How to Find a Private Label Manufacturer to Source Products

In this article you’ll learn how to find a private label manufacturer on ThomasNet.

I recently started the production of a private label supplement line.

The name of the brand is Mindwave.

I’m planning on selling the supplements as part of a personal development website. Included in the supplement line will be some nootropics as well as general supplements.

I’ll be posting more information about it on my blog.

So how did I find a private label manufacturer for my supplements?

The First Step to Finding a Private Label Manufacturer is Knowing What You’re Looking For

To find suppliers I usually use ThomasNet.

ThomasNet is a directory with over 500,000 suppliers.

You can find plenty of private label manufacturers, and more rarely, drop shippers.

When I started the new supplement line I first had to find a good supplier. I had a list of criteria for this, because not all suppliers are created equal. For example, many suppliers have high minimum order quantities which is undesirable when you’re sourcing a new product.

Here’s the criteria I was looking for in a supplier:

• Low minimum order quantities
• Great communication and customer support
• Meets industry standards
• High quality products
• Offers private labelling
• Offers drop shipping

Before you try to find a private label manufacturer you need to know what you’re looking for in the first place. Create a list of criteria similar to the one above.

Initially, I was planning to create a drop shipping agreement with my manufacturer.

This meant I had to narrow down my search quite a bit because few manufacturers offer drop shipping. And those who do often don’t meet other criteria such as quality standards.

After doing a bit more research, I discovered there are few upsides to using a drop shipping setup for my supplement line. Most suppliers who offer drop shipping will charge a fee to keep your products in their warehouse.

I’ve found that using a fulfilment service offers more upsides.

I’m planning to use Whiplash.

Anyway – Let’s talk about how to find a private label manufacturer on ThomasNet.

How to Find a Private Label Manufacturer or Drop Shipper on ThomasNet

ThomasNet works like a search engine.

Once you’re on their website, search for a keyword like “Supplements”.

ThomasNet will then give you a list of categories.

This helps you narrow down your search to find the right manufacturers.

Once you’ve selected your preferred category, you’ll be presented with a list of suppliers.

It’ll look like this:

There’s also a ton of options to narrow down your search.

For example, on the left hand side you can filter for manufacturers owned by veterans.

To get more details about a supplier all you have to do is click on the name.

This will pull up a detailed page with information about the supplier. In most cases I skip this step and click on the website link that can be found under the description.

The website will give you a first impression. And I’m usually able to extract more information from the manufacturer’s website than from ThomasNet.

Most manufacturers will showcase their services on their website.

Use this information to determine if a manufacturer meets your criteria. I usually take a few minutes to navigate the website and look at the different services a manufacturer offers. If possible, I also try to find a list of private label products the manufacturer offers. Sometimes this can be found directly on the manufacturer’s website.

If I have any remaining questions, I’ll give the supplier a call.

Usually I find one good supplier for every 10 or 20 suppliers I look at.

I recommend you compile a list of prospective suppliers and then give each of them a call.

I once called a supplier only to find out they had horrible customer support. When you’re on the phone with someone, it’s easier to detect red flags than just from looking at a website.

It’s worth doing your “due diligence”.

Research as much as possible about a potential manufacturer. Give them a call, and if possible, produce a little test batch to get a feeling for how it will be to work with the manufacturer.

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