Wholesale only
Wholesale vs dropshipping — and why we only do one of them
GoodBase sells wholesale only. You buy stock, it ships to you, and you resell it under your own store name. We do not dropship — we will not ship single units to your end customers on your behalf.
That is a deliberate choice, not a limitation we are working around. Below is the honest difference between the two models, and which one actually suits a shop at your stage.
The difference in one table
| Wholesale | Dropshipping | |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds stock | You do | Nobody, until an order comes in |
| Upfront cost | Higher — you buy inventory | Near zero |
| Per-unit cost | Much lower | Much higher |
| Margin | Typically 2.5–3× | Thin |
| Delivery speed to your customer | Same or next day, from your shelf | Weeks |
| Who handles returns | You, directly | Contested, usually you anyway |
| Control over quality | You see every piece before it sells | None |
| Your brand | Yours | Borrowed |
Why we don't dropship
Three honest reasons.
The delivery time does not work for end consumers. Our wholesale delivery window is 14–21 days door to door. For a shop restocking, that is normal and plannable. For someone who just bought a bodysuit online, it is a refund request. We are not going to build a service that is designed to disappoint your customers.
You cannot inspect what you never see. A shop that holds stock has checked the stitching, felt the fabric and knows how the sizing runs. A shop that dropships finds out about a quality problem from an angry review. We would rather you open the box.
The economics are worse than they look. Dropshipping has almost no upfront cost, which is the whole appeal. But the per-unit price is far higher, you carry no volume leverage, and you compete on price with everyone else selling the identical item from the identical source. Buying stock at wholesale is harder to start and much better to run.
Who wholesale is right for
Wholesale fits you if:
- You have a physical shop, a market stall, or an online store with existing traffic
- You can commit $200 or more to a first order
- You want margin you can actually live on
- You want to build your own brand rather than resell someone else's catalog
Wholesale is not right for you if you are testing a product idea with no audience yet, or you need to start with zero inventory cost. Those are real constraints, and dropshipping genuinely serves them better. We would rather tell you that than take an order you will regret.
What “neutral packaging” means here
Every order ships in neutral, unbranded packaging — no GoodBase branding, pricing or paperwork inside or out. You can resell it straight out of the box under your own store name.
This is about your brand, not about shipping on your behalf. The goods come to you.
How to start small without dropshipping
If the concern is risk rather than model, start smaller instead of starting differently:
- Sample kit — $69. Five styles you pick yourself, delivered duty paid. See the quality in your hands first.
- First wholesale order — $200 minimum. Five pieces per style, so you can carry a range without depth.
- Reorder what sells. You will know within a month which styles move.
That path costs less than most people expect and teaches you more than a dropshipping test ever will.
FAQ
Will you ship to an address that isn't mine?
Yes. Trade account holders can have an order delivered to whatever address is on the order — a warehouse, a second location, a fulfilment partner. Our counterparty is still you, the account holder, and tracking goes to you.
Can I order just one piece?
Through the sample kit, yes — $69 for five pieces you choose. Wholesale orders start at $200 with five pieces per style.
Do you offer private label?
Yes. Custom labels, packaging and production are available separately with their own minimums.
Do I pay customs or duties?
No. Orders ship DDP — duties and clearance are included in the price we quote.