players need to access the features that they need to integrate into the market. Given the level of complexity that you could encounter, SaleHoo can make things significantly easier for you.
Stay Ahead of the Market with Benzinga Pro!
Want to trade like a pro? Benzinga Pro gives you the edge you need in today's fast-paced markets. Get real-time news, exclusive insights, and powerful tools trusted by professional traders:- Breaking market-moving stories before they hit mainstream media
- Live audio squawk for hands-free market updates
- Advanced stock scanner to spot promising trades
- Expert trade ideas and on-demand support