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Month: May 2022

The Quick Guide on How to Sell High Priced Dropship Products in 2022

Posted on by Jill Sherman

High ticket dropshipping seems like a dream, right?

Thinking that you’ll only have to sell a few products a month to make a ton of money is a great situation to find yourself in, but it’s not as easy as it sounds.

If you want to sell high-ticket items, you need to change your business model entirely and position yourself much differently than you do with low-ticket dropshipping.

By the end of this article, you’ll understand the basics of high-ticket dropshipping, and you’ll know how to source amazing products so you can start making some money.

[lwptoc]

What is High Ticket Dropshipping?

Everyone has a different mindset on what labels a product as “high-ticket.”

Many people say that anything over $200 per unit is high ticket. There is no limit to what you can sell, and you can choose products that range from $200 up to $5,000.

Here’s an example. Phone cases are a popular dropshipping product, but they are incredibly low-ticket because the purchase price is low. On the flip side, a large camping tent is a high-ticket item because the purchase price is high.

You can probably already start to see the benefits of high-ticket dropshipping.

Why Choose a High Ticket Dropshipping Business Model?

Look at it this way.

High-ticket vs. low-ticket is the difference between Walmart and HomeGoods. Walmart sells everything, and their products are generally cheaper quality and less desirable. The main bonus of Walmart is they sell products at a much higher volume than HomeGoods, so they make up the difference.

While Walmart might make more money than HomeGoods because of its volume, it’s also much more work to manage high volume sales.

Let’s compare two completely equal stores that make the same amount of money.

An example

One store sells 200, five-dollar items per day. The other store sells ten, $100 items per day. Both stores make $1000 a day, but which store is harder to handle?

The 200 units per day, right?

The store would need more employees to manage the customers, more customer service reps, they’d have much higher returns, they’d have to order more frequently, and they’d likely have a much dirtier store because of the volume of people moving in and out.

Long story short, high-ticket dropshipping is a more sustainable business model.

High-Ticket Dropshipping vs. Low-Ticket Dropshipping

We’ve talked about it a little but let’s dive into more detail about the comparison between the two.

If we look at the previous example of two stores, let’s pull it into a dropshipping model now.

You have to fulfill orders online. Most dropshippers start out doing Aliexpress dropshipping. Think of how hard it would be to make $5000 a month from five-dollar products.

You would have to fulfill a lot of orders to get to that point, which would require a lot of work, and you might even need to hire someone to help you.

Not to mention returns and customer inquiries. It’s a lot of work to manage that many units in and out.

Now, imagine if you sold a $500 product, you would only need to sell ten units to make the same amount in a month. Do you think you could fulfill ten units a month by yourself?

I think we all know the answer to that question.

[bctt tweet=”Choosing high-ticket dropshipping allows you to live that “free” life you’ve always dreamed of. Instead of being glued to your computer continually fulfilling orders all day, you’ll have the time to travel, relax, spend time with family, and do whatever you want.” via=”no”]

Do yourself a favor and look towards high-ticket products.

Risks of High Ticket Dropshipping

You might be thinking, why doesn’t everyone deploy this model?

If it were so easy and profitable, everyone would do it, right?

The truth is, it might seem easier, but it’s much harder to sell high-ticket dropshipping products. The most successful dropshipping brands have incredible stores and top tier reputations, and you need to do the same.

When you’re selling an item that’s $500, there is a lot more thought that goes into each purchase. Your customers are simply going to swing by and pick up an $800 boat without first consulting their family, looking at their finances, and ensuring that you’re a legit store.

These factors mean you need to stay on top of your game at all times. You need to:

  • Have a professional-looking store
  • Ensure that everything is properly optimized
  • Send the best traffic to your offers
  • Deploy plenty of trust signals
  • Have some money to back you up in emergencies

These are only some of the things you need to think about when starting a high-ticket dropshipping store.

Things to Consider

First, if your store doesn’t scream, “high ticket” than your customers will never trust you. If they’re spending $500, they’ll expect live customer service, professional-looking logos and graphics, and plenty of testimonials or reviews.

Another point worth diving into in more detail is the financial backup. You never know what might happen and if you’re selling high-ticket items, you need to have some money for emergencies.

What happens if someone receives an item that is broken or defective, and they demand a refund? You might not have had to pay for the product upfront, but now you’ll have to front them the money until you can get your money back on the item you purchased.

If you’re dealing with Aliexpress, it can take quite a while to get your money back, and the customer won’t want to hear any excuses, they’ll want their money.

How to Source High Ticket Products

All dropshipping starts with sourcing your items. The best dropshipping brand names have excellent sourcing procedures, and they know exactly what they’re looking for when they scour for new products.

As a beginner, you might be tempted to go on Aliexpress and choose the first product that captures your attention. This strategy will leave you feeling disappointed and defeated. Here are a few ways to find amazingly popular high-ticket dropshipping products on Aliexpress.

Be picky

The first thing you want to do is get selective about what products you search. There are ways to filter your searches on Aliexpress by the supplier rating; you want to do that. You should only choose the best suppliers to dropship products.

Watch shipping times

Truthfully, shipping times are a little less relevant when dealing with high-ticket items because people expect them to take longer. I would understand why a supplier would not be able to ship a boat as fast as a cat watch; it makes sense.

That said, it doesn’t mean you can take two months to get the product to the customer. They’ll request a refund, and you’ll find yourself with a disgruntled customer right off the bat.

Epacket is the way to go when dropshipping on Aliexpress, this shipping method generally takes around two weeks, and most customers are willing to wait as long as you are transparent and honest about your shipping times upfront.

Research what’s selling

Here’s a great trick; head over to Facebook and in the search bar, type one of the following phrases:

  • 50% off
  • On sale
  • I can’t believe it
  • Get it now
  • Claim yours today

…or something similar to that. Once you do it a few times, you’ll find better examples to match what you’re looking for.

When you type those phrases into Facebook search, you’ll find a variety of ads that are running for a specific product. You can then gauge how popular the product is based on the amount of engagement.

If you see people commenting about how they love it, and it has a ton of shares; the chances are that might be a good product to choose.

How to Run a High Ticket Online Store

Another significant step to running a high-ticket business model is your store.

You can’t simply throw up the generic store templates and logos and expect people to spend $1,000 on your site. You need to have a real brand to build trust in the customers.

As I said, they will spend a lot more time thinking about this purchase because of how expensive it is; you don’t want to give them any reason to bounce from your store.

Here are some of the steps you want to take:

  • Get a professional logo
  • Purchase a premium template on your platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.)
  • Use plenty of trust badges
  • Have a lot of testimonials or reviews
  • Show videos of the product in use
  • Offer live customer service

If you’ve ever researched dropshipping best practices, you’ll understand most of these criteria, but I want to focus heavily on the last one.

Customer service is the difference between sale and fail in high-ticket dropshipping. Make sure you respond immediately to inquiries and show your customers that you’re a professional.

Final Thoughts

By this point, you should see the benefits of high-ticket dropshipping. The business model requires the same amount of work but with more profit or way less work with the same profit.

It’s a win-win.

The primary challenge is that you can’t skimp on your preparations. You can’t expect to throw up a store and start making sales the same day. You need to make sure you’re store is perfect and that customers see you as a professional brand in the niche they are shopping.

If you can follow all the tips and tricks in this article, you’ll be on your way to more profits and more relaxing by the pool!

