As the world continues at its breakneck pace, it’s normal to wonder if things that used to work still do.
This is also the case in the business world.
As a result, many wonder about the stability and viability of dropshipping currently.
So, is dropshipping dead? Still, generating income? Keep reading so you know everything you need.
Table of Contents
- Why do people think dropshipping is dead?
- Is dropshipping dead?
- What has changed in dropshipping?
- It’s dropshipping a lucrative business?
- In a saturated market of dropshippers, it’s still a margin for profits?
- What are the PROS and CONS of dropshipping?
- How to prevent my dropshipping business from dead??
- What is the best platform to set up a dropshipping store?
- It’s dropshipping still worth it ?
- What are the biggest challenges dropshippers face?
- 5 stores that prove that dropshipping is not dead.
- What is the future of dropshipping?
Why do people think dropshipping is dead?
There are a few reasons why people might think dropshipping is dead.
One reason is that the market is becoming saturated.
With more and more people becoming aware of dropshipping as a business model, more people are trying to start their dropshipping businesses.
Unfortunately, this means that the competition is getting stiffer, and it’s becoming harder to stand out from the crowd.
Another reason is that the landscape of dropshipping suppliers has changed.
In the early days of dropshipping, there were very few suppliers, and they were all based in China.
Now there are more and more suppliers from all over the world, and many of them are not from China.
This has made it easier to find quality suppliers, but it has also made it easier for scammers to set up fake supplier websites and take people’s money.
The last reason is that social media platforms, like Facebook, have changed their algorithms and are now favoring native content over links to external websites.
This means that if you want to drive traffic to your store from social media, you must create quality content that people will want to share.
Despite all of these changes, dropshipping is still a viable business model, and plenty of people make good money from it.
Is dropshipping dead?
The short answer is no, dropshipping is not dead and multiple people still generate significant income from it today. It’s still alive and well and growing every day. This is easily verifiable by the number of new Shopify stores being created every day, many of which are dropshipping stores.
In fact, according to a Dropshipping Market Research Report, by 2020, the global value of the dropshipping market was estimated at around 128 billion dollars, and annual growth of 32% was expected until 2026
Reasons to trust
The dropshipping model has been around for a while now, and it’s not dead as many say.
On the contrary, it’s currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity, thanks to the rise of eCommerce platforms like Shopify that make it easier to start an online store.
One of the biggest reasons why dropshipping is still going strong is because it’s an extremely flexible business model.
You can sell just about anything, and there are very few overhead costs.
Another reason why dropshipping is doing well is that it’s a great way to make money on the side.
If you already have a full-time job, you can easily set up a dropshipping business and make some extra income.
So, if you’re wondering whether or not dropshipping is still a viable business model, the answer is a resounding yes!
It’s still a great way to make money, and there are plenty of opportunities for those willing to put in the work.
But just as it is undeniable that the business is alive, it is also true that it has changed.
In this YouTube video, Jordan Welch reinforces what we have told you so far with exciting evidence. Check it out!
The days of setting up a store with a few products and making sales without doing any marketing are long gone.
These days, unless you’re willing to invest time and money into marketing your store, you will not make many sales.
This doesn’t mean that dropshipping is no longer a viable business model; it just means that the landscape has changed, and you need to be aware of this if you want to succeed.
What has changed in dropshipping?
The business model is still the same:
You find a supplier willing to ship products directly to your customers, but a few key changes have taken place.
The first change is that the internet has made it easier to find suppliers and list their products for sale online.
In addition, there are now numerous dropshipping directories and marketplaces where you can find suppliers, compare prices, and read reviews from other users.
Another change is that dropshippers have become more sophisticated in their marketing efforts.
In the past, many dropshippers simply relied on word-of-mouth marketing to promote their businesses.
Today, however, several different online marketing channels can be used to reach potential customers, such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
Finally, the rise of eCommerce has made it easier for dropshippers to start and grow their businesses.
With an eCommerce platform like Shopify, you can set up a professional-looking online store in just a few minutes.
Plus, many apps and plugins make it easy to add Dropshipping functionality to your store.
It’s dropshipping a lucrative business?
It’s lucrative because it’s a low-cost way to successfully start and run an online business.
Jonas Maier speaks frankly to us and expresses his point of view on the profitability of this business model currently. We recommend you watch this video.
Dropshipping allows you to sell products without carrying any inventory, so you don’t have to invest heavily in product development or order fulfillment.
This makes it possible to start an online business with limited up-front capital investment.
Another reason dropshipping can be lucrative is that it’s a business model with relatively low operating costs.
Once you have set up your store and integrated your dropshipping supplier, there are only a few ongoing costs associated with running your business. These include the cost of your domain name and hosting and any fees charged by your payment processor.
Suppose you are interested in learning more about the potential income that a dropshipping business can achieve in the actuality.
In that case, we recommend you look at a previous article we prepared on this topic.
In a saturated market of dropshippers, it’s still a margin for profits?
Absolutely! The dropshipping model is one of the most profitable online businesses today.