\n Here is a step-by-step guide that you can follow to seamlessly start your dropshipping business. However, before we share the steps, let’s examine what a dropshipping business really is.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n \n Jump to “Start setting up your eCommerce (dropshipping) website\u00a0<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n Dropshipping is a subdomain of the eCommerce industry. It means that you will be selling products to your customers. However, unlike setting up a classic eCommerce business<\/a>, you will be doing it in a unique way. Your dropshipping business won\u2019t need to keep the products it sells in stock at any time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of purchasing products in advance from another retailer, wholesaler, or manufacturer, you will only make a purchase when your customer places an order with you. This is exactly what makes this retail fulfillment method unique. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A dropshipping business model also means that you don\u2019t have anything to do with packaging the products and shipping them to the customers. A third party does this for you as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Simply put, your dropshipping business will be an online storefront that your customers can use to order products. However, your business doesn\u2019t have anything to do with the products being sold except for listing them on a website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If we analyze a dropshipping model from a technical perspective, it is one of the established supply chain management methods. To understand how this model works, you need to understand the basic elements of the supply chain, ranging from production to delivering products to customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The three key elements in the dropshipping supply chain include manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. <\/p>\n\n\n To understand how the dropshipping model works, you need to realize that you are a special kind of retailer in this supply chain. When a customer places an order on your website, you will forward the information about the order to your dropshipping partner. In this instance, it is either a wholesaler or manufacturer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The dropshipping partner packs the ordered products and ships them to the customers. You charge your customers for the product, while your dropshipping partner charges you for the product and service. The more parties in the supply chain, the more costs will add up, leaving you with a significantly lower profit margin. This is why dropshipping businesses tend to keep supply chains as short as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you understand how dropshipping works, let\u2019s see why it is worth your while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The global market for dropshipping was valued at $102.2 billion<\/a> in 2018 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 28.8% between 2019 to 2025. Clearly, it is a huge market with countless opportunities to make money. However, there are lots of opportunities to make money online<\/a> by other means. Is there anything that makes dropshipping unique? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, there is. In fact, there are several pros for the dropshipping business model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now you have a basic understanding of the dropshipping business model. Do you still want to start one? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are eight steps that you need to complete<\/strong> to be a proud owner of a dropshipping venture.<\/p>\n\n\n The first step encompasses understanding your target niche market and doing market research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While \u201cmarket\u201d is a broad term, a \u201cniche market\u201d is not. A niche market is a smaller portion of a broader market. Niche markets are suitable for selling specialized products. A niche has its own unique preferences and demands. If you focus on a niche market, you will excel at catering to very specific customers and beat competitors who are focused on a broader market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to establish a niche market, you need to take market research seriously. Your primary goal is to find demand. Your dropshipping ideas are good only if they are profitable, and the only way to find out whether they are profitable is to investigate further the niche<\/a> you plan to target. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use a free tool such as Google Trends<\/a> to identify currently trending products. Furthermore, you can use keyword research tools such as Semrush<\/a> to identify products with high demand. The products with a high monthly search volume are considered to be in high demand. Keep this in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having competition in a niche market is healthy, but having too much of it is not good. It is a sign that the niche market is saturated with product offers, and the only way to cut through the noise is to minimize your profit margin. Simply type product names into search engines and see how many online shops are selling them. You can experiment by adding \u201conline\u201d, \u201cbuy online\u201d, \u201cfree shipping\u201d, and other relevant keywords for product names to identify more competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The SemRush tool is yet again helpful here. You can use it to discover how competitive your market is for specific products. Enter your product keywords and look at the \u201cCompetition\u201d value. The \u201cCompetition\u201d value stands for CPC and competition data. In other words, the number of advertisers currently running ads on Google AdWords for your targeted keyword (product).