SOP: Setting Up and Operating Drop Shipping for Excalibur Brothers Swords and Knives

Posted on August 27, 2025 by Mike

Welcome to this detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) guide designed specifically for the Excalibur Brothers team. If you’re new to drop shipping, don’t worry—this step-by-step procedure will walk you through the setup and ongoing operations for our swords and knives business. Drop shipping allows us to sell products without holding inventory, as suppliers ship directly to customers. We’ll focus on our niche: high-quality swords and knives. This guide builds on our initial outline, expanding it into a comprehensive plan to get us up and running efficiently.

Introduction

Excalibur Brothers has been in the swords and knives business for many years, with established website traffic. By restarting our drop shipping program, we can leverage popular products to drive sales without the overhead of stocking items. This SOP covers identifying key products, finding and selecting suppliers, onboarding, and daily operations. Always prioritize USA-based suppliers for faster shipping and compliance with regulations on blades and weapons.

Step-by-Step Procedure

  1. Step 1: Analyze Website Traffic to Identify Top Products (Focus on the 80/20 Rule)

    Start by reviewing our website’s traffic reports to pinpoint the most popular products. The 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle) suggests that 80% of our sales or traffic likely comes from 20% of our products. Focusing on these “winners” will maximize efficiency in our drop shipping setup.

    • Access our analytics tool (e.g., Google Analytics or similar platform integrated with our site).
    • Navigate to the “Behavior” > “Site Content” > “All Pages” section, or use e-commerce reports if available.
    • Filter for product pages and sort by pageviews, unique visitors, or conversion rates over the last 6-12 months.
    • Identify the top 5-10 products that account for the majority of traffic. For Excalibur Brothers, this might include popular items like medieval swords, tactical knives, or fantasy blades.
    • Document these products: Note their names, SKUs, URLs, and gather high-quality images from our site.

    Output: A list of top products with URLs and images ready for supplier research.

  2. Step 2: Research and Contact Drop Shipping Suppliers

    With your top products identified, find reliable USA-based drop shipping suppliers that specialize in swords, knives, or related weaponry. Use AI tools (like Grok or similar) to assist in the search, providing details of our products for targeted recommendations.

    • Prepare your AI prompt. Use something like this as a template:

    We are looking for drop shipping suppliers, USA based, for our business Excalibur Brothers. It is a sword and knife business. I am attaching the images of the top traffic products of our website. I am also sharing the URLs of those products from our website. Please focus on these products first and find the most relevant USA based drop ship suppliers that can fulfill orders of these product types. Write an email for us to send from our Excalibur Brothers email to them to explain we are re-starting our dropship program and this is a business for many years that has traffic on these products (listing the products we have) and asking for their drop ship program terms and onboarding process.

    • Input the actual product images and URLs into the AI tool (if it supports attachments) or describe them in detail.
    • Review the AI’s suggestions: Look for suppliers with good reviews, inventory in swords/knives, and drop shipping experience. Prioritize those compliant with US laws on blade sales (e.g., age restrictions, shipping regulations).
    • Compile a list of 3-5 potential suppliers.
    • Use the AI-generated email template to contact them. Customize it with our business details: Mention our years in operation, existing traffic, and specific products.
    • Send emails from our official Excalibur Brothers email address and track responses in a shared spreadsheet.

    Tip: If the AI doesn’t yield enough results, supplement with manual searches on directories like Oberlo, Spocket, or niche forums for weaponry suppliers.

  3. Step 3: Evaluate and Select the Best Drop Ship Supplier

    Building on our previous Excalibur Brothers drop shipping experience, evaluate responses to choose the most suitable partner. In the past, we prioritized reliability and fast shipping to maintain customer satisfaction.

    • Compare key factors from supplier responses:

      Criteria

      Details to Check

      Pricing

      Wholesale costs, profit margins (aim for 30-50% markup).

      Shipping

      Times (USA-based: 3-7 days), costs, and tracking integration.

      Inventory & Reliability

      Stock levels for our top products, return rates, and reviews.

      Onboarding

      Ease of setup, API/integration options, minimum orders.

      Compliance

      Adherence to US knife/sword laws, insurance, and quality standards.

    • Request samples if possible to verify product quality matches our standards.

    • Score suppliers (e.g., out of 10) and select the top one. Negotiate terms if needed, referencing our established traffic.

    • Document the decision in our team shared drive.

  4. Step 4: Onboard with the Selected Supplier

    Follow the supplier’s onboarding process to set up our account and integrate systems.

    • Complete any application forms, provide business details (EIN, address, etc.).
    • Set up payment methods for wholesale purchases.
    • If available, integrate their API or use tools like DSers/Spocket for automated order fulfillment.
    • Test the process: Place a sample order to yourself or a team member.
    • Update our website product listings with supplier’s accurate descriptions, images, and pricing.

  5. Step 5: Set Up E-commerce Integration and Order Processing

    Ensure seamless flow from customer order to supplier fulfillment.

    • Configure our e-commerce platform (e.g., Shopify, WooCommerce) for drop shipping.
    • When an order comes in:
      1. Verify payment and customer details.
      2. Forward the order to the supplier via their portal/email/API, including customer shipping info (blind shipping: no supplier branding).
      3. Update order status on our site to “Processing.”
    • Automate where possible to reduce manual work.

  6. Step 6: Handle Shipping, Tracking, and Customer Communication

    Maintain transparency with customers.

    • Once the supplier ships, obtain tracking info and email it to the customer.
    • Update our site to “Shipped” with tracking link.
    • Monitor for delays and proactively communicate.

  7. Step 7: Manage Customer Service, Returns, and Refunds

    Handle post-sale issues promptly to build trust.

    • For returns: Coordinate with supplier per their policy (e.g., 30-day window).
    • Process refunds via our platform after confirming return.
    • Track common issues (e.g., damaged items) and feedback to improve supplier selection.
    • Use tools like Zendesk for ticketing.

  8. Step 8: Monitor Performance and Optimize Operations

    Regularly review and refine the process.

    • Weekly: Check sales, fulfillment rates, and customer feedback.
    • Monthly: Analyze profit margins, supplier performance, and update top products list.
    • Scale: Add more products or suppliers as traffic grows.
    • If issues arise, revert to Step 2-3 to find alternatives.

Conclusion

By following this SOP, our team can efficiently restart and operate drop shipping for Excalibur Brothers. Remember, success comes from focusing on our top products and building strong supplier relationships. If you have questions, discuss in our team meetings. Let’s get those swords and knives shipping!