# Dropshipping Supplier Brief > Creates supplier evaluation and communication templates for dropshipping businesses with quality standards, SLAs, and order management workflows. Use when vetting dropshipping partners. - Skill: `reaperinvest/dropshipping-supplier-brief` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add reaperinvest/dropshipping-supplier-brief` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/reaperinvest/dropshipping-supplier-brief/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: reaperinvest (https://skillmd.com/u/reaperinvest) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/reaperinvest/dropshipping-supplier-brief --- # Dropshipping Supplier Brief ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when you need to: - Evaluate and vet potential dropshipping suppliers - Create communication templates for supplier outreach and management - Define quality standards and SLAs for your supply chain - Build a supplier management system for your dropshipping business **DO NOT** use this skill for product sourcing strategy, e-commerce store setup, or marketing. This is for the supplier relationship and management side of dropshipping. --- ## Core Principle YOUR SUPPLIER IS YOUR SILENT PARTNER — THEIR QUALITY, SPEED, AND RELIABILITY DIRECTLY DETERMINE YOUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND BRAND REPUTATION. --- ## Phase 1: Brief ### Required Inputs | Input | What to Ask | Default | |-------|------------|---------| | **Product niche** | "What products will you dropship?" | Must be provided | | **Target market** | "Where are your customers? (US, EU, global)" | United States | | **Order volume** | "Expected monthly order volume?" | 50-200 orders/month | | **Price range** | "Target product cost and selling price?" | Must be provided | | **Shipping expectations** | "Maximum acceptable shipping time to customer?" | 7-14 days | | **Current suppliers** | "Have you worked with any suppliers already?" | Starting fresh | | **Platform** | "Where are you sourcing? (AliExpress, Alibaba, US-based, private label)" | Mixed | **GATE: Confirm brief before building supplier management framework.** --- ## Phase 2: Design ### Supplier Evaluation Criteria Score each potential supplier (1-10) on: | Criteria | What to Evaluate | Minimum Score | |----------|-----------------|--------------| | **Product quality** | Sample review, material quality, consistency | 7 | | **Shipping speed** | Average delivery time to your target market | 7 | | **Communication** | Response time, language clarity, professionalism | 6 | | **Reliability** | Order accuracy, stock availability, consistency | 8 | | **Pricing** | Unit cost, shipping fees, bulk discounts | 6 | | **Returns handling** | Return policy, defect replacement process | 6 | | **Scalability** | Capacity for volume increases, backup inventory | 5 | ### Supplier Vetting Process 1. Initial contact and inquiry 2. Sample order (always order before selling) 3. Evaluate sample quality and shipping time 4. Place 3-5 test orders over 2 weeks 5. Assess consistency and communication 6. Negotiate terms and sign agreement **GATE: Present the evaluation framework and confirm standards before building templates.** --- ## Phase 3: Build ### Deliverables **1. Supplier Outreach Template** - Professional introduction email - Product inquiry with specification requirements - Pricing and MOQ negotiation template - Sample request format **2. Supplier Evaluation Scorecard** - Scoring matrix for each criteria - Pass/fail thresholds - Comparison table for multiple suppliers - Decision recommendation **3. Supplier Agreement Template** - Quality standards and expectations - Shipping timelines and tracking requirements - Return and defect handling process - Communication expectations (response time SLAs) - Payment terms and schedule - Termination conditions **4. Order Management Workflow** - Order forwarding process (manual or automated) - Tracking number communication flow - Quality check procedures for first 10 orders - Escalation process for issues (late shipments, wrong items, quality problems) **5. Supplier Performance Tracker** - Monthly metrics: order accuracy, shipping speed, defect rate, communication score - Red/yellow/green status indicators - Quarterly review trigger points --- ## Phase 4: Polish ### Ongoing Management - Weekly: check tracking updates and customer complaints - Monthly: review supplier performance metrics - Quarterly: formal performance review with the supplier - Semi-annually: market check — are better suppliers available? ### Backup Supplier Plan Always have a secondary supplier vetted and ready. Single-supplier dependency is the biggest risk in dropshipping. --- ## Example 1: Fashion Accessories (AliExpress suppliers, US customers) **Vetting:** 3 suppliers contacted, samples ordered from each. Supplier B wins: best quality, 10-day average delivery, responsive on WhatsApp. Agreement includes 48-hour processing SLA and defect replacement policy. ## Example 2: Home Goods (US-based supplier, premium positioning) **Vetting:** 2 US-based warehouses evaluated. Supplier A wins: 3-5 day shipping, branded packing slip option, real-time inventory API. Higher cost ($2-5/order more) justified by faster shipping and fewer complaints. --- ## Anti-Patterns - **Selling before sampling** — listing products you have never seen or touched is a recipe for refunds and negative reviews. Always order samples. - **Choosing on price alone** — the cheapest supplier often has the slowest shipping, worst quality, and most headaches. Evaluate the full picture. - **No written agreement** — verbal promises mean nothing when a shipment goes wrong. Get commitments in writing. - **Single supplier dependency** — if your one supplier runs out of stock, your business stops. Always have a backup. - **Ignoring communication quality** — a supplier who takes 3 days to respond to inquiries will take 3 days to resolve customer issues. --- ## Recovery - **Supplier quality drops:** Document the issues with photos and tracking numbers. Contact the supplier with evidence and request corrective action. If unresolved in 2 weeks, activate your backup supplier. - **Shipping times increase suddenly:** Investigate (holiday delays, supply chain issues, or supplier deprioritizing your orders). Communicate proactively with affected customers. - **No English-speaking suppliers available:** Use a sourcing agent as an intermediary. The agent manages supplier communication and quality control. - **Customer complaints mounting:** Pause new orders, audit recent shipments, and address root cause before scaling further. Short-term revenue loss prevents long-term brand damage.