Dropshipping Tips: 10 Must-Know Tips That Every Beginner Should Know 2022

Dropshipping is a low-risk business model that requires minimal starting investment. It allows us to start our online business without needing physical stock inventory.

Given the low startup costs and remote work options, anyone can become a dropshipper. However, some sellers are still hesitant to start their dropshipping business because of the lack of proper knowledge of how it works or how to succeed in it.

In this article, we’ll discuss the ten beginner dropshipping tips you need to know, to guide you towards a successful dropshipping career. In the end, you’ll know the best strategies that can help you step up your dropshipping game.

Top 10 Dropshipping Tips

As we run our dropshipping business, we will encounter challenges in different areas. But there is a helpful tip to make things easier for every difficulty we face.

So, without much ado, here are 10 beginner dropshipping tips that give you a leg up in the game:

Tip 1: Start with a general store
Tip 2: Use the best selling channels
Tip 3: Do your product research right
Tip 4: Avoid selling forbidden products
Tip 5: Price your product right
Tip 6: Work with multiple suppliers
Tip 7: Offer excellent customer service
Tip 8: Leverage promotions and marketing to increase sales
Tip 9: Scale with dropshipping automation
Tip 10: Plan your schedule & don’t give up!

Let’s learn how these tips can help us scale our dropshipping business one by one.

Tip #1: Start With A General Store

The most recommended way to establish your dropshipping business is to start with a general store.

It is important to start with a general store because it serves as the ultimate product research tool.  We can test different products from various categories and niches and see which ones sell best.

Once we attain significant sales from specific categories, we can build up our niche stores. Establishing a niche store allows us to then focus our efforts on our highest payoff products that maximize our earnings.

Tip #2: Use The Best Selling Channels

The second on our list of tips for dropshipping is to only work with the best selling platforms on the market. These top platforms make it easier to attract buyers, support business automation, and provide the best user experience to our customers and us. Also, these channels give us the highest chance to gain significant profits.

Among the selling platforms available in the market, here are the top three:

• eBay
• Shopify
• Facebook Marketplace

eBay

eBay is the world’s largest online marketplace, with 1.7 billion visitors per month.

Pros:

• Free organic traffic
• Free to start listing and selling

Cons:

• Low selling limits when you start

There is free organic traffic on eBay, which means we can attract customers for free due to the millions of visitors a day that may come across our products.

Moreover, opening an account on eBay is free, and it entitles us to list up to 250 products without paying any insertion fees. While the initial selling limits are low, we can always increase those limits by improving our seller metrics. With more sales and positive customer feedback, eBay increases our selling limits. Additionally, we can increase selling limits by calling eBay.

Shopify

Shopify is the most popular customizable eCommerce platform utilized by about 1.75 million sellers.

Pros:

• Fully customizable website
• No selling limits
• Create a customer list

Cons:

• Requires a starting budget for marketing/store subscription

Shopify allows the complete customization of our websites. We can optimize products’ information and personalize stores’ appearances.

Unlike eBay, there are no selling limits on Shopify. Therefore, we can list and sell as many trending items as possible.

Additionally,  selling on Shopify enables us to collect contact information of visitors and buyers, such as their email addresses. Then, we can use this information to reach them about our new products and even promotions.

Keep in mind that Shopify has no organic traffic, so we need to invest in marketing strategies to attract more customers to our stores. As a result, establishing our Shopify businesses requires a starting budget for marketing.

However, we should not worry much about marketing expenses. There are plenty of low-cost or free methods to advertise our Shopify stores.

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is a powerful eCommerce platform consisting of around one billion users.

Pros:

• Untapped marketplace for dropshipping
• Easy product research
• Free to list and no subscriptions needed
• No starting requirements

Cons:

• Must be a US citizen and live in the US for shipping options

Facebook Marketplace is an untapped platform for dropshipping with minimal competition in this marketplace. Therefore, we can list trending items without worrying about competition from other sellers.

Moreover, listing on Facebook is free, and no store subscriptions are necessary. Additionally, Facebook has lots of free organic traffic stemming from its existing user base.

The only expenses that we’ll have to deal with are the first few orders until we receive payouts from Facebook. We can gradually add more expensive and more profitable items to our listings once we gain more sales.

