Even though dropshipping has been around ever since the 60s and 70s, it has picked up pace in recent years, thanks to better internet and reliable services now. The best part is, you don’t even need your own physical store for it! I’ve been in the business for about 2 years now and I’ll have to say, the experience itself is something else.
In this article, I provide a breakdown of everything that you need to know to start your own dropshipping business. So, grab a notebook and take notes.
∙ Pick a Theme for Your Business
∙ Where To Source Products From
∙ Decide on Which Dropshipping Method You Wish to Use
∙ Bonus Tip: Your Internet Connection
Pick a Theme for Your Business
The thing about running a business is that you can’t really start one aimlessly. You need to have a plan before you begin, or “business model” as they call it. Here, you have to decide what you would be selling as a part of your business.
You need to put in some research here so that you can see what the market demands. For instance, if you intend to sell something related to mobile accessories, you will have to observe to see what people demand the most. In this case, it would be a great idea to sell mobile covers or even screen protectors since they are sold widely all over the world.
This will help you narrow down the options of things that you can sell on your online store. The task may seem daunting at first, so you need to make sure that you are as patient as possible because patience is key here.
Pro Tip: You may even try selling custom-printed mobile covers since those would help you stand out. Some themes could include video games, popular TV shows, or music bands.
Sourcing Your Products
Designing, manufacturing, or even printing your own products could be a nightmare. It is too much of a responsibility to handle, and it will also increase your overall cost of running your business.
Now this is where dropshipping actually plays in your favor, you don’t have to store products or manufacture them on your own. You basically just grab them from someone who sources it and then sell it to your customer directly.
At the same time, you also have to ensure that the product is successfully delivered to your customer so that you can build up your credibility as an online store.
Where To Source Products From
Sourcing products from someone else and then sell them on your online store is convenient when it comes to dropshipping. But do you know where you can source these products from in the first place? Though you might have heard of this before, I’ll just fortify your concept a bit here.
There are a couple of platforms from where you can source your products, but the most common of them all are AliExpress and Amazon. Depending on the nature of your product, you can find most products on sale on the platform, and the best part is that they give dropshippers a great rate.
In my case, I usually tend to use AliExpress since it has reliable service and my products arrive well on time and in flawless condition. I’ve never really had any complaints while I’ve used AliExpress, but if you want a fast delivery, it would be best to opt for Amazon since it’s already here in the United States.
Once you source your products and place them on your store, all you have to do is sell them to potential customers!
Decide on Which Dropshipping Method You Wish to Use
To begin dropshipping, you obviously need a platform from where you can start. There are a couple of options that you can choose from:
- Using an automated dropshipping app integrated with everything that you may need.
- Working directly with a supplier and managing your products through a platform like Shopify.
Personally, I found it easier to connect my store to an automated app since it made most of the processes quite easy for me. It’s easier to communicate with potential customers and keep track of their orders. These apps usually come with a built-in delivery tracker so that I can ensure that the product reaches my customers well on time.
Bonus Tip: Your Internet Connection
In order to start your dropshipping business, you need to make sure that you get an internet connection that rarely has an outage.
In my case, I opted for Xfinity’s internet service so that I would be ahead of the curve in terms of the service I provide to my customers. All I had to do was to contact Xfinity customer service and they told me about all the plans that were best-suited to my business needs and the budget.
I would advise that you do the same, all you need to do is some research and you are good to go.