How to Start a Shopify Dropshipping Business

Dropshipping is still new in the online world and can seem hard to understand, but here is a simple way of explaining what it is.

Dropshipping refers to a business venture where a seller sets up an online retail store that sells products to consumers from manufacturers or wholesalers.

The seller does not have to have a permanent store or warehouse to store the products, rather the manufacturer sends the purchased item directly to the consumer.

The seller additionally, does not incur the cost of shipping, packaging, or employee remuneration, the manufacturer or wholesaler covers this.

The seller markets the item and when a consumer buys it, the seller purchases the product, and the manufacturer ships the item directly to the consumer without the seller handling it.

The consumer pays the amount described on the item to the seller and the seller profits from the difference that remains from his buying price from the manufacturer and his selling price to the consumer.

By signing up for a Shopify store or purchasing an existing one, as this is one of the best online eCommerce sites, you can begin selling and making money easily.

This is a three-tier process and the point of contact between the manufacturer and the consumer is the seller in the middle.

You need to consider the cost of setting up this business because although you don’t have to have the space to store the items, you need to have a bit of capital for you to pay the Shopify subscription fee, though there is a 14 days’ free trial. You might also need to buy a test product from the manufacturer or wholesaler.

Building a Shopify from top to bottom can be costly and time-consuming. You need to have this in mind when deciding to start this business.

You can also decide to purchase an existing Shopify business that is already up and running, but this can be very costly depending on the past success of the business.

When starting this business just like any other business, you need to do a lot of research for it to be successful. You need to find out by doing market research and using search engine optimization on the best items to start selling on your platform.

A good way of figuring out this is by looking at what the competitors on your target market are selling and how well the items are doing. This will give you an idea of what items to have on your platform to make it successful and the marketing strategies to use to be successful.

When setting up the business you need to have a reliable supplier who delivers on quality and in good time. This is important because if the item is not of good quality, you will lose clients from a lack of trust. This is also true for timely delivery, if the item has issues during delivery, your clients will look for other alternatives.

You can invest some money purchasing sample items from different suppliers so that you can verify their authenticity and how they do their business, you can then go ahead and choose the best option for your business.

Researching your ideal market is important for the success of your business. You need to position yourself in social media platforms where your target market is. Join groups that are relevant to your business and interact with other like-minded individuals to continue learning how to improve your business.

When starting a dropshipping business be it newly made or a purchased one. You need to invest in it so that it can be visually appealing to anyone who visits it and to make the experience of navigating it smooth.

It needs to easy for clients to maneuver and find items on sale. If your system has glitches, no one will want to spend a few hours waiting for it to work. So, invest in your business and you will start getting returns from it.

When setting up your dropshipping business, choosing a domain name is very important. Choose a domain name that best describes the niche you are in for easier recognition and do not use your name, in case you intend to sell your store later.

After your Shopify store is all set up and you have identified your target market and the products you are selling. Roll up your sleeves and get to work promoting your brand. You can do this by posting ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter among others.

Invest in advertising because the more exposure your business gets the more sales you are going to get. This is the most important aspect of any business whether online or not. You need a constant flow of people to your shop for you to make any sales.

Using optimization tools like Google Analytics to keep track of the traffic to your business is the best way to know if your marketing strategies are working or not. Hire a specialist to help you with Shopify SEO.

You can also look at what your competitors are doing to market themselves and improve on how you are doing it. Also, looking at your competitors' prices and adjusting your accordingly will give you an edge in your niche market. By reducing the price by a small margin, it ensures that when a search to compare prices is done, yours will range among the best priced.

This will ensure that your sale margin will go up and will cover the slight drop in your prices. When adjusting your prices you have to consider what profit you want at the end of the sale and if you are comfortable with what you are getting, then go for it.

Dropshipping has revolutionized the online business world. With the reduction in the setting up cost as compared to a brick and mortar business, you can set the business up and start earning in no time and with a little investment.

You however have to dedicate enough time to your business for it to thrive. Researching items to sell in your store can take a lot of time and effort but it will be worth it in the end when you start making sales.