How to Find, Contact, and Onboard Local Australian Suppliers (Even If They Don’t Dropship)

Introduction

When it comes to building a long-term, successful dropshipping business in Australia, there’s a serious advantage in going local. Most new store owners rely entirely on platforms like AliExpress or DSers, but these options often lead to long shipping times, poor product quality, and over-saturated markets.

That’s why finding independent local Australian suppliers—even if they don’t currently offer dropshipping—is one of the smartest strategic moves you can make. Not only can this unlock better margins and faster delivery, but it can also give you access to exclusive products your competitors can’t easily replicate.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through a proven process to research, reach out to, and onboard Australian-based suppliers who may have never even considered dropshipping as a model. If you want to offer high-quality products with a unique angle, this is how to build something real.

Step 1: Deep-Dive Into Your Niche Within the Australian Market

Before you start supplier hunting, clarity on your niche is absolutely essential. Most people make the mistake of staying too broad—saying they sell “fitness gear” or “home decor”—but that lack of focus makes it harder to identify suppliers, especially local ones. Instead, drill down into sub-niches or product verticals that are specific, growing, and underserved.

For example, instead of “homewares,” consider focusing on “boho-inspired coastal lighting” or “Scandinavian minimalist kitchen accessories.” Instead of “fitness,” go after “resistance training tools for women over 40” or “home gym solutions for small apartments.”

Once you know your niche inside and out, it becomes 10x easier to search for aligned Australian businesses, manufacturers, boutique brands, or wholesalers who may be ideal suppliers. Study their branding, their product range, their pricing, and how they present themselves in the market.

Use tools like:

• Google Trends to understand seasonality and rising product searches.

• Pinterest Australia to explore what styles and trends are popular locally.

• Facebook Marketplace and Etsy AU to see local creators and micro-brands.

• Catch.com.au, Amazon AU, and MyDeal to monitor what sells on large marketplaces.

Document key findings in a spreadsheet—everything from brand names and URLs to the type of products they sell, potential pricing, and their contact details if available.

Step 2: Use Google Search Like a Pro (Advanced Operators)

Google is more powerful than most people realise—if you know how to use it properly. Once you’ve identified the niche and product types you want to explore, it’s time to use Google to dig up hidden local suppliers, not just those on flashy directories or marketplaces.

This is where advanced search operators come in. They let you refine results and filter out noise.

Use search strings like:

• "[product type]" + "wholesale" + "Australia"

• site:.com.au inurl:wholesale "pet grooming"

• "[brand name]" + "become a stockist" or "become a reseller"

• "made in Australia" + [product keyword]

• "distributor" OR "supplier" + [your niche] + Australia

Look past the first page. Most valuable suppliers aren’t SEO experts—they might be on page 3, 7, or even 10. And many might not even have eCommerce sites, which is actually a good sign—they haven’t been approached by 1,000 other dropshippers yet.

Once you find relevant businesses, visit their websites. See if they have a "stockist" or "wholesale" page. Look for any terms like "trade accounts," "reseller opportunities," or "supply inquiries."

Again, keep a running spreadsheet of names, websites, contact details, and notes.

Step 3: Look at Local Industry Directories and Trade Shows

While global supplier platforms are great for volume, the real gems are often hiding in industry-specific directories and trade shows, many of which are based right here in Australia. These are goldmines for finding small to mid-sized suppliers and manufacturers that are eager to expand their reach but don’t currently offer dropshipping—yet.

Directories to explore include:

• Australian Made Directory – australianmade.com.au

• Industry search engines like Yellow Pages, IndustrySearch.com.au, and StartLocal.com.au

• Chamber of Commerce websites – search by region or industry

• Local government business directories – especially helpful for handmade and boutique brands

Another often-overlooked source: Trade shows and expos. Even if you can’t attend physically, most trade shows post a list of exhibitors or sponsors on their websites. Search for:

• Life Instyle

• Reed Gift Fairs

• Australian Toy, Hobby & Licensing Fair

• Naturally Good Expo

• Fitness & Wellness Expo

You can often download their exhibitor list and use it as a direct outreach lead source. These companies are actively marketing and may be more open to innovative fulfillment models like dropshipping.

Step 4: Reverse Engineer Your Competitors

If you’ve ever seen an Australian competitor selling products that clearly aren’t from AliExpress or Spocket—yet they’re not a large retailer—you might be looking at a store that uses local wholesale suppliers.

Here’s how to reverse engineer their sourcing:

• Buy one of their products and inspect the packaging, labels, and inserts.

