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Modalyst Reviews: Features, Services, Pros & Cons!

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Online eCommerce is skyrocketing, with annual sales expected to reach $4.9 trillion by 2021. Traditional businesses around the world are having difficulties getting an online presence to offer their goods and services. Yesterday’s B2B companies, limited by the lack of retail infrastructure, can finally enter the B2C market and offer their products directly to a wide audience through eBay, Amazon, Shopify, and hundreds of other eCommerce platforms.

Everyone, from small manufacturing companies to manufacturing giants, is building an online presence and looking for ways to sell their products online. This is where companies like Modalyst are entering the scene. Essentially, Modalyst is a dropshipping software solution for eCommerce companies. It automates your entire dropshipping business and connects you to the best products and suppliers.

You will find everything you need to know about Modalyst in this comprehensive review. Now let’s jump right into the details.

What is Modalyst?

Modalyst is a B2B (business-to-business) marketplace that connects suppliers and eCommerce merchants to create an easier process of product sourcing. Their main focus is on curating a wide range of premium products with fast delivery to the US, Europe, and other major markets around the globe. Their standards make drop-shipping products easier for those who use Modalyst because they can spend less time looking for the right products and more time building a great eCommerce store.

Many of Modalyst’s suppliers are brands themselves, which means that they are proud of the high-quality products they manufacture and sell. Also, they have their own fulfillment and logistics procedures in place — which Modalyst examines in advance to ensure they are reliable — so that they are fully equipped to ship products to customers on behalf of dropshippers. As Modalyst suppliers ship products from their US or EU locations, shipping to customers is faster and more reliable than it would be from foreign locations like China.

Modalyst automates the product sourcing and drop-shipping process for its customers, no matter what kind of product you’re looking for. Their curated selection of suppliers store both fashion and non-fashion products that can be added to your digital store shelves with a single click. Suppliers of Modalyst also provide merchants with product images, descriptions, and prices so that they can quickly add items to their store without any hassle.

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How does Modalyst work?

Sourcing high-quality dropshipping products couldn’t be easier: with millions of products to choose from, you can simply browse the Modalyst product catalog and add any products to your store with a single click. Since some Modalyst suppliers are only present on Modalyst, their choice of products is more exclusive to access than typical dropshipping product selection.

To start with Modalyst, integrate Modalyst with your online store (if you’re selling via Shopify, simply integrate using the Modalyst Shopify App, and if you’re selling via BigCommerce, integrate your store using the Modalyst BigCommerce App) and import products directly to your site with a single click. When you import a product to your site, all prices, images, and product descriptions are imported automatically so that no manual work is required unless you want to make any changes or modifications.

Once the customer places an order on your site, you will be notified and will be able to purchase the product from the Modalyst supplier within the Modalyst dashboard. Once your payment has been received by the supplier, the product will be packaged and shipped directly to your customer in unmarked packaging, so that it appears to be shipped directly from your store. Once the package has been shipped by the supplier, the tracking number will be automatically given to you so that you can track the package at any point during the shipping process, if necessary.

This entire process can be managed via the Modalyst platform, which means that you do not have to deal with fulfillment, order numbers, paperwork, or tracking information. Every supplier you dropship with, every product you list, and every order placed on your site can be monitored through your Modalyst dashboard so that you can easily manage orders, conversations, payments, and everything else in there.

One of the best aspects of Modalyst’s sourcing is that there are no upfront inventory costs that you have to invest. If you add a product to your store from a Modalyst supplier, you don’t actually have to buy that product until the customer purchases it from you! This means that you can list as many products on your site as you want without any budget requirement, and you can list as many items as you want without having to worry about whether or not the inventory will be sold. This makes starting an eCommerce business even more accessible to those who do not have the resources to purchase large amounts of inventory in advance.

Who is Modalyst ideal for?

Modalyst is suitable for eCommerce stores of all sizes, whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your existing business. Since no upfront inventory purchases are required, the costs of starting a store with products originating from Modalyst are low, and the risk of losing profit is also low. This means that you can add products to your new store without worrying about whether or not they will be sold, and you can add products to your existing store without capital commitment.

Modalyst will provide you with the tools you need to set up a store easily by connecting you with trustworthy suppliers of high-quality products that you can deliver to your customers, so if you’re looking for a low-risk, high-reward approach to start your first eCommerce business, then Modalyst is for you.

Why should you use Modalyst?

