Hey there!
If you're dropshipping, you've probably realized that choosing the right supplier platform is a big deal!
Today, we're going to compare two popular ones: CJdropshipping and SaleHoo.
The main difference between CJdropshipping and SaleHoo is that CJdropshipping is an all-in-one solution for sourcing and fulfilling products, while SaleHoo focuses on connecting you with pre-vetted suppliers often located in regions like the US, Canada, or Europe.
Are you ready to explore these two platforms up close?
Overview: CJdropshipping vs. SaleHoo
Looking for a quick answer to which one of these top dropshipping platforms is best?
If so, we have summarized their pros and cons below:
| CJdropshipping | SaleHoo | ||
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| Large selection of products | High competition from other users | One of the largest dropshipping supplier directories | No automation features for SaleHoo Directory suppliers |
| Product sourcing services | Most products are still stored in China | ‘Research Labs’ product research tool | It is paid, and there is no free trial |
| A personal support agent | Not the most user-friendly design | Top-notch customer service | Only integrates with Shopify |
| Integrations with multiple ecommerce platforms | Quick shipping times due to local suppliers | Lacks some advanced features | |
| Good quality control | |||
| Mobile app | |||
| Warehouses in multiple countries | |||
| Additional services like custom packaging or product photography | |||
| Automated order fulfillment | |||
| Combine and split orders |
To sum up, let us give you a few examples of which app to choose:
CJdropshipping is a great choice if:
- You're looking for an all-in-one solution. CJdropshipping offers product sourcing, warehousing, and shipping services under one roof, making them a very convenient supplier.
- You have a global audience. The international warehouses of CJdropshipping increase the chances of you being able to offer fast shipping times!
- You're looking for a dropshipping platform with lots of integrations. CJdropshipping has integrations for popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and eBay.
Interested in trying out CJdropshipping? If so, you can sign up for free here!
SaleHoo is an excellent choice if:
- You're looking to connect with unique suppliers. SaleHoo's power lies in the quality of its supplier directory of over 8,000 pre-vetted suppliers and 2.5 million products. Plus, each supplier is vetted for reliability.
- You want to connect to a supplier without any middlemen. Another significant benefit of using SaleHoo over CJdropshipping is that with SaleHoo, you can partner directly with the product manufacturer/supplier (there are no middlemen taking a commission.)
Would you like to try SaleHoo? You can register an account here!
Why you might need CJdropshipping or SaleHoo for your dropshipping store
Let's examine why you might need CJdropshipping or SaleHoo for your dropshipping store.
After all, why waste time and effort to set them up if they are not needed?
CJdropshipping and SaleHoo are so-called dropshipping supplier platforms.
Remember, as a dropshipper, you sell products you don’t have in stock. Once a customer places an order, you forward it to your dropshipping supplier, who ships the product(s) directly to your customer.
Some of the tasks that come with dropshipping include:
- Finding products to sell (from dropshipping suppliers).
- Uploading these products to your online store.
- Buying products from your supplier to fulfill your customer’s order (order fulfillment).
- Managing your product's stock levels to ensure you aren’t offering products that are sold out.
- Updating the tracking numbers and order statuses for your orders.
And guess what?
These are things that a dropshipping supplier platform like CJdropshipping or SaleHoo can either automate or make a lot easier!
Using CJdropshipping or SaleHoo will save you a lot of time on these tasks, which you can then spend on things like making your store more unique or developing the perfect pricing strategy.
What is CJdropshipping?
Let's dive a bit deeper into CJdropshipping, a Chinese platform born out of the need to solve the common problems dropshippers face.
It started as a small team back in 2014 and has since grown into a global player!
You can compare CJdropshipping to a one-stop shop for your dropshipping store.
It aims to offer an 'all-inclusive' solution by taking care of sourcing, storing, packing, and shipping products:
Essentially, they want to be your back-end fulfillment center while you focus on selling and marketing your products.
In the words of CJdropshipping:
You sell – we source and ship for you!
Pricing
CJdropshipping operates a bit differently when it comes to pricing.
You simply create an account, and you can start using CJdropshipping right away.
There are no monthly fees.
Instead, you just pay for the products and the shipping costs. (Or, you can also opt for services like custom packaging for an extra fee.)
The pros of CJdropshipping
Now that we know what CJdropshipping is let's discuss the pros!
1. Large selection of products
With CJdropshipping, you have access to a vast range of products.
Whether you want to sell hiking, valentine, or pet products, you'll find what you're looking for!
Under every category, you'll find dozens of subcategories:
This allows you to experiment with different niches or easily expand your product range!
2. Product sourcing services
One of the standout features of CJdropshipping is product sourcing.
You can request CJdropshipping to source products from suppliers, including from platforms like 1688, Taobao, and AliExpress.
This is a significant advantage as it ensures you can offer unique products and competitive prices on your store!
