Thoughts:
“A bad supplier won’t just delay your product—they’ll delay your breakthrough.”
“The difference between 10 orders a day and 100 isn’t your product—it’s your supplier.”
“Behind every smooth e-commerce operation is a supplier that doesn’t ‘ghost’ when demand gets hot.”
I used to think getting a supplier was the end. I didn’t know it was the beginning of my wahala.
Let me gist you.
One of my guys paid a supplier in China for 500 pieces of a hot product.
This was after weeks of sweet-talking, quoting shipping rates, negotiating packaging like we were bros.
Guess what landed in Nigeria?
183 pieces.
Yes. One hundred and eighty-three. Out of 500.
The guy nearly fainted.
Supplier said the rest will come “later.”
That “later” turned into silence. Radio silence.
No apology.
No refund.
Nothing.
And that’s when it hit me… this business is not just about sourcing.
It’s about relationships.
If you treat suppliers like random Jiji sellers, they’ll treat your business like one.
But if you build trust?
They’ll move heaven and earth to make sure you’re stocked.
Even when others are begging for goods.
Every smart e-commerce owner must stop seeing suppliers as order-takers.
Start seeing them as business partners.
Because the truth is, your supplier can break or boost your momentum.
This game is not just about “how cheap can I get it?”
It’s about who will show up for me when I’m scaling to 100 orders a day.
Relationships bring stability.
Stability brings speed.
Speed brings daily cashflow.
That’s the formula most struggling e-commerce owners never crack.
Here’s what I learned (and now teach everyone inside ESL):
Start with 2–3 suppliers.
Please, stop falling in love on the first “hello.”
The same way you won’t marry someone just because they have fine display picture and “God-fearing” in bio…
It is the same way you shouldn’t bet your entire business on the first supplier that sends you a “Yes boss, I have” voice note.
I’ve been there.
And when that ONE supplier ghosted me after collecting ₦1.2M for waist trainers, I learned the hard way.
Now, I test 2–3 suppliers first—even if one looks like a golden goose.
I order small from all, check quality, speed, honesty.
Then I know who to scale with and who to quietly block.
Don’t just ask for price – ask smart questions.
Too many e-commerce sellers sound like “How much?” merchants.
If price is your only question, don’t be shocked when you receive nonsense or delay.
Ask better:
“How many years have you been selling?”
“Can you supply 1k+ units per month if I scale?”
“What happens if you run out of stock?”
“Do you deliver to waybill points quickly?”
When they hear those questions, they treat you like a business owner
Not a broke beggar hoping for giveaway.
Be consistent even if you’re small.
You don’t need to buy 1 million naira worth every time.
You just need to move fast and steady.
Suppliers watch who brings business regularly.
Buy 5 today, 10 next week, 20 later… they start prioritizing you.
That’s how you become “Oga wey dey serious.”
You get better rates.
You get “hidden” products they don’t post publicly.
You get better credit terms.
And when push comes to shove (like everyone fighting for stock), they pick your side first.
Your supplier is not your house help – they’re your fuel plug during fuel scarcity.
If you treat that fuel plug like trash, don’t cry when you’re stranded when everyone is fighting for fuel during scarcity.
This is not just advice.
This is survival.
If you ignore it, one day, a supplier will mess you up and you’ll be forced to type
“Sorry for the delay. Our vendor disappointed us.”
Don’t be that guy.
Build better supplier systems.
Most beginners don’t get taught this stuff.
They just want one contact and one chat.
But the real win is knowing how to build a supplier ecosystem.
That’s how you grow without fear.
It’s why some people crash at 50 orders/day… and others cruise to 500 like it’s normal.
Inside E-commerce Success Launchpad, we don’t just teach you how to find “cheapest suppliers.”
We show you how to manage supplier relationships like a proper business person.
In the Multiple Supplier Strategy, we break down how to compare, test and rotate suppliers across China and local markets.
We even give you done-for-you suppliers contact and even scripts + templates – no guesswork.
It’s not just knowledge. It’s setup.
So your business doesn’t depend on vibes.
This is how our students scale to daily sales without stock anxiety, delayed shipments, or “supplier vanished” stories.
Join E-commerce Success Launchpad and build a business that doesn’t shake when one supplier sneezes.
Let’s set you up to grow with confidence.
You’re not hustling just to hope. You’re hustling to win.