Top 15 Best Dropshipping Suppliers In South Africa (2024)

Africa is the world’s youngest continent, with a population well over a billion people and a median age of 19.7 years, according to the latest United Nations estimates (April 12, 2021). Add to this the eCommerce revolution of the last few years, and what do you get? A young continent with enormous potential for business growth.

Numerous industry experts consider numerous African countries to be excellent locations for starting a dropshipping business. South Africa’s eCommerce landscape is undoubtedly thriving. As a result, young entrepreneurs are recognizing the potential of dropshipping in south africa, a popular eCommerce business model.

We compiled a list of the best dropshipping suppliers in South Africa who specialize in a variety of industries, including apparel, electronics, gadgets, and pet supplies. You’ll find a few viable possibilities here before deciding to launch your own online business.

Top 15 Best Dropshipping Suppliers In South Africa

1. BrandsGateway

If you choose to believe the facts concerning South African online shoppers, you should surely consider launching an online store for dropshipping designer clothing and selecting BrandsGateway as your supplier. To demonstrate, apparel is the most popular category for South African consumers who shop online, accounting for 53% of all purchases. As a result, partnering with BrandsGateway enables you to offer luxury clothing collections for both ladies and men to your customers.

BrandsGateway offers fast and timely delivery to any area using a variety of shipping methods, including UPS, FedEx, and DHL. Additionally, the company offers automated integration with Shopify, which simplifies and streamlines the dropshipping experience.

Create a free account in a few clicks to browse BrandsGateway’s large assortment of luxury apparel and accessories for ladies and men.

2. Distributors of Men’s Republic

Men’s Republic Distributors is a prominent dropshipping seller of gadgets and electronics situated in South Africa. It is a wholesale distributor of electronics, smartphone accessories, remote control toys, novelty items, and men’s presents.

Indeed, they stock a wide variety of products and provide a slew of benefits to dropshippers. They are in charge of picking, packing, and dispatching orders to end customers, as well as dealing with product returns. Additionally, they provide complete listing information for all of their products.

3. The Aromas

The Scents, as the name implies, is a wholesale distributor of designer fragrances and other cosmetic items for men and women. If you’re considering starting a dropshipping business concentrating in beauty products, The Scents is an excellent supplier to consider. They ship all orders using carriers who provide tracking information (DHL, UPS, SAPO, POSTNET, USPS, etc.). Additionally, they take all major credit cards.

4. NinjaParcel

ParcelNinja enables dropshippers to succeed by providing intelligent warehouse solutions. As a dropshipper, you may utilize these solutions to drop off your inventory at their warehouses and schedule deliveries. Additionally, you can obtain real-time tracking, which enables you to trace your order from the shelf to the customer’s door.

5. Inventive Freak

Neat Freak is a South African dropshipping provider that specializes in providing dropshipping companies with a variety of organizing items. More precisely, Neat Freak carries a wide variety of products ranging from detergents and ordinary household cleaning supplies to office and storage supplies. If you’re looking for a dropshipping provider who can supply a variety of household items, consider Neat Freak. However, you need to conduct market research to see whether there is a market for these products.

6. Drop-down menu

Dropstore enables dropshippers to quickly and simply identify products, add them to their online store, and ship them straight to their consumers by streamlining and simplifying product sourcing from multiple vendors. When a customer places an order, it is automatically forwarded to the South African provider. Later, Dropstore will mail the item using the tracking information supplied.

7. Gadgetgyz

Gadgetgyz is another dropshipping supplier based in South Africa that caters to technology and smart device enthusiasts. More precisely, Gatgetgyz sells an extensive selection of Android smartphones, accessories, wearables, and other products from manufacturers such as OnePlus, Cubot, Ulefone, and Xiaomi. Additionally, they claim to provide 24/7 customer service to their network of dropshippers.

8. Mantality

Mantality is another South African supplier of devices and accessories. They offer a diverse selection of products in a variety of categories, including gadgets and gear, living and leisure, geek and gaming, and electronics and technology. Mantality is an excellent alternative if you intend to open a store that will primarily cater to folks with an interest in technology devices.

9. Third Wave Distribution

Third Wave Distribution also offers a high-quality selection of electronics for dropshipping. We put it in our list of South Africa’s best dropshipping suppliers due to its location and product assortment. The company offers over 400 goods and ships within 2-4 business days.

10. Calasca

Calasca offers dropshipping on homeware, toys, kitchen items, jewelry, and beauty products. Calasca, based in Sandton, South Africa, supplies a diverse range of products to dropshipping stores. Their return policy is fairly tight, allowing products to be returned within 48 hours after delivery.

11. Planet54

Planet54 is a dropshipping provider that sells a variety of products in a variety of categories, including footwear, apparel, accessories, and technology. If you’re looking to develop a strong relationship with a reputable supplier who sells a diverse range of unbranded products and to boost your profits, check out Planet54. You can join their reseller entrepreneurship program or source their products directly through Dropstore.