Setting up your Dropshipping Store in 7 Steps on a Budget

Posted on by Alain Miguel

Setting up a dropshipping store is a great way to earn money as an eCommerce business.  The most compelling feature of a dropshipping store is managing a store without the hassle of inventory and shipping logistics.

You’ve likely heard stories from entrepreneurs about how expensive starting a business is. These include tales of hopelessly seeking investors, or businesses struggling to stay afloat due to bleak financials. Don’t let this scare you out of starting a drop shipping store because this model allows you to sell products with little risk.

All you need to do is receive the orders and get in touch with your supplier – the rest is up to them.

When it comes to funding your business, there are very few financial obstacles associated with setting up a dropshipping store. In fact, you can get started with an online store with almost zero initial investment.

Here’s a 7-step foolproof plan on how to start a dropshipping store on a shoestring budget.

set up drop shipping store budget

Setting Up Your Dropshipping Store on a Budget

1. Research Your Options

Before starting any type of business, you’ll need to do some homework.

This involves getting online and checking out your competitors who are selling similar products. You’ll also want to spend some time researching your potential suppliers and distributors to see what each has to offer.

Each shipping partner will have a unique way of doing things and pricing models, so pay close attention to those details so you can make sure you’re pairing up with the right group for your drop shipping store.

2. Create a Plan and Stick To It

Before you can start your business operations, you’ll need to have a solid plan in place. This includes a budget. Whether you have $50 or $500 to get started, it’s important to identify what your budget is and make sure that you stick to it. The best way to do that is to keep careful records of all of your expenses to make sure that you don’t go over your budget when you’re setting up your store.

3. Find Your Niche

It can be very difficult to appeal to everyone, in fact, many say that this is an impossible task. Instead, pick your products based on a specific niche rather than trying to sell every product under the sun.

If you know you want to sell animal related products, pick a specific area of that industry, such as vegan pet food or clothing for dogs.

You’ll have a much better success rate when you can narrow your focus down because you’re more likely to be found when people are searching for a certain type of product. If your focus is too broad, your small shop will get lost in a sea of competitors.

4. Set Up Your eCommerce Site

Once you have a good shop name and logo its time to start creating your dropship store.

Wix dropshiping website builder is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms available to sellers today. It’s easy to get started and its user-friendly interface makes setup and maintenance easy, even for sellers who aren’t particularly tech-savvy.

Shopify and Wix are both affordable option, with monthly rates at less than $40, making it a great way to get started in the world of eCommerce on a budget. You can also start a Modalyst store, which helps you to increase your distribution and streamline your distribution process

After you get set up with a basic online storefront and have your products selected, you’re ready to move on to the next step.

5. Make Arrangements With Your Drop shipping Suppliers

There are plenty of choices out there when it comes to deciding which supplier to use for your drop shipping store. Since you’ve already done your research in step one, this is the time where you formalize your choice. You can do so by entering into a deal with the product distributor(s) of your choice. Each of the most popular shipping partners makes it easy to get started and you can be on your way in no time, without having to pay any upfront costs.

The most important questions that you ask of your potential suppliers are:

  • Do you keep products in stock?
  • How do you handle returns?
  • What is your average processing time?
  • What areas do you ship to? Do you ship internationally?
  • What type of support do you offer?
  • Is there a minimum order quantity?

Once you find a supplier who answers those questions to your satisfaction, you’ll have a solid understanding of how your suppliers run their business. Furthermore, you’ll know what you need to do as a seller working with them. At this point, you’re on your way to a successful working relationship.

6. Start Selling

Congratulations! This is one of the most exciting steps in starting your online store. Once you have all your plans and agreements in place, it’s time to upload your product information to your site and start selling.

You might not see many sales to start out if people aren’t aware of your products. If this is the case, you’ll want to spend some time and resources on advertising. You can keep advertising costs fairly minimal by starting with low-cost ads on Facebook and Instagram, or advertising on blogs and other websites that have a similar audience.

7. Optimize Your Site

Once you have some sales and experience under your belt, you can take some time to customize your site. You can do this earlier on in the process, but it’s often a good idea to wait to see what’s working before you start making changes.

Platforms like Shopify and Modalyst have a wide range of customizable options, including themes to enhance the way your site looks, and plugins that help optimize how your website functions. The main goal here is to tweak your site in ways that make things easier and more streamlined for your customers.


As you can see, all it takes is a few steps to set up an online store, and most of them don’t require any money. If you’re passionate about becoming an eCommerce business owner but don’t have a lot of capital to start with, you’re not alone. This is why there are so many platforms that make it easy to get started without spending a fortune in the process.

Make sure you do your homework and formulate a plan that you can use to guide you through setting up your dropshipping store while staying within your budget, no matter how limited it may be.

13 Best eCommerce Platforms to Sell Your Products Online

Posted on by Alain Miguel

By the year 2040, experts estimate that approximately 95 percent of commerce transactions will take place online.

With this information in mind, it’s clear that now is the perfect time for businesses of all kinds, both business-to-consumer (or B2C) and business-to-business (or B2B) to start selling products online. Whether they’re selling online in addition to or instead of in a traditional brick-and-mortar store, an internet platform is essential to businesses’ long-term survival.

Not sure where to begin? Listed below are 13 of the best platforms you can use to sell your products online. Whether yours is a B2C or B2B company, there are plenty of options from which you can choose.

B2C vs B2B Online Sales Channels

Before exploring specific marketplaces, it helps to have a clear understanding of the difference between B2C and B2B online sales channels.

When most people think of selling products online, they think of B2C marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. What they don’t always realize, though, is that these popular platforms also have a B2B version for those who are marketing products to other business owners. There are also many B2B platforms that cater exclusively to those in the B2B world.

In either case, there are some key differences between B2B and B2C sales channels. Both options connect buyers to multiple sellers and give buyers the option to compare products in one place. With B2B marketplaces, though, there are features that B2B companies are more likely to require, including the following:

  • Bulk ordering options
  • Discounts for ordering in large quantities
  • Purchase order editing options
  • Pricing by customer

With B2B marketplaces, it’s also easier to set up the ability to accept a variety of payment types (schedule payments, bank transfers, etc.).

If you run a B2B company, there are advantages that come with choosing a B2B-specific marketplace. Like B2C channels, they help to lower the entry cost, they’re easy to set up, and they give you access to new audiences that you wouldn’t have reached otherwise. They’re also better-tailored to your needs, though, and allow you to get the most out of the platform.

Top 13 B2C and B2B Sales Platforms

For both B2C and B2B companies, there’s no shortage of sales platforms. Here are 13 of the best ones to consider: 

1. Wix

Photo credit: Wix

Literally hundreds of millions of small business owners around the world use Wix as their preferred website builder. In fact, Wix has over 180M registered users worldwide, making it the largest and most popular website building platform in the world. Because of its ease of use and very user friendly drag and drop functionality, Wix is a very compelling option for most. This is especially true for the less tech-savvy entrepreneurs who want to build an attractive, high performing website without having to outsource the work to another party.

Beyond websites, Wix also allows users to create their own online store. Their online store builder is one of the only platforms that allows you to customize every aspect of your site, giving you 500 templates to choose from and professional tools built in.

