Dropshipping cosmetics
The online sale of cosmetics continues to increase. Do you want to start your own online store? For example, in skin or hair care, fragrances, or makeup? In Europe, there are plenty of cosmetics suppliers and wholesalers available, also for dropshipping.
Content:
- Selling cosmetics
- Finding a supplier
- Advantages of dropshipping cosmetics
- Disadvantages of dropshipping cosmetics
Figures and growth opportunities in cosmetics
In 2023, the European cosmetics and personal care market was valued at 96 billion euros. The largest national markets within Europe for cosmetics were Germany (15.9 billion euros), France (13.7 billion euros), Italy (12.5 billion euros), the United Kingdom (11.0 billion euros), Spain (10.4 billion euros), and Poland (5.2 billion euros).
The cosmetics market is still growing, especially with products that meet specific preferences, such as sustainability, dermacosmetics, and items with particular active ingredients. The market for men’s cosmetics is also expanding, especially in fragrances.
Additionally, “dupes” (affordable alternatives to premium products) and affordable luxury are popular. New trends are constantly emerging, and the rise of influencers provides many sellers with new ways to quickly promote products.
This makes cosmetics an interesting market to start an online store in. Thanks to dropshipping suppliers, this is quite simple. You handle the marketing, and products that do not sell can be easily and quickly removed from your assortment.
Looking for an extra supplier? Jubilee offers a wide range of cosmetic products and works only with suppliers from America and Europe. You can also launch your own brand through this platform.
Dropshipping suppliers for cosmetics
There are several suppliers who can dropship cosmetics for your online store. See the list below:
This b2b platform connects retailers with wholesalers with low purchasing thresholds and minimum purchases. Perfect for finding extra items or suppliers. With the dropshipping subscription you have no storage risks or fulfilment hassle: suppliers send items directly to your customers.
- dropshipping and wholesale in one platform
- true European brands
- local storage: fast delivery times
- options for exclusive partnerships
Large platform that offers over 100M+ products from European and United States suppliers, including fashion, beauty, and lifestyle products. You get fast delivery, branded packaging, private label options and unique print-on-demand solutions. Suitable for both dropshipping and wholesale.
- beginner-friendly
- suppliers from Europe and the United States
- branded packaging and private label options
- offers a strong Shopify integration
- strong product research tools
The Faire platform features brands and wholesalers for retailers from North America and Europe. Both large and small online retailers can go here to complement their assortment in, for example, jewelry, clothing or home accessories.
Platform that combines multiple suppliers. Offers dropshipping with no subscription fees and optional white label shipping. Strong in fashion, jewelry, and beauty products. Fast delivery from US and UK warehouses. Shipments from China often take a bit longer.
- direct integration with Shopify and WooCommerce
- private labeling with no minimum order quantity
Dropshipping offers many opportunities for cosmetics
Dropshipping has several advantages for online stores. For example, you do not run the risk of surplus stock, as you place orders directly with your supplier. Additionally, you can easily experiment with the right marketing or composition of your assortment without incurring costs for purchasing. This gives you the opportunity to get other business processes in order.
For instance, if you dropship cosmetics, you have more time to invest in building your customer base. As mentioned earlier, collaborations with influencers are often useful for selling your products, and there are also many influencers who start their own label. This is also an option to bring your products to the market.
Influencers offer many marketing opportunities for cosmetics.
Due to the low costs before you start selling, creating a dropshipping online store is a good way to test if online selling suits you. There are also specific advantages to dropshipping cosmetics:
- Whitelabel: opportunities to launch your own brand
Many dropshipping suppliers will offer you the possibility to sell whitelabel. They produce the items and retain ownership, but your brand name is on the packaging. To distinguish yourself from the rest of the market, it is useful to start your own brand and focus your marketing on this. This way, you build your own name.
Since your dropshipping supplier does this for you, it saves you costs and effort. You do not have to think about how to package your branded products; usually, the supplier has already arranged this. You can then personalize the color and your logo.
- Regular customers and repeat purchases
When you start selling cosmetics, you not only want your customer base to grow quickly but also to receive repeat orders. Creams, sprays, and pencils run out. If your customers are satisfied, the chance of returning orders is high in the cosmetics industry.
Once you have a group of customers who regularly repeat purchases, you have more certainty about your income. You can respond to this with your online store. For example, send customers an email after a few weeks, indicating that if they reorder now, they will not run out of their product.
- Bundling products
A good tactic to increase your sales is to bundle items. By offering products that are often used together, you make it easier for the customer to order more. Since most people use multiple cosmetic products in their daily routine, bundling these items is even a logical choice. Test which products are sold the most and bundle these together.
For example, consider bundling a facial cleansing product with a cream. Additionally, you can bundle products with a larger profit margin, such as makeup brushes, with products with a smaller margin.
Cosmetics offer opportunities for bundling items and repeat purchases.
Discuss with your dropshipping suppliers which possibilities they have to package bundled products together. This saves the wholesaler packaging material and shipping costs. If they no longer charge these costs to you, this also results in higher margins for you.
- Organic and sustainable cosmetics are a lasting trend
In almost all markets, organic and sustainable products are very popular. This is certainly the case with cosmetics. Consumers like to be sure that the ingredients are natural, as these are better for health. There are many dropshipping suppliers who specialize in sustainable and organic cosmetics. If you select based on this and know how to market these properties of your products, you can quickly find a large customer group.
Think, for example, of blogs about sustainability and beauty. As a dropshipper, you have more time for affiliate marketing. You could suggest writing a guest article explaining why your products are safe and sustainable. Or send these bloggers samples of your products—who knows, they might want to write about them on their website.
Looking for an extra supplier? Jubilee offers a wide range of cosmetic products and works only with suppliers from America and Europe. You can also launch your own brand through this platform.
Disadvantages of dropshipping cosmetics
Although dropshipping cosmetics has many benefits, there are also some downsides to consider.
- Risk of damage during shipping
Many cosmetic products are fragile and can be affected by temperature changes. If a package is not properly sealed, products may leak or break during transport. Since you do not handle the shipping process yourself, you rely on the dropshipping supplier for careful packaging. It is important to check whether they take proper precautions to prevent damage.
- Regulations and ingredients
Cosmetics are products that customers apply directly to their skin. This means that product quality and safety are very important. It is essential to check whether your supplier follows local regulations and provides clear ingredient lists. If a product causes irritation or allergic reactions, customers will contact you, not the supplier.
In Europe, there are strict rules about which ingredients are allowed in cosmetics. If you work with a non-European supplier, make sure that the products comply with these regulations. As a dropshipper, you are responsible for what you sell, so always verify the quality and safety of your products.
