If you're just starting your dropshipping store and are at the stage of selecting the right products to sell, this article is for you.
Here, we will discuss what product samples are, why they are essential, how to order product samples, and what to look out for.
Quick Answer: How to get product samples for a dropshipping store
Get product samples for a dropshipping store by ordering directly from suppliers on AliExpress, Alibaba, or Spocket. Test product quality, shipping speed, packaging, and supplier communication before selling. Contact suppliers to request samples, negotiate pricing, and confirm that no invoices or branded materials are shipped to customers.
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What are product samples?
You can compare product samples to the taster samples usually offered in the supermarket; it's a great way to better understand what you are getting before committing to a larger, more expensive order.
Ordering product samples can help you determine if an item meets your quality standards and will live up to your customers' expectations.
Do you need to order product samples when dropshipping?
For numerous reasons, ordering product samples makes perfect sense.
It is the best way to determine product quality and a great way to measure delivery times and the level of service from your supplier.
Ordering product samples is increasingly necessary for dropshippers, as you otherwise will never physically see, touch, or use the product.
More to the point, how could you ever expect to write a fantastic product description without using the product yourself?
Product samples also allow you to take your own pictures (or videos) of the product to give it a less generic, dropshipping store look.
You will also be able to answer customer questions better further down the road.
So, sell your products with confidence and order product samples before going live with your store.
How to order product samples
So perhaps we've sold you on the need to order product samples before launching your dropshipping store, and now you're wondering how to place an order.
There are many platforms dropshippers use to source products, more than we can cover in a single article.
We will, however, go over the three largest ones: AliExpress, Alibaba, and Spocket.
We want to stress that there's no harm in contacting the supplier and asking for a sample in all other cases.
Many will be more than happy to send one out in the hope of further business; some will even do so for free!
AliExpress
To order a sample product from AliExpress, you must first search for the product using the search bar at the top of the landing page.
You will then get a large number of results. The tricky bit is filtering out the stores with poor ratings. You can find this out by visiting the store's landing page.
Their rating will be at the top, as shown below:
Since AliExpress has no minimum order quantity, you can order a single product from their store once you have shortlisted a few suppliers.
Feel free to contact the supplier if you have any questions; they are always happy to help.
Remember, the experience you get here will also be your customers' too. So slow deliveries, shoddy goods, and difficulty using it will reflect poorly on your dropshipping store.
Related article: Wondering how to find the best suppliers on AliExpress? Check out this article here!
Alibaba
Alibaba is slightly different, as it has a minimum order quantity (MOQ) for most products.
In a nutshell, this means you will have to commit to x products and pay for them before you sell them.
Fortunately, most Alibaba suppliers offer the option to order a single product to sample before committing to a MOQ.
As you can see above, the supplier has an MOQ in place, but they also have a button below to order a sample.
Try to steer clear of suppliers who don't offer product samples, as you will risk many unknown variables, such as product quality and shipping times.
Related article: Wondering how to find the best suppliers on Alibaba? Check out this article here!
Spocket
Buying samples from Spocket is just as easy as the above two.
You start by heading over to the product page that you're interested in getting a sample for:
You will then see a button to order product samples; clicking it will open a pop-up asking how many you'd like.
With sample products, you can order up to 5.
Reaching out to suppliers
As we have advised in many other articles before, speaking to your suppliers before doing business with them is essential.
The purpose of opening dialogue with suppliers is not only to get answers to specific product questions.
You will also want to gauge how timely their responses are and the clarity of their answers.
It's no secret that a majority of dropshipping suppliers are in the far east, more so from Alibaba and AliExpress, so language barriers are something you should look out for before you start doing business.
If not, this could cause you endless problems down the road.
You could even use this conversation to try to barter the supplier down on prices.
We've also put together a more detailed article on Questions to Help You Find Awesome Dropshipping Suppliers.
What to look out for when ordering samples
You may now feel ready to start ordering product samples. Here are a few things to look out for when doing so:
Quality
Quality is the most obvious one; good product quality is essential, as it reflects your company directly.
If the product looks tacky, the color is off, it feels flimsy, or it isn't as described on the manufacturer's product page, then perhaps this supplier isn't for you.
You can likely find a better quality product elsewhere.
On the bright side, you have only lost a small amount of money finding this out, rather than hundreds of dollars while tarnishing your business name in the process.