Finally, we only need an active FB account to dropship on FB Marketplace. There are no other starting requirements. However, to reach customers in all fifty states, we must hold US citizenship and live in the country. Otherwise, Facebook limits us to selling in one region.

Tip #3: Do Your Product Research Right

If there is one dropshipping tip that we need to succeed, it would be to conduct in-depth product research before listing. Finding the right products makes the difference between a profitable store and one that hardly gets sales.

Since different markets have varying needs and preferences, we must know which products our customers are most likely to purchase.

We can conduct in-depth product research in various ways:

• ‘Best Sellers’ and ‘New Releases’ on the supplier’s website.
• The new Product Research feature on the AutoDS system.
• Searching what other dropshippers sell.
• ‘Sell These Now’ YouTube Playlist / AutoDS Blog Page.
• Using the AutoDS Finder.

Check out bestsellers and new releases on supplier websites to start your product research. It gives you the latest information about which products customers buy the most. We can then test out those product ideas in our store and see what’s selling.

Another way of searching for trending products to dropship is using the AutoDS Finder. This time-saving tool scans dropshipping stores across the web and finds the hottest selling items.

For a more comprehensive approach, nothing beats using the AutoDS’ New Product Research Feature. It is a popular system that helps us research any item from our suppliers, such as AliExpress and Amazon.

We can filter products by price, shipping times, popularity, and more to find our next winning items. Tune in for more suppliers that AutoDS will be partnering with soon (wholesale and private dropshipping suppliers).

Aside from conducting research, we can also spy on the competition and see what’s working for them. For example, Shopify users can utilize spy tools such as Koala Inspector.

We can adopt similar product ideas through such software and see if they sell high in our stores.

Furthermore, we can watch the AutoDS’ Sell These Now YouTube Playlist or check out its blog page for more ideas on what trending products will likely bring high profits to our dropshipping stores.

Bonus Tip: When a product sells, try listing different variations of similar products to multiply your success.

Tip #4: Avoid Selling Prohibited Products

The fourth on the list of important dropshipping tips is not to sell forbidden products. By following this important tip, we can keep our business safe and maintain a good reputation with our selling channels.

Here are some of the product categories that we must avoid selling in our stores:

• Copyrighted products
• Age-restricted or forbidden items
• Dangerous items
• Special categories like medical products or supplements

It is best to avoid selling dangerous categories such as weapons and ammo for legal reasons. Similarly, medical devices and supplements are a tricky category best left to the experts. It goes without saying that selling age-restricted products should be avoided at all costs, as it is difficult to confirm the age of our customers online.

Perhaps the most common mistake dropshipper make is selling copyrighted items. It is illegal to resell such products without proper acknowledgment from their owners or manufacturers.

Regardless of our selling channel, we can check out the eBay VeRO Guide, which helps identify companies that enforce copyrights of their products. Also, it teaches sellers the correct way to appeal against VeRO suspensions.

For a preventative approach, try working with the AutoDS platform. It has a detection system that will block copyrighted products from importing to your store for your protection.

Remember that offering copyrighted or prohibited items can get our stores banned from selling. For instance, when we offer a counterfeit or imitation product in our stores, the company that owns the brand may sue our business.

Tip #5: Price Your Products Right

The next dropshipping tip for a successful outcome is finding the pricing sweet spot.

Deciding on the right product price can be tricky. That’s why we can take advantage of The AutoDS Price Automation Feature. It adjusts prices based on how a product performs.

This feature monitors the prices and sales of our products. It increases the prices of the products that sell fast, allowing us to earn higher profits. Meanwhile, it decreases prices on slow movers, increasing the chances these items will sell.

Besides pricing existing products, many dropshippers want to know what product price range they should go for. We can sell low, medium, or high ticket items in our stores, depending on our goals. These different product tiers also come with their advantages and disadvantages.

Low ticket items usually cost up to $30. Selling these cheaper products can get us more sales but lower profits. This strategy is advisable for establishing your store and acquiring new customers.

On the other hand, medium to high ticket items cost more than $30, resulting in fewer sales but higher profits. Therefore, selling such products is best for increasing profits.

Tip #6: Work With Multiple Suppliers

Our sixth beginner dropshipping tip is to work with multiple suppliers.