Like the website-building functions, Wix ecommerce is simple and straightforward. You can drag and drop to create a store that aligns with your brand and is easy for online shoppers to navigate. It comes with hundreds of design features and tools and direct connections to dropshipping solutions such as Modalyst and Printful.

Wix is arguably the most complete option for business owners looking to sell products online. With that in mind, you may find that its ecommerce features are most optimal for small and medium businesses. For those who are just getting started, it’s a very compelling option to consider.

Wix eCommerce pricing starts at $23 per month, with options ranging all the way up to $500 per month.

2. Shopify

Photo credit: Shopify

Shopify is another one of the most popular eCommerce platforms for business owners looking to start selling online. Like Wix, it’s very simple and easy to use, with lots of drag and drop options to help you create an online store that looks great and functions well.

Shopify is one of the most frequently used B2C sales platforms, with more than 1,000,000 merchants. A basic plan provides you with everything you need to get started, including a website, blog, SSL certificates, and abandoned shopping cart recovery.

One of the only complaints people have about Shopify is that it has limited customization options. What it does provide, though, is sufficient for most new online businesses.

Shopify pricing starts at $29 per month.

3. Bonanza

Photo credit: Bonanza

Bonanza is a Seattle-based company that’s much smaller than platforms like Wix and Shopify, with only about 50,000 sellers. It’s growing at a rapid rate, though, and already has over 35 million items listed for sale.

Bonanza offers low selling fees that are based on the Final Offer Value (this is calculated based on the combined dollar value that the buyer paid added to any portion of the shipping fee that exceeds $10). If you sold an item for $30 and the shipping charge was $15, the Final Offer Value would be $35. The selling fee is 2.5 percent of the Final Offer Value, which would result in a fee of just $0.87.

For businesses that want to avoid expensive listing and selling fees, Bonanza can be a viable option. You also only have to pay fees when you make a sale.

Bonanza membership pricing starts at $40 per month.

4. Amazon

Photo credit: Amazon

Of course, it wouldn’t be a list of online sales platforms without mention of Amazon. Amazon is one of the most popular websites to sell stuff online and is definitely worth considering due to its large audience and trusted reputation.

Amazon is more expensive than other selling options, though. To become a professional seller, you must fill out an application and pay a $39.99 per month fee. There are fees for each item you sell, too.

For those who plan on selling less than 40 items per month, an individual seller account is available without a monthly fee. For most businesses, though, this won’t be sufficient.

5. eBay

Photo credit: eBay

eBay is the original online sales website and is still considered one of the best places to sell online. Having been around since 1995 and boasting over 25 million sellers, eBay is a viable option to consider. It features a straightforward selling process and lots of businesses prefer it over other platforms.

A common complaint about eBay, though, is its selling fees. There is a non-refundable fee that you have to pay to list each item, as well as an additional fee if you list an item in multiple categories. You also have to pay a “final value fee” that’s calculated using a similar method to the one Final Offer Value Bonanza uses.

Pricing to open an eBay store starts at just $7.95 per month.

6. Ruby Lane

Photo credit: Ruby Lane

For those who sell vintage goods or antiques, Ruby Lane is a good platform to check out. It receives more than one million unique visitors each month and is meant to bring antique enthusiasts together on one easy-to-use platform.

Ruby Lane requires a one-time $100 fee to set up a shop. You’ll also have to pay a $69 per month fee if you sell less than 80 items in your shop. The shop fee will change from here based on the number of items you sell. 

7. Etsy

Photo credit: Etsy

If you sell crafts or hand-made goods, Etsy is a great place to set up shop. It’s known for being easy to use and is a trusted option in the online buying and selling world. Customers may be more inclined to work with you if you use Etsy over a different platform since it’s so well-known.

Etsy’s fees are relatively low and straightforward, too. You’re required to pay a listing fee of $0.20 cents for each item you sell. That item then stays in your shop for either four months or until it sells (whichever happens first). For items that sell, there’s a five percent transaction fee and a three percent plus $0.25 processing fee.

If you’ve been wondering, “Where can I sell my stuff online for free?”, Etsy is a great option. It’s free to set up an Etsy shop and get your business off the ground.

8. Alibaba

Photo credit: Alibaba

If you’re looking to dive into the world of B2B online commerce, you can’t go wrong with Alibaba. Alibaba is one of the world’s largest online retailers, with options for B2C, C2C, and, of course, B2B companies.

It’s very easy to get started using Alibaba, and you’ll have access to a variety of other selling options, including online auction and mobile commerce.

Alibaba is a more expensive option, with annual seller fees of up to $10,000 and a security deposit of up to $25,000 for Gold members.

9. Wholesale Central

Photo credit: Wholesale Central

Wholesale Central has been around since 1996 and is a well-known online wholesale option for a lot of B2B companies. One of the best things about Wholesale Central is that it’s easy to navigate and free to use. There’s no need to pay expensive membership fees when you sign up.

A potential downside to Wholesale Central is that the site looks a bit dated, though. It also doesn’t automate much of the sales process, nor does it integrate with other platforms. If you’re looking for a way to sell online for free, though, it’s worth considering.

10. Faire

Photo credit: Faire

Faire is another popular wholesale option you might want to look into. Originally founded in San Francisco in 2017 under the name Indigo Fair, Faire has been steadily growing for the last few years.

Faire does require an application and approval process. However, it’s free to join, and the platform provides you with the option to have your shop page set up for you if you’re not interested in doing any heavy lifting on that end.

A potential downside to Faire is its fees. Faire takes a 25 percent commission from first-time store orders and a 15 percent commission from reorders.

11. EWorldTrade

Photo credit: EWorldTrade

EWorldTrade is a rapidly expanding online B2B platform that offers tons of eCommerce services. It’s also known as one of the best platforms for lead generation as well as online sales.

EWorldTrade encourages transparency and the sale of quality products. It’s a reliable trading platform and is considered a leader in the online B2B sales space.

Pricing for this channel starts at $399 per year and ranges all the way up to $7,999 per year.

12. Global Sources

Photo credit: Global Sources

Global Sources is a China-based platform and another leader in the B2B online sales world. It serves millions of visitors per month, offers both export and import services, and offers trading to many of the world’s prime countries.

Global Sources is known for having lots of different selling options. It even hosts online trade shows so sellers can show off their best products and attract more potential customers.

The platform also has a free selling option that allows you to post up to 100 items on the site.

13. Made-in-China

Photo credit: Made-in-China

Made-in-China is a popular B2B platform that allows sellers from all over the world to connect with potential buyers. Built back in 1998, it’s been a favored option for a long time and is a good option for those who want to stay on the cusp of the latest B2B marketing strategies.

Made-in-China is accessible in over 10 languages. It provides over 26 major selling categories and over 3,600 sub-categories. It’s the first eCommerce platform to perform comprehensive reviews on paid suppliers, too.

Made-in-China is free to join as well, making it a good fit for B2B companies that are just getting started and are working with limited budgets.

Start Selling Your Products Online Today

As you can see, there are lots of different platforms you can use to sell online, wether that’s through dropshipping or some other business model, and get your products in front of more potential customers. Whether you run a B2B or B2C business, with so many choices out there today, it’s easy to find online selling sites that meet your needs and work with your budget.

Keep the details of these different marketplaces in mind as you move forward. They’ll help you begin to narrow down your options and decide which one is the best platform to sell online for your business.

Still not sure what products to sell? Check out all our options here.

Oberlo vs Modalyst: Which is the Best Dropshipping App?

