Start A Drop Shipping Business With A Simple 3-Step Process Process

Start​ ​a​ ​Drop​ ​Shipping​ ​Business​ ​with​ ​A​ ​Simple​ ​3-Step​ ​Process

There​ ​are​ ​so​ ​many​ ​generic​ ​lists​ ​online​ ​about​ ​drop​ ​shipping:

● Start​ ​a​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​business​ ​with​ ​no​ ​money ● How​ ​to​ ​open​ ​a​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​business​ ​in​ ​1​ ​day ● Start​ ​an​ ​online​ ​store​ ​with​ ​no​ ​skills?!

The​ ​truth​ ​is,​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​is​ ​not​ ​that​ ​easy​ ​and​ ​simple.

If​ ​you​ ​really​ ​have​ ​$0​ ​to​ ​put​ ​into​ ​this,​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​even​ ​have​ ​a​ ​domain​ ​to​ ​start​ ​with.

Having​ ​only​ ​one​ ​day​ ​to​ ​set​ ​up​ ​the​ ​entire​ ​business?​ ​You​ ​must​ ​be​ ​willing​ ​to​ ​spend more​ ​than​ ​just​ ​1​ ​day​ ​to​ ​prepare​ ​for​ ​your​ ​business​ ​launch,​ ​right?

And​ ​if​ ​you​ ​have​ ​no​ ​skills?​ ​So​ ​you​ ​should​ ​start​ ​learning​ ​today.​ ​In​ ​this​ ​blog​ ​post,​ ​we’ll shine​ ​some​ ​light​ ​on​ ​the​ ​necessary​ ​steps​ ​on​ ​how​ ​to​ ​build​ ​a​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​business from​ ​the​ ​ground​ ​up:

1. Choosing​ ​deep​ ​niche​ ​products​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​sell​ ​with​ ​big​ ​margins 2. Finding​ ​suppliers​ ​with​ ​high​ ​quality​ ​products 3. Setting​ ​up​ ​a​ ​beautifully​ ​designed​ ​website

But​ ​first,​ ​let’s​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​some​ ​big​ ​bonuses​ ​it​ ​has​ ​to​ ​offer.

The​ ​Benefits​ ​of​ ​Drop​ ​Shipping

The​ ​biggest​ ​advantage​ ​of​ ​the​ ​drop​ ​ship​ ​model​ ​is​ ​that​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​need​ ​to​ ​own​ ​any stock.​ ​Instead,​ ​you​ ​sell​ ​virtual​ ​inventory​ ​that​ ​being​ ​stored​ ​and​ ​shipped​ ​directly​ ​from suppliers​ ​to​ ​customers.

It​ ​means:

No​ ​buckets​ ​of​ ​money​ ​needed.​ Y ​ ou​ ​only​ ​pay​ ​for​ ​the​ ​stock​ ​you​ ​sell,​ ​so​ ​the​ ​risk​ ​of spending​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​money​ ​on​ ​unsold​ ​stock​ ​is​ ​zero!

A​ ​wide​ ​range​ ​of​ ​products​ ​offer.​​ ​With​ ​drop​ ​shipping,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​expand​ ​your​ ​catalog with​ ​little​ ​effort.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​a​ ​huge​ ​bonus​ ​because​ ​broad​ ​product​ ​selection​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the key​ ​factors​ ​that​ ​influences​ ​customers’​ ​purchasing​ ​decision.

Time​ ​saving​ ​is​ ​key.​​ ​Dropshipping​ ​can​ ​free​ ​your​ ​mind​ ​from​ ​warehousing,​ ​shipping and​ ​fulfillment.​ ​The​ ​supplier​ ​takes​ ​care​ ​of​ ​the​ ​practical​ ​operations​ ​for​ ​you.​ ​Your only​ ​job​ ​is​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​the​ ​things​ ​that​ ​will​ ​have​ ​a​ ​greater​ ​impact​ ​on​ ​your​ ​bottom line:​ ​how​ ​to​ ​promote​ ​your​ ​online​ ​store​ ​and​ ​generate​ ​more​ ​sales.

