Are you considering dropshipping security products for your online store?
From a security camera to a stun gun, there are several things to consider before selling these items.
While these products can be profitable for ecommerce sellers, they also come with a range of considerations – from liability to legalities.
In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of dropshipping security products and provide various supplier and product examples to help you make an informed decision.
Let’s get into it!
The pros and cons of dropshipping security products
Whether it's a lock or self-defense product, dropshipping security products is something you should think twice about before diving straight in.
On the other hand, it can be a lucrative business if handled well.
Here are the pros and cons of dropshipping security products:
Pros
Let's start with the pros of dropshipping security products:
A growing market
There's no denying it, the market conditions for security products are looking great.
According to Statista, the global smart home security market was valued at $2.14 billion in 2018. In 2022 the global smart home security market increased to $3.27 billion, and by 2025, the forecast is that it will exceed five billion US dollars in revenue.
The same pattern can be seen when looking at the market size of surveillance technology.
From 2020 to 2022, the market grew by a massive 56.6%!
Security products are popular in the top dropshipping countries
When looking at the Google Trends report of a security niche like 'home security,' you will see that it's most popular in regions like the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK.
These countries are some of the world's largest markets, with many citizens willing to purchase high-quality goods.
With such large volumes of consumers, selling products to top dropshipping countries like these is an exciting opportunity for any company looking to maximize its growth potential!
Cons
Selling security products also brings some cons many beginners don't think about. So, it's great that you're here to read about them!
The products may have to protect someone's life
Selling security products can be challenging, as the stakes are much higher than with other types of products.
Some security products are designed to protect someone from potential danger, whether it is their home or even their life.
As such, any misstep of your product can have catastrophic consequences for the customer who has trusted you to do a good job of testing the products.
Additionally, there is always an element of psychological pressure involved with security products; when someone is looking for protection against something dangerous, they often want reassurance that the product will really work and keep them safe.
That puts an extra burden on you as the seller of security products, as you must ensure you provide high-quality products and excellent customer service.
There's a high risk of liability when selling low-quality items
So, when selling security products, you must be confident that they're high-quality.
Remember, the stakes can be high in protecting someone's safety or possessions.
As a seller of security products, you must consider the accompanying risks that come with this activity.
For example, what if any detriment is caused by your faulty or inadequate products? It could be that you, as the seller, will be held liable for any damages.
If you want to sell security products, we recommend taking on liability insurance and compliance regulations to protect yourself and your customers.
And this even applies to the smaller, more 'innocent' security products.
For example, you may see these smart fingerprint padlocks on AliExpress:
But have you also thought about whether they actually work?
If you search on YouTube, you can find lots of videos showing how easy it is to pick these kinds of locks:
Some security products are illegal in certain countries
Another challenge is ensuring that the product is legal in each country you'll be targeting.
This can involve a significant amount of research and due diligence, as there are many countries where certain security products are prohibited by law or have restrictions that you should take into account.
Especially security products that fall into the self-defense category and can harm others often have restrictions.
For example, products like brass knuckles or butterfly knives are strictly illegal in some European countries. Meanwhile, they're widely available from suppliers on AliExpress:
3 Dropshipping suppliers that offer security products
All in all, dropshipping security products is something that comes with high risks, and we wouldn't recommend it to beginners.
But if you're experienced and think you can handle the associated risks, here are three dropshipping suppliers you could use to source your items:
1. Spocket
Spocket is a platform that works with many dropshipping suppliers and collects their products into a single product catalog.
About 80% of suppliers on Spocket are from the United States or Europe.
This not only gives you access to faster shipping times but also increases the chances of sourcing higher-quality products. Again, this is essential when dropshipping security items!
Here are some examples of security products from Spocket's catalog:
As you can see, they offer products like key locks, hidden cameras, and security chains from ABUS, a renowned brand known for its high-quality products.
Let's check out the pros and cons of Spocket now:
Pros
- US & EU suppliers. Spocket mostly partners with suppliers from the US and EU. Often, this translates to faster shipping times and higher-quality products.
- Free trial. Spocket offers a free 14-day trial, so you can try out the platform before committing to a paid plan.
- Branded invoicing. If you want to brand your dropshipping store, you can upgrade to Spocket's Pro plan and unlock branded invoicing.
Cons
- Few security products ship from Europe. If you want to dropship security products to customers in Europe, Spocket may not be the best supplier for you.
How do you connect Spocket to your store?
Spocket offers integrations with most of the popular ecommerce platforms! You can check out their website for more information.
Pricing
Spocket’s pricing plans are listed below:
Tip: If you doubt which Spocket pricing plan to choose, check out this article!
If you’re interested in Spocket but don’t want to pay anything yet, you can create a free account to browse through Spocket’s product catalog.
Exclusive Spocket offer: Enter the coupon code: SpocketTrial during checkout, and you'll instantly unlock a FREE 30-day trial. Click here to redeem your free trial now!
2. AppScenic
Next up is a great alternative to Spocket, AppScenic.
AppScenic's goal is to be the complete dropshipping toolkit with product syncing, auto-ordering, shipment tracking, and smart payments!
They offer various security products from local suppliers, like safes, cameras, or safety kits:
Pros
- A ton of worldwide dropshipping suppliers. You will find suppliers from the top dropshipping countries, including the US, EU, UK, Canada, and Australia!
- Price syncing. There is an instant price sync between your products and the suppliers. This way, you will never miss a price change.
- Auto-ordering. You can set up auto-orders and never worry about manually placing an order with your supplier again!
- Easy refunds. AppScenic's escrow system makes refunds easy by guaranteeing returns and refunds and eliminating the need to deal directly with suppliers.
Cons
- Requires a paid monthly plan. AppScenic doesn’t have many cons, the only thing is that you require a paid monthly plan to use the platform.
