Dropship Medical Supplies: Top 20 Medical Products & Suppliers in 2024
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Deciding to dropship medical supplies in 2024 and beyond can be your ticket to making good money from dropshipping. Not only is the medical supplies market profitable but it is also it is also huge. According to studies, the industry had a global valuation of $138 billion in 2022, growing at 3.4%.
This gives you a fair idea of just how big this industry is and its growth potential. As such, it’s safe to say there’s no better time to get into selling medical supplies than now. From experience, we’ve seen a lot of dropshippers with very little experience make a small fortune from this niche all because they were bold enough to make the move.
In this post, we will review the top profitable products in the medical supplies niche you should consider selling. On top of that, we will also review reliable suppliers you can source products. So be sure to read to the end because it promises to be an interesting read.
Key Takeaways
- Why Dropship Medical Supplies?
- Criteria for Selecting Medical Products for Dropshipping
- Top 20 Medical Supplies Products to Dropship
- Top Medical Products Suppliers
Why Dropship Medical Supplies?
There are many reasons why dropshipping medical equipment and supplies makes a lot of sense. Here are some of them:
1. High Demand for Medical Supplies
Medical supplies are essential and often non-discretionary. From healthcare professionals to individual consumers, there’s a constant demand for products such as personal protective equipment (PPE), diagnostic tools, and home healthcare devices.
Key reasons for this demand include:
- Aging Population: Older adults require ongoing care and medical equipment.
- Chronic Illness Management: Devices like glucose meters and blood pressure monitors are widely used for conditions like diabetes and hypertension.
- Increased Health Awareness: More people are investing in home-based healthcare solutions for convenience and cost-effectiveness.
2. Low Startup Costs
One of the biggest advantages of dropshipping is the minimal upfront investment. This also applies to dropshipping medical supplies. Most times, all you need is a reliable dropshipping supplier and an order fulfillment partner to get things going.
This means you can focus your resources on building your online store, marketing, and providing excellent customer service. With the right approach, you can start your business with just a laptop and an internet connection.
3. Scalability and Flexibility
Besides having a low startup cost, the medical supplies dropshipping business is also scalable and offers a lot of flexibility.
The flexibility of this model means you can run your business from anywhere without necessarily having medical experience. Whether you’re working from home or traveling, all you need is access to your supplier network and e-commerce platform.
4. Wide Range of Products
The medical supplies niche is incredibly diverse, allowing you to cater to various customer needs. Some popular product categories include:
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Masks, gloves, face shields.
- Home Healthcare Devices: Thermometers, pulse oximeters, blood pressure monitors.
- Mobility Aids: Wheelchairs, crutches, walkers.
- First Aid Supplies: Bandages, antiseptics, first aid kit.
- Orthopedic Supports: Knee braces, back supports.
This means more sales for your dropshipping business.
5. Recurring Purchases
Dropshipping medical supply products lets you enjoy recurring purchases from customers. The reason is that these products the to be consumed on an ongoing basis, and so are purchases over and again.
Products like this can bring in reliable, predictable revenue for you.
Criteria for Selecting Medical Products for Dropshipping
Although we will be sharing top, profitable medical products to dropship, we figured you might want to go beyond our list to find products yourself. For this reason, we thought it wise to share criteria to keep in mind when selecting products to sell. They are as follows:
1. High Demand and Profitability
High demand and good profit margins should be your top criteria for selecting any product to dropship. Doing so sets you up for a profitable dropshipping adventure early on.
2. Ease of Storage and Shipping
Medical products come in various shapes and sizes, and some may have specific storage or handling requirements. Choose products that are easy to store, ship, and deliver to customers without damage or significant cost.
- Lightweight and Compact Items: These reduce shipping costs and minimize the risk of damage during transit.
- Non-Perishable Products: Avoid items with strict storage requirements, such as refrigerated medications.
3. Regulatory and Legal Compliance
It’s also important to keep regulatory laws in mind when looking to set up your dropshipping medical supplies business. The reason is simple: unlike other products, medical products attract the watchful eye of the government. Selling products that don’t meet regulatory standards will land you in trouble and the consequences can be dire.
That said, have these two variables at the back of your mind at all times:
- Certifications: Ensure the products meet industry standards, such as FDA approval in the U.S. or CE marking in Europe.
- Local Laws: Familiarize yourself with the medical device regulations in the countries you serve.
4. Quality and Safety
Quality is non-negotiable in the medical supplies industry. Inferior products can not only lead to customer dissatisfaction but also harm your reputation and potentially endanger lives. So we strongly recommend that you properly vet a supplier and personally test their products before partnering with them.