Posted on by Alain Miguel

[lwptoc skipHeadingLevel=”h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6″]

If you have a Shopify store, you have most likely heard of both of these apps that help improve the product sourcing process for retailers. Both offer the right tools to automate your dropship store. Spocket, Importify, and MXED are other highly recommended Shopify apps for merchants, but today we’re going to focus our attention on Modalyst and Oberlo app.

Overall, when you take a close look at these Shopify apps, they both do an excellent job of simplifying dropshipping and making products available for an ecommerce business.

When it comes to running an ecommerce store, there are a few things that every person is always looking for to make their life easier:

  • Automation tools
  • One-click product sourcing
  • Automatic order fulfillment
  • A large inventory of drop shipping vendors

Let’s take a look at how these two apps compare when it comes to starting your dropshipping business.

Modalyst vs Oberlo

What is Modalyst?

First, we’ll look at the Modalyst app. This is a dropshipping marketplace that connects store owners to different suppliers and premium products. 

Most of the sellers you find on this platform are bona fide brands or experienced dropshippers, so they are invested in their product listings and offer only quality products.

Many of the issues that Shopify store owners face have to do with the quality of the products they source and the length delivery times from overseas wholesalers.  The Modalyst app provides solutions to these problems by aggregating products from top suppliers in the United States and Europe. Their supplier network is one of the most unique and complete.

Additionally, since the products are supplied by brands they’ve individually vetted, Modalyst is able to establish standardized shipping procedures and policies. This results in faster and more reliable shipping practices, which ultimately makes online shoppers happy.

The Modalyst app offers a curated selection of fashion and non-fashion suppliers with product catalogs that you can add to your store with a single click. These vendors have detailed product pages that allow Shopify stores to import images, descriptions, inventory levels and prices to their own dropship store.  When new products become available, retailers can easily import those items to their online businesses as well.

The app is designed so you can smoothly go down a list of options and quickly add the products you want without needing to fill out any information by hand; this makes product sourcing fast and simple.

Using the Modalyst platform

The platform offers millions of products through their product catalog that you can easily add to your Shopify store with a single click. Something unique about Modalyst is that a lot of their sellers only offer their products through this specific platform. That is what makes it one of the best Shopify apps. This is different from Spocket, for example, which works in conjunction with Etsy to add new products to the Spocket app. This type of exclusivity results in a dropshipping business full of great products that shoppers may not have seen before. 

When you start using Modalyst as a new store, you must integrate the platform with your online business. If you are using Shopify, they have a free Shopify app that allows you to connect the two platforms and start selling up to 25 products for free. If you use Wix or BigCommerce, they also have apps that sync with the Modalyst platform.

When you follow this strategy, you can upload all the products you choose to your own store, and the app will help import all the pictures, prices, and descriptions. There is literally no manual work in this part of the process, unless you want to make price changes or remove variants.

Every time shoppers make a purchase on your store, you will receive a notification, and you’ll have to confirm and pay the seller directly on Modalyst. At that point, the supplier will prepare the item for shipment and then ship the product to your happy customer with no receipts or invoice. The packaging is also unbranded.

Everything from product sourcing to payments is managed through the Modalyst platform, so it’s well organized and easy to use. You can keep all your information in one place, so you don’t lose track of orders or shipping information.

As with most dropshipping apps, you do not have to purchase anything or pay upfront to list their products on your store. You can list as many items up to 25 products for free without having to worry about holding any inventory.

What is Oberlo?

Now that you understand how to use Modalyst, let’s take a look at the drop shipping plugin Oberlo. Oberlo is one of the most successful Shopify apps in the Shopify app store. It works the same as the Modalyst plugin by allowing you to easily upload and manage products on your ecommerce store through the Oberlo app.

Oberlo is a Shopify app and is available for use only on that platform. It does not integrate with Bigcommerce, Woocommerce, or Wix like Spocket and Modalyst do. Once you have your account set up, you can browse the Oberlo marketplace for the best products and quickly add them to your store with a single click. The Oberlo app will send over all the product details and inventory data from the listing such as images, product descriptions, wholesale prices and variants, so you don’t have to edit anything unless you want to.

Oberlo uses Aliexpress as its supplier network. This is done through a Chrome Extension for ecommerce merchants. If you’re at all familiar with Importify, the Chrome Extension for Oberlo works similiarly. The extension allows you to import products from the Aliexpress product catalog. Aliexpress.com has thousands of manufacturers and wholesalers. Oberlo doesn’t vet these dropshipping suppliers before offering them on the Oberlo Marketplace. However, they can be sorted and filtered to find the best products across different categories.

Oberlo only offers wholesalers from China which results, generally, in low reliability and extremely long shipping times. By contrast, Modalyst specializes in fast shipping times from independent brands.

Using Oberlo

The Oberlo app is simple to use, and its platform is user-friendly. Directly from the Oberlo dashboard, you can search for Aliexpress products, find featured products, import, and view products. All your items that are available for sale are listed on the dashboard with information like sales and earnings.

When an order comes through your online store, you’ll receive that notification on the Oberlo platform, and you’ll then locate the product and click the order button. Once you press that button, you’ll then purchase from Aliexpress (or wherever), and they’ll handle entire process, including the packaging and shipping. Make sure you include a note to your Aliexpress vendor asking them not to include any promotions in the package.

One of the nice features on Oberlo is their automatic update notifications. For example, prices are continually fluctuating based on supply and demand, and if you have 1000 products on your Shopify store, you’ll never be able to keep up with all the price changes. It’s important to keep an eye on this as these fluctuations can affect your margins. The Oberlo app will notify you anytime a supplier changes their price, removes a variant or runs out of inventory. If your supplier runs out of the product, they will immediately let you know so you can take that product down or list it as out of stock.

Modalyst vs Oberlo: Pricing Tiers

One of the most important factors to consider is how much you have to pay for the benefits of these services. Neither app offers a free trial. Instead, they have a free plan for merchants which is unlimited in duration. That is why they are both considered some of the best free Shopify apps. The Printful app and Productpro are also in this category.

Overall, I think the price of each of these is incredibly affordable for a Shopify site. The access to great products plus all the advanced features make these plugins some of the best apps to boost sales. Let’s take a look at the breakdown.

Modalyst Monthly Plans

  • Hobby – Free, non-premium suppliers only, 5% transaction fee, 25 product limit, unlimited orders
  • Start-Up – $35 a month, non-premium supplier only, 5% transaction fee, 250 product limit, unlimited orders,
  • Pro – $90 a month, all suppliers, 5% transaction fee, unlimited products, unlimited orders

Oberlo Monthly Plans

  • Starter plan – Free, 500 products, 50 orders per month
  • Basic plan – $29.90 a month, 10,000 products, 500 orders per month
  • Pro plan – $79.90 a month, 30,000 products, unlimited orders

Let’s give this a more in-depth look. If we compare the free plan between the two, the Modalyst app allows only 25 products, but they don’t have an order limit. That is a huge advantage especially for entrepreneurs focusing on a niche. If those 25 items sell well, you may never need to upgrade because you can fulfill as many orders as you want.

While Modalyst has pricing automation, real time inventory updates, and dedicated Modalyst suppot on the weekends, they are the only app that advertises a transaction fee. That said, you should note that you incur a transaction fee on Oberlo through Shopify payments. Nonetheless, transaction fees are a pain point to any business model where margins are already thin.

