Starting your dropshipping business
Do you want to start a side-hustle and make a few extra dollars? Or do you desire a 6-figure business that can provide you with a steady income? It doesn’t matter which option you choose, the process is the exact same. What you have to put in time and effort is the main difference.
Let’s take a look at the steps to follow if you are looking to start a dropshipping company.
Dropshipping is a commitment
We have discussed the pros and cons to dropshipping. However, it is not an easy way to make big money. You must be prepared to work hard if you want to open an online ecommerce shop.
You must be committed to your business’ growth before you can start. Although it won’t be easy, the potential rewards can be enormous.
Dropshipping is a great business idea
It is important to pick the right niche to build your business. Focusing on a specific niche will help you get better results, even if you don’t have the budget to invest in marketing. Instead of being a music store, be a specialist in ukuleles.
Select the products that you wish to sell
You might list a variety of ukuleles at different price points using the ukulele example. This allows you to target intermediate, advanced and beginners players. Next, think about similar products this market might purchase:
- Songbooks and instruction
- Stands
- Tuners
- Replacement parts
- Instrument cases
Customers will find similar products if you only list products that are relevant to your niche. It is easier to build your brand if one niche is your specialty.
Locate a dropshipping supplier
Next, find someone who will supply your products at an affordable price.
Scammers are the first thing you need to be aware. Dropshipping is a popular business model that scammers are targeting. Avoid suppliers who charge a fee to browse their stock.
Some websites offer lists of suppliers for certain niches. This has the downside that many dropshippers are likely selling these products.
Contacting the manufacturer is the best way to locate potential suppliers for niche products. The manufacturer will gladly provide a list with distributors. Next, contact each distributor to see if they are open to dropshipping. It’s a smart idea to check out what other products they have; you might be able to sell them in your store.
What if your competitor uses dropshipping? Would you like to sell the exact same product? It’s easy to find their supplier. Look at the return address before you place an order. You can do a quick online search for the address and find the details of their suppliers.
Create your ecommerce store
It is easy to become overwhelmed by all the options available. We offer an prepackaged ecommerce app to make it easy for you to get online. You get all the features that you would expect, at a reasonable price.
No matter which option you choose, be sure to research the fees that they charge. They can quickly add up! We don’t believe revenue share is a benefit that sets us apart from other companies. We don’t take a cut from every sale that you make.
Market your dropshipping store
Congratulations! Your ecommerce store has now gone live. Customers are the only thing that is missing from your ecommerce store. Now is the time to get customers to your store!
Advertising with Facebook ads or Google Ads is the obvious choice. These ads can be targeted at very specific people. It’s worth asking friends and family to check out your store before you run any ads. There’s a high chance that potential customers won’t like what they see.
You can also leverage social proof. Are you a strong social media influencer? You’ll get traffic if you share your store. You can run a giveaway with each entry being another entry.
You can boost your traffic by getting a few YouTubers and Instagrammers to link to your store. In exchange for their reviews, you could give them a product free of charge. You could offer a few ukuleles as a gift to Youtube cover artists. They’ll be able to play some songs on your ukuleles, and your store will be mentioned. It’s a win/win situation.
Advertising your dropshipping business will help you stand out from the rest and build a strong brand. This ultimately leads to increased sales.
Keep your customers satisfied
Maximizing your profit margins is important. You can’t have a business without customers. You can only push your profits so far before someone finds a better deal. It is important to strike a balance between satisfying customers and maximising earnings.
Customers who are happy will leave positive reviews and recommend your store to others. They’re more likely to buy again from you.
Analyze your offerings and make improvements
After the sales begin to come in, take some time to congratulate yourself and then get back at work. The first step to building an online dropshipping business is sales.
It’s now time to refine your work. It is important to go through all data and find areas that can be improved. Perhaps your advertising campaign did not perform as you expected. You now have a new area of focus to improve.
Maybe your sales are declining. To find out if customers are purchasing from a competitor, or if there has been a drop in demand, you need to do research.