Modalyst is all about making product sourcing effortless and selling products to your audience more efficient. If you were to source your product line from a single supplier, you wouldn’t get nearly as many product choices as you can with Modalyst. On top of that, if you were to use another drop-shipping product sourcing platform, you probably wouldn’t get the convenience of the strictly high standards that Modalyst holds to its suppliers. These seemingly small things are what will help you run a better business in the long run, and they are the reason for using Modalyst.

Modalyst’s Features & Services

Since Modalyst is a platform where both suppliers and merchants can live happily together, its features and services revolve around helping to cultivate a symbiotic atmosphere for both parties to thrive.

You’ll find that’s what most of their features have successfully accomplished. The features and services that we discuss below are just some of the main features that need to be taken into account as many are features or services that most other drop-shipping platforms are unable to offer. You can learn more about the Modalyst Features page to get a better view of what they offer.

Product offerings

With a wide range of products to choose from, you can build up a huge product line from scratch. You can choose from 40+ different categories to create a completely unique product offering, mixing, and matching the products that your customers will be most interested in.

Since adding products is a piece of cake, you can add and swap products whenever you want so that your product offering is constantly fresh. Since you don’t have to buy any of the products in advance, you are free to add as many products as you like without any financial commitments.

High-quality US & EU suppliers

Modalyst partners primarily with US and EU-based suppliers, and they monitor them thoroughly to ensure that they are willing to meet their high standards. All suppliers must comply with Modalyst ‘s strict return, shipping, and pricing requirements, which are pre-negotiated by Modalyst so that all terms are understood in advance when they operate on the platform.

What this means is, as a merchant, there is no need for you to negotiate separate deals with each supplier you work with, and you always know what to expect from the processes of each supplier. You can easily explore the suppliers Modalyst works with by signing up for Modalyst’s free plan.

Ship to the address you require

Part of the deal that Modalyst made with all suppliers is fast delivery. This is part of the benefit of working with US and EU-based suppliers as it ensures that goods can reach the end-user much faster. Not only can Modalyst ‘s suppliers ship directly to customers, but they can also send products to your own store so that customers can pick up items directly from you. This option is easy to set up in your dashboard, and you can set automation.

To help its customers stay profitable, all Modalyst suppliers follow their flat-rate shipping policy so that there is no surprise of shipping costs. A few suppliers even offer free shipping on domestic and/or international orders. Finally, as part of the shipping protocols adopted by Modalyst suppliers, tracking information for each shipment is shared with you via the Modalyst dashboard so that you can find any orders in transit if and when you need them. This service is given automatically by each supplier and includes the name of the courier, the tracking details, and links.

Fixed sales rates

Modalyst negotiates with each supplier on their Independent Brands Marketplace before they start offering their products on the platform, so you don’t have to make a deal with them at any point. Every supplier on this market agrees to list their goods at 60 percent of MSRP, which allows you, as a retailer, the ability to markup products with the margins you need to make.

Sell via many channels

Not only can you sell via your own eCommerce store with Modalyst, but you can also sell via online markets like Amazon and eBay or via social platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This gives you the flexibility to determine how to run your company and gives you the ability to become a multi-channel retailer that diversifies your audience and increases your earning potential.

Great return policies

When it comes to drop-shipping, finding a return policy that works for your store, your suppliers, and your customers can be tough. Dropshipping suppliers are notorious for having contradictory return policies from one to the other, and if you deal with many suppliers at once, it can be almost impossible to keep anything consistent.

Modalyst has taken this pain into account and negotiated with suppliers to provide a universal return policy for all suppliers on that market so that everyone knows what to expect in advance. This means less trouble not only for suppliers, but also for you and your customers, and means that every return/refund can be dealt with as efficiently as possible. The return policies offered on this particular marketplace is a 14-day window, given that the item is undamaged, unworn, and the tags are still attached.

Real-time data

Using the Modalyst dashboard, you can see insights and analytics, such as which products attract the most views and even which suppliers visit your Modalyst profile. Product data will help you understand how your products are being sold and which products visitors are most interested in. These data and observations will help you develop more successful marketing strategies and help you explore new potential products.

Marketing materials

Since many of Modalyst ‘s suppliers are brands themselves, they often create their own marketing materials that you can use to market their products. These marketing materials can include anything from product photos to lookbooks to ad campaigns that, when used on your own website, can help you look more professional without having to invest that time and effort into producing those materials yourself.

