This honest Worldwide Brands review will illustrate both the shortcomings (cons) of the dropshipping Directory, and highlight the strengths (pros) as well. Fair warning: The Directory may not be for everyone. It’s a serious supplier Directory overseen by several researchers whose job is to find, vet and clear safe dropshippers for inclusion in the dropshipping Directory. Some have described it as “The Yellow Pages™ of Dropshippers”. Let’s have a look.
Pros
Over 10,000 dropshippers, wholesalers and light-bulk suppliers
These suppliers are vetted to meet the strict requirements to be included in the Worldwide Brands Directory. There is a team of dedicated researchers who find new suppliers at trade shows, qualify them, learn their terms and ability to dropship, and research their past business performance, usually through the Better Business Bureau (BBB), online research, and even by visiting the major suppliers.
There is a feedback and reporting system
When doing business with dropshippers, users of the directory can leave feedback and comments in the Directory. They can also report problems, if any, so other users can instantly be aware of any trouble, though rare. If a dropshipper or supplier fails to live up to the strict inclusion requirements, they are removed from the Directory pending followup. This keeps the directory fresh and of high quality.
They honor their refund policy
They have a 60-day money-back guarantee if you purchase the lifetime membership with one payment, or a 30-day money-back guarantee if you pay in installments. You just have to contact customer support for a refund. Customer service is very important to Worldwide Brands, so they will honor the refund policy without much hassle to the member.
This is a lifetime membership
Worldwide Brands has been in business since 1999, and has been an A+ BBB-Accredited Member since 2003. Interest in dropshipping is strong and growing, so this one-time payment enables a member to come back for years and years without paying another dime.
The majority of dropshippers are located in North America
That means product is physically on hand within the US and Canada. This means that drop shipping deliveries are speedy and reliable. Compare this with dropshipping from an overseas supplier (e.g. Alibaba members) where dropshipping will likely take weeks. On sites like eBay and Amazon, delivery speed is extremely important. This is where Worldwide Brands suppliers really shine.
Cons
The lifetime membership costs $269 USD*
You have lifetime access to a dropshipping Directory that is updated weekly and is constantly vetted, however, the initial cost is this. Note: You can pay in installments ($99, then $110 and $110) but there is no coupon or discount for this. To get a discount (usually $30 off), you should choose the one-time payment option. It comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, by the way.
There is a degree of up-selling
Everything you need to find a real, reliable dropshipper is available to you for the one-time lifetime membership fee. You don’t need anything else like eBiz courses or workshops. Competitors charge monthly fees, but Worldwide Brands doesn’t, so they make additional money by suggesting you enroll in their online business seminars. It’s not mandatory, and they aren’t pushy at all, so you don’t have to worry.
Their web site is a bit dated
Their Directory works well; you can search it quickly and the search bar even offers suggestions as you type. The search results are exactly as promised with many details on each dropshipper including terms, dropshipping ability, dropshipping handling fees (i.e. $2 a box), contact information, etc. To be honest, the web site doesn’t have many frills or eye candy. It just works, but it feels like a site from 2010.
Most of the dropshippers are located in the United States
Most of the dropshippers are physically located in the United States with inventory on hand. This is fantastic for doing business in the US, but it’s just a slight con for Canadians. It’s pretty easy to ship to Canada, and the vast majority of dropshippers will ship to Candada, of course, but there may be a marginal increase in the cost of drop shipping to cover the extra paperwork for customs. It’s a very slight con.
The Member’s Forum is moderately active
There is a Member’s forum where you can post any question and have lively discussions with other Members, especially about products to sell and how dropshippers are performing. At this time there are about 4000 threads and over 20,000 posts. This was very popular just a couple years ago, but these days dedicated sites like the Warrior Forum are gaining in popularity. On the other hand, only registered, real members are in the Forum – no spam!