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t forget to check whether there is a justified need for your products in the niche market. Is there some goal, problem, or need that your potential customer has that you can solve? A good niche market presents various opportunities to solve problems for and improve your potential customers\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, the right niche market is one where impulse-buy products thrive. It means that you will be able to generate more sales in shorter time-frames which directly translates into more profit. For instance, niche impulse-buy product markets are the ones where you can sell smartphone equipment, fitness gadgets, and pet products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you identify your niche market and know which products you want to sell, you are ready to start looking for the right products to sell. This is a very important step since your dropshipping business success depends on whether you choose the right products to sell. Here are four essential things to keep in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many manufacturers produce the same items. However, not all items are created equal. Some manufactures have better designs, use quality materials, and practice advanced production procedures. This all reflects in the quality of the products. To delight your customers, prevent returns, and ensure repeat business, the products you sell have to be of high quality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Quality is an easy thing to check out. If you are not an expert on the product, you can read reviews on products written by bloggers specializing in the niche. Google the products you want to sell by a manufacturer and check for customer reviews and ratings on competitors\u2019 websites. The reviews and ratings will be more than enough to help you gauge the quality of specific products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While there are some dropshipping businesses focused on selling quite expensive items, the majority of your competitors are focused on procuring and selling low-ticket items. Low-ticket items are sold in large quantities and yield a low-profit margin. However, the volume of their sales makes up for the low-profit margin. Plus, unlike high-ticket items, low-ticket items are more likely going to be impulse bought by your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The definition of the useability value is along the following lines: \u201cIt is a measure of how well a specific user in a specific context can use a product\/design to achieve a defined goal effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily.\u201d When dealing with low-ticket items, you are not going to be able to go for great usability value. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nevertheless, all the items you sell should offer at least some useability value to your target customers. Researching products and going through 5-star and 1-star reviews can tell you a lot about their usability and what customers value in them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The right products for dropshipping are impulse-buy products. These encompass all of the products that customers tend to buy without planning. These could be anything ranging from mugs to pens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The good thing about selling these types of products is that the customers\u2019 decision-making process is fast. They don\u2019t need to read detailed product descriptions, watch 360-degree images, or look for product reviews in your blog section. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They will make fewer inquiries directly to you, which will save you a ton of time. You stand to save a lot of cash because impulse-buy products are rarely returned, and if they are, the return costs are significantly lower than those of high-ticket items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ok, so you\u2019ve identified your niche market and have a list of potential products that you want to sell. The next step is analyzing potential competitors. This analysis is valuable as it helps you gauge the level of competition, grasp who they are, and understand how they operate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bear in mind that you will hardly ever find a niche market without competition. Don\u2019t let this discourage you. Use the following methods to identify anywhere from 5 to 10 competitors and make sure to include some of the big players such as Amazon<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All competition research starts with a simple Google search. Building a list of competitors with Google is easy. Just search for the products you want to sell, one by one, and copy\/paste 5 to 10 of the results found on the first page. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you can use competitor spy tools to find out what your competition has been up to. One of these tools is SimilarWeb<\/a>. The spy tools return valuable information, including: Once you discover their social media profiles, spend some time looking at them. Try to learn how they communicate with their customers. Do they use discounts and sales tactics to boost sales, and when do they use those? Discover what images they use and if there is any pattern to their feed design. You can use this information later when you start your own social media profile and launch a social media marketing campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Feel free to like and follow these profiles if you want to stay updated on their latest posts. You can even go one step further and check to see if there is an email subscription option on their official websites. Subscribe, and you will get fresh information in your inbox without any work on your part. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finding the right suppliers is the next step on our list. The time has come for you to source your products. Working with the right dropshipping supplier can make or break your business. We urge you to address this selection process very seriously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve already done one important part – you\u2019ve selected the products that you want to sell. Now, let\u2019s see how to choose the best dropshipping partner to supply them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legitimate and established dropshipping suppliers don\u2019t charge setup, monthly, or annual fees. The world of dropshipping is filled with middlemen and scammers, so keep alert. Avoid suppliers that charge fees for doing business with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your search for a supplier should start with the manufacturer. Some manufactures impose minimum order requirements, others don\u2019t. Starting at the source helps you to get the products at the lowest prices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you can meet the minimum order requirements, ask the manufacturer to provide you with a list of their distributors. Keeping the supply chain short will lower your cost and help you get ahead of the competition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can contact all of the distributors that the manufacturer provides. Learn their minimum order requirements and wholesale prices. This will enable you to cross-reference them and identify the ones that suit you the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t