There are many things that you can do to improve your store. Your store’s success will depend on the amount of effort you put in. It is easy to open a store. It is much more difficult to improve it until you are at the top in your niche. This is an inexorable cycle that will continue for as long as you have a store.
Shipping is a key aspect of establishing and growing a Shopify store. How will you deliver the goods to your customers? What will you do about shipping complaints and questions? Are you going to send out shipping updates and notifications?
You want to provide the best shopping experience possible. Choose a shipping app that meets your customers’ needs. This will keep them coming back.
Take a look at these data:
There are many Shopify shipping apps that can help you improve your business. They integrate seamlessly into your online shop and do the majority of the work.
We want to make it easy for you to choose the right shipping app for your shop. This detailed guide covers 15 of the most popular Shopify shipping apps.
We’ve reviewed each app:
- The key features
- Reviews and customer support
- Pricing.
This is how you can choose the best shipping app for your business and customer loyalty.
AfterShip
AfterShip supports more than 600 shipping services around the world. AfterShip allows you to track the status of your shipments across multiple carriers. You can send emails and notifications at various stages of shipment to keep your customers informed.
Key features:
- Shipment visibility. AfterShip makes it easy to track and trace your parcels and shipments across 670+ carriers worldwide. All this information is available in one location, making it much easier to resolve delivery issues.
- Branded tracking pages. You can create your own tracking page. You can add your logo and a colour scheme to match your brand.
- Shipment notifications. AfterShip automatically sends text and email notifications to your customers. They notify customers that their order has been shipped and give delivery estimates. If anything goes wrong, they can be notified immediately.
- Analytics. AfterShip provides actionable insights about everything, from delivery rates and delivery times to courier performance. This allows you to optimize logistics. It can even assess your marketing and post-purchase engagement activities. All this data can be viewed on the AfterShip dashboard. You can also export it to your data warehouse for analysis.
Reviews and customer support:
AfterShip provides 24/7 customer support via chat. AfterShip has received a 4.5 rating by 3671 users on the Shopify App Store. AfterShip is loved by users because it makes it easy to organize shipping shipments when you use multiple carriers.
Pricing:
A free plan covers 50 monthly shipments. Paid plans come with a 14-day trial. Paid options start at $9/month for 100 monthly shipping. AfterShip offers a PRO Plan for shops that have high shipping volumes. It costs $99 per month and allows you to send 2,000 monthly shipments.
Aftership Returns Centre Shipping
Aftership Returns Center allows customers to submit returns requests with just a few clicks .
Key features:
- Branded returns webpage. In just a few clicks, your customers can submit returns. They don’t need to email you support or complete a lengthy returns form. Your logo, URL and return policy can be customized to make your personalized returns center.
- Returns management portal. All your returns can be tracked in one place. You can search and filter quickly, as well as approve or deny refunds.
- Return notifications. Aftership Returns provides timely updates to customers about their returns. This will help you increase customer loyalty and decrease inquiries. You can either create your own notifications, or you can use templates to send acceptance, rejection, change, and refund notifications. To encourage future sales, you can embed marketing messages.
- Routing optimization. Aftership Returns allows for smart routing rules to be set up. These rules ensure that items reach their destination at the lowest cost. You can also use the app to analyze your returns performance and plan your inventory more effectively.
Reviews and customer support:
Aftership returns offers 24/7 customer service via chat. The app received a 4.4 rating based on 1467 user reviews.
Pricing:
Aftership Returns is a free plan that allows you to process 3 returns per month. You can process 100 returns each month with the $29/month Essentials plan. For larger businesses, 1000 monthly returns will be $199/month. These plans come with a 14-day trial.
3. ShippingEasy
ShippingEasy, a cloud-based multi-carrier shipping platform, is available. It provides useful tools for processing orders and automating tracking. You can also access discounted USPS shipping rates, and it offers marketing campaigns.
Key features:
- Shipping automation. ShippingEasy lets you manage orders and automate shipping using rules. You can organize your packing using pick lists or packing slips and also print shipping labels. The automation streamlines the entire process and reduces shipping time.
