There is a lot to plan when starting an ecommerce business, one of them being inventory and shipping. But what if you could sell items to customers without being responsible for actually distributing items? That’s when dropshipping comes in. It’s a business model that allows entrepreneurs to list items for sale on their website and have suppliers ship the item on your behalf when you get an order. Learn more about what’s involved with dropshipping by searching online.
There are many benefits you can take advantage of as a dropshipping business. Search online to find out how to find a supplier and get started now.
Benefits of Dropshipping
You Don’t Have to Handle Products
When a customer places an order with your business, you don’t actually need to have the product on hand. You would purchase it through a third-party wholesaler or manufacturer and they ship it directly to the customer for you. Since you don’t have to handle the product directly, you can use the time saved to do other things for your business.
It’s Easier to Get Started
Dropshipping businesses can work entirely on their laptop and phone. As such, you don’t necessarily need a storefront, delivery workers, or packaging supplies. Dropshipping can save you the energy and money that traditional business models are stuck with to be in operation.
This can be especially helpful depending on what you’re selling. If your ecommerce shop is selling large items, you don’t have to worry about having a place to store it because the wholesaler or manufacturer is taking care of that for you. This can save you money on real estate and hiring the manpower to move product from point A to B.
Low-Risk for Businesses
What’s good about dropshipping is new entrepreneurs don’t have to obtain and worry about inventory sitting in their shop. Instead, you simply order it from your supplier whenever an order is placed. This minimizes financial risk for start-ups and small businesses.
It Costs Less Money
Businesses typically require you to order loads of inventory, then work towards selling it to customers. Not only is this costly upfront, but it is also risky if you end up having trouble making sales. Dropshipping eliminates this risk.
When you order from third-parties, you already have a sale place. You can make a profit knowing there is a paying customer waiting for their item to be delivered, instead of simply hoping to sell to a customer after acquiring the goods. This means less capital is required since you’re purchasing the item after already making the sale.
Popular Dropshipping Companies
Spocket
Choose from thousands of dropshipping suppliers around the world with Spocket. This company allows you to choose all types of original products from the U.S. and Europe. It seamlessly integrates with websites built on Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix, and WooCommerce, so you can sell directly from your domain.
Spocket is free to use for people wanting to browse its catalog of products. There are also six paid subscriptions depending on if you pay monthly or yearly. These subscriptions give you more unique product options, bulk checkouts, and more. By opting for a yearly plan, you can save up to five months worth of service.
The three monthly tiers are:
- Starter: $24 per month.
- Pro: $49 per month or $708 annually.
- Empire: $99 per month or $1,380 annually.
The three yearly tiers are:
- Pro: $29 per month or $348 annually.
- Empire: $59 per month or $708 annually.
- Unicorn: $115 per month or $1,380 annually.
AliExpress
With more than 100 million products available for sale, AliExpress has become a go-to marketplace for dropshipping businesses. From clothes to decor to jewelry, AliExpress can cater to any business niche.
Retailers can purchase items at low prices and sell them in their ecommerce store. There is no upfront cost or fee, allowing businesses to test out products without high risk. All you have to do is put the items on your website, markup the price, and order it through AliExpress with your customer’s address.
Amazon
Since Amazon receives billions of visitors each month, entrepreneurs new to dropshipping may want to sell on there to get started. The platform is easy to use and is a global marketplace. This means you could connect to sellers quickly from anywhere in the world.
You would pay a percentage of every sale you make to Amazon and have to follow their rules. Users can try out a free Pro account for 30 days and take advantage of things like built-in customer service and sales report data.
Other Dropshipping Options
The following are other dropshipping companies, suppliers, and web tools that you can use to help launch your business:
- Shopify;
- Oberlo;
- Modalyst;
- Worldwide Brands;
- Salehoo;
- Dropified, and;
- Wholesale2B.
Learn More About Dropshipping by Searching Online
While it’s easy to start an online business with dropshipping, it’s important to do your research. Every ecommerce platform and dropshipping supplier comes with their own fees and levels of service. Read up on each one and choose the best for your business.
You also want to encourage customers to shop directly from your website rather than order from websites like AliExpress and Amazon. You can do this by getting creative with your marketing and ensuring your customer service is high quality.
Search online to get started. You can learn how to create a shopping website, find the right dropshipping company, and start marketing your website to customers.