want to do things manually, you can streamline the supplier research on dropshipping platforms like Wholesale2b<\/a> and AliExpress<\/a>. Every dropshipping supplier has a profile that you can access to check whether they are the right supplier for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The most important metrics to check are the \u201cFeedback Score\u201d and \u201cPositive Feedback Score\u201d. If you want to minimize the risks, go only with suppliers with a Feedback Score of 2,000 and a Positive Feed rate of at least 90%. The longer they are on the market, the better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The right suppliers offer products at the same price range. There could be some slight price discrepancies but don\u2019t let this worry you. Don\u2019t choose a supplier if it offers the same products at significantly lower prices. Most often, they turn out to be scammers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you have to ensure that the product is not fake. How do you identify suppliers with authentic products? You need to check what items they sell. On AliExpress, for instance, you can check \u201cSeller\u2019s Categories\u201d located in the left sidebar. It will list all of the product types and brands the supplier is selling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The chances are that the suppliers selling a limited number of brands and product types are authentic. Suppliers that sell products from hundreds of brands and dozens of product types are often fake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The last thing you want to check is your potential supplier responsiveness. You can ask your suppliers just about anything related to the business. Make sure to track how long it takes for them to answer you. The most reliable suppliers will take minimal time to respond to your inquiries. Just be sure to take into account the time difference because, most likely, your supplier will be from a different time zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, if you choose a supplier from China, ensure that they have ePacket shipping available. If they don’t, your customers may end up waiting anywhere from several weeks to a month to get the products they paid for upfront. This could frustrate them and give your shop a bad reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ePacket is an added cost, but it\u2019s only a few dollars extra. In return, you ensure that your customers don\u2019t have to wait too long. With ePacket shipping, products usually arrive in two weeks or less. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dropshipping business owners use various eCommerce platforms to create and launch storefronts for their operations, including Shopify<\/a>, WooCommerce<\/a>, Magento<\/a>, OpenCart<\/a>, and BigCommerce<\/a>. Shopify is one of the most popular options available. According to eCommerce statistics<\/a>, 3.3 million live websites are running on Shopify. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Several reasons can explain why Shopify is the most used eCommerce platform for dropshipping. It\u2019s easy to use and to set up a store, there is access to lots of apps, and the sites are ready for mobile shoppers. Plus, you can seamlessly integrate the Oberlo marketplace with your Shopify website. It enables you to easily find products and list them on your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopify is an excellent option for beginner<\/a>s, as it allows you to build beautiful online shops with minimal experience (read no-coding required). Here is what you need to do to get your Shopify dropshipping business up and running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, you need to create an account with Shopify<\/a>. The process is quite simple and takes literally one minute. Once you complete the registration, you will receive an email with a link to verify your account. This is not a required step, but it is there for security reasons. Click it, and you are ready to create your first online shop<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use a 14-day free trial<\/strong> to create a shop. However, after the trial expires, you will have to select a payment plan. Shopify pricing plans start at $29 per month. The platform offers substantial savings if you decide to subscribe for one, two, or three years.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first thing you need to do is to set up your store. To do this, you will go through a setup wizard, enter the required information, and answer some questions: Once you complete this process, you will be taken to your Shopify dashboard to continue setting up your store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopify enables you to fine-tune the look and feel of your online shop. Click on \u201cHome\u201d in the left sidebar and select \u201cCustomize theme\u201d in the \u201cCustomize theme\u201d tab. There, you can access Free Shopify Themes or enter the Shopify Theme Store to purchase a premium theme for your online store.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you are done, click on \u201cHome\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Simply put, a domain name is your website address. Shopify assigns your online store a default domain – YourStoreName.myshopify.com<\/em>. You can change it at any given time and get a short and easy-to-remember custom domain name<\/a>. There are three options: Shopify\u2019s marketplace is your go-to place whenever you want to extend the basic functionality of your website. To start a dropshipping business on Shopify, you need to use Oberlo<\/a>. Oberlo is a dropshipping app that connects you to AliExpress, where you can find products and sell them on Shopify.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n To add Oberlo, click on \u201cApps\u201d in the left sidebar. Under the \u201cStarter pack\u201d menu, click on \u201cOberlo – Dropshipping App\u201d. It will open a new window. Click on the \u201cAdd app\u201d button. <\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n It will take you back to your Shopify Home dashboard, where you need to click on the \u201cInstall app\u201d button.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now you will need to create a new Oberlo account.