One​ ​more​ ​bonus:​ ​Studies​ ​have​ ​shown​ ​that​ ​high​ ​shipping​ ​fee​ ​is​ ​the​ ​number​ ​one factor​ ​driving​ ​shopping​ ​cart​ ​abandonment.​ ​With​ ​drop​ ​shipping,​ ​the​ ​shipping​ ​cost​ ​is low​ ​because​ ​suppliers​ ​can​ ​often​ ​negotiate​ ​better​ ​shipping​ ​rates​ ​due​ ​to​ ​the extremely​ ​high​ ​volume​ ​of​ ​orders​ ​they​ ​send​ ​each​ ​day.

How​ ​to​ ​start​ ​a​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​business

Step​ ​1​ ​–​ ​Choosing​ ​deep​ ​niche​ ​products​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​sell​ ​with​ ​big margins

Why​ ​do​ ​you​ ​need​ ​a​ ​niche?

The​ ​answer​ ​is​ ​simple:​ ​You​ ​can’t​ ​expect​ ​to​ ​become​ ​a​ ​successful​ ​drop​ ​shipping entrepreneur​ ​by​ ​competing​ ​with​ ​eCommerce​ ​giants​ ​like​ ​Amazon​ ​or​ ​Alibaba.​ ​Your best​ ​chance​ ​for​ ​success​ ​is​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​selling​ ​deep​ ​niche​ ​products.

But​ ​among​ ​millions​ ​of​ ​different​ ​products​ ​available,​ ​how​ ​do​ ​you​ ​choose​ ​which​ ​ones to​ ​sell?

Ideas

There​ ​are​ ​2​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​start​ ​brainstorming​ ​and​ ​researching.​ ​Let’s​ ​think​ ​about:

What​ ​are​ ​the​ ​top​ ​selling​ ​products​ ​on​ ​big​ ​marketplaces?

You​ ​can​ ​easily​ ​find​ ​out​ ​the​ ​answer​ ​after​ ​5​ ​minutes​ ​of​ ​surfing​ ​big​ ​retailers’​ ​website like​ ​Etsy,​ ​Amazon​ ​or​ ​Trending​ ​on​ ​eBay.

What​ ​are​ ​some​ ​unique​ ​products​ ​that​ ​are​ ​starting​ ​to​ ​go​ ​viral?

Popular​ ​trending​ ​pages​ ​on​ ​Facebook​ ​like​ ​Insider,​ ​Viral​ ​Thread​ ​or​ ​even​ ​9GAG​ ​are​ ​the best​ ​places​ ​to​ ​help​ ​you​ ​keep​ ​up​ ​with​ ​the​ ​global​ ​trend.

Do​ ​you​ ​know​ ​where​ ​the​ ​squishy​ ​phone​ ​cases​ ​trend​ ​comes​ ​from?

It’s​ ​9GAG.

Price

The​ ​next​ ​thing​ ​to​ ​consider​ ​is​ ​the​ ​price​ ​range​ ​of​ ​those​ ​products.

If​ ​the​ ​price​ ​is​ ​too​ ​low​ ​(less​ ​than​ ​$10),​ ​it​ ​will​ ​be​ ​impossible​ ​to​ ​reach​ ​the​ ​positive Return​ ​On​ ​Investment​ ​(ROI).​ ​Because​ ​you​ ​still​ ​need​ ​to​ ​cover​ ​some​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​expenses such​ ​as​ ​supplier​ ​fees​ ​or​ ​marketing​ ​fees,​ ​which​ ​we’re​ ​going​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​later​ ​on​ ​this blog​ ​post.