5. Affordable
From experience, we can tell you for a fact that consumers are more likely to purchase from a dropshipping store if product prices are low. Otherwise, they will gladly walk into brick-and-mortar stores and purchase it. Getting our drift?
Avoid exorbitant products even if they offer high profit margins – you will struggle to sell them off.
6. Supplier Reliability
Your supplier plays a crucial role in the success of your dropshipping business. Naturally, you will want to go for reliable dropshipping suppliers capable of holding their side of the bargain. Besides being reliable, they should also be able to ship quickly enough to keep customers satisfied. So, in conclusion, keep these two things in mind:
- Inventory Availability: Ensure the supplier can meet your demand without frequent stockouts.
- Shipping and Delivery: Opt for suppliers with proven logistics and shipping capabilities.
Top 20 Medical Supplies Products to Dropship
Now to the main gist of this article: top medical products, you can dropship to make a healthy profit. These are products we’ve carefully researched and so can vouch for.
1. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
People buy personal protective equipment for several reasons, chiefly to innoculate themselves from viral diseases. Remember the days of COVID? You couldn’t set foot outside your home without wearing a protective face mask. Besides keeping infectious diseases at bay, health-conscious consumers also buy these products to keep harmful substances from getting into their body system.
Profitable products in this niche you should consider are as follows:
- Masks: Disposable and reusable face masks are essential for healthcare professionals and the public. Disposable supplies like this sell like wildfire.
- Gloves: Nitrile, latex, and vinyl gloves are always in demand for hygiene and safety.
- Face Shields: Offer additional protection for medical staff and essential workers.
If you can find reliable dropshipping suppliers, there is no limit to how much you can potentially make from this niche.
2 Emergency Survival Kits
Dropshipping emergency survival kits can open you to a window of opportunities you probably never knew existed. The reason is that these kits are must-haves for many homes, and so will always be in demand. This makes dropshipping medical supplies a potentially profitable business you should explore.
Products in this niche you should explore include first aid kits, blood sugar and pressure testing devices, etc. As a pro tip, include portable emergency survival kit products in your list too.
3. Thermometers
Digital and infrared thermometers are indispensable for monitoring fevers and are widely used in homes, schools, and workplaces. These thermometers can be a live-saver as they help consumers detect fever early on and start treatment before things get out of hand.
In addition, if you are looking to sell medical supplies that only cost a few bucks and are readily in demand, thermometers are where to look.
4. Blood Collection Tubes
A lot of people and even hospitals are open to buying medical supplies online. Positioning your online store properly can lead to an influx of demand for this product.
Besides being in demand, blood collection tubes are inexpensive, allowing people to buy them at the drop of a hat. On top of that, they are lightweight, and so cost very little to ship. Selling them is a win-win for you.
To maximize your sales, we recommend listing different types of tubes in various colors in your store. two. In addition, consider reaching out to local pharmacy stores and small healthcare facilities and propose to sell blood collection tubes to them.
5. Pulse Oximeters
These compact devices measure oxygen levels and heart rate, making them popular for personal health monitoring, especially among those with respiratory conditions. Pulse oximeters come in different colors and have different power inputs. What’s more, they come with many different features.
We suggest consulting with a medical expert to know the right kind of pulse oximeters to sell to improve your chances of making good sales. In addition, look for suppliers that are into wholesale medical supplies and who are also close to where your target customers are. Doing so will help reduce shipping costs.
To wrap it up, dropshipping pulse oximeters can be your ticket to consistent profit margins with minimal upfront capital investment.
6. Blood Pressure Monitors
Blood pressure monitors are one of the most in-demand medical devices in 2024, making them a lucrative product for dropshipping. With the rising prevalence of hypertension and heart-related conditions, these devices have become essential for personal health monitoring.
They have become so popular that you can readily find them in most online stores. Besides being popular, they are an excellent source of recurring revenue, largely because customers often need accessories like replacement cuffs or batteries.
7. Bandages and Antiseptics
Individually sold bandages, wound dressings, and antiseptic solutions like hydrogen peroxide are popular for minor injuries and are one of the hot sellers in the medical industry. The reason we recommend dropshipping these products is that they are evergreen products, meaning they will always be in demand around the year.
To ensure good customer satisfaction, be sure to partner with a supplier with a verifiable track record of high product quality. You wouldn’t want to sell inferior or expired products to your customers – it will only lead to regrets.
8. Adult Diapers
Adult diapers can become your money-making machine if you understand your target audience. Why have we included this product among the various medical supplies you can dropship?
For starters, many countries are experiencing an aging population problem. As such, you can expect a growing demand for products like this.