- Transaction fee. A transaction fee is charged on all plans, except for the yearly Elite plan.
How do you connect AppScenic to your store?
At this moment, AppScenic can be connected to Shopify, WooCommerce, or Wix stores. More integrations are coming soon!
Pricing
AppScenic's pricing plans range from $24 to $78 per month (you need at least the Standard plan to start selling):
AppScenic also has a free 7-day trial, so you can always try them out first!
3. AliExpress
AliExpress is probably the most popular dropshipping supplier.
You can find almost anything on AliExpress, including lots of security products:
The product pricing on AliExpress may be really tempting, but remember to consider the cons we've talked about previously.
Before sourcing security products from an AliExpress supplier, try to order a test product for yourself to check the product quality.
If you see that the product doesn't perform as expected when it's put to the test, don't dropship it!
Pros
- Cashback. You can get 4.3% – 5.9% cashback on all your AliExpress orders, which is great for your product's pricing strategy. To learn more, check out this article.
- Low prices. One of the best things about AliExpress is you will find loads of low-priced products.
- AliExpress Dropshipping Center. The AliExpress Dropshipping Center is a tool that helps you analyze products before selling them and more!
Cons
- Transparent. Because AliExpress is so accessible, competitors or customers often try to find your product on the platform.
- Dishonest suppliers. Don't immediately believe anything an AliExpress supplier tells you. Check out this article to learn how to find the best suppliers on AliExpress.
How do you connect AliExpress to your store?
We recommend integrating AliExpress into your store using DSers or any of its 14 alternatives.
Pricing
AliExpress is free, but you may have to pay for your connection app. Tip: most features on DSers can be used for free as well!
5 Relatively low-risk security product examples to dropship
We've seen that selling security products can have quite a few disadvantages.
But the truth is that some security products can be sold with fewer risks than others.
For example, suppose the security product you're selling can't harm anyone or isn't directly protecting something valuable.
In that case, the risk of getting into trouble is likely lower than the other way around.
To give you some ideas, here are five security products that you can sell with relatively low risks.
Keep in mind that it's 'relatively' low risk, so these products still come with many of the disadvantages we discussed earlier!
1. Smart doorbells
Increasingly more people are starting to replace their traditional doorbells with ones that include camera and WiFi modules, like the model above we found on AppScenic.
With a smart doorbell, you can see who is at the door before you open it.
Some smart doorbells even come with motion sensors and two-way communication capabilities, giving you notifications anytime something is happening and allowing you to talk to visitors through the doorbell.
2. Security lights
Security lights, like the above one from Spocket, can be a great way to provide added peace of mind.
They are triggered by motion in the dark, providing visibility and deterring potential intrusions.
This additional layer of protection not only limits the chance of property theft or damage but can also make home invaders think twice before attempting to enter a property.
3. Security cameras
On AppScenic, you will find various security cameras from local suppliers.
These types of cameras are used in thousands of businesses and homes worldwide to ensure their safety is monitored day and night.
However, they don't directly secure the property, so the risk of selling them is relatively low.
4. Door stop alarms
Another security product example is a door stop alarm. The one above is from an Australian supplier on Spocket.
These small but powerful devices are easy to use and can make a difference in keeping unauthorized persons out of your home. They wedge beneath the door itself, setting off a loud alarm as soon as someone tries to open the door from the outside.
5. Car key signal blockers
Let's face it, keyless entry systems in cars make our lives easier, but they also leave us vulnerable to thieves.
Signal blockers are a relatively simple solution to this problem.
With the right signal blocker, you don't have to worry about leaving your car open to RFID readers or other scanning methods. By blocking or jamming signals from your keys, signal blockers ensure that only you can access your vehicle!
3 Security products you should avoid dropshipping
To end this article, here are three security product groups that you should avoid dropshipping unless you really know what you're doing:
1. Self-defense products
Selling self-defense products poses higher risks for you as the seller because your products could be used to inflict a lot of damage on people.
Especially products like brass knuckles or butterfly knives come with many risks. Not only because they're really dangerous in the wrong hands but also because they're prohibited by law in many countries.
Don't forget that it's your responsibility as a seller to ensure that customers are well-informed before making any purchase!
2. Safes or locks
Other products you should be really careful with are safes and locks.
The locks you source from your suppliers may be made from low-grade materials, making them vulnerable to easily braking.
Especially when sourcing from a Chinese supplier, you may find locks that are being passed off as authentic (while they're counterfeit). And remember, the ability for you as a dropshipper to guarantee a warranty is almost non-existent in this case!
3. Baby monitors
Also, be careful with baby monitors. They're used to directly monitor a vulnerable human being, so what happens when it's a low-quality monitor that stops working at a crucial time?
Summary
Before we go to the final verdict, we've created a quick summary of this article for you, so you can easily remember it:
- Dropshipping security products can be a lucrative business, but there are many considerations to take into account - from liability and legalities to the risk of selling low-quality items.
- Three dropshipping suppliers that offer security products are Spocket (US & EU), AppScenic (worldwide), and AliExpress (low prices).
- Five relatively low-risk security product examples include smart doorbells, security lights, cameras, door stop alarms, and car key signal blockers.
- Security products you should avoid dropshipping include self-defense products, safes, locks, and baby monitors.
Conclusion
So, should you dropship security products?
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide, but we would recommend staying away from it, especially if you're a beginner.
If you want dropship security products, the suppliers Spocket, AppScenic, and AliExpress are all great places to start your search.
And if you’re still undecided about what types of security products to dropship, items like alarm doorstops and car key signal blockers tend to be low-risk while still providing value to your customer.
Just remember to avoid any products that could potentially cause bodily harm or are low quality!
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