Integration with Shopify and BigCommerce

One of the main benefits of using Modalyst is that it interacts directly with two of the most common e-commerce sites on the market: Shopify and BigCommerce. Download the Modalyst app from each of the respective app stores and you’ll be able to seamlessly integrate it with the network.

These direct integrations are valuable because they allow you to add items to your platform quickly and easily by automatically uploading product details, allowing real-time data such as “Out of Stock” details to be displayed on your platform, and even automatically converting the currency of the items in your store to the currency you select when you install the app. These are just a few examples of what direct Modalyst integrations can do and allow you to run a more automated store in general.

Pros & Cons of Modalyst

What Modalyst is able to do, that so many other drop-shipping supplier platforms cannot do, is that they have developed standards and procedures that their suppliers must conform to, making it so much easier for dropshippers to work with them.

While Modalyst is in the business of connecting suppliers and dropshipping merchants, they are actually doing so much more. As a retailer, when you use Modalyst, you don’t just find drop-shipping vendors to deal with or sell high-quality goods on your website, Modalyst has built an atmosphere where you can be competitive when it comes to the tiny details that so often bring new stores out of business.

Information such as return policies and commission rates, which can be difficult and frustrating to sort out when you’re new to the eCommerce industry, Modalyst manages these aspects of the process directly with the suppliers so that you, as a merchant, know what to expect and don’t have to work out different deals with each supplier you work with. This takes a big weight off your shoulders and is one of the main benefits of using Modalyst.

When it comes to the drawbacks of using the Modalyst platform, the key points that come to the fore generally have less to do with the actual Modalyst platform and more to do with the dropshipping business model itself. It is a limited profit margin earning and limited brandability on goods and packaging associated with the dropshipping model. These tradeoffs are not exclusive to the Modalyst platform.

Luckily, with Modalyst’s high standards and a selected range of suppliers, the product offering is of good quality, which means that you will be able to sell your goods at a higher price point and therefore gain more profit-making opportunities to improve the low-profit margins.

Pros

Suppliers are based in the US & EU.
Transparent sales rates with suppliers.
Transparent return policies with suppliers.
You can ship to anywhere.
Shipping & tracking details are automatically sent to you.
Directly integrated with Shopify & BigCommerce.
No upfront inventory investments. You only have to purchase products from suppliers when orders are placed on your store.
The entire process can be operated on your Modalyst dashboard; there’s no paperwork required.
Sell on your eCommerce store and online marketplaces such as Amazon or eBay, or through social media channels like Facebook or Instagram.
Stock level notifications are synced directly with your store real-time.
Import products to your store with a single click with all of the details such as product descriptions, images, and pricing included.
Access to lots of insights into how your products and profile perform.
Free monthly plan available.

Cons

Processing orders are not entirely automated: Once customers place an order on your store, you have to log in to your Modalyst dashboard and pay for the order before the order is processed by your supplier.
There’s a 5% transaction charge on Modalyst’s free pricing plan and most of its premium pricing packages.
You have to upgrade to Modalyst’s Pro or Business premium plans in order to have access to its entire network of suppliers.
As Modalyst suppliers ship out products to your customers on your behalf, you won’t have the option to customize your shipping and product packaging for branding.

Modalyst’s Pricing

Modalyst offers four pricing options, ranging from fully free to pay. Each plan provides a different level of features. Here is a summary of the Modalyst Pricing Plans:

The Hobby Pricing Plan:

Non-Premium Suppliers
25 Product Limit
5% Transaction Fee

The Start-Up Pricing Plan:

Non-Premium Suppliers
250 Product Limit
5% Transaction Fee

The Pro Pricing Plan:

Access to All Suppliers
5,000 Product Limit
5% Transaction Fee

The Business Pricing Plan:

Access to All Suppliers
Unlimited Product Limit
2% Transaction Fee

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Final Words

If finding suppliers of high-quality dropshipping products is a high priority for your eCommerce business, or if you are looking for an effective solution when it comes to consolidating your drop-shipping process and order management system, then Modalyst is a highly rated service.

Modalyst makes it so easy to connect and work with high-quality, on-demand suppliers, and their features and services provide so much more than just establishing B2B business connections. The work and effort they put into curating their network of US & EU-based suppliers, combined with pre-negotiated shipping, pricing, and return policies, achieve an effective platform that is not only beneficial for dropshippers who use it, but also for their customers.

I hope this article has given you valuable information about how the Modalyst platform works. Please feel free to leave comments below for a further discussion on this topic. :-)