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Congrats, you\u2019ve successfully registered an Oberlo account and connected it with your Shopify store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While in the Oberlo dashboard, click on \u201cProducts\u201d in the left sidebar and follow up with \u201cFind product\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Enter the product name you want to sell. Once you find the products that you are interested in, mouse over the product image and click \u201cAdd to Import List\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also add products directly from AliExpress. You need to be on a desktop or laptop computer to do it easily. Use Google Chrome browser, and install Oberlo Chrome Extension.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Click \u201cAdd to Chrome\u201d and head to Aliexpress.com. Enter your product name or relevant keyword and start exploring the products. Once you find the product that you want to add to the import list, mouse over the product image and click \u201cAdd to Oberlo\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can do this manually too. Once you find a product on AliExpress that you want to sell, click on it, go to the address bar in your browser, and copy the product URL or ID. ID is the number you find in the address bar between \u201citem\/\u201d<\/em> and \u201c.html\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now go to your Oberlo dashboard, click on \u201cImport List\u201d in the left sidebar, select \u201cAdd products by URL or ID\u201d, and paste the URL or ID.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Product listings are very important for the successful generation of dropshipping sales. They can also help you build great relationships with your customers and minimize the refund rates. You can edit your product listings in Oberlo before you import them into your Shopify shop. Or, you can import them and then edit details for each product from Shopify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To edit product details in Oberlo, you need to go to the Oberlo dashboard and click on \u201cImport List\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In Shopify, you need to go to your Shopify dashboard and click on \u201cProducts\u201d, but to do it in Shopify, you first need to import your products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In either case, you will have the opportunity to edit the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you have edited your product details and set the product price in Oberlo, you can import your products to your Shopify site. In the Oberlo dashboard, click on \u201cImport List\u201d, check the products you want to import and click \u201cImport Selected\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All the products you import via Oberlo can be found in the Shopify dashboard when you click on the \u201cProducts\u201d in the left sidebar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve set the domain name, selected theme, picked products, created product information, and imported products to your Shopify dropshipping online shop. Now you need to make a website. <\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Start with a home page. Click on \u201cThemes\u201d in the left sidebar and click on the \u201cCustomize\u201d button. Most themes enable you to configure the web page sections. Your homepage design should reflect simplicity, yet offer actionable information to visitors. <\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our recommendation is to include: The navigation menu is an essential part of your online shop. It should help your customers to quickly jump to their preferred sections of your website. To edit the navigation menu, you need to click on \u201cThemes > Customize > Header > Edit menu (in the right sidebar)\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you are done customizing the main navigation, you should add footer navigation. This is where you want to put your site search, policies, and other non-essential pages. Two must-have elements are the contact page and return policy.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The checkout page is where the action happens. It has to contain all of the necessary information so that customers can easily proceed with making a purchase. The checkout settings are available through the \u201cSettings\u201d located at the bottom of the left sidebar in your Shopify dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use these settings to make the shopping experience more memorable. For instance, you can enable customers to check out either with their phone number or email and automatically use the shipping address as the billing address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your shipping settings are located under \u201cSettings > Shipping and Delivery\u201d. They are some of the most important things you\u2019ll have to configure since there are a lot of variables: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Given that you are running a dropshipping operation, the most important setting you need to use is the \u201cCustom order fulfillment\u201d. Click on \u201cAdd fulfillment service\u201d and type in the dropshipping supplier information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you click on \u201cManage rates\u201d in the Shipping tab, you can add shipping zones for all of your products and create shipping zones for \u201cShipping to\u201d. Remember that one zone can contain several countries and regions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Under \u201cSettings > Payments” you can set up payment gateways for your shop. Shopify offers you Shopify Payments which comes with no extra transaction fees. The platform supports over 100 third-party payment providers, which is excellent if you want to provide more payment options to your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopify\u2019s default setting only allows visitors with a store password to visit your online store. Make sure to remove this before launching the store. Click on \u201cOnline Store\u201d in the left sidebar and click on \u201cDisable password\u201d. Your store is up and running now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online marketing provides many opportunities for you to reach more customers, increase your shop awareness, and grow your dropshipping businesses. There are four initiatives that you can choose or you can combine any of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social media<\/a> is an excellent opportunity for dropshipping entrepreneurs. We have already discussed how you should find your competitors’ social media profiles to learn how they communicate with customers and discover their posting schedule and strategy. The time has come for you to launch your own social media profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most suitable platforms are Facebook and Instagram<\/a>. If your competitors have a large social media following on a