How to sell private label products

New businesses require a lot of moving parts. If you’re just starting out, making it to an actual “launch” might seem far off. That’s why many entrepreneurs look for any opportunity to get a head start. Private label products can provide the jumping off point you’ve been searching for.

Selling private label products involves marketing and selling items under your own brand name that are manufactured by others. This eliminates the need for a major up-front investment of time and money on your end.

Private label products account for approximately 19% of total retail sales in the U.S., making this market a solid opportunity for those looking to dive into ecommerce.

This guide will walk you through the background information and steps needed to successfully launch and sell your own private label products on WooCommerce. It covers everything from product ideas to setting up your store.

Private label products are goods produced by one company but sold under the brand name of another. This allows you to offer products with custom branding without having to invest in the manufacturing process. You control the product’s branding, marketing, sales, and pricing while a third-party manufacturer handles production.

Private label products can be found in various categories, from food and beverages to personal care items and electronics. Examples include brands like Kirkland Signature and Amazon Basics.

Kirkland Signature

Kirkland Signature is Costco’s private label brand, offering a variety of products from groceries to personal care items and household goods.

Amazon Basics

Amazon Basics, launched in 2009, includes products in nearly every category and offers affordable alternatives to name-brand products on Amazon’s marketplace.

There are several advantages to selling private label products that make it an appealing business model for ecommerce store owners:

Better profit margins

Private label products often offer higher profit margins compared to reselling national brands or traditional dropshipping. Direct sourcing from manufacturers eliminates intermediaries, reducing costs and allowing for greater pricing flexibility.

Custom branding

With private label products, you have complete control over branding and packaging. This allows you to create a unique brand identity that sets your products apart from competitors.

Full customization

Private labeling provides flexibility in choosing materials, design, packaging, and other elements to create products that cater to your target market effectively.

Quick market entry

Launching private label items is faster than developing and manufacturing products from scratch, allowing for quicker market entry and scaling.

Differentiation and exclusivity

Private label products offer the chance to provide unique items not available from other retailers, creating exclusivity that can attract customers looking for distinctive products.

Control over pricing

You have control over pricing strategy, setting prices that reflect your brand’s value and business goals without being constrained by other brands’ pricing policies.

Flexibility in production and distribution

Private label products offer flexibility in choosing domestic or international manufacturers and selecting the most effective distribution channels, whether online platforms, brick-and-mortar stores, or a combination of both.

By selling private label brands, you can create unique, customized items that cater to specific market needs without being restricted by others’ decisions on product presentation.

Here are some product ideas sorted by category, along with manufacturers that offer WooCommerce integration to help you get started:

Beauty and personal care

Blanka specializes in private label beauty and skincare products, providing vegan, cruelty-free cosmetics and skincare items with WooCommerce integration.

Trilogy Laboratories offers skincare products like serums, moisturizers, and treatments.

Pietra provides custom beauty and personal care products with a focus on social media selling, ideal for influencers and online sellers.

Apparel and accessories

Apliiq offers custom apparel such as T-shirts, hoodies, and hats with private labeling and print-on-demand services.

Printful provides custom apparel and accessories like T-shirts, hats, and bags, with WooCommerce integration for easy product management.

Health and fitness

AliExpress offers a wide range of health and fitness products, including yoga mats, resistance bands, and fitness apparel.

Modalyst features athleticwear and fitness products, offering custom branding and fast shipping with WooCommerce integration.

HyperSKU provides fitness equipment like resistance bands, yoga mats, and foam rollers.

Pet products

Printify offers customization on pet products like pet clothing, bowls, and accessories, with WooCommerce integration for streamlined product management.

Spocket features a variety of pet products, including toys, food, and grooming supplies.

DHGate sells customizable pet products from various suppliers, along with products across most consumer categories.

Home and living

Gelato sells print-on-demand home decor items like wall art, photo books, and personalized gifts.

Art of Where provides custom home decor and accessories, including pillows, blankets, canvas prints, and clothing items.

Alibaba offers a wide range of home and living products in addition to products across all categories.