If​ ​the​ ​price​ ​is​ ​too​ ​high​ ​($1,000+),​ ​it’s​ ​hard​ ​for​ ​customers​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​without consideration,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​a​ ​chance​ ​that​ ​they​ ​will​ ​want​ ​to​ ​speak​ ​with​ ​someone​ ​over​ ​the phone​ ​or​ ​through​ ​website​ ​live​ ​chat​ ​prior​ ​to​ ​purchasing.​ ​This​ ​customer​ ​support requires​ ​your​ ​time​ ​to​ ​take​ ​care​ ​of​ ​or​ ​additional​ ​cost​ ​for​ ​hiring​ ​at​ ​least​ ​one​ ​staff​ ​to do​ ​the​ ​job​ ​for​ ​you.

So​ ​what​ ​is​ ​the​ ​good​ ​price​ ​range?

The​ ​ideal​ ​sweet​ ​pot​ ​is​ ​from​ ​$20​ ​to​ ​$200​ ​–​ ​It’s​ ​not​ ​only​ ​big​ ​enough​ ​to​ ​create​ ​the decent​ ​per-order​ ​profit,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​small​ ​enough​ ​that​ ​most​ ​customers​ ​won’t​ ​need​ ​to personally​ ​speak​ ​with​ ​someone​ ​before​ ​the​ ​sale.

Don’t​ ​follow​ ​your​ ​passion

You​ ​read​ ​it​ ​right.

You’ve​ ​undoubtedly​ ​heard​ ​the​ ​mantra:​ ​“Just​ ​follow​ ​your​ ​passion”.​ ​But​ ​it’s​ ​an​ ​awful advice​ ​when​ ​it​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​choosing​ ​the​ ​best​ ​products​ ​to​ ​sell​ ​online.

The​ ​mistake​ ​that​ ​new​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​store​ ​owners​ ​often​ ​make​ ​is​ ​focusing​ ​their passion​ ​on​ ​the​ ​products​ ​they​ ​sell​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​making​ ​their​ ​businesses​ ​profitable.

It​ ​doesn’t​ ​matter​ ​if​ ​you​ ​sell​ ​a​ ​product​ ​you​ ​have​ ​passion​ ​with​ ​or​ ​not,​ ​the​ ​thing​ ​is,​ ​if that​ ​product​ ​brings​ ​money​ ​in,​ ​you’ll​ ​soon​ ​become​ ​passionate​ ​about​ ​it.

Also​ ​read:​ H ​ ow​ ​to​ ​choose​ ​the​ ​best​ ​products​ ​to​ ​sell​ ​online

Our​ ​advice:

Don’t​ ​spend​ ​too​ ​much​ ​time​ ​on​ ​brainstorming​ ​and​ ​finding​ ​the​ ​PERFECT​ ​products​ ​to sell.

In​ ​fact,​ ​you’ll​ ​end​ ​up​ ​wasting​ ​your​ ​time​ ​on​ ​common​ ​goods​ ​that​ ​are​ ​way​ ​too saturated​ ​or​ ​brilliant​ ​ideas​ ​that​ ​have​ ​zero​ ​demand.

You​ ​still​ ​have​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​to​ ​do​ ​then.​ ​So​ ​stop​ ​thinking​ ​and​ ​let’s​ ​move​ ​to​ ​the​ ​next​ ​important part.

Step​ ​2​ ​–​ ​Finding​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​suppliers​ ​with​ ​high​ ​quality​ ​products

This​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​important​ ​decisions​ ​you’ll​ ​make.​ ​If​ ​your​ ​suppliers​ ​mess​ ​up, it’s​ ​your​ ​responsibility​ ​to​ ​make​ ​it​ ​up​ ​to​ ​your​ ​customers,​ ​not​ ​theirs.

So​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​you​ ​choose​ ​wisely.

Here’s​ ​how.