specific platform, you should also focus on that. It is a good sign that your audience spends a lot of time there. Shopify offers the Facebook channel app<\/a> to easily introduce Facebook and Instagram users to your offer. If you become active on those social media platforms you can even make some extra money. For example, check out our guide on how to make money on Instagram<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Organic efforts are often not enough to cut through the noise in a busy market. If you feel like you’re falling behind, you can turn to paid advertisements. You have several options, such as social media paid ads and Google paid ads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We won\u2019t go into the specifics about creating and launching paid ad campaigns as that calls for a brand new guide. You can consult our guide on how to promote<\/a> it across different channels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n SEO stands for search engine optimization<\/a>. In layman’s terms, it involves using the right keywords on your dropshipping website, so that your products appear in your customers\u2019 searches. There are plenty of ways to boost SEO<\/a> for your newly launched shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopify enables you to edit product listing pages to improve SEO. Go to \u201cProducts > Search engine listing preview > Edit website SEO\u201d and add potential keywords that your target customers may use when searching for products online. You have to do this for every individual page and product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopify enables you to add keywords to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Email marketing is an affordable, data-driven, and measurable marketing channel. However, you do need to build an email list in order to pursue it. You can easily do so by collecting your customer information or adding a newsletter subscription to your website. However, since you\u2019ve picked Shopify to power your dropshipping business, you can use their automatic email marketing triggers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no need to build your email list and then export it to a third-party email marketing software<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many Shopify email marketing apps such as Klaviyo<\/a> and Privy<\/a> automate email marketing for you. You can use them to set up triggers, including: Every business operation requires maintenance to some extent. Maintaining a dropshipping business is not hard. There are basically three things you need to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of your primary concerns should be never going out of stock, especially for items that frequently sell. To stay on top of your inventory, you need to do proper inventory management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oberlo Inventory lets you check inventory for all of the individual products that you\u2019ve imported to your Shopify online shop. You can see exactly how many products your dropshipping supplier has in stock at the moment. If you see the numbers going low, you should consider looking for another supplier that offers the same product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also do this directly from the Shopify dashboard. Click on \u201cProducts\u201d in the left sidebar and select \u201cInventory\u201d. You can use the settings to enable inventory tracking. You will be able to adjust product inventory counts here and track the changes in real-time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Being there for your customers when they need you the most is crucial in the e-commerce niche. Shopify enables you to use various customer service apps to provide assistance and resolve issues for your customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Apps like HelpCenter<\/a> enable you to add FAQ pages, Help Desk ticketing, and Live chat for customer support to your online store. FAQ page and Help Desk can help you deflect tickets while Live chat will be available for customers who need immediate answers. These features will cover all aspects of good customer support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You need to ensure that your refund policies cover all of the possible scenarios when a customer is eligible for a refund. Most customer rights are defined by law, and every country has different laws. You will have to learn the refund customer rights for all of the shipping zones you serve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To streamline refunds, and seamlessly enable a refund back to the original payment method, return store credit, or exchange, you can use Shopify apps such as AfterShip Returns Center<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can do plenty of things to optimize your store, attract more customers, delight them, and generate more sales. Here is a quick rundown of all of the things you can do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since you are going to import products using Shopify apps like Oberlo, you will be able to choose which product images you want to use. The focus should always be on quality over quantity. Why? For 75% of shoppers<\/a>, images are very important as they help them decide whether to purchase a product or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 360-degree images are pretty popular in the world of eCommerce. If you can obtain them for your products, feel free to add them to your shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Videos enable consumers to see products in action, understand how they work, what they have to offer, and experience them in real-world scenarios. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You should consider adding product videos to your online shop. Some products won\u2019t have one, but those that do have a video should have it embedded on the product page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopify lets you easily set up free shipping incentives. You can set the minimal amount of money that a customer must spend to be eligible for free shipping. Just make sure to add some of the shipping costs to your products to help you cushion the blow of this financial strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure to inform your customers about your free shipping incentive. You can add a popup that informs them or choose a less intrusive way, such as a small permanent banner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your product descriptions are another factor that affects buyers’ decisions. Your product descriptions should be compelling. You should highlight the use-value of the product and outline the real-life problem it can solve for your customers. Make sure that everything you disclose is 100% accurate because it will help you to significantly reduce returns<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let us remind you yet again not to copy\/paste descriptions provided by your dropshipping suppliers. Search engines tend to penalize websites that have plagiarized content. Your product descriptions should be unique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social proof and reviews are non-paid recommendations. 