How the Two Dropshipping Apps Stack Up

In the end, you’re comparing two of the best apps that do the same thing, but they each have their own little quirks and downsides.

Modalyst is great for any Shopify user looking for a marketplace of unique products. You can also sell products with your own branding and labeling by using the Modalyst Private Label program.  As we mentioned, Modalyst has a 5% transaction fee; when you think about ecommerce at scale, if you do $500,000 a year in sales that accounts for $25,000 of your revenue.

The primary advantage that Modalyst offers is the different products of independent brands and premium suppliers. if you are willing to pay for the the Pro plan, then the entire marketplace becomes available to you.

These suppliers offer items that you won’t find anywhere else, and this package comes with shorter shipping times.  Also, with Modalyst you can sync with multiple ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, Wix, and Bigcommerce. If you use the Oberlo app, you are limited to using only the Shopify platform.

Modalyst Pros

  • High-quality products
  • A marketplace of unique suppliers
  • Private label dropshipping program
  • Higher profit margins
  • Fast Shipping
  • Products shipping from the United States
  • Mostly US/EU Suppliers, some with free shipping
  • Automatic tracking info at the lowest tier pricing plan
  • Integrate with Shopify, Wix & BigCommerce
  • Inventory level notifications
  • Directly communicate with suppliers

Modalyst Cons

  • 5% transaction fee on all pricing tiers
  • No access to premium brands on bottom two pricing plans
  • Limited selection of low-cost products
  • No free trial

Oberlo Pros

  • Easy to use interface
  • Product reviews on Aliexpress products
  • Strong reputation as one of the best Shopify plugins
  • Integrates with Shopify dropshippers
  • Automatic order fulfillment
  • Strong customer support network
  • More economical long-term with no transaction fees
  • Oberlo suppliers offer faster shipping times and more reliable products

Oberlo Cons

  • Only available on Shopify
  • Can only source products from Oberlo and Aliexpress dropshipping platform
  • Aliexpress products have long shipping times
  • Generally, Aliexpress dropshipping sellers are not as reputable
  • No free trial

The Final Verdict

We’re comparing apples to oranges here, but Modalyst offers higher quality suppliers for ecommerce store owners who are willing to pay a higher monthly fee. Oberlo is a product created by dropshippers for dropshippers and they understand the difficulties and struggles you face.

Oberlo’s partnership with Aliexpress also simplifies the ordering process, but their low-tier pricing structure is almost obsolete being that they don’t offer order tracking in their free plan. That said, they also don’t have a 5% transaction fee which makes a tremendous difference when sales start picking up, and you see how much money you’re throwing away.

Each app offers its own unique twist with advantages and disadvantages. They both have a free plan, so try them out and see what works best for your needs.

How to Find the Best Dropshipping Suppliers

Posted on by Alain Miguel

Finding the best dropshipping suppliers to work with is a daunting task when preparing to launch your online store.

If you already read our post on the best dropshipping products to sell online, then you’re one step ahead of others. 

The next step is to find a way to source those top-selling items. Enter drop shippers.

Getting suppliers for dropshipping is one of the critical requirements of running a dropshipping business.

Suppliers package your products, do a quality check and ship the products you sell directly your customers.

Hence, they’re an important part of launching an ecommerce business with dropshipping.

That said, learning how to find reliable dropshipping companies takes some time and implementing what you learn can be tricky.

How do you know which drop ship wholesalers are reliable and would get your products to the customer on time?

We’ve listed a few tips below to help get you started!

How to Find Top Dropshipping Suppliers in 2020

Search the web for wholesale drop ship suppliers

Doing a search on Google is the best way to find everything that exists including drop shipping companies.

Conduct searches for the keywords “wholesale distributors” plus some keywords related to your niche or product.

Feel free to include brand names, product types and model numbers in some of these searches.

How to find wholesale distributors in Google search

Once Google presents you with a list of results, go through each URL and search for a phone number or email ID where you can get more details.

Join the conversation in social media groups with experienced dropshippers

There are several experienced drop shippers out there who are familiar with the A-Z of finding top drop ship suppliers.

What’s intriguing is that many of them are open to helping others succeed.

You can find many of these entrepreneurs in social media groups. Talking to them is an excellent way to know where you can find the best suppliers for your eCommerce business.

The following groups are highly recommended:

Once you start creating strong relationships with successful drop shippers, you’ll set the foundation to become one yourself.

So don’t hesitate to join groups, ask supplier-related questions, and build vital relationships.

Subscribe to a wholesale supplier directory

Directories are populated databases of wholesalers that store owners can research by product type or market.

They’re one of the best ways to find drop shipping suppliers because every listed company has to go through some type of screening to confirm their legitimacy.

And while a directory subscription may be expensive, the appeal is in the hours saved having to contact manufacturers one by one. Plus, many of these supplier directories are curated, which means the suppliers are mostly vetted for you. 

Some supplier directories to consider:

Take part in trade shows

Trade shows are ideal events for you to find wholesalers and product makers in the areas where you want to dropship.

They also offer a way for you to keep yourself updated with the latest methods and technologies being used in manufacturing.

According to Ecom Elites, it’s during trade shows that you can get some face time with dropshipping suppliers.

Therefore, it’s imperative for you to come prepared.

For example, preparation would help you better demonstrate what kind of packaging you’re looking for, where to place your branding, etc.

Trade Show News currently has the biggest directory of trade shows, and you can look for the type of event you’re interested in by country or by industry.  

dropshipping suppliers at trade shows

Choosing the right suppliers for your ecommerce store

You’re probably excited by the range of droship suppliers at your disposal.

However, there are just a few who’d be able to live up to your expectations.

Below are some tips to help you decide whether you should work with a vendor who dropships or look somewhere else.

Order samples

Once you’ve identified the dropshipping suppliers you wish to work with, order a few samples from them. 

When you order from them, make sure they offer you the wholesale pricing for the item. If they attempt to charge you more than the wholesale price, you should be wary.

This will enable you to verify their packaging, delivery times, quality of products, and more.

Be wary of ongoing fees

It’s recommended that you avoid suppliers who insist on ongoing or monthly fees to work with them.

Directories charge membership to access their database, but no independent supplier is known to partner for a fee.

Keep tabs on pre-order fee

Most dropshipping suppliers will ask you to pay a pre-order fee.

However, a few will also take advantage of the inexperienced dropshipper by quoting outrageous figures. This could be anywhere between $5 to $15.

Although the highs and lows rest on product margins, you should keep monitor and compare pre-order fees between your preferred suppliers.

Determine their production capacity

Some dropship wholesalers only manufacture items seasonally, which is a big red flag if you’re planning to dropship products all year round.

Get familiar with their returns policy

If you dream of becoming a successful drop shipper, you need to effectively deal with product returns.

So getting yourself familiar with the return policy of your supplier is a crucial aspect of narrowing down suppliers to partner with.

Ensure the policy doesn’t hang you to dry out by understanding the entire returns process.

It’s also a good idea to discuss this in detail with the supplier and have the policy documented. 

How to Find Top US Dropshippers with Modalyst

What is Modalyst?

Modalyst is a dropshipping app for e-commerce platforms that connects you with thousands of drop shipping suppliers.

With Modalyst you can access a huge variety of different products to sell online. From fashion, electronics, toys, beauty – Modalyst makes it easy for you to find products from dropshipping suppliers and instantly add them to your own online store.

