How To Start Dropshipping Books in 2024 (+ Top Suppliers)

Dropshipping lets you run an online book store without worrying about inventory or shipping logistics.

If you're keen to start a bookstore, the data is encouraging: 767 million printed books were sold in the US in 2023—23% more than a decade previously.

Dropshipping books is an easy way to get started if you don’t fancy stocking and storing towers of hardbacks in a nearby warehouse. The dropshipping model allows you to sell books while suppliers handle fulfillment, so you don't have to worry about inventory or shipping logistics.

Ahead, learn the benefits of dropshipping books, the basic steps to get started, and the best book dropshipping suppliers for your business.

Can you dropship books?

Yes, you can dropship books. In fact, books have many of the qualities of an ideal dropshipping product: they are small, lightweight, and in demand all over the world.

To start dropshipping books, you'll need to build an online store and build relationships with book suppliers. When a shopper purchases a book, your chosen third-party bookseller is notified and will ship the product directly from its warehouse.

Benefits of dropshipping books

The biggest benefit of having a dropshipping business is that you don’t have to store any products. This means you can sell books without the extra costs of inventory and shipping, instead directing resources toward acquiring customers.

Dropshipping books comes with a ton of other benefits, such as:

• A growing market. Despite the growth of online books, audiobooks, Kindles, and other digital formats, the physical book market remains popular. In the US, 65% of adults have read a print book in the last 12 months.
• Huge product selection. There are an estimated 160 million unique titles worldwide as of 2024, providing plenty of product choice for your dropshipping business.
• No storage costs. Storing books can get costly, but dropshipping them means you don’t have to store them yourself and therefore don’t have to pay warehouse fees or worry about damages.
• Opportunities for passive income. Once you’ve set up your online store and connected up a third-party book supplier, you can be hands-off with operations.
• Multiple niches. The huge number of books means there are plenty of niches to dig into. This can help you capture a lucrative corner of the internet.

How to start dropshipping books

Ready to get started dropshipping books? Here’s a step-by-step guide.

1. Choose your niche

You can always go for the scattergun approach and sell a whole range of books–from coloring books, children’s books, and fiction books, to biographies, recipe books, and encyclopedias–but it often works better to hone in on a specific niche. Carrying out product research will help you target a subsection of book lovers and create marketing copy that hits the spot every single time.

2. Set up your Shopify store

Once you’ve decided on the kind of books you’re going to sell, start a Shopify store to present your products to your audience. Make sure to incorporate your brand colors, fonts, and visuals, and add some information about your store to build trust. Get pictures of the book covers to draw attention and, where possible, highlight your bestsellers to drive more sales.

3. Choose your book supplier

Research the best dropshipping suppliers for books available and decide which one is most suitable for you based on the range of books they sell. Also, be sure to understand how the supplier operates and whether they charge fees.

4. Create a marketing strategy

It’s time to get eyeballs on your books. Create a marketing strategy that incorporates channels like social media, email marketing, affiliate marketing, SEO, and paid advertising campaigns to direct book lovers to your website. Once you’ve grown a customer base, keep them coming back by fostering long-term loyalty through ongoing campaigns and rewards.

5 dropshipping suppliers for books

The book dropshipping model requires you to connect with a third-party supplier who will send purchased products to customers. They are in charge of storing the inventory, labeling shipments, and delivering products to buyers.

Here are five of the top dropshipping suppliers for books.

1. AmericanBookCo

AmericanBookCo focuses solely on wholesaling books. You can browse books in 23 different categories, including biographies, entertainment, history, and fiction.

Pricing: 40% off traditional retail prices.

2. Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay is a UK dropshipping supplier that offers a selection of books, among other products. Browse hundreds of titles in different niches and connect to your Shopify store for quick and easy sales.

Pricing: Free to use–you must ask for permission and certificates to dropship branded products.

3. Lulu Express

If you're looking to sell your own books, Lulu lets you print and dropship your writing. Deliver to more than 150 countries, use the pre-built templates to design your hardback, and integrate your account directly with Shopify to automate the process.

Pricing: Free to use–you pay for books to be printed and shipped.

4. AliExpress

AliExpress is one of the biggest dropship suppliers in the world and has thousands of books to choose from. Shipping fees are usually very low, and you can deliver to over 200 countries and regions around the world.

Pricing: Free to use–you cover the cost of manufacturing and shipping fees.

5. Amazon

Like AliExpress, Amazon has a huge existing audience and thousands of books to pick from. You can populate your bookstore with titles from the best authors in a variety of niches.

Pricing: Free to use–you cover the cost of shipping fees.

5 tips for dropshipping success

Successful book dropshippers need a robust book supplier. The customer experience relies on how quickly and safely they can ship and deliver books, so choosing the right one is absolutely crucial.

Here are some beginner’s tips for getting it right.

1. Read reviews. Compare potential book suppliers by reading reviews from existing customers. Make sure it’s reputable and other book business owners have had a good experience.
2. Get all the details. Make sure you get all the book details from suppliers, including the weight, number of pages, the material, and the color.
3. Sell what you love. If you have a favorite genre, why not stick to that? Knowing your target audience so well will help you create the right marketing messages.
4. Sell the right product. As well as coming up with product ideas and choosing which books to add to your store, it’s important that you’re linking to the right products–check for language, the version of the book, and other differentiating features.
5. Have a unique selling point. As of 2024, there are more than 43,000 booksellers in the US. Stand out by identifying what makes you different–will it be price? A niche product range? A very specific audience?

Dropshipping books FAQ

Is dropshipping books profitable?

Yes–there is little to no capital to get started and there are no storage or handling fees for inventory. You can also cut out shipping costs by delivering products directly to the customer from your chosen supplier.

Do I have to buy the books I dropship?

Not necessarily, but it’s a good idea to try out a test order from your supplier, so you have a better understanding of their shipping experience, packaging, and product quality control. If it’s not up to your standards, pick a different supplier and try the same again.

Is it hard to get into the dropshipping business?

No, it’s not difficult at all. However, it will require some patience and determination to get your online business off the ground. Setting up your store and finding a supplier is easy. The tricky part is finding your target audience and maintaining a sustainable profit–but every business goes through this. It’s important to keep working on your marketing and improving your website. If you do this, you’ll increase your chances of building a profitable dropshipping business.