3. A personal support agent
Customer service is king, and CJdropshipping knows this.
When you register into CJdropshipping and use it, you are assigned a personal support agent to help you with any questions or problems:
They are available 24/7 and can be reached through email, live chat, and WhatsApp!
4. Integrations with multiple ecommerce platforms
CJdropshipping integrates seamlessly with popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and more.
This makes adding new products to your store or fulfilling orders a breeze!
5. Good quality control
Before products leave the warehouse, CJdropshipping performs a quality control check.
This means that each product is checked for defects, and any issues are resolved before it is shipped to the customer.
It ensures that your customers receive products in good condition, which is essential for building trust and repeat business!
6. Mobile app
On the go? No worries!
CJdropshipping has a mobile app that allows you to manage your store, track orders, and even chat with customer service, all from your smartphone:
The app is available for both iOS and Android devices and is free to download.
7. Warehouses in multiple countries
CJdropshipping has warehouses in nine different countries, including the US:
This means that if your customers are located in the same countries, they will get their products faster!
And, if you're dropshipping to multiple countries, you can quickly ship from the closest warehouse to save on shipping times.
You can even use CJdropshipping as a 3PL partner by preordering inventory and storing it in one of their warehouses! (They do charge a service fee for this, and you'll need to store at least 100 units per product.)
8. Additional services like custom packaging or product photography
Want to elevate your brand?
CJdropshipping doesn't just stop at product sourcing and shipping.
They offer various additional services that help make your store stand out from the crowd!
These include:
- Original photo or video service. The CJdropshipping team can help you take new photos or videos of your products:
- Custom packaging service. You can design your custom packaging, and CJdropshipping will use it to pack your products:
- Print on demand service. CJdropshipping allows you to customize certain products. If you don't know what print on demand is, check out our beginner's guide to print on demand here!
9. Automated order fulfillment
Say goodbye to manual order processing!
CJdropshipping automates the entire order fulfillment process, from order syncing to tracking information. This saves you time and helps reduce errors.
10. Combine and split orders
With CJdropshipping, you also have the flexibility to combine or split orders as needed, optimizing your shipping costs:
The cons of CJdropshipping
We've now talked about all the awesome features CJdropshipping brings to the table.
But let's keep it real; no service is without its hiccups.
Here are a few things that might make you go 'Hmm…' when using CJdropshipping:
1. High competition from other users
The main downside of CJdropshipping is that there is a lot of competition.
This is like when you show up to a party, and someone else is wearing the same outfit.
Since CJdropshipping is popular, there are tons of other dropshippers using it.
This means the market for some of the products can be saturated, making it a tad harder to stand out.
Even though the competition is high, there are still opportunities to be successful with CJdropshipping.
You just need to be creative and find products that few people sell!
2. Most products are still stored in China
While CJdropshipping has warehouses in multiple countries, most of its products are still stored in China.
This can sometimes lead to longer shipping times than you or your customers might expect!
3. Not the most user-friendly design
If you're looking for that sleek and intuitive interface, CJdropshipping might not be your best match.
Some users find the platform's design not the most intuitive, and it can take a bit of clicking around before you become familiar with it.
Tip: For more information about CJdropshipping, check out our in-depth review here: CJdropshipping Dropshipping: How To Start in 2024 (+ Review)
What is SaleHoo?
SaleHoo is a dropshipping supplier directory and dropshipping automation platform.
But before we cover all its features, let's step back in time.
Founded in 2005, SaleHoo was designed to connect businesses with reliable suppliers and wholesale-priced products.
The founders understood the struggles entrepreneurs faced when looking for trustworthy suppliers. Their vision was to eliminate these hurdles, making it easier to source products and, ultimately, thrive in the ecommerce space.
Now, almost two decades later, SaleHoo is one of the best supplier directories!
It offers a catalog of over 2.5 million products and more than 8,000 pre-vetted suppliers:
Besides the supplier directory, SaleHoo also offers the 'SaleHoo Dropship' product, with which they compete with dropshipping automation software like DSers (and CJdropshipping, of course) by automating the connection between your Shopify store and AliExpress.
Lastly, SaleHoo even has its own (paid) ecommerce training academy.
Pricing
SaleHoo's pricing can be divided into three main products:
- SaleHoo Directory ($67 per year or $127 for lifetime access). This plan provides direct access to SaleHoo's pre-vetted suppliers.
- SaleHoo Dropship ($27 monthly for Basic or $97 monthly for Premium). This plan unlocks SaleHoo's automation tool used for dropshipping products from AliExpress.
- SaleHoo Educate ($47 one-time). This is an educational platform aimed at teaching you about dropshipping or Amazon FBA.
The pros of SaleHoo
Let's dive into the amazing benefits that SaleHoo offers!