- Returns and tracking. ShippingEasy automatically sends tracking information to customers and stores. It provides brandable tracking pages as well as confirmation emails.
- Low shipping rates ShippingEasy provides discounts on shipping and insurance for USPS and UPS.
- Customer marketing. It features an easy to use campaign editor. You can create automated emails, including reminders for abandoned carts, product reviews requests and product recommendations.
Reviews and customer support:
During business hours, you can reach us by phone, chat, or email. Training and onboarding are also available. Shopify users have given the app a 4.7 rating based on 567 reviews. Many love the fact that it saves time shipping.
Pricing:
Starter plans include 50 monthly shipments. 500 shipments per monthly will be $29/month. 1,500 shipments will cost $49/month. The Premium plan costs $49/month, and gives you 6,000 shipments. All plans are available for free for 30 days.
Shippo
Shippo, a shipping platform, allows users to compare rates. Users can also access discounted rates from 55+ international carriers in real time. It can be used to print shipping labels and manage returns as well as track packages.
Key features:
- Get Discounted Shipping Rates Shippo users receive discounted rates with USPS and UPS. You can also compare real-time rates across a number of carriers.
- Creating and printing labels. Shippo makes it easy to pre-fill your packages and save them for quicker printing. To speed up printing, you can create business rules and order multiple copies. Return labels can be printed for free and you only have to pay for what they are actually used.
- Tracking and returns. Shippo automatically sends emails your customers. These emails contain detailed information about your shipment, such as carrier information and the most current Estimated Time to Arrive (ETA)
- Branding. To create a consistent brand experience, you can add your logo, colors, and brand to shipping labels, customer notifications, tracking pages, and tracking pages.
Reviews and customer support:
Shippo offers email and live chat support during normal business hours. The customer service team strives to resolve every issue within four hours. From 482 reviews, Shippo has received a 4.0 rating from Shopify. The app is easy to use by merchants.
Pricing:
Shippo offers a Pay As You go option for quick shipping with no commitments – you only pay $0.05 per label and there are no additional fees. Upgrade to a subscription plan for as low as $10 per month and get additional features such custom notifications.
ShipStation
ShipStation offers many features, including batch shipping and discounted shipping rates. It can be used to manage customers and inventory. ShipStation makes order fulfillment easier and more efficient using automation.
Key features:
- Order management. ShipStation’s order-management software allows you to save time and organize your ecommerce orders. It also provides several options to automate order fulfillment tasks. Based on the criteria you have set, it automatically applies actions to orders.
- Shipping automation. ShipStation allows you to quickly create discounted labels for quicker shipping and international shipping documents. You can also view shipping rates and send notifications directly to your customers.
- Branding. ShipStation allows you to add your logo, color scheme and copy to shipping labels and packing slips. You can also send shipping notifications. You can also customize the order tracking page or returns portal.
- Inventory management. ShipStation allows you to set up inventory alerts that will notify you when stock levels drop below a certain threshold. The app can be used to assign stock to orders that are still awaiting shipment and display real-time stock levels.
Reviews and customer support:
ShipStation provides customer support via live chat and email. The app claims that it is always monitoring for emergencies and offers tech support during normal business hours. ShipStation received a 3.8 rating on the Shopify App Store based on 458 reviews. Users love the time ShipStation saves.
Pricing:
A 30-day free trial is available. Prices start at $9/month and 50 shipments. For high volume shippers, the Enterprise plan offers 10,000 shipments at $159/month. The Bronze ($29/month), and Gold ($69/month), plans offer 500 and 3,000 shipments, respectively.
EasyShip
Easyship, a cloud-based shipping platform that allows you to provide a better customer experience through flexible delivery options at checkout. It provides branded packing slips and tracking pages as well as customer emails.
Key features:
- Shipping management. EasyShip allows you to manage all aspects of shipping, label generation, and fulfillment from one location. Automations can be set up based on product value, courier preference, package size or delivery preference. The app can also be used to create shipping labels, packing slips and customs declarations.