Contact​ ​the​ ​Manufacturers

If​ ​you​ ​know​ ​the​ ​exact​ ​product​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​drop​ ​ship,​ ​the​ ​best​ ​approach​ ​is​ ​to​ ​call the​ ​manufacturer​ ​directly​ ​and​ ​ask​ ​if​ ​they​ ​have​ ​a​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​program​ ​for​ ​you.

If​ ​yes,​ ​this​ ​is​ ​an​ ​ideal​ ​scenario​ ​because​ ​you​ ​cut​ ​out​ ​all​ ​the​ ​middlemen​ ​and​ ​get​ ​the best​ ​possible​ ​pricing!

If​ ​the​ ​manufacturer​ ​does​ ​not​ ​provide​ ​a​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​program​ ​in​ ​place,​ ​they​ ​are most​ ​likely​ ​working​ ​with​ ​some​ ​wholesalers​ ​instead.​ ​Then​ ​ask​ ​for​ ​a​ ​list​ ​of​ ​their wholesale​ ​distributors.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​contact​ ​these​ ​wholesalers​ ​to​ ​see​ ​if​ ​they​ ​drop​ ​ship and​ ​inquire​ ​about​ ​setting​ ​up​ ​an​ ​account.

Use​ ​AliExpress

AliExpress​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​popular​ ​drop​ ​ship​ ​models​ ​for eCommerce​ ​entrepreneurs.

Most​ ​sellers​ ​on​ ​AliExpress​ ​are​ ​overseas​ ​manufacturers,​ ​their​ ​prices​ ​are​ ​very competitive.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​pay​ ​for​ ​products​ ​at​ ​wholesale​ ​prices​ ​and​ ​have​ ​them​ ​shipped directly​ ​to​ ​your​ ​customers.

However…

Although​ ​AliExpress​ ​is​ ​taking​ ​care​ ​of​ ​verifying​ ​suppliers​ ​itself,​ ​you​ ​still​ ​be​ ​very careful​ ​when​ ​selecting​ ​your​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​supplier.

Here​ ​are​ ​our​ ​tips:

Avoid​ ​suppliers​ ​with​ ​brand​ ​products​.​ ​Known​ ​luxury​ ​brands​ ​on​ ​AliExpress​ ​are very​ ​rare.​ ​So​ ​stay​ ​away​ ​from​ ​any​ ​suppliers​ ​selling​ ​brand​ ​products​ ​to​ ​avoid​ ​reselling fakes​ ​and​ ​knockoffs.

Order​ ​sample​ ​to​ ​test​ ​products’​ ​quality.​​ ​Making​ ​a​ ​small​ ​test​ ​order​ ​is​ ​a​ ​great​ ​way to​ ​determine​ ​the​ ​quality​ ​of​ ​supplier’s​ ​products​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​ensure​ ​they’re​ ​not​ ​a​ ​fraud.

If​ ​you​ ​order​ ​only​ ​one​ ​sample,​ ​you​ ​can’t​ ​cover​ ​the​ ​general​ ​quality​ ​of​ ​their​ ​products.

So​ ​the​ ​best​ ​result​ ​comes​ ​from​ ​an​ ​order​ ​of​ ​3-5​ ​samples​ ​from​ ​each​ ​supplier.

Use​ ​Drop​ ​shipping​ ​Directories

A​ ​directory​ ​is​ ​a​ ​database​ ​of​ ​certified​ ​wholesalers​ ​that’s​ ​organized​ ​by​ ​product​ ​type, market​ ​or​ ​niche.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​easily​ ​find​ ​the​ ​wholesalers​ ​contact​ ​or​ ​detail​ ​of​ ​products listed​ ​in​ ​their​ ​database.

Here’s​ ​the​ ​best​ ​thing…

You​ ​don’t​ ​have​ ​to​ ​waste​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​time​ ​on​ ​considering​ ​which​ ​wholesaler​ ​is​ ​legit.

Directories​ ​employ​ ​screening​ ​process​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​the​ ​suppliers​ ​listed​ ​on​ ​the​ ​list​ ​are only​ ​genuine​ ​wholesalers.

