Did you know that you can start and run an e-commerce store with low start-up capital and without needing to deal with any inventory?
This is known as dropshipping, and it’s quickly become one of the most popular ways to run a profitable online business. Compared to running a traditional inventory-based retail business, dropshipping is much easier to scale, easier to manage, and can be managed from anywhere in the world.
If you’re asking how does dropshipping work, keep reading to learn more about dropshipping and how people are using it to run successful businesses.
How Does Dropshipping Work?
Let’s break down the user journey of dropshipping.
A customer places an order on your online store for your product or service. Your online store would contain your product catalog, branding, and marketing. Once the order is placed, it’s then forwarded to your supplier.
The supplier deals with holding the physical inventory and is responsible for order fulfillment and shipping to the customer. Usually, people who run dropshipping businesses deal with customer service for any complaints or refunds, however, this can also be outsourced to a third-party company when the business has grown enough.
Once the supply chain has been created, the business can become very easy to run because a lot of the work you would need to do in the beginning stages can be outsourced later. For example, you can set up an automatic way of forwarding orders to suppliers, and you can outsource your marketing efforts too.
Dropshipping has low barriers to entry. You don’t need to own a warehouse, have employees, or stock products, which means lower start-up costs compared to a traditional retail model.
Dropshipping Top Tips
There is more complexity to dropshipping than simply choosing a supplier and making a website.
Choose a platform wisely to reduce your monthly fees. Shopify is popular but has high fees. WooCommerce and WordPress are more budget-friendly and have more customization options.
Learn marketing strategies like bundling to create enticing offers. Encourage your customers to buy more through upselling, cross-selling, and promotions. However, avoid under-pricing your products and always be sure to consider your profit margins. As long as your products are high quality, your customers won’t have a problem with your prices.
A tip for ensuring your products are good quality and worth the price is to order product samples. This will help you to assess the quality of your suppliers and their packaging and delivery times. With dropshipping, choosing the right supplier is everything.
This article answers common dropshipping questions and provides tips for beginners.
Get Started with Dropshipping
So how does dropshipping work? In simple terms, it means outsourcing inventory management and fulfillment to third parties. You only need to deal with the online side of the business.
It’s important to know that dropshipping isn’t easy and comes with challenges. It means that you have less control over the packaging and shipping which can present problems, and leave you liable for issues. Make sure you understand the pros and cons of dropshipping if you’re thinking about getting started.
Head over to the business section of our blog for more tips.