12. Marijuanasa

Marijuanasa is another dropshipping supplier based in South Africa with an intriguing offering for dropshippers. If you’re interested in starting a dropshipping business that specializes in selling cannabis seeds and other essential products for cannabis cultivation, please contact us. South Africa, the United Kingdom, Namibia, Swaziland, and Lesotho are all destinations for this dropshipping supplier’s products.

13. Shopstar

If you’re familiar with how Shopify works, you’ll have no difficulty understanding how Shopstar operates. It’s a dropshipping provider that you may utilize to build your own store and sell a variety of products. Depending on the pricing plan you choose, you can have between one and twenty-five goods.

14. Wheelatrend

If you’re looking for a supplier of specialist products such as custom swimwear, mugs, or t-shirts, you should check out Wheelatrend. It is a well-known South African dropship supplier specializing in on-demand printing. They offer to dropship straight through their website, and when you sign up as a reseller, you can also purchase products at wholesale prices.

15. Cosmic Pets

Finally, the final business on the list. When it comes to providing pet supplies and accessories, Cosmic Pets is a well-known and reputable wholesale provider in the market. Cosmic Pets has been supplying over 500 stores for over a decade. These include, but are not limited to, pet shops, veterinarian clinics, and pet care experts around South Africa. They provide high-quality pet goods with superior branding that are delivered within five days after order placing.

Shopping Habits On The Internet

The African continent’s territory has seen remarkable advancements in mobile and internet technology. This contributes to the growing trend of young people shopping online. For instance, it is well accepted that young people in African countries, particularly South Africa, prefer to make purchases using their mobile phones. This is because the vast majority of people lack access to banking services. Indeed, 62% of South African online shoppers purchased something from an international retailer in 2019, up from 43% in 2018.

The trend toward online shopping via credit cards and mobile devices continues to grow. This is why Africa is introducing an increasing number of payment alternatives. Dropshipping in south Africa appears to be a game changer in South Africa. Therefore, if you’re interested in exploring the potential of the South African eCommerce scene, you should first familiarize yourself with the country’s peculiarities and the habits of its 59 million consumers. After that, you can begin your search for the best dropshipping suppliers in South Africa.

The Ecommerce Landscape Of South Africa

According to a report released on Statista, South Africa’s e-commerce penetration is rather astounding. For instance, in 2019, there were 30 million eCommerce users, 52% eCommerce penetration, and 63% Internet penetration. Most significantly, dropshippers understand that this industry offers several opportunities to experiment with new products.

Characteristics Of Online Shoppers

By 2023, South Africa’s eCommerce user base is expected to grow by 24% to 38 million users; 35% of South African online shoppers have a high household income.

South Africa ranks 40th in terms of eCommerce penetration, with 52% of the population shopping online.

Preferences For Shopping

According to Bizcommunity, the top three online shopping categories for South African consumers are clothing (53%), entertainment/education (51%), and event tickets (51%). Additionally, electronics and media, as well as furniture and appliances, are popular categories for online shopping in South Africa. Additionally, when it comes to purchasing overseas, clothing continues to be the most popular category, accounting for 68% of purchases, followed by jewelry/watches at 62%.

Shopping Online In South Africa

Shopify is designed specifically for the South African dropshipping market. Shopify, the world’s leading eCommerce platform, has partnered with leading South African payment providers to assist in the setup and management of an online store. This is a necessary component of success in the dropshipping business, as many South Africans find PayPal inconvenient.

Additionally, there are dropshipping suppliers that offer automated integration with Shopify-based dropshipping stores, which simplifies and streamlines the experience for both dropshippers and their suppliers.

Payment Patterns Of South African Consumers

According to Statista, 41% of eCommerce transactions in South Africa were completed using a credit card in January 2020. However, only 13% of South African adults over the age of 15 have a credit card, necessitating the need for additional secure payment methods. And now for the trends in mobile phones and mobile banking – as of today, the payment gateways available in South Africa are as follows:

PayFast
PayGate
BitPay
GoCoin
PUT IT ON LAY-BUY
Coinbase Commerce
Payment Express PxPay
PayPal Express Checkout

After discussing the fundamental characteristics of the South African eCommerce market, we will discuss the next critical aspect of the dropshipping operation. When it comes to sourcing authentic suppliers, we have identified the actions that must be taken to avoid business hazards.

Conclusion

When it comes to selecting the top dropshipping provider in South Africa, the most critical factor is to pay attention to the statistics. Once you have a firm grasp of the wants and expectations of the average South African internet shopper, you can begin building your dropshipping business. In other words, the data above demonstrates that the majority of the South African population – 53% – shops for goods online. Thus, selling apparel in South Africa is a prudent first step for any company interested in pursuing the dropshipping opportunity in this area.