However,​ ​most​ ​directories​ ​are​ ​running​ ​for​ ​profit​ ​so​ ​you’ll​ ​be​ ​charged​ ​a​ ​fee​ ​for access​ ​to​ ​their​ ​directory.​ ​That​ ​said,​ ​if​ ​you’re​ ​short​ ​on​ ​time​ ​and​ ​willing​ ​to​ ​spend​ ​the money,​ ​directories​ ​can​ ​be​ ​very​ ​helpful​ ​to​ ​save​ ​your​ ​time​ ​and​ ​effort.

There​ ​are​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​different​ ​supplier​ ​directories,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​comprehensive​ ​review of​ ​all​ ​of​ ​them​ ​is​ ​beyond​ ​the​ ​scope​ ​of​ ​this​ ​guide.

Instead,​ ​we’ve​ ​highlighted​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​well-known​ ​supplier​ ​directories​ ​online here:

Company

Product

Supplier

Cost

16,000,000

9,000

$299​ ​Lifetime access

2,000,000

175

From $29/month

1,600,000

​ ​8,000

$67/year

N/A

95+

From $50/month

12,000 200 Focused​ ​on fashion​ ​and home​ ​goods 1,000,000

N/A

$35/month 2%​ ​of​ ​each​ ​sale

From​ ​$49.99

Before​ ​negotiating​ ​a​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​suppliers,​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​you​ ​ask:

● What​ ​shipping​ ​methods​ ​do​ ​you​ ​offer?​ ​And​ ​the​ ​cost​ ​of​ ​each​ ​method.

● What​ ​is​ ​the​ ​warranty​ ​policy​ ​for​ ​the​ ​products?

● How​ ​about​ ​your​ ​return​ ​and​ ​replacement​ ​policy?

Step​ ​3​ ​–​ ​Setting​ ​up​ ​the​ ​website

Some​ ​shipping​ ​directories​ ​will​ ​offer​ ​upsell​ ​services.​ ​It​ ​can​ ​be​ ​access​ ​to​ ​online courses,​ ​exclusive​ ​information,​ ​or​ ​even​ ​online​ ​store.

Salehoo​ ​offers​ ​a​ ​basic​ ​online​ ​store​ ​with​ ​15​ ​pre-designed​ ​templates.​ ​DropshipDesign gives​ ​you​ ​a​ ​pre-loaded​ ​website​ ​with​ ​over​ ​1,000,000​ ​products.

However,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​more​ ​options​ ​for​ ​you​ ​out​ ​there​ ​which​ ​are​ ​much​ ​better​ ​than that.​ ​Here’re​ ​two​ ​eCommerce​ ​platforms​ ​we’d​ ​like​ ​to​ ​recommend:

Shopify

When​ ​it​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​creating​ ​a​ ​new​ ​eCommerce​ ​website,​ ​Shopify​ ​is​ ​the​ ​best​ ​in​ ​the business.

Shopify​ ​has​ ​done​ ​everything​ ​they​ ​can​ ​to​ ​make​ ​setting​ ​up​ ​and​ ​running​ ​an eCommerce​ ​website​ ​for​ ​you.​ ​They​ ​handle​ ​all​ ​the​ ​hosting,​ ​security,​ ​and​ ​credit​ ​card processing​ ​to​ ​give​ ​you​ ​more​ ​time​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​promoting​ ​their​ ​website.

This​ ​also​ ​means​ ​customizing​ ​your​ ​online​ ​store​ ​will​ ​be​ ​somewhat​ ​limited​ ​due​ ​to​ ​the platform’s​ ​availability.

Good​ ​news​ ​is…

With​ ​over​ ​1,400​ ​apps​ ​on​ ​Shopify​ ​App​ ​Store,​ ​you’ve​ ​got​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​options​ ​when​ ​it comes​ ​to​ ​increasing​ ​sales​ ​and​ ​extending​ ​the​ ​functionalities​ ​of​ ​your​ ​online​ ​store.