1. One of the largest dropshipping supplier directories
With SaleHoo, you can access over 8,000 pre-vetted suppliers and a whopping 2.5 million products.
That's like having a gigantic mall where you can pick and choose products for your online store!
You'll start the search for your supplier by your store's niche:
For example, if you click on 'Health & Beauty,' this is how the search looks like:
You'll find an impressive 467 available suppliers, which you can further filter on:
- Subcategory (Bath & Body, Hair and Nail Care, etc.)
- Supplier Type (Dropshippers, Wholesalers, Liquidators, Manufacturers)
- Location (US, Canada, Australia, etc.)
- Ships Worldwide
- Minimum Order
- Tax ID Required
By clicking a supplier's name, you can find their information:
Here is an example of how a supplier's page looks:
As you can see, you can find the following information for each supplier:
- Their website link.
- Their contact information (usually email and phone number).
- Their business location and information.
- The countries they ship to.
- The payment methods they accept.
- Their product catalog.
- And more!
And the best part? These suppliers have all been checked out, so you don't have to worry about their credibility:
2. 'Research Labs' product research tool
SaleHoo has a built-in product research tool called SaleHoo Research Labs which helps you find winning products to sell:
You can use different filters like the level of competition, average price, and product type to identify winning products.
SaleHoo Research Labs is not as good as some dedicated product research tools, but that can be expected since it's one of SaleHoo's supplementary products.
3. Top-notch customer service
SaleHoo offers email and live chat support that's available 24/7 on business days.
So, naturally, we wanted to test it!
Using live chat, we asked SaleHoo whether they offer integrations with platforms other than Shopify:
And we got a detailed answer back in under five minutes!
Overall, we think their customer service was excellent.
SaleHoo even has an extensive knowledge base where you can find answers to your questions, even if you're not their customer yet:
4. Quick shipping times due to local suppliers
Remember those 8,000+ suppliers we talked about?
Well, many of them are located in regions like the US, Australia, the UK, Europe, and more!
This can translate to quicker shipping times which is always a plus in the ecommerce world. Your customers will be doing a happy dance when their packages arrive early!
The cons of SaleHoo
We've seen the cool stuff SaleHoo offers, but what about the not-so-cool stuff?
Let's take a look at some of the drawbacks that you need to be aware of:
1. No automation features for SaleHoo Directory suppliers
SaleHoo might have a massive directory, but here's the catch - there are no automation features for handling orders with these suppliers.
This means you'll have to manually place orders, which can get tedious, especially if your store gets many orders. Alternatively, you can look into arranging something directly with the supplier, but that would also take some work.
Automation makes life easier, and not having it is a bit of a bummer!
2. It is paid, and there is no free trial
Here's another drawback - there's no free trial to test SaleHoo.
You've got to pay right off the bat.
And while they offer a 60-day money-back guarantee, it's still not the same as being able to look around for free to see if it's the right fit for you.
3. Only integrates with Shopify
If you're not using Shopify, this one's a deal-breaker.
SaleHoo only integrates with Shopify, which means you're out of luck if you're using another ecommerce platform.
4. Lacks some advanced features
SaleHoo might not be as feature-rich compared to other dropshipping supplier platforms. For example, you won't find in-depth analytics.
Also, for those looking to build a brand, SaleHoo might not be the best choice. It doesn't offer many options for custom packaging or branding.
Compare other dropshipping companies
Not sure yet if CJdropshipping or SaleHoo is the right fit for your business? Check out our other comparison articles below:
- Alibaba vs. AliExpress
- DSers vs. AliDropship
- DSers vs. Spocket
- Printful vs. Printify
- Spocket vs. Modalyst
- Syncee vs. Spocket
And to compare more companies, visit the comparison hub!
Summary
Before we go to the final thoughts, we've created a quick summary of this article for you, so you can easily remember it:
- CJdropshipping and SaleHoo are dropshipping supplier platforms designed to connect you to dropshipping suppliers and help you find products to sell.
- The main difference between CJdropshipping and SaleHoo is that CJdropshipping is an all-in-one solution for sourcing and fulfilling products.
- Meanwhile, SaleHoo focuses on connecting you with pre-vetted suppliers in regions like the US, Canada, or Europe.
- Both CJdropshipping and SaleHoo have pros and cons, so make sure to read those before deciding which one to use for your store!
Final verdict
We hope this article has helped you understand the differences between CJdropshipping and SaleHoo and decide which is best for your business.
Both are great platforms, but there will always be one that fits you better than the other!
Final verdict: If you're looking for an all-inclusive supplier platform to connect to your store, CJdropshipping will be your best bet.
However, if you want to find unique, verified suppliers from the US or EU, check out the supplier directory on SaleHoo!
What are your thoughts on CJdropshipping or SaleHoo?
Let us know in the comments below, and have a great rest of your day!
Want to learn more about dropshipping?
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