The rule of thumb is that if you think the product isn't great, your customers will think so too.
Price
If you don't think the product was worth the price, then as above, so will your customers.
You will soon learn that there are hundreds of suppliers for every type of product, all in competition with one another.
If you're not happy with the product's cost when it arrives (including shipping fees), it's time to go back to the drawing board and find a cheaper supplier.
Quantity
We've touched on MOQs a little before. If you're starting dropshipping, you probably don't want to commit to a large MOQ, as you may not be sure this will work out. Most new dropshippers will want to start small.
If the supplier is asking for a higher MOQ than you're willing to go with, don't give up there. Speak to the suppliers and see if you can reach an arrangement.
Suppliers want you to succeed because if you do, so will they. Most will have a little wiggle room on the MOQ to help you get started, although this won't be advertised on their store.
Production/Shipping
In most cases, your product may take quite a long time to get from A to B.
Shipping times are the most significant stumbling block for dropshippers, as delays often lead to refunds and many customer complaints.
You should be clear on how long it will take to ship the product and how quickly they can get more inventory if they run out.
Speaking to your supplier about this beforehand may save you a lot of trouble. Don't be shy about asking for tracking information for completed orders to verify their claims about shipping times.
This should then be clearly outlined in your Shipping Policy.
Payment terms
Is the supplier asking for payment through a method that makes you uncomfortable?
It's crucial here to acknowledge that scammers exist on such sales platforms, and while they are very hard to weed out, some slip through the net.
Because of this, we would advise you not to agree to any payment terms outside the sales platform.
Additionally, payment through PayPal will add an extra layer of security. They are incredibly buyer-centric and will get your money back to you if the supplier pulls any shenanigans.
Always check whether your supplier accepts PayPal payments.
PayPal will also ban repeat offenders from using its services, ensuring that only legitimate companies can use them.
Should you keep buying product samples?
As we have already discussed, buying a product sample is a great practice for many reasons, the main one being ensuring the product quality is high.
But how do you ensure these standards don't slip when you begin using this supplier?
Random spot checks are a great way to do this. This is done by ordering a single product for yourself frequently to ensure nothing has changed since you began using it.
Supplier directory
Free dropshipping supplier directoryStill comparing supplier options? Use our free directory to quickly filter suppliers by niche, country, price range, and supplier type.
- Find local, niche, print on demand, private label, and general suppliers.
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- Build a shortlist before choosing your next supplier.
Updated for 2026, with new reviewed suppliers added regularly.
Moving forward with your chosen supplier
Now you're probably thinking to yourself, 'What now?'
The next step is the easiest: let your suppliers know that you plan to use them for dropshipping.
At the same time, make sure they don't send any invoices/promotional material for future orders, as your customers will receive them and may be a little annoyed by how much the product truly costs. Something similar to the below would work:
I'm dropshipping. Please don't put any invoices, QR codes, promotions, or your brand name logo in the shipments. Thank you!
The final step is to add the products to your store. If you're using WooCommerce or Shopify, there are a few tools you can use to automate this tedious task.
Action plan helper
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Conclusion
At this point, you will have gone through hundreds of different items and suppliers and found yourself a winner. Good job in getting this far; it was a lot of work!
By doing so, you will have saved yourself a possible catastrophe by selling shoddy products that could take months to arrive.
You may have spent a few dollars on samples, but you've really dodged a few bullets, so it makes perfect business sense.
As a dropshipper, it's crucial to know what you're selling, not just by looking at the product page of your supplier but by physically holding and using the product you want to sell.
When ordering product samples, your experience will also be your customer's soon enough. So keep asking yourself, 'Are you really giving the customer value for money?'
If the answer to the above is no at any point, then take a step back and see if you can do a little better. Your customers will thank you for it.
If you're curious about starting an online store without holding any stock in your own inventory, check out our dropshipping beginner's guide here!
Want to learn more about working with suppliers?
Ready to move your dropshipping store to the next level? Check out the articles below:
- 10 Best Dropshipping Shoe Suppliers in 2026 (Free & Paid)
- What Is a Dropshipping Supplier? (+ 10 Supplier Examples)
- How Do You Dropship White Label Cosmetics? (8 Suppliers)
Plus, don't forget to check out our in-depth guide on how to work with dropshipping suppliers here!