• Use Google Lens on product photos to find similar listings or manufacturer websites.

• Look up their ABN (Australian Business Number) via abr.business.gov.au to see if they're registered as a wholesaler or reseller.

• Check Facebook Ad Library to see what products they’re actively promoting and where they’re shipping from.

• Use ImportYeti or Panjiva (mostly for international suppliers, but occasionally helpful for AU-based importers).

This can help you trace the original supplier or find a local equivalent. And once you identify one supplier, their manufacturer or trade network often leads you to more.

Step 5: Cold Outreach – How to Craft the Perfect Message

Once you’ve identified a solid list of local businesses or manufacturers that align with your niche, it’s time to start reaching out. This is the most intimidating step for many, especially when the business doesn’t advertise any dropshipping program.

Here’s the good news: you don’t need to pitch “dropshipping” right away. Most local businesses won’t even know what the term means—or they’ll associate it with scammy sellers.

Instead, focus on collaboration. Present yourself as a brand builder or ecommerce partner. Your first goal is to spark interest, not close the deal on the first email.

Here’s a basic outreach template to use:

Subject: Inquiry About Partnering with [Their Brand Name]

Body:

Hi [First Name],

My name’s [Your Name], and I run a small Australian-based online store in the [niche] space. I came across your brand while researching quality local suppliers, and I really love your products—especially [specific product or range].

I’d love to explore a way we can work together. I specialize in online marketing and ecommerce, and I think I can help introduce your products to a wider customer base across Australia.

Would you be open to a quick chat or email discussion about a potential partnership?

Thanks so much,
[Your Name]
[Your Website]
[Your Contact Info]

Keep it short, respectful, and focused on benefits to them—not what you want. Always include a professional email signature and your website (even if it’s under development).

Step 6: Explain the Dropshipping Model in Plain English

Once a supplier replies positively and seems open to collaboration, it’s time to explain the dropshipping model—but without using too much jargon. Many local businesses have never heard of it, or they misunderstand it entirely.

Keep it simple:

“I handle all the online marketing, store management, and customer service. When someone buys one of your products through my store, I’ll send you the order and payment immediately, and you ship it directly to the customer. There’s no risk to you—we only send orders when there’s a confirmed sale.”

Emphasise that:

• They don’t need to change their existing operations.

• You don’t need credit terms—you pay upfront.

• There’s no ongoing commitment.

• It’s a low-risk way for them to expand into ecommerce without doing any marketing.

This is often the moment they realise the opportunity: they can make more sales without lifting a finger beyond shipping.

Step 7: Make Onboarding Easy for Them

Once a supplier agrees to try it out, your job is to make the onboarding process as frictionless as possible. Remember, most of them have never done this before—so don’t overwhelm them with systems or documents.

Start simple:

• Ask for their price list or create one yourself based on their retail prices and suggest a wholesale discount (typically 30–50% off RRP).

• Request product photos and descriptions (you may need to reformat them for your store).

• Confirm shipping methods and timeframes.

• Provide a clear order process—how you’ll send orders (email, Google Sheet, or automated via Shopify + Zapier).

• Offer a weekly sales summary to keep them in the loop.

If they’re open to using Shopify’s free Collabs app, that can simplify payments and order notifications. But most local suppliers will be fine with Google Sheets and email at the start.

Build the system around their comfort level, not yours.

Step 8: Build a Strong Long-Term Relationship

The real power of local suppliers lies in building a lasting partnership. Once you’ve onboarded a few, treat them like gold. They’re not just vendors—they’re your edge in the market.

Here’s how to maintain and grow the relationship:

• Communicate consistently – Even a weekly check-in email helps.

• Promote their brand well – This makes them feel valued and invested.

• Give feedback – Let them know what products are working and what customers are saying.

• Order samples – So you can create your own product photos and test quality.

• Introduce automation slowly – Once they’re comfortable, suggest order automation or CSV uploads.

As trust builds, you can negotiate better terms, custom packaging, or even exclusive products. That’s how you move from being “just another dropshipper” to a trusted brand partner.

Conclusion: The Local Supplier Edge

Building a business with local Australian suppliers who don’t normally dropship is harder—but it’s worth it.

✅ You get faster shipping and happier customers.
✅ You avoid competing with copycat AliExpress stores.
✅ You create stronger brand loyalty and higher margins.
✅ And you form real business relationships with real people.

It takes more research, effort, and outreach. But that’s exactly why most people won’t do it. And that’s exactly why you should.

Start today: Pick your niche, build your list, and send your first five outreach emails. This one move could change everything.