Modalyst has a membership plan for beginners in which you can add products to your store for free. You can use the Modalyst Hobby plan and start dropshipping today.

How does Modalyst work?

Modalyst helps online stores automate dropshipping with Shopify, Wix, and BigCommerce platforms.

Our main focus is to present you with a vast list of suppliers from high-quality markets like the US, Canada, Australia, and Europe.

What’s fascinating about Modalyst is that many of our suppliers are in the United States. They also warehouse and ship their orders from the US.

Having US dropshipping suppliers is a big point of differentiation for Modalyst and can be for you too as you start your dropshipping business. 

Dropshipping Suppliers on Modalyst

The Benefits of Dropshipping with Modalyst Suppliers

Shipping Benefits

Shipping is one of the most important factors when deciding to purchase something online.

One of the key downsides of drop shippers in China is the long lead times and delivery windows. Depending on the Chinese manufacturer, it can sometimes take days or weeks for a customer to receive their package.

This alone can make customers dissatisfied with their buying experience. When a customer is dissatisfied, the customer is less likely to return to your store. Potentially losing a customer because of slow shipping options shouldn’t be a factor you’re willing to live with.

By contrast, working with American dropshippers offers the following benefits:

Fast Shipping & Delivery for Your Customers

Shipping within the USA typically takes between 1-3 business days. 

This means that your customer could purchase a product from your e-commerce store and have the order delivered the next day.

A satisfied customer is always your best marketing asset as it can lead to word of mouth advertising for your online shop. 

On Modalyst, we have dozens of suppliers who offer fast shipping and delivery to your customer within 3 business days, and many others, within 1 week. 

A Reliable Tracking System for Orders

Your customers will want to have visibility into the status of their orders, including shipping and tracking.

On Modalyst, we allow you to track your customers’ orders once they are shipped by the drop shipping supplier.

Our suppliers partner with a wide of range of shipping companies, including USPS, FedEx, UPS and DHL. 

A Variety of Shipping Options

US courier services like USPS offer a wide range of shipping options.

These options include next-day, second-day, or third-day delivery to your customers.

In some cases, these shipping providers can provide same-day delivery.

Generally, the faster the delivery, the higher the price. However, at Modalyst, we prenegotiated shipping prices with our dropshippers and set a ceiling of $5 per order for US deliveries.  

Product Benefits

Before we expound on the benefits USA-made products offer, it’s important to acknowledge the elephant in the room.

Products made in the United States and shipped by suppliers in the US are generally going to be more expensive than those made in China and shipped by Chinese suppliers. 

Why is this the case? Well, the input variables are very different depending on the location of the supplier.

For example, the relatively high cost of labor, materials, rent and other factors all factor into higher product costs in the United States. But those added costs come with product benefits that will allow you to charge your customers higher prices.

And as customers become more sensitive to fair trade and sustainability, they’re more than happy to pay a premium for American made items.

Let’s look at some of the product benefits of using US dropshipping suppliers:

Higher-Quality Products

US drop shippers have an established reputation for making high quality products.

The suppliers on Modalyst are no different. Through our vetting process, we find the best suppliers of high-quality products.

By contrast, the products manufactured in Asia do not have this reputation. When you source from China, the expectation of quality is usually much lower.

Why does the quality of products matter?

If you sell quality products, you’re more likely to draw the customer back to your online store.

Traditionally, consumers are looking for something of durable quality and precise craftsmanship. While the ticket price can be prohibitive for some consumers, others are willing to pay a premium for high quality products.

Charging your customers a premium for products can be a distinctive advantage for a small business. To learn more about how to sell high priced items, check out our guide on Selling High Priced Items.

American-Made Products 

When your products are made in the America, you are allowed to advertise them as “American-made.”

The American-made badge is a seal of approval. It’s also a competitive advantage for ecommerce stores who are dropshipping. It’s a powerful marketing tool that sets you apart from many other online shops, especially sellers on eBay and Amazon.

Like they are for high quality products, consumers are happy to pay more for American-made products.

Higher Retail Prices

Per the discussion above, you can slap a higher price tag on American-made products.

While you may pay a higher wholesale price to your supplier for American-made, you can almost always pass those costs onto your customer.

This allows you to extract your baseline profit margins or perhaps even higher margins depending on the category you sell. 

How to Find Suppliers for Dropshipping (in the USA) on Modalyst

Modalyst handpicks all the dropshippers on our platform, including the US drop shipping companies.

Today, the number of suppliers on Modalyst exceeds 1,000. While we have a global platform with vendors from all major corners of the globe, most of our suppliers are based in the United States.

US based dropshipping suppliers are especially important to our platform because they offer many unique benefits that Chinese wholesalers do not.

Modalyst suppliers and products are different from what you will find on Oberlo.

Our focus is not just on the location of the supplier, but also on the quality of the products and how fast orders ship to customers.

Modalyst believes that these attributes will keep your customers coming back for more.

You can also find plenty of niche products to sell online in the Modalyst marketplace. Access to these niche items means you don’t have to struggle for profits in a very saturated industry.

Other Modalyst features for dropshipping that will help you earn more:

  • It’s free to add 25 products to sell on your website
  • Product detail customization
  • You can set pricing and shipping rules to profit no matter what the wholesale pricing is
  • Shipping status updates
  • Order management
  • Shopify app for dropshipping, Wix app for dropshipping, and BigCommerce app for dropshipping
  • Inventory level notifications
  • Set-up services

 

Modalyst Pricing to Get Dropshippers in the USA

1. Hobby Plan – Free – Up to 25 products, 5% transaction fee

2. Start-Up Plan – $35/month – 250 product limit, 5% transaction fee

3. Pro Plan – $90/month – Unlimited product limit, 5% transaction fee

Sign up for Modalyst here.

Why You Should Dropship with US Dropshipping Suppliers

The conventional formula most online entrepreneurs use to find suppliers is as follows: find cheap products from Chinese drop shippers and sell the products for massive profits.

This formula still works today.

However, it’s becoming less effective and less profitable as more and more online shops use the same product sourcing strategy. 

While more Chinese products flood the market, the more competitive pricing becomes, making it more difficult to reap a profit on the sale of an item and separate your business from others.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, though.

Because of it, a market for USA dropshippers has been created. 

One way that you can differentiate your online shop is by working with suppliers who are based in the United States.

The best part is that you yourself don’t have to be located in the United States for this to be a viable strategy for dropshipping.

So long as you have a strong customer base in the USA and an e-commerce store, then using American dropshippers makes a lot of sense.

What to Look for in Dropshipping Suppliers in the USA

There are tens of thousands of wholesalers and manufacturers in the United States.

While partnering with dropshipping suppliers in the United States is compelling, you still have to do your due diligence.

A dropshipping company in the USA isn’t automatically qualified just because they are based in the United States. 

These dropshipping companies need to be vetted, just like any other supplier you want to work with.

You should follow the same process that you would when vetting any supplier. After all, your supplier is one of your most important business partners.

You want to choose the best one.

Dropshipping on Amazon and eBay: 5 Tips for Instant Success

Posted on by Alain Miguel

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Dropshipping on Amazon and eBay is one of the best ways to make money with an online business.

However, there are a few rules to pay attention to – especially if you want to dropship with Amazon and eBay.

