Dropshipping is one of the most popular ways to make money online. There are plenty of benefits that come with this practice. In this article, I’ll cover how you can start your very own dropshipping business, and help it have a smooth start.
There are some key things that you’ll definitely have to keep in mind. I always tell new business owners that they should know that no matter which supplier they choose, many of the logistics of the e-commerce dropshipping business will not concern the owner at all, but picking a reliable source will be essential.
Remember, most large e-commerce sites use one of a few software solutions. Also, to choose the right provider of goods for a dropshipping business, an owner can base their choice on things like the quality of the product, item price, and the quality of their delivery service. With a dropshipping business, the owner plays the role of a distributor by creating an online store and taking care of its promotion. The supplier takes care of the stock and delivery of the products, and this process is often handled with the customer not knowing.
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Step 1 – Pick Your Niche and Product
The owner of a dropshipping business will need to understand their products. This step will bring insurance for the customers because the owner will have a better knowledge of the product and, consequently, a better after-sales service. Carefully consider which niche you want to enter with your dropshipping business.
Additionally, I should say that if an individual runs a blog, then the e-commerce site sometimes appears as a logical continuity when they start to meet a certain level of success. Have a loyal following on your travel blog? Consider dropshipping reliable backpacks or hiking gear.
However, the owner of a dropshipping business will also need to remember to choose a well-known wholesaler who has proven themselves. Thus, you’ll have to select the right wholesaler for the dropshipping business. Remember, profits depend mainly on suppliers. We’ll cover what to look out for on step three.
Step 2 – Create a Website
When starting a dropshipping business you must create a reliable and easy-to-navigate website. For example, to create a website for a dropshipping store, you may need some technical skills or a minimum investment if you wish to have a website created by a freelance developer. And if an owner has the slightest bug with a site, then they can contact the developer so that the developer can take care of solving the problem.
Alternatively, you can opt for a well-documented solution that would make management easy, and offer plenty of resources for troubleshooting. For this, a great option is WordPress together with WooCommerce.
Why this combination? WordPress is one of the most widely used content management systems with extensive documentation, incredible flexibility, and an easy learning curve. While WooCommerce makes it easy to set up an online store and includes must-have e-commerce features out of the box, including payment gateways.
Let’s cover some basics you need to look out for. First, you’ll need a high-quality website to make sure your site is operational 24/7. When making your choice be sure to consider uptime, resources, and the quality of customer support. Next, you’ll need a representative and memorable domain name, which can help visitors find you easily. Once you have these two squared away, you’re ready to install WordPress and WooCommerce and start setting up your site.
Once you have your hosting and WordPress set up, pick a theme that works for your niche from the massive WordPress theme repository and install plugins to improve your site. I recommend:
- Yoast SEO – for improving your content’s SEO potential.
- Jetpack – for helping secure, speed up, and backup your site.
- W3 Total Cache – for improving your site’s loading time.
Step 3 – Find Your Supplier
Finding the right supplier is very vital. The supplier must offer the products the owners want to sell, be reliable, and their conditions must suit the owner of the dropshipping business. As an illustration, the owner of a dropshipping business will also need to remember to ask about things like how the supplier will handle returns, refunds, and shipping delays. Additionally, it’s essential to check if the prices offered are competitive. Remember, you’re making money on the margin between what the supplier sells a product at, and what you sell the product for through your dropshipping site.
Additionally, keep in mind that returns can have a significant impact on the profit margins of e-merchants. If you’re losing profit on frequent returns, that means the supplier isn’t reliable in their shipping, handling, or refund policy.
At the same time, for a dropshipping business, you’ll need a certain amount of starting capital to get it off to a good start. Each supplier will also take a commission out of the turnover for the overall dropshipping organization.
This will include spending on marketing and any supplier-related expenses. Typically, a supplier invoices the owner of the dropshipping business for the printing, order processing, and packaging of the product once it is ordered through the site. If you want to keep competitive prices to attract an initial visitor following and build trust, you might have to prepare for that initial investment.
The supplier will ship the ordered products directly to a customer under the brand of the dropshipping business. There are also several types of dropshipping suppliers. However, sometimes working with a supplier does not necessarily require very elaborate preparations.
Remember, the owner of a dropshipping business has the advantages of an online store without some of the significant disadvantages. You don’t need to worry about warehouses, contracts with shipping companies, and other issues. Focus on marketing, a great website, and upkeeping a good relationship with your supplier.
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Step 4 – Build Your Catalog and Market Your Store
The fourth step to starting a dropshipping business is to create the right product catalog. A varied product catalog will enable an owner to meet the needs and expectations of customers best. Thus, the owner of a dropshipping business will need to find and sell winning products if they wish for their dropshipping company to be successful. Think of what problems your target audience might be facing, then consider what product would be good at solving them.
Build your catalog, make sure your store is easy to navigate, create enticing product descriptions and pick some beautiful pictures to represent your products.
Then, you’re ready to add a slogan for your store, build your brand, and write blog posts to rank on search engine result pages, use social media marketing and search engine marketing. Help your audience find your store, and start making money.
Conclusion
I hope that through my article, you start to understand the stakes of online commerce and especially dropshipping. Remember, dropshipping is a popular method for entrepreneurs who aspire to begin selling online.
