Branded Dropshipping: The Complete 2024 Guide

With the dropshipping industry getting more competitive by the day, it’s important to start thinking outside the box if you want to stay ahead of the curve. Branded dropshipping is one of those out-of-the-box you should look into if you want to take your online store to the next level in 2024 and beyond.

Sounds like an uncanny twist of name, doesn’t it? Well, not exactly!

What comes to mind when you think about known brands like Apple, Nike, Louis Vuitton, etc.? Chances are that you feel a small wave of excitement run through your veins. These companies are popular not necessarily because they have the best-of-best products on the market, but because they’ve spent years nurturing their brands, building a loyal fanbase in the process. This explains why people keep buying a new iPhone every year, even though each new release barely differs from the previous one.

You can also apply this principle by setting up a branded dropshipping store. Doing so can help you build a loyal base of customers for your business, making huge sales in the process.

If want to own branded dropshipping store that makes you money, this post is for you. In it, we will explore what branded dropshipping is all about, the benefits it offers, and most importantly, the steps to creating a branded dropshipping business.

What is Branded Dropshipping?

While traditional dropshipping has been a popular ecommerce business model for many, the market has become increasingly saturated, making it harder to differentiate from other sellers. One tried-and-true tactic to get around this challenge is by leveraging branded dropshipping. But to help you understand what branded dropshipping is all about, we thought it wise to take a moment to spotlight the basics of dropshipping.

The Basics of Dropshipping

Before diving into branded dropshipping, it’s essential to understand how traditional dropshipping works. In a standard dropshipping model, a business owner sells products directly from suppliers without holding any inventory. When a customer places an order, the supplier ships the product directly to the customer. The seller never handles the products, which reduces overhead costs and allows entrepreneurs to start businesses with minimal investment.

While this model sounds ideal, it has its limitations. Since dropshippers often sell generic products from third-party suppliers, they face stiff competition. Many sellers list the same products on different platforms, making it difficult to stand out. This is where branded dropshipping comes in.

What is Branded Dropshipping?

Branded dropshipping is an advanced form of the traditional dropshipping business model. The key difference is that instead of selling unbranded, generic products, you sell products that carry your own brand name, brand logo, and packaging. This approach allows you to create a unique identity for your store, building trust and loyalty with customers while increasing the perceived value of your products.

In branded dropshipping, the supplier still handles product fulfillment and shipping, but the products are customized to reflect your brand. This can involve adding your logo to the product, designing custom packaging, or even developing unique product variations that are exclusive to your store.

How Does Branded Dropshipping Work?

You might be wondering how branded dropshipping works. Well, the process is very similar to regular dropshipping, but with added steps like customization and branding. Here’s a quick breakdown of the steps for setting up a branded dropshipping store.

1. Select a Niche: Choose a niche where your brand can offer a unique value proposition. This could be in fashion, beauty, fitness, or even tech accessories. The key is to find a product range that resonates with your target audience and target market.
2. Find a Supplier: The success of branded dropshipping depends heavily on finding reliable suppliers who offer customization options. Many suppliers provide private labeling services, where they add your brand’s logo to their products and create custom packaging.
3. Develop Your Brand: A strong brand identity is essential for branded dropshipping. This includes creating a brand name, logo, and cohesive visual style. Your branding should be reflected in everything from your website design to your product packaging. You will want to ensure that your brand stands out from the competition.
4. Product Customization: Once you have a supplier, work with them to customize the products to fit your brand. This can involve adding your logo to the products themselves, designing unique packaging, or offering special product variations that aren’t available elsewhere.
5. Sell Through Your E-commerce Store: You still need an online store to sell your branded products. Platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce are popular choices. Your website should highlight your brand’s identity, creating a consistent shopping experience for your customers.
6. Marketing and Customer Engagement: Effective marketing is crucial in branded dropshipping. Your brand needs to be visible and trustworthy, so invest in social media marketing, influencer collaborations, and paid ads to drive traffic and build brand awareness.