For one, doing so gives us access to more trending items.

Additionally, having various suppliers enables us to sell to different regions, such as the US, UK, Germany, Australia, Canada, and more. Since most dropshipping suppliers have domestic warehouses, we can reach local and international markets.

Moreover, if one supplier has issues such as stock depletion, we can always source similar items from other suppliers. Similarly, when a supplier experiences delays in shipping, we can utilize other available suppliers to fill in the demands.

Thankfully, AutoDS facilitates dropshipping from over 25 quality suppliers providing us with a vast selection of products and plenty of backup options.

Tip #7: Offer Excellent Customer Service

In eCommerce, offering excellent customer service is vital to the success of a business. When we provide a great shopping experience to our customers, it builds our reputation and results in repeat purchases and longevity.

To ensure that we only extend outstanding service to shoppers, keep in mind to:

• Monitor customers’ concerns
• Take immediate action on returns/exchanges
• Maintain a friendly and professional attitude

First, we must constantly monitor customers’ queries and respond to them as soon as possible. By doing this, they will feel appreciated since their messages are acknowledged.

Next, take care of any issues, such as returns or exchanges, right away. When we take immediate actions on these issues, it helps build customers’ faith in our business. Conversely, not taking care of things quickly reduces trust.

To help us manage customers’ concerns under one screen, AutoDS offers a convenient customer support feature for eBay dropshipping stores.

Finally, we must be friendly and professional in our interactions with customers. Our attitude towards them speaks about the kind of business we’re running. Note that ensuring a quality business is not limited to selling top-quality items, but it extends even after delivering customers’ orders.

Tip #8: Leverage Promotions And Marketing To Increase Sales

Offering upsells and promotions is another dropshipping tip that can help our stores get more sales. Depending on the selling platform you use, there are different ways to promote and market your product.

eBay

• PPC Campaigns
• Promoted Listings

When selling on eBay, we can utilize PPC campaigns or Promoted Listings to increase the visibility of our products. eBay PPC enables us to compete for the top spot on eBay search results, increasing the likelihood a customer will buy from us.

On the other hand, we can take a less targeted approach with promoted listings, placing our ads throughout the eBay network. 

Shopify

• Facebook Ads
• Influencers

When we dropship on Shopify, Facebook Ads or Instagram Influencers are highly recommended marketing avenues.  Facebook ads are a powerful tool that helps us target the right audiences with ads that contain a link to our store.

On the other hand, influencer marketing lets us work with people who market our products on their platforms, such as Instagram. Through the vast network of influence, they can encourage more people to try out the products they promote.

Facebook Marketplace

• FB Promotions

Facebook Marketplace offers marketing strategies that utilize free interactions and boosted postings. We can add promotions on Facebook by boosting our listings, marketing our products in buy and sell groups, promoting our pages, and more.

Tip #9: Scale With Dropshipping Automation

Scaling our business with dropshipping automation is the ninth dropshipping tip that can help our business succeed.

The use of dropshipping automation tools can help us scale our business faster. Instead of getting bogged down by manual tasks, we can use automation to save time and focus on the essential aspects of our online ventures.

Here are some features of dropshipping automation:

• Product research
• Importing products
• Order automation
• Price/stock monitoring

Conducting product research can be a laborious task. However, product research tools can now land our next winning items in just a matter of seconds. These programs identify the top trending items on the market for us.

Additionally, import automation enables us to list products individually or in bulk with just a few clicks. Using this feature, we no longer have to manually input product details or download images one by one. The system automatically copies the necessary product information. Then, we can optimize the product listing before publishing it on our selling platforms.

When automating orders, an automation software collects order details from our selling channels and directly notifies our suppliers. Then, suppliers deliver and fulfill customer orders conveniently.

Another automation feature we can use is price and stock monitoring. It tracks the price and stock changes on our suppliers’ websites. This way, we don’t have to check constantly and lose precious time.

Subscribe to AutoDS’ $1 trial to enjoy all these perks.

Tip #10: Plan Your Schedule & Don’t Give Up!

The tenth tip for a smooth dropshipping journey is to plan your schedule and never give up. It is important to put things in the right places and do them at the correct times. Staying organized with your tasks can help you run your dropshipping business smoother.