- Tracking. EasyShip provides tracking pages that allow your customer to see the entire shipping journey. It will send you email notifications that include relevant tracking information and timely notification. EasyShip claims it offers unparalleled tracking, which in some cases can be even better than the courier’s website.
- Checkout for real-time shipping rates The Real-Time Shipping Rates Plugin in the app displays dynamic shipping rates at checkout. It then recommends the cheapest and fastest options. Your customers will be able to choose the shipping option they prefer, knowing all costs.
- Branding. Your logo and advertising materials can be added to tracking emails, landing pages and packing slips.
Reviews and customer support:
EasyShip offers 24/7 email, chat and phone support. EasyShip received a 4.4 rating based on 293 user reviews.
Pricing:
EasyShip offers a 30-day free trial. The Free plan includes 100 monthly shipments. The Premier plan lets you send 2,500 shipments each month for $49/month and up to 500 shipments will be charged at $29/month. You will receive a 20% discount if you bill annually, rather than monthly.
netParcel
NetParcel offers small parcel and LTL freight service at a discounted price for Canadian and US ecommerce sellers. It offers multiple delivery and pricing options for domestic and international shipping from and to the US and Canada.
Key features:
- Low shipping rates Shopify merchants can import orders onto the netParcel platform to receive discounted small parcel or LTL rates with North America’s top courier and trucking companies. At checkout, you can display real-time shipping rates.
- Rate comparison. The app offers multiple delivery and carrier options for each route so that you can get the best price every time.
- Confirmation emails and label printing . Once you have chosen your carrier, it takes only seconds to set up a pickup or print shipping labels. netParcel will send your customers confirmation emails and tracking numbers.
Reviews and customer support:
NetParcel customer service is available by phone or email during normal business hours. It has a 4.8 rating on the Shopify App store, based on 188 reviews. Many users are impressed with the competitive shipping rates offered by netParcel.
Trackr Order Tracking
Trackr order tracking incorporates shipping tracking information into your Shopify store so customers can check their order status anytime on your website . They can also opt in for automatic email updates.
Key features:
- Tracking information for your store. The app creates a mobile- and tablet-responsive tracking page for your store. You can adjust the color scheme to match your website’s theme.
- Email notifications to customers. Trackr’s customer notification system automatically informs customers when the delivery status changes. These emails can be customized with your logo, text, and colors. You can also add the customer’s personalization.
- Tracking information. Trackr works with over 900 carriers around the world to provide customers with accurate and up-to-date information.
- Tracking information translation. It is easy to localize with the tracking information at checkpoints available in English, French and Spanish.
Pricing:
Trackr has two pricing options. The annual cost is $4/month ($48/year). This gives you 2,800 tracking requests each year. The monthly fee for this plan is $9 and you can request 400 tracking requests. This works out to 4,800 per year. You can try the monthly plan for 15 days free with 200 trackings included.
FedEx Rates and Labels – Tracking
FedEx Rates , Labels and Tracking allows you to automate FedEx shipping. It acts as a complete FedEx shipping solution in your Shopify store. FedEx shipping rates can be displayed at checkout. You can also generate FedEx labels in bulk and track FedEx deliveries.
Key features:
- FedEx Live Shipping Prices The app retrieves live postage rates from FedEx for domestic and international shipping. These rates are calculated based on the product weight, box dimensions, and shipping destination and can be displayed on your Shopify checkout page.
- Create FedEx Shipping Labels. Once an order has been placed, the app automatically generates shipping labels. The app will automatically generate shipping labels for you. You can print them in just one click. FedEx accounts are used to pay the postage.
- Easy Order Tracking. The app automatically generates and attaches FedEx tracking numbers to all orders. It also provides tracking details via email to customers.
Pricing:
FedEx rates, labels & tracking costs $19/month. A 15-day free trial of FedEx rates, labels & tracking is also available.