Benefits of Branded Dropshipping

Here are some of the reasons why you should dropship branded products:

1. Sets Your Business Apart in a Crowded Market

One of the biggest challenges in traditional dropshipping is standing out in a sea of identical products. When you sell unbranded, generic items that thousands of other sellers offer, it becomes a race to the bottom in terms of pricing. Branded dropshipping, however, allows you to differentiate your store by offering products that are unique to your brand. Plus, you don’t even have to overdo it – a decent logo and branded packaging material will do.

2. Increased Customer Trust and Loyalty

Consumers are more likely to trust and become loyal to a brand than a generic store selling unbranded products. Branded dropshipping helps build that trust by creating a professional, cohesive identity that resonates with your target audience. When customers see a brand they recognize and connect with, they’re more likely to feel confident in the quality and reliability of the products.

In the long term, this trust turns into loyalty. Branded dropshipping allows you to create a lasting relationship with your customers. They’ll return to your store not only for the products but also because they trust your brand and feel connected to it. Customer loyalty is one of the most valuable assets an e-commerce business can build, as loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases and recommend your store to others.

3. Higher Perceived Value of Products

When a product is branded, customers automatically perceive it as more valuable. Branding adds a sense of exclusivity and quality that generic products simply don’t have. This allows you to charge higher prices and increase your profit margins.

For example, a plain fitness tracker sold by a generic store might sell for $30, but a branded fitness tracker with custom packaging, a logo, and a strong brand story can sell for $50 or more. This means high profit margins.

4. Improved Customer Experience

Another benefit dropshipping branded products is that it gives you a chance to offer personalized shopping to your customers who visit your online store or interact with any of your multiple sales channels. And you know, the modern-day shopper expects personalized buying experience, or else they will happily move on to another store that offers it.

Thankfully, offering customers this kind of experience is anything but hard. Custom packaging, branded inserts, and personalized thank-you notes all contribute to creating a memorable experience that goes beyond the product itself.

Putting attention to detail shows your customers that you care about their experience, and it can significantly impact their perception of your brand.

5. Increased Control Over Marketing and Messaging

When you’re dropshipping generic products, you’re limited in how you can market them. Your ads and messaging may not align with your brand, and it’s harder to craft a compelling story that resonates with your audience. Branded dropshipping changes this by giving you full control over your marketing and messaging.

You can create a brand story that connects with your customers on an emotional level, design marketing materials that reflect your brand’s voice, and engage with customers in a way that reinforces your brand identity. This allows you to build a community around your brand and create deeper connections with your audience.

6. Stronger Brand Recognition and Recall

A strong brand sticks in the minds of customers. Branded dropshipping gives you the opportunity to create a memorable brand that customers will recognize and recall the next time they’re shopping. A consistent brand identity, from the website design to packaging and customer interactions, helps reinforce your brand’s presence in the minds of your customers.

Is Branded Dropshipping Profitable?

Yes, branded dropshipping can be highly profitable when done correctly. By creating a unique brand identity, you can differentiate your store from competitors and build customer trust. This allows you to charge premium prices for your products, as branded items are often perceived as higher quality than generic alternatives.

Additionally, branded dropshipping can lead to repeat customers and long-term loyalty, increasing your lifetime customer value. While there may be higher upfront costs for branding, such as custom packaging and product design, the long-term benefits, including higher margins and customer retention, can make branded dropshipping a lucrative business model.

Branded Dropshipping Product Ideas to Try

Truth be told; there are certain niches you shouldn’t build your dropshipping brand in, or else you will incur great losses. So, what niches are branded dropshipping best suited for? Here are some examples:

1. Personalized Accessories

Customizable accessories like phone cases, jewelry, or sunglasses are perfect to sell in your ecommerce store. Many suppliers in this niche offer product customization options that allow you to add your logo or design directly onto the item. Personalized accessories have high perceived value and are ideal for building a niche brand around a specific lifestyle or fashion trend.

You can easily find profitable products in this niche using Sell The Trend’s Nexus Explorer, which is a search engine for profitable dropshipping products.