92% of online shoppers trust non-paid recommendations more than any other type of advertising. If you want to build trust with your customers, consider adding social proof and product reviews to your online store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopify App Marketplace comes to the rescue once again. For social proof, you can use apps such as Sales Pop up – Conversion Pro<\/a> or POP! Sales Pop & Social Proof<\/a>. To add product reviews, you can use Shopify’s free app Product Reviews<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is a dropshipping business? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How does the dropshipping model work? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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![\"dropshipping](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/dropshipping-model-1024x858.jpg)
Why dropshipping is worth it <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pros of dropshipping business model <\/h3>\n\n\n
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How to start a successful dropshipping business in 8 steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Step 1: Finding the right market (niche) for your dropshipping business<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is a niche<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Finding a demand<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Ensuring that there\u2019s not much competition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Usability value<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Impulse-buy products<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Recognizing the right products<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Quality of the product<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Price of the product<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Useability value <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Impulse-buy products <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Analyzing potential competitors <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Step 4: Finding the right suppliers <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Contact manufacturers and suppliers directly<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Use drop-shipping platforms to streamline the selection<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Step 5: Setting up your eCommerce website <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to build a store on Shopify (with steps)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Register Shopify account<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/shopify-home-page-1024x501.jpg)
Step 2: Enter information about yourself and your store<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Customize your online shop<\/h5>\n\n\n
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-dashboard-1024x304.jpg)
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-themes.jpg)
Step 4: Select domain name<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Step 5: Add Oberlo from the marketplace<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-marketplace.jpg)
![\"oberlo](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/oberlo-app.jpg)
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-install-app.jpg)
![\"oberlo](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/oberlo-account.jpg)
Step 6: Search products in Oberlo<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"oberlo](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/oberlo-dashboard-1024x437.jpg)
Step 7: Search products in AliExpress<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"oberlo](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/oberlo-chrome-extension-1024x735.jpg)
![\"oberlo](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/oberlo-add-product-1024x432.jpg)
Step 8: Edit your product details<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nStep 9: Import products to your Shopify store<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Step 10: Make a homepage<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-themes-1-1024x246.jpg)
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-customize-templates-1024x470.jpg)
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Step 11: Make a navigation menu<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-navigation-menu-1024x465.jpg)
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-footer-navigation-1024x462.jpg)
Step 12: Optimize the checkout<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-checkout-page-1024x575.jpg)
Step 13: Set up shipping settings<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-shipping-1024x575.jpg)
Step 14: Setup payment gateways<\/h5>\n\n\n
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-payment-1024x575.jpg)
Step 11: Remove your store password<\/h5>\n\n\n
![\"shopify](\"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/shopify-password-1024x483.jpg)
Step 6: Marketing your dropshipping business<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Social media <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Advertisement<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
SEO<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
Email marketing <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Step 7: Maintaining your dropshipping business<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Inventory management <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Customer support matters <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Refund policies <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Step 8: Optimizing your store to boost sales<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Use quality product images<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Add videos <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Free shipping incentives <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Apply compelling descriptions <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Add social proof and reviews<\/h4>\n\n\n\n