In this article, we’re going to show you 5 great tips to make money dropshipping on Amazon and eBay.

Let’s take a look!

What Is Dropshipping on Amazon?

Dropshipping has become immensely popular in the last few years, mainly because it normally doesn’t require you to keep track of your inventory or pay for warehouse space.

Consequently, you’ll be reducing your overhead costs while maximizing your revenue.

In a nutshell, dropshipping is a fulfillment method in which you, as the retailer, don’t store or ship items.

Instead, you send orders from customers directly to manufacturers, who then ship the items directly to the customers.

Ultimately, you never even have to see the products you’re dropshipping. All you have to do is take the orders, send them over to the suppliers, and take your cut.

Benefits of Dropshipping on Amazon

When you’re running a dropshipping business, you want to maximize your profits and reduce your expenses. Fortunately, Amazon dropshipping works like a charm for that particular purpose, in addition to other benefits:

  • Dropshipping reduces costs. You don’t have to design your products, nor do you have to store and ship them. All you have to think about is marketing and processing orders.
  • Dropshipping doesn’t come with high risks. Since you’re normally not ordering items before someone has purchased them, you’re not running the risk of overstocking.
  • Dropshipping is automated. You can completely automate your operations; from marketing to order processing and routing.

Is Dropshipping Profitable?

Let’s look at the numbers:

  • 23% of online sales were fulfilled via dropshipping methods in 2017, which amounts to $85.1 billion (Source)
  • 33% of online stores use dropshipping as their fulfillment method (Source)

And when you factor in the fact that you’re avoiding a lot of traditional overhead costs, it becomes pretty clear that yes, dropshipping is very profitable.

And with our tips up your sleeve, you’ll be on your way to running a very lucrative dropshipping business in no time!

Dropshipping Inventory Management

Just because your inventory isn’t in your hands doesn’t mean you don’t have it.

One of the main perks of dropshipping is that, with today’s technology, you can automate almost everything.

This means that you can integrate your inventory management software with your order management software, as well as your marketing tools, to make sure you’re running a tight ship.

Dropshipping on eBay and Amazon

The main goal is not to go out of stock.

Now, this is easy when you physically handle your products. However, when your products are in the hands of suppliers, you want to make sure you’re using the same systems.

Integrate your software with your manufacturers’ inventory management software so you always know how many products are available.

Inventory management is particularly important when you’re dropshipping on eBay.

All sales on eBay are effectively contracts, which can make out-of-stock order cancellations an absolute nightmare. In addition to that, some dropshippers used to buy products on Amazon and sell them through eBay.

However, eBay has clarified their policy even further to specify that you are only allowed to sell the products that you are in the physical possession of.

You should also make sure that your manufacturers can ship the products within the specified time, as you can receive a seller nonperformance violation otherwise. A few of them and eBay could pull the shutters down on your store.

Amazon behaves similarly.

Amazon Dropshipping & eBay Dropshipping: Satisfaction and Performance

Two things lie at the very core of dropshipping on Amazon and eBay:

  1. Customer satisfaction
  2. Amazon Seller account performance
  3. eBay Seller performance

Both of these platforms depend on customer satisfaction. When people shop on Amazon or eBay, they expect much better service and a degree of protection.

So if your shipments are being delayed, you won’t only get in trouble with payment processors such as PayPal, but you’ll also get in trouble with Amazon and eBay. Additionally, Amazon dropshipping values the authenticity of products you sell.

Your products have to be high quality in order for you to get good seller account ratings and continue dropshipping through the platform. If you haven’t inspected the products for quality (as is usually the case with dropshipping), you could be at risk of having your account suspended by the platform.

However, you can avoid suspensions with bundling.

Simply buy a few copies of the ASIN item you will be listing.

You’ll speed up the review process when Amazon dropshipping decides to check for authenticity.

Conversely, if Amazon has reasons to doubt that your products aren’t authentic, it will send you an invoice request. You’ll have to send them the product invoice to confirm that you’ve purchased and inspected the quality of the item.

Amazon will give you between one and two weeks to send them the invoice, and if you don’t have one, your account will be suspended.

Again, both Amazon and eBay allow dropshipping in terms of purchasing products from third parties and reselling them.

However, in theory, you should inspect the quality of the products by physically handling them before you process and fulfill the order.

How to Dropship on Amazon using Amazon FBA

It didn’t take a long time before Amazon caught up with the business of dropshipping.

After all, reduced costs and no need to keep track of inventory are what every business owner dreams of.

That’s why they came up with Fulfillment by Amazon aka FBA.

Dropshipping vs Amazon FBA: What Is Amazon FBA?

One of the main benefits of dropshipping is the fact that you don’t have to pay for storage.

And with Amazon FBA dropshipping, Amazon will pick, pack and ship your orders to your customers.

How does Fulfillment by Amazon work?

  1. You purchase the products and ship them to one of Amazon’s warehouses.
  2. Amazon stores your products.
  3. When a customer buys your product, Amazon ships it.
  4. Amazon handles complaints and returns.
  5. You get paid bi-monthly.

While FBA is useful, you should also note that if you do choose to dropship by having Amazon ship your products, you will have to manage your inventory yourself to make sure you don’t go out of stock.

Dropshipping on Amazon with Amazon FBA

Amazon FBA comes with fees, and you’ll have to carefully package your products (or have the manufacturers pack them for you).

However, FBA can be a good option if you want to scale your business quickly and don’t mind paying for products before you sell them.

Amazon FBA is also available even if you want to sell products through other channels. They offer multi-channel fulfillment services.

Expert Tips for Dropshipping with Amazon & Amazon FBA

Bundling

When you create bundles, you’re actually creating unique listings that have higher chances of appearing to more people than your regular listing would through the so-called buy boxes.

Additionally, when you offer complementary products, you’re not only getting more profits, but you’re also offering something extra to your customers.

Everyone likes added bonuses (even if they do pay for them).

Optimize your listing and answer questions

Amazon is actually one of the world’s biggest search engines.

This means that keywords, title optimization, and other search engine optimization techniques still work.

In fact, if you use Amazon and eBay SEO techniques right, you’ll be able to attract more customers to your listings.

Use related keywords, and keywords your customers use to search for products like yours.

Create a FAQ section where you’ll respond to common questions to address the customers’ objections, and get that sale.

Repricing

Because prices frequently fluctuate on Amazon, it’s best to use repricing tools instead of trying to do it manually.

This way, you’ll be getting the most profits, and ensure you’re not losing out on valuable sales because you haven’t updated your price yet.

Reviews on Amazon are everything

Customers want to see reviews before buying a product, so if you don’t have any, it may put off prospective customers from buying your products.

The best way to avoid it is by using email drip campaigns and asking your customers to leave feedback. To automate this process, we recommend AMZFinder.

AMZFinder is email automation tool which helps sellers to send out review requests emails and gain more reviews.

If someone leaves a negative review, don’t panic.

Contact the customer to resolve their complaint, or write a public reply. Avoid confrontation. Instead, apologize and rectify the situation.

If it’s a spam comment, you can ask Amazon to take it down.

Win the buy box

Having your listing appear before other listings with a CTA asking customers to buy your product is the goal.

However, getting the buy box isn’t easy.

In order to win the buy box, you should:

  • Bundle products
  • Reduce your landed price
  • Improve your Perfect Order Percentage score

The first two are relatively straightforward.