2. Fitness and Wellness Products

Fitness and wellness products are consistently in demand, and a lot of dropshipping businesses are into them already. Items like resistance bands, yoga mats, or fitness apparel can be easily branded with your logo. Creating a brand that focuses on health and fitness can appeal to a growing community of health-conscious consumers. Offering motivational messaging and custom packaging adds even more value to these items.

You can find these products on Aliexpress directly from Sell The Trend.

3. Print on Demand Products

Print-on-demand products, by far, are the easiest to brand and customize. Plus, they are highly in demand and are heavy money-makers for many branded dropshipping stores. To get into it, first, you need to figure out the right product ideas. Tees, hoodies, mugs, etc. are all good product ideas. After that, you need to think about the right supplier to use. Printify and Printful are all good options.

4. Tech Accessories

Tech accessories like wireless chargers, portable phone stands, or Bluetooth speakers are practical, popular, and easy to brand. Customizing these products with your logo and branding can enhance your brand image and attract more customers to your store. You can also package them in sleek, branded boxes that enhance the unboxing experience for customers.

5. Beauty and Skincare Products

The beauty and skincare industry is a great niche for branded dropshipping. Products like facial rollers, beauty tools, or skincare kits can be customized with branded packaging and logos. Since beauty products are often linked to personal care and luxury, effective branding can help you attract a loyal customer base that trusts your brand for quality.

6. Pet Products

Pet owners are always on the lookout for unique and high-quality products for their pets. Branded dropshipping in this niche can include items like pet beds, custom leashes, or personalized pet collars. With creative branding, you can build a strong connection with pet owners who want stylish and premium products for their pets.

7. Home Décor

Home décor items like candles, throw blankets, or decorative cushions are ideal for branded dropshipping. These products are easily customizable with your brand’s logo or design and can be positioned as premium, stylish additions to any home. With the growing interest in home improvement and interior design, this niche has significant potential.

8. Luxury Travel Products

If your brand is geared toward travelers, branded travel accessories such as luggage tags, travel organizers, or passport holders are excellent product options. High-quality travel products can be branded with a stylish, modern aesthetic, appealing to customers who want to travel in style.

Steps to Building a Successful Branded Dropshipping Business

Building your own dropshipping brand that is profitable and successful is certainly not a walk in the park. If it were, everyone would be into it. Nonetheless, you can still find success with it if you follow the steps outlined below.

1. Choose a Niche that Aligns with Your Brand

The first step to building a branded dropshipping business is selecting the right niche. The niche you choose will define your target audience, products, and overall brand identity. Here’s how to choose the right niche:

• Identify a Passion or Interest: It’s easier to create a brand around something you’re passionate about or have knowledge of. Whether it’s fitness, fashion, eco-friendly products, or tech accessories, having a genuine interest in your niche will help you connect with your target audience.
• Assess Market Demand: Use tools like Google Trends, Keyword Planner, or Ahrefs to gauge market demand and identify trending products. Your niche should have consistent or growing demand.
• Evaluate Competition: Analyze your competitors to see what they are offering. A niche with high competition may require you to narrow your focus or find unique products to stand out. Look for gaps in the market where you can offer something better or different.
• Ensure Customization Potential: Make sure the products in your niche can be customized with your branding. Certain niches, like beauty products, tech accessories, or fashion items, lend themselves well to branding through logos and packaging.

So how can you find the right niche while keeping all these variables in mind? This is where Sell The Trend comes in handy. It comes with a Niche selector tool that lets you see which dropshipping niches are performing well based on sales volume, profit margin, and product rating.

2. Research and Partner with a Reliable Dropshipping Supplier

Once you’ve chosen a niche, the next step is finding reliable suppliers who offer customization options. Sell The Trend can also help you with this. With a few clicks, you can find reliable suppliers on popular marketplaces like Aliexpress, Amazon, and CJ Dropshipping.

Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when searching for dropshipping suppliers:

• Look for Private Label Suppliers: These suppliers allow you to place your brand’s logo and design on their products. Websites like Alibaba, AliExpress, and Oberlo offer a wide range of suppliers who provide private labeling or white-label options.
• Check Supplier Reviews and Ratings: Before partnering with any supplier, check their reviews, ratings, and shipping times. Poor supplier performance can damage your brand reputation.
• Order Samples: Order product samples from multiple suppliers to ensure the quality of the products. You want to ensure that your brand is associated with high-quality goods.
• Negotiate Customization Options: Some suppliers offer additional customization, such as branded packaging or unique product designs. Discuss the possibilities with potential suppliers to ensure your products align with your brand vision.