Progress starts when you plan your daily activities and stick to your schedule. Automating our business helps make it easier to plan and stay on top of things. Moreover, we can utilize automation software to keep moving forward and scale successfully.

We know that getting started is usually the most challenging part, but take that first step and see where it takes your dropshipping career. Most importantly, don’t give up – challenges come up occasionally, and profits might not show up right away.

You can get help from the AutoDS mentorship program, YouTube channel, blog pages, and our Facebook Community. Dropshippers are always ready to extend guidance and give more tips for other dropshippers to succeed.

Essential Dropshipping Tips For Top Selling Channels

Have you already decided on a selling channel? Great! Now, as a bonus, we’ll dive into the best dropshipping tips for your chosen platform.

eBay Dropshipping Tips

Here are the dropshipping strategies that work on eBay:

• Scale gradually
• Keep testing new products
• Join the AutoDS Mentorship program

When dropshipping on eBay, start slow and gradually scale your way up. At first, familiarize yourself with the listing process by listing simple items from your home. Then, you can begin adding your dropshipping products.

Additionally, keep in mind that new seller accounts are limited to 250 products listings. Therefore, experienced dropshippers advise that you increase your seller limits by calling eBay and asking for higher limits. Continue adding more products because the more listings you have, the higher chances you’ll sell and profit.

Throughout your dropshipping journey, consistently test new product ideas and see which ones bring more sales to your store.

How can I maximize my chances of success?

If you’re ready to take the plunge and try dropshipping, there are just a few more guidelines you can follow to increase your chances of long-term success. First, just because there are no start-up costs associated with buying and managing products, it doesn’t mean you should treat a dropshipping business like it’s risk-free. You’re still putting a lot of time into finding the right dropshippers and building your website, so treat that like an investment and do careful research beforehand.

What are you going to sell? How competitive is the space? How are you going to acquire customers and differentiate yourself? Is there a smaller niche within that same space that would be less competitive? Most people who run a purely dropshipping model see the most success when they identify a specific niche and curate their products like a pro, making sure every last product they sell is a good fit for their niche audience and their brand.

After you build your list of prospective dropshippers, perform test orders and then wait for the products to arrive, thinking like a customer. How long does each order take? What is the unboxing experience like? What is the quality of the product itself? This can help you decide between potential dropshippers or validate that the one you like provides a good experience for the customer.

Remember that the products themselves might not be your business’s differentiator.

Once you have your dropshippers and products selected, remember that the products themselves might not be your business’s differentiator. So think about what else you can lean on to make the sale. This is another reason test orders are a great idea, because they allow you to receive the product and describe its features and benefits as a customer would. You can also take high-quality, professional photos of the product in a way that really shows it off. Armed with unique product descriptions and photos that are different from all the other photos of the product, you’ll be ready to start standing out.

A well-executed marketing plan is probably going to be your bread and butter, so invest the time and resources into every piece of it, from finding your target audience to connecting with influencers in your niche on social media. Targeted ads can be a great way to kickstart your website and get your brand on your customer base’s radar.

If anything goes wrong anywhere in the process, you’ll want to do what you can to act as the buffer between your dropshipper and your customer.

Make sure your ducks are in a row when it comes to your return policy, shipping communication and customer service. If anything goes wrong anywhere in the process, you’ll want to do what you can to act as the buffer between your dropshipper and your customer. Understand the typical return rate for each product so that you can notice if it’s high enough to denote an issue in quality. If you do suspect a quality issue, voice your concerns to your dropshipper or find a new supplier.

Finally, remember that dropshipping isn’t an “all or nothing” model. Many of the most successful businesses use a hybrid model, manufacturing or shipping some products in-house and using dropshippers to fill in the gaps. For these businesses, the dropshippers aren’t the main profit-drivers but are instead an easy, affordable way to provide customers with the “extras” they’ll appreciate. You can also use dropshipped items for upsells, impulse buys, or to test a new product before you bring it in-house.

So concludes the Beginner’s Guide to Dropshipping. There is certainly a lot to gain from the streamlining and versatility of using a dropshipper, so long as you follow the tips above and ensure the one you choose is right for your business needs. With a bit of homework, negotiation, and set up, you can have your dropshipping store working for you in no time!

Have any questions about dropshipping? Let us know in the comments!