Food and supplements

Dripshipper focuses on private label coffee products, offering custom branding and packaging with WooCommerce integration.

T-Swing private labels tea products, providing custom labeling for tea products that can be managed manually and purchased wholesale.

Vitalabs offers private label dietary supplements and health products with customizable formulations for selling under your own branding.

WooCommerce is a popular ecommerce platform for selling private label products due to its flexibility and customization options. Here’s why WooCommerce is well-suited for private label sellers:

Flexibility and customization

WooCommerce offers unmatched flexibility and customization options, allowing you to modify and extend features to fit your business needs for creating a unique brand identity.

WordPress integration

As a plugin for WordPress, WooCommerce leverages the full power of the CMS, granting access to themes and plugins for creating a professional-looking shopping experience.

Cost-effective

WooCommerce, along with WordPress, is free, making it an attractive option for businesses of all sizes. Many WooCommerce-compatible themes, plugins, and extensions are free or affordable, allowing you to launch your store with minimal upfront investment.

Scalability

WooCommerce is scalable, allowing you to start with a small product range and expand to a large inventory seamlessly as your business grows without compromising performance.

Comprehensive ecommerce features

WooCommerce offers a suite of ecommerce features, including product management, inventory tracking, multiple shipping options, payment gateways, and customer relationship management tools for efficiently managing a private label business.

SEO and marketing tools

WooCommerce includes built-in SEO features and marketing tools to enhance store visibility, attract more customers, and drive sales through platforms like Google Analytics and Facebook.

Extensive plugin ecosystem

WooCommerce has an extensive network of available plugins for expanding on base functionality, providing advanced analytics, enhanced security, and specialized shipping options to meet business needs.

Community support and resources

With an active community of developers and users, WooCommerce offers free resources through forums, tutorials, and documentation for troubleshooting and optimizing store operations effectively.

Selling private label products on WooCommerce requires consistent key steps, from product research to setting up your store and managing fulfillment. Here’s a quick guide to get you started:

1. Do product research

Conduct thorough research to identify trends, assess product viability, and analyze competitors to understand market gaps and customer personas.

2. Find a supplier for your product

Find a reliable supplier offering high-quality products, customization options, reasonable minimum order quantities, reliable shipping, and competitive pricing.

3. Order samples

Request samples from your supplier to check product quality and packaging before committing to a large order.

4. Decide on branding and design

Create a unique brand identity with a logo, color scheme, and packaging design that reflects your brand’s values for consistent branding across all platforms.

5. Create your website

Set up your online store using WooCommerce by selecting a hosting provider, choosing a domain name, installing WordPress, configuring settings, installing WooCommerce, choosing a theme, adding products, and setting up payment gateways.

6. Decide on fulfillment

Decide on fulfillment options like dropshipping, in-house fulfillment, or third-party logistics based on supplier capabilities, using WooCommerce plugins to automate order management and fulfillment.

FAQs

How much does it cost to sell private label products?

The cost of selling private label products varies based on product type, supplier, customization options, order quantities, shipping, and fulfillment. Initial product costs, customization, shipping, website setup, and marketing expenses contribute to the overall cost.

Can you make money selling private label products?

Yes, selling private label products can be profitable by selecting products with high demand and profit margins, effective marketing strategies, strong branding, and customer engagement to drive sales and repeat business.

How do I start selling private label products?

To start selling private label products, conduct market research, find a reliable supplier, order samples, develop branding, create a website using WooCommerce, set up a marketing plan, and decide on fulfillment strategy.

Can I sell private label products on Amazon?

You can sell private label products on Amazon by registering as a seller, creating product listings, enrolling in Amazon Brand Registry for brand protection, using Fulfillment by Amazon for logistics, optimizing listings with SEO, and considering multi-channel fulfillment for increased visibility.

Can I buy a product and sell it under my own brand in the USA?

You can buy a product and sell it under your own brand in the USA through private labeling. Select products, find suppliers offering private labeling, customize products with your branding, ensure compliance with regulations, and fulfill orders through dropshipping or in-house fulfillment.