3. Develop Your Brand Identity

Your brand is the core of your dropshipping business. As such, it’s important to put effort and time into developing a brand that will not only attract potential customers but also stand the test of time. Thankfully, you don’t have to hire a branding expert for this.

Here are the simple steps to developing a brand identity for your business:

• Create a Brand Name: Choose a name that reflects your niche, values, and target audience. It should be easy to remember, pronounce, and spell. Ensure that the domain name for your brand is available.
• Design a Logo: Your logo should reflect your brand’s personality. You can use tools like Canva or hire a graphic designer to create a professional logo that will appear on your website, products, and packaging. Better yet, use free online logo makers like Hatchful from Shopify.
• Develop a Brand Story: A compelling brand story can differentiate your business and make a personal connection with your customers. Consider why you started your brand, what values you stand for, and how your products benefit your customers.
• Create Visual Branding: Your brand colors, fonts, and imagery should remain consistent across all platforms, including your website, social media, and packaging. Consistency in visual branding helps build brand recognition.

4. Build a Branded E-commerce Store

Your website is your digital storefront, and it’s essential to make a great first impression. It’s also where your brand will live, so it makes sense to put great effort into it. The question then is, where and how do you even start?

SellShop is a great place to start. It’s an easy-to-use website builder from Sell The Trend that allows you to create an online storefront for your dropshipping business in quickly.

You can connect it with Aliexpress and CJ dropshipping to easily and quickly import products. Plus, no hosting and transaction fees.

Below are some additional steps to help you succeed:

• Design Your Store with Branding in Mind: Customize your store’s theme to reflect your brand’s visual identity. Use high-quality images and maintain consistency in design elements like color, fonts, and logo placement.
• Craft Compelling Product Descriptions: Focus on writing product descriptions that highlight the benefits of your products, why they are unique, and how they fit within your brand’s story. Include customer-centric language and use SEO keywords to improve search engine visibility.
• Create a Seamless User Experience: Ensure that your website is easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and has quick load times. The checkout process should be smooth, with multiple payment options and no unnecessary friction points.

5. Market Your Branded Products

Building a successful branded dropshipping business requires more than just a great website and product lineup—you need effective marketing to gain some traction for your online business. Here are some marketing strategies to promote your branded store:

• Social Media Marketing: Use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok to showcase your branded products and engage with your audience. Share user-generated content, behind-the-scenes posts, and promotional offers to build brand awareness.
• Influencer Partnerships: Partnering with influencers in your niche is a powerful way to gain credibility and reach a wider audience. Look for micro-influencers with engaged followers who align with your brand values.
• Email Marketing: Build an email list by offering incentives like discounts or free guides. Use email campaigns to nurture relationships with your customers, promote new products, and encourage repeat purchases.
• Paid Advertising: Run targeted Facebook and Google ads to drive traffic to your store. Retarget visitors who don’t convert on their first visit, and use dynamic ads to showcase products they’ve viewed or added to their cart.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize your website for search engines by using relevant keywords, creating informative blog posts, and building backlinks. High-ranking content can bring organic traffic to your store.
• Influencer marketing: This can work pretty well if you want to reach a global dropshipping market

In addition to the aforementioned marketing strategies, you should also look into creating video ads and promoting them on social media platforms like TikTok.

Thankfully, Sell The Trend can help you create attention-grabbing video ads.

This tool is particularly useful to brand owners looking to scale up their businesses with video ads.

