Business model answer
Retail, dropshipping or wholesale: which fits a new store?
Retail is one piece at retail price; dropshipping is one-piece fulfillment with manual processing; wholesale is bulk stock at a negotiated quote.
Last checked: 2026-11-02 · Source: live stock catalog and business licence · Licence · Catalog
The detail
Retail is the lowest-commitment route: order one piece at the listed price, with tracked delivery. Dropshipping also starts at one piece but sends the order to a customer address, with manual processing and no API.
Wholesale is for a planned bulk order. Send the styles, quantities, size curve and destination for a written quote.
All three use the same Hefei stock, but the packing, price and dispatch process differ.
Side by side
| Item | Retail | Dropshipping | Wholesale |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOQ | 1 piece | 1 piece | 1 piece per style |
| Inventory | Stock | No inventory | Bulk stock |
| Packing | Plain mailer | Plain mailer | Carton / agreed |
| Price | Retail price | Retail or agreed | Negotiated quote |
| Processing | Online checkout | Manual | Quote and invoice |
Dropshipping has no API or ERP integration.
What to send for a quote
- SKU or style name
- Quantity per colour and size
- Destination country and postcode
- FOB port or forwarder, if you have one
- Label, packaging or logo needs