However, if you want to improve your POP score, you should make sure you receive positive feedback and have a stellar Amazon seller reputation.

If you often deal with claims, returns, and your shipments are late, your chances of winning the buy box won’t be as high.

Automated Dropshipping on Amazon & eBay

When you’re starting to dropship with Amazon and eBay, you have to be aware of the fact that both of these platforms are huge, and as such, they have their own algorithms and ways of doing things.

If you want to scale your business quickly, you need to play their game.

Now, a regular human can’t do it. Sellers change their pricing often, and you have to keep up. Algorithms prioritize certain listings over the others, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

When you also consider the fact that you have to manage orders, marketing, and keep manufacturers informed about shipping, things can get confusing fast.

This is where automation tools for dropshipping come in hand.

There are a lot of ways to make it by dropshipping on Amazon and eBay, but there’s no quicker way than with tools that help you streamline your order processing so you can focus on the truly important aspects of running your business.

Automate Product Listing Creation

Some dropshippers build their brands based on listing a few dropship products.

However, success is usually in the quantity of products of products to sell on Amazon.

With a lot of new products, you’re going to need a lot of new listings.

Some Amazon sellers use automated listing creation tools.

However, we’d advise against doing that.

Bulk listing items means you could end up with a lot of mistakes, or at the very least, your listing won’t be properly optimized.

Instead, it’s much better to hire a virtual assistant who can do it for you, while making sure that your listings are still enticing to your potential customers.

Stock Level Tracking

As a seller, you have got to be in tune with your manufacturers’ stock levels.

If you’re shipping with Amazon FBA, then the need to monitor stock levels is even more important.

The best inventory management automation tools help you not only monitor levels from product sources, but they will also:

  • Track prices
  • Set up and update markups
  • Update listings according to whether the products are in or out of stock

Your inventory management tool should automatically update your listings as it gets information from your manufacturers and customers in real-time.

Order Routing

If you’re shipping globally (and you have suppliers all over the world, as well), you want to minimize the costs by routing intelligently.

For example, it’s always going to be cheaper to ship to German customers from a French factory, than shipping from China to Germany.

If you routed orders on your own, it would take a lot of time. However, with order routing tools, everything will be taken care of automatically.

The majority of providers now offer intelligent order routing.

This approach ensures that your customers get their items quickly while increasing your profit margins by reducing shipping costs.

Daily Workflow Automation

Finally, as you scale, you’ll see that even simple processes take a lot of time.

Fortunately, you can automate the majority of them, especially with software that offers complete automation; from marketing to order routing.

Of course, you can opt for individual tools.

For example, if you want to attract more customers and generate reviews with email marketing software, you can opt for tools that help you create automated drip campaigns.

It all depends on the needs and the size of your business.

Keep Seasonality in Mind

In dropshipping, seasonality matters when applied to the following three aspects:

  1. Global suppliers
  2. Products
  3. Luck

Some months are simply slower than others. Many sellers (and other business owners) experience slow periods in January and February.

However, slow periods depend on your niche.

Seasonality on the Dropshipping Suppliers’ Side

Again, your experience will depend on what you sell, who you sell it to, and whose products you resell.

When it comes to dropship wholesale suppliers, make sure you conduct research about the country they come from.

For example, Chinese New Year is at the end of January, so all operations are paused (or slowed down) during that period before suppliers resume their activities.

This means that you won’t be able to dropship products during that time, especially if the manufacturers are packaging and shipping them.

If you use third-party storage services such as Amazon FBA, you should make sure you stock up on products that are popular at the time so you don’t run out of stock.

An alternative route is to have a network of suppliers who dropship.

For example, if you have Chinese wholesalers, have a US supplier as a back-up so you can keep churning even when your main vendors can’t fulfill your orders.

If you’re dealing with dropshippers who also get their products from other suppliers, make sure you know who the source suppliers are, and what seasonal factors can affect them.

Seasonality on the Product Side

Christmas trees aren’t the only thing flying off the shelves during Christmas.

Similarly, some products simply sell more at certain periods.

If you really want to maximize your profits, dropship seasonal products.

Leverage your understanding to stock up on popular products so you can start selling as soon as customer interest spikes.

For example, BBQ equipment is always a hit starting in May.

If you’re selling similar products, you’ll have built up the reputation necessary for your listing to appear in the top spot.

You can use tools such as Google Trends, platform statistics, and even social media to find seasonal products that will help you earn even more revenue with your Amazon dropshipping business.

Luck

Is there such a thing as luck when it comes to dropshipping seasonal products?

Some dropship wholesalers believe in it. They claim that some periods are just slower than others, and that’s the way it is.

Normally, January and February are slower because of New Year’s resolutions. People are trying to save money because they’ve spent so much during the holidays.

There’s always a rational reason for why consumers behave the way they do.

And if you truly want to scale your dropshipping business, you’ll understand what motivates your customers’ behavior.

When you have a steady customer base, ask them for their feedback. Conduct market research. Adapt accordingly.

It’s the best way to future-proof your dropshipping business.

Invest in Your Backup Plan

Dropshipping on Amazon and eBay is a great way to kickstart your eCommerce business.

However, as you scale, you’ll need to have an online presence that you can rely on: your own online store.

Any platform can change their terms of service, and prohibit the things they used to condone yesterday. It’s happened numerous times.

However, the solution isn’t to say: “Then I’m not going to use Amazon and eBay for dropshipping.”

Instead, you should make the best of both worlds: e-commerce platforms and your own online dropshipping store.

Make the Best of eCommerce Platforms

In the beginning, platforms for ecommerce are going to be a vital source of customers for your business.

You’ll get access to hundreds of millions of people.

And to scale from there, make sure you start creating your brand.

The best way to do it is to stick to a particular niche and build up your reputation in it.

Then, you can also white-label or private label products. Add your logo, agree on modifications with suppliers, and make your products uniquely recognizable.

Keep in mind that building a brand usually requires you to stick to particular types of products.

It may be weird if you’re in the fitness niche and suddenly start selling Santa phone cases just because the season is right.

However, you can put a seasonal spin on any kind of product, so don’t let that put you off.

Once you’ve created a brand, customers will start recognizing it. If you get a lot of repeat customers, take that as a sign that you’re on the right path.

And then…

Build Your Own Website for Selling Products

Typically, you’ll first have to select the platform to build your store on.

There are a lot of great options out there. Make sure that the option you select is the one that fits your business’ needs completely.

Once you’ve set up your store and integrated everything with the tools you use (automate everything you can), it’s time to promote.

Start promoting your cash cow products first.

Are there some products that sell well, no matter the season? Emphasize the reviews you’ve received for them.

If possible, sync Amazon and/or eBay reviews to your website. This will give customers the social proof they need to buy from you.

Make sure you also give your customers an incentive to buy from your store, as opposed to buying your products through Amazon and/or eBay.

Contemporary consumers check prices on platforms before buying a product, always searching for a better deal. Sometimes, motivating them can be as simple as offering a small discount.

Finally, make sure you capture customer information. This way, you’ll be able to up-sell and cross-sell with email marketing later on.

The real advantage of having your own dropshipping store is that you get complete control over what you sell, and how you sell it.

Additionally, running your own store will help you improve your brand awareness, ensuring that, no matter how algorithms change, your business stays steady and profitable.

Dropshipping mysteries? Unveiled.

It’s time to start selling!