You​ ​can​ ​see​ ​the​ ​list​ ​of​ ​best​ ​Shopify​ ​apps​ ​here​ ​for​ ​references.

Shopify​ ​starts​ ​at​ ​the​ ​lowest​ ​Basic​ ​plan​ ​of​ ​$29/month,​ ​with​ ​a​ ​15-day​ ​free​ ​trial​ ​for​ ​you to​ ​start​ ​literally​ ​at​ ​no​ ​cost.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce​ ​is​ ​a​ ​powerful​ ​eCommerce​ ​toolkit​ ​for​ ​the​ ​webmaster.

As​ ​an​ ​open​ ​source​ ​software,​ ​WooCommerce​ ​is​ ​well​ ​known​ ​for​ ​allowing​ ​you​ ​freely modify​ ​the​ ​site.​ ​There​ ​are​ ​no​ ​limitations​ ​even​ ​in​ ​controlling​ ​your​ ​site’s​ ​data,​ ​which​ ​is a​ ​big​ ​bonus​ ​compared​ ​with​ ​Shopify.

However,​ ​WooCommerce​ ​is​ ​designed​ ​for​ ​small​ ​businesses,​ ​so​ ​stores​ ​with large-volume​ ​products​ ​can​ ​be​ ​difficult​ ​to​ ​manage.

Though​ ​the​ ​plugin​ ​is​ ​free,​ ​you​ ​will​ ​need​ ​paid​ ​licenses​ ​and​ ​external​ ​essential​ ​plugins to​ ​power​ ​up​ ​your​ ​store​ ​to​ ​be​ ​fully​ ​functional​ ​and​ ​ready​ ​for​ ​growth.

Bottom​ ​line:

If​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​get​ ​started​ ​as​ ​quick​ ​as​ ​possible,​ ​choose​ ​Shopify.​ ​The​ ​platform provides​ ​almost​ ​everything​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​open​ ​an​ ​online​ ​store.

If​ ​you​ ​are​ ​a​ ​tech​ ​savvy​ ​and​ ​want​ ​a​ ​full​ ​control​ ​over​ ​the​ ​site,​ ​choose​ ​WooCommerce.

You’ll​ ​never​ ​regret​ ​it.

And​ ​if​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​know​ ​about​ ​other​ ​eCommerce​ ​platforms?​ ​Read​ ​this​​ ​article​.

What’s​ ​the​ ​next​ ​step?

You​ ​know​ ​how​ ​to​ ​start​ ​a​ ​drop​ ​shipping​ ​business​ ​in​ ​3​ ​simple​ ​steps,​ ​now​ ​how​ ​to​ ​get your​ ​first​ ​sales​ ​is​ ​the​ ​next​ ​challenge​ ​to​ ​combat!

To​ ​make​ ​this​ ​challenge​ ​easier​ ​and​ ​success​ ​more​ ​achievable,​ ​we​ ​built​ ​this​ ​complete guide​ ​on​ ​How​ ​To​ ​Sell​ ​Online​​ ​with​ ​actionable​ ​tactics​ ​and​ ​strategies​ ​for​ ​you​ ​to​ ​follow:

Congratulations!

You’ve​ ​done​ ​the​ ​very​ ​first​ ​step​ ​on​ ​the​ ​journey​ ​to​ ​becoming​ ​a​ ​successful​ ​drop shipping​ ​entrepreneur.

So​ ​what’s​ ​next?

It’s​ ​time​ ​to​ ​take​ ​action​ ​and​ ​put​ ​what​ ​you​ ​learned​ ​into​ ​practice.​ ​Remember,​ ​once​ ​you start,​ ​there’s​ ​only​ ​one​ ​way​ ​to​ ​go,​ ​and​ ​that’s​ ​forward.

Good​ ​luck!