A top challenge for new and veteran entrepreneurs is determining how to source products that are worth selling. Trends come and go, which means it’s important to know what trends are worth pursuing and which ones might not align with your business and its goals. But how do you find products to sell?

In this guide, we’ll cover product sourcing and how to find products to sell that are profitable. Keep reading below to get started. What is Product Sourcing? One of the first questions you may have is, “what is product sourcing?” Product sourcing refers to the process of finding products from a manufacturer or supplier and reselling them.

At Pietra, Creators can use our supplier services to find thousands of manufacturers spanning dozens of industries, from skincare to candles and apparel to jewelry. As you search for the top sourcing companies, you can find great, high-quality products that your customers will love. Now that you know what product sourcing is, let’s explore how to get products for an online store in the section below.

How to Source Products to Sell Online

A common challenge for eCommerce business owners is learning how to source products to sell online. With so many products out there to choose from, knowing which ones are perfect for your store can be difficult. To make the product sourcing process easier, follow the steps below.

1. Research products

If you’re wondering how to source, the first step is researching products. No matter your industry, it’s crucial to conduct market research to find products that your customers are looking for. Market research is the process of gathering information on your target audience, competitors, and industry to analyze gaps in the market, industry trends, and more.

From there, you’ll be able to determine what products might make your brand stand out. For example, are there certain candle scents that are hard to find? Or perhaps there are beauty products that don’t compliment everyone’s skin tone. Learning more about your customers and their wants and needs can help you find products to sell.

2. Purchase wholesale products

Once you’ve determined what products you want to sell, it’s time to start sourcing. When you source products, search for manufacturers who can provide wholesale items that you can add to your logo or branding. At Pietra, Creators can search thousands of manufacturers and wholesalers that have unique products that can be easily customized with your logo and branding to sell as your own.

3. Consider private label products

Purchasing items in bulk that can be easily customized with your branding and logo is a great way to create unique products for your eCommerce store. However, if you want a completely custom product, consider working with a private label manufacturer. Pietra makes it easy to find and contact private label manufacturers who can help bring your ideas to life to make custom products. Through private label manufacturing, you can work with a manufacturer who listens to all of your requests, including ingredients, materials, packaging, labeling, and more.

4. Get samples

When product sourcing, it’s crucial to ensure the products you’re choosing are high-quality and live up to your expectations. This is where sampling comes in. Through Pietra, you can receive samples from any of the manufacturers on our platform, so you can have peace of mind knowing you’re providing products to your customers that you truly believe in.

When testing samples, there are certain things to keep in mind, such as their quality, durability, materials or ingredients used, and packaging. If you notice any quality assurance issues, it may be a sign a manufacturer might not be right for you.

5. Create custom designs

After you’ve found a manufacturer to create your products, it’s important to make them stand out. To make this happen, it’s important to add customizations to your products and packaging to make them stand out.

Pietra makes it easy to find freelance designers who can turn any concept or idea into a beautiful and eye-catching design. From logos to branding and even your eCommerce store on the Pietra Marketplace or Shopify, our freelance designers can create stunning visuals to make your products pop. They can even design artwork and packaging to go with your products to make each step of the customer journey a great experience, all while boosting your brand.

6. Finalize your product

Now that you’ve found products to source, tested your samples, and created your designs, it’s time to finalize your products by working with your manufacturer to create the final product. This means adding any logos or customizations to your pieces that align with your brand. Creators using Pietra can easily communicate with their manufacturers during each step to ensure the creation process goes smoothly.

Once you’re done sourcing products, you can store your inventory in one of Pietra’s low-cost warehouses. With Pietra’s Fulfillment Services, our team can easily manage your inventory and ship products directly to the doorsteps of your customers. Without the need to manage a warehouse or a team to organize your inventory, you can put more time and resources toward other areas of your business.

7. Start selling

Now that you know how to find products to sell, it’s time to make it happen. Creating an eCommerce store is easy with Pietra. On the Pietra Marketplace, you can create your own unique storefront and categorize all of your products for consumers to browse.

Pietra also integrates easily with Shopify. If you have a Shopify store, you can still leverage the power of our manufacturing and fulfillment services, so you can source, organize, and ship products with ease. Creators can also link their storefronts with their social channels like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, so their followers can easily find the products they’re looking for.

Source Products with Pietra

With this guide on how to find products to sell online, you can easily start product sourcing. To get started, learn more about how Pietra works and the different services and features we offer to help business owners succeed. You can also review Pietra’s pricing to find a plan that works for you.