Would you like to sell on the marketplace app that currently has the most downloads in the US? Then you need to sign up to sell on Wish.com. The site has a fraction of the sales volume of Amazon or Alibaba, but it’s growing fast, with 500 million users in 2019.
Here’s everything you need to know to decide if Wish.com is a good fit for your eCommerce company.
What is Wish.com?
Wish.com was founded in 2010 by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. The company went through a couple of different iterations before it became what it is today: a marketplace where over a million eCommerce sellers list their goods for sale.
Wish is known for products from clothing to electronics offered at a fraction of their normal retail price. Most merchants who sell on Wish.com are based in China. Because of that, shipping can take weeks rather than days. However, US consumers seem to be willing to wait in exchange for bargain-basement prices.
Unlike Amazon, Wish doesn’t sell any products itself. The platform makes money by taking a 15% cut of all sales.
Is Wish legit?
Looking at the prices on Wish, it’s easy to wonder if the Wish.com Marketplace is on the up and up. However, Wish.com is a legitimate business. When someone places an order, the products will be delivered. However, consumers have complained that the products that arrive don’t match their descriptions online. Also, items advertised under brand names can sometimes be knockoffs.
The app is making an effort to root out counterfeit goods and problem merchants. For consumers who are willing to trade off some quality in exchange for a very low price, Wish.com is an appealing place to shop. And for eCommerce sellers who want to sell on one of the world’s fastest-growing eCommerce platforms, Wish is a good place to start.
Can I dropship from Wish.com?
Many merchants sell through dropshipping on Wish.com. If your dropshipping supplier is located in China, you may incur an extra cost. Wish requires a $2,000 registration fee from some companies who do their fulfillment from China.
In addition, dropshipping from China would disqualify you from Wish Express. This program requires orders to be delivered within five business days, with a 95% on-time rate. Only merchants shipping from certain countries can participate, and China is not one of them.
You can use Fulfillment by Wish (FBW), which is similar to Amazon’s FBA, to qualify for Wish Express. However, that service is only available in the US and EU. Wish Express products get a label, similar to Amazon Prime, and are seen by more shoppers on the app.
If your customers don’t mind longer shipping times, dropshipping through Wish can be a great way to get your eCommerce business off the ground. The app’s algorithms and customer Wishlists will help your products get seen by potential buyers, even when you’re brand new.
Pros and cons of selling on Wish.com
For eCommerce businesses deciding whether to sell on Wish.com, the choice comes down to whether the pros outweigh the cons for your business. Here are some of the factors to consider.
The upsides of Wish
If you’re just starting your business, the bar is low for setting up to sell on Wish.com. There is no registration fee, as long as your order fulfillment is not from China. The app doesn’t charge sellers a monthly fee, either. You only pay when you make a sale. Wish.com takes a 15% cut of the sale price, including the cost of shipping. This fee arrangement takes the pressure off new sellers who might not have much sales volume at first. It can also work well if your eCommerce venture is a small business side hustle.
Another advantage of selling on Wish.com is that a lot of people use the app. The platform was designed as mobile-first and the customer base skews young. You’ll be on the cutting edge of eCommerce when you sell on Wish.com.
Wish is a good option for merchants who want to sell internationally. It’s the most popular shopping app in 40 countries. You can easily choose which countries or regions you want to ship to when you sell on Wish.com.
It is easier to list your products with Wish Express and still do your own fulfillment than it is to join Amazon’s Seller Fulfilled Prime program. If your 3PL company can ship orders from the US or the EU in five days, you can get the Wish Express icon and boost your sales.
The platform’s algorithms do a great job of showing customers products they will want to buy. New vendors report getting sales very quickly.
The downsides when you sell on Wish.com
Merchants who sell brand-name products may have a hard time selling on Wish.com. Because the platform’s vendors have a reputation for selling cheap knockoffs, it will be a challenge to convince buyers that your products are the real deal. While Wish prohibits selling counterfeit items and imposes penalties on violators, it hasn’t yet shed its reputation for fakes, and that could hurt your sales.
Wish handles all the sales transactions and then sends you your share. You won’t get paid until after an order is delivered to your customer. Wish.com sets payment times in a tier system based on which shipping carrier you use. Payments can take up to three months after delivery. Only Wish Express orders are eligible for immediate payment. Since products shipped from China can take up to five weeks to get to the US, you get paid more than four months after a sale. If you’re dropshipping, you might have to pay your supplier weeks before you get paid. This can lead to cash flow problems if you’re not prepared.
Also, you need to set your shipping costs and prices carefully. Because Wish.com takes a cut of what you charge your customers for shipping, your shipping prices need to be high enough to cover your actual costs.
Wish.com is probably not the best place to sell full-price or high-end items. In a marketplace filled with inexpensive and cheaply constructed products, your items might not sell well. If quality is your main selling point, Wish.com shoppers are probably not your ideal customer base.
How to sell on Wish.com
It’s easy to get started and sell on Wish.com. Start at the merchant homepage and click the Sign up for free button. Wish has extensive FAQs to answer your questions about operating a store on the platform. However, the information is not well organized, so you may have a hard time finding answers to specific questions. You can also email your account manager for help. The name of your account manager is in your merchant dashboard, on the top left.
Wish.com is an evolving and fast-growing marketplace. The app has been downloaded more than 33 million times in the US alone. It could be worthwhile for you to sell on Wish.com.