6. Focus on Customer Experience

Delivering exceptional customer service is critical to building a successful brand. Without a great customer service, your customers will look elsewhere. Here are some helpful tips branded dropshippers can follow:

• Branded Packaging: Custom packaging can create a memorable unboxing experience. Include a thank-you note, discount code for future purchases, or a small gift to delight your customers.
• Provide Stellar Customer Support: Offer responsive and helpful customer support through email, live chat, or social media. Ensure customers can easily track their orders and get quick responses to their queries.
• Use Reviews and Testimonials: Encourage customers to leave reviews and share their experiences with your brand. Positive reviews help build trust and credibility.
• Offer a Hassle-Free Return Policy: Customers are more likely to buy if they know they can return products easily. Create a transparent and customer-friendly return policy.

7. Monitor Performance and Optimize

Finally, to ensure long-term success, you’ll need to track your performance and continually optimize your business. Here’s how to keep your business growing:

• Track Key Metrics: Use analytics tools like Google Analytics and Shopify reports to track key metrics such as traffic, conversion rates, average order value, and customer lifetime value.
• Test and Improve: Create attractive product pages and continuously run A/B tests on them, as well as ads, and email campaigns to improve performance. Experiment with different strategies to see what resonates most with your audience.
• Expand Your Product Line: Once your brand gains traction, consider expanding your product offerings to provide more value to your customers and increase your average order value.
• Build Long-Term Relationships with Suppliers: Maintain a good relationship with your suppliers to ensure product quality and timely deliveries. This is critical as your brand grows and you scale your business.

Top Branded Dropshipping Suppliers

So where should you look for selling suppliers who offer branding services, including brand labels and various branded packaging materials? Here are some of the common places you will likely find them:

Alibaba

Alibaba is one of the largest platforms for finding manufacturers and suppliers who offer private labeling. You can find suppliers for virtually any product, and many of them provide customization services for branded dropshipping.

• Pros: Wide range of products, suppliers that cater to both small and large businesses, extensive customization options.
• Cons: Some suppliers have high MOQs, so you’ll need to negotiate carefully if you’re just starting.

AliExpress

AliExpress is a popular platform for traditional dropshipping, but it also has suppliers offering private labeling services. While not as extensive as Alibaba, you can still find a private-label dropshipping supplier who offers customization for branded products.

• Pros: Easy to use, low MOQs, fast shipping options through ePacket for some products.
• Cons: Limited customization options compared to Alibaba.

Printful

Printful is a print-on-demand dropshipping supplier that specializes in custom products like t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and more. This platform is ideal for branded clothing and accessories online stores.

• Pros: No upfront costs, high-quality printing, and seamless integration with e-commerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce.
• Cons: Limited to specific product categories (mainly apparel and accessories).

Printify

Printify is another print-on-demand service similar to Printful, offering a variety of customizable products including clothing, home decor, and accessories. It partners with multiple printing companies, giving you more options for product customization and pricing.

• Pros: Multiple supplier options, competitive pricing, and easy integration with major e-commerce platforms. Also gives you access to lots of private-label branding dropshipping products.
• Cons: Quality and shipping times can vary depending on the supplier used.

Conclusion

Done right, branded dropshipping can make you some serious cash. Needless to say, you need to put effort into developing memorable brand visuals, such as logos and branded packages, and delivering on your brand promise to find success with it.

Lucky for you, we’ve shared detailed strategies for setting up a successful branded dropshipping venture.

Branded Dropshipping FAQs

What is branded dropship?

Branded dropshipping is the practice of selling products directly from suppliers to customers in branded packaging. The goal of this online business model is to create a brand voice for your business customers won’t forget in a hurry. It can also mean selling branded products from a known brand.

Is branded dropshipping profitable?

Branded dropshipping can be highly profitable if you take the time to develop memorable branding elements for your business, put in marketing efforts, and deliver exceptional customer experience.

How do I become a branded dropshipper?

To become a branded dropshipper, first, develop branding elements. You can use websites like Hatchful and Canva. You can get unique and free logos there. After that, the next step is to create an online store, find a reliable supplier that offers branding dropshipping service and start listing products.

Is branded dropshipping better?

It can be better than regular dropshipping if you get it right. Needless to say, you still need to put in a lot of efforts into it to see meaningful return on your effort.

Is branded dropshipping legal?

Yes, it is very legal. You will only get into legal issues when you dropship a brand’s product line without their full permission.