To maximize sales, here are some adult diaper product ideas to try your hands on:
- Disposable Diapers: Ideal for single-use, ensuring hygiene and ease of disposal.
- Reusable Diapers: Eco-friendly options with washable materials.
- Specialized Designs: Products tailored for overnight use, extra absorbency, or sensitive skin.
9. Hand Sanitizers and Disinfectants
It’s easy to think that the hay days of hand sanitizers are way over ever since COVID-19 became a thing of the past. But you would be surprised that people are still buying them. If nothing else, they have become an indispensable component of aid kits and many medical professionals recommend having them in medical facilities as well as in our homes.
Hand sanitizer products are anything but expensive. Plus, regulatory laws around these products are a bit loose, so you don’t have to worry about getting into legal trouble.
10. Crutches and Walking Sticks
Tenth on this list of top medical supplies to dropship to make a healthy profit and enjoy consistent sales are crutches and walking sticks.
These affordable and essential aids are widely used during injury recovery or by people with mobility challenges. Listing a wide array of these products in your store ensures you enjoy consistent sales and, hence stable income.
Some of the high-demand types of crutches include underarm, forearm, and gutter crutches. In addition, consider having these products in different colors. We can tell you for a fact that variety is key to succeeding as a dropshipper.
11. Orthopedic Supports
Crutches and walking sticks aren’t the only orthopedic support products that can make you substantial profits; other products like knee braces, back support, neck collars etc. are also market movers.
There are many reasons why we believe dropshipping products like this make sense. Firstly, they give you access to a diverse audience, from athletes to elderly individuals. Secondly, you can easily upsell customers by offering them complimentary products like cold packs and therapy bands. Finally, they have a high perceived value, as customers are willing to pay premium prices for them, provided it alleviates their unease.
12. Glucose Meters and Test Strips
Gone are the days when we needed to visit the hospital to check our blood sugar levels. Nowadays, all you need is a good glucose meter or test strips to check right from the convenience of your home.
How much can you expect to make from selling sugar-testing devices? Well, these products sell between $20 to $100 on average. At a profit margin of 30%, you can make anywhere between $600 to $3000 in gross profits a month by selling 100 units. Not so bad, is it?
13. Weekly Pill Organizers
Weekly pill organizers are a simple yet indispensable product for managing medications and supplements. As more people prioritize health and wellness, these organizers have become a must-have for individuals with daily medication routines, caregivers, and seniors.
Why get into dropshipping medical supplies like weekly pill organizers? For starters, they offer consumers a lot of convenience. Secondly, there is a growing demand, partly due to rising health consciousness among consumers.
To make the most sales, offer customers portable products with a little touch of luxury.
14. Surgical Drapes
Selling surgical drapes can also open you to a world of profitable dropshipping. As you might already know, these products are mainly used to create a sterile environment, keeping infection away from medical beds.
They come in different types and materials. We suggest studying your target audience properly to figure out the right one to dropship.
15. Cold Compresses and Heat Pads
Cold compresses and heat pads are versatile, in-demand products that provide relief for pain, injuries, and muscle tension. These therapeutic aids are popular among athletes, individuals recovering from injuries, and those managing chronic conditions, making them an excellent addition to any dropshipping store.
What to Offer?
- Reusable Gel Packs: Versatile for both hot and cold therapy.
- Electric Heat Pads: Perfect for targeted, consistent heat application.
- Specialized Pads: Options for neck, back, or joint-specific relief.
- Instant Ice Packs: Disposable and great for emergencies or travel.
It’s important to choose reliable suppliers to ensure your business runs smoothly and online sales come in consistently.
16. Hearing Aids
You will be leaving a lot of money on the table if you aren’t dropshipping hearing aids. This dropshipping niche has a low entry barrier, offers attractive profit margins, and is generally a low-risk business model. Because you are dropshipping them, you don’t have to worry about inventory management – it’s your supplier’s problem to worry about.
On top of that, there is a diverse audience for hearing aids. Senior citizens, kids, and adults with hearing impairment all need them.
In addition, they are easy to source and you can easily buy medical supplies like this from a vendor online.
17. Medical Storage and Organizers
Medical storage and organizers are practical, high-demand products that help customers manage their medications, supplies, and health essentials efficiently. These items are especially popular among individuals with chronic conditions, caregivers, and frequent travelers, making them a great choice for dropshipping.
Why sell home health supplies like medical storage and organizers?
- Improved Organization: Keeps medications, first aid supplies, and health tools neatly stored and easily accessible.
- Convenience: Products like this offer users a lot of convenience and flexibility.
- Health and Safety: Helps prevent missed doses or mix-ups, especially for seniors and caregivers.
18. Dialysis Catheter Shower Covers
Dialysis catheter shower covers are a staple product in the medical industry, and so are always in demand. These products are primarily used to prevent harmful bacteria from finding their way into a catheter. This explains why they are always changed at regular intervals.
So you can expect to enjoy consistent sales should you decide to dropship catheter shower covers.
19. Nebulizers
Nebulizers are essential medical devices for individuals managing respiratory conditions like asthma, COPD, and bronchitis. These devices are in high demand due to their effectiveness in delivering medication directly to the lungs, making them an excellent product for dropshipping.
One of the reasons why dropshipping nebulizers makes a lot of sense is that they are easy to use, so anybody can use them. For you, this means a lot of sales. Furthermore, they are pocket-friendly, meaning people can easily buy one without thinking much about the financial implications.
20. Personal Health Devices
Personal health devices come in different shapes and types, and we’ve reviewed a few of them in this post already. Products like glucose monitors, wearable tracking devices, insulin pumps, etc. are potential hot-sellers you should check out.
Top Medical Products Suppliers
This post would never be complete if we didn’t review some of the top, reliable suppliers you can source medical products from. Some of these suppliers have a medical supplies dropship program, making life as a dropshipper easy. Here is the list of suppliers we know are worth your time.
1. McKesson
McKesson is undoubtedly a big name in the medical supplies market, supplying quality pharmaceutical products to the North American market. This makes it an ideal dropshipping supplier if your target audience is in the US or Canada.
On top of that, McKesson has a comprehensive dropshipping program you can take advantage of, especially if you are a registered health agency, therapy provider, or medical practitioner.
McKesson’s product line includes pharmaceutical products, respiratory products, orthopedic supplies, and many more.
2. Medline Industries
Medline Industries is another reputable supplier you should consider partnering with if looking to get into the medical supplies dropshipping industry. Like McKesson, Medline Industries also has a robust dropshipping program you can take advantage of. Doing so allows you to ship products from their distribution centers straight to your customers’ doorstep without hassles.
3. Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health is a US-based pharmaceutical company with footprints in Europe, Asia, and all over the world. What many people don’t know is that Cardinal Health has a dropship program that allows you to ship products directly to your customer for only a paltry sum of $7.9. This program is particularly profitable when you make bulk purchases.
However, you must be a registered diamond member to qualify for the dropship program.
4. Supliful
Getting dropshipping partnership deals with big names in the pharmaceutical industry can be difficult, especially if you have little proof of experience. Sometimes, your best bet is to check with smaller companies like Supliful.
Supliful is the perfect choice for a dropshipping supplier if you want to sell skincare, pet care, and personal hygiene products without owning a physical store. All you have to do is pick the right products and customize them to your heart’s content – Supliful handles the rest.
5. YouBar
Although we didn’t mention it in this article, dropshipping protein bars can be highly profitable if you can find a reliable supplier. And what better supplier to partner with than YouBar?
With YouBar, you don’t have to worry about minimum order quantities because there are none. Plus, there is no need to have your own warehouse because that is taken care of for you.
Conclusion
Dropshipping medical supplies can make you good money right from the comfort of your home. No need to own physical stores and little upfront capital.
Needless to say, how far you go with this business model largely depends on the supplier you work with. We’ve reviewed the best 5 of them, so be sure to check them out.
FAQ
Can You Dropship Medical Supplies?
Yes, you can dropship medical supplies. We know you might be worried if this is even possible without some sort of medical license. Truth is, it depends on the supplier and the type of product you intend to sell. Highly regulated products might need a license.
Is Dropshipping Medical Supplies Profitable?
The long and short of it is, yes it is profitable. But like everything else in life, whether you make profits or not depends on your willingness to do your homework. By homework, we mean researching your target audience, finding the right supplier, using the right promotion strategy, etc.
Who is The Biggest Distributor of Medical Supplies?
When measured by coverage and volume of sales, McKesson easily comes out top of the list. However, becoming a dropship partner with the company isn’t a walk in the park, so do your due diligence before applying.
Do You Need a License to Dropship Medical Supplies?
As we mentioned earlier, you will likely need some sort of medical license to dropship highly regulated medical supplies. But for common medical items like skincare products, protein bars, pill organizers, etc. you certainly don’t need a license.
What is the Profit Margin on Medical Supplies?
The profit margin on medical supplies can vary widely depending on the type of product, supplier pricing, and market demand. On average, medical supplies offer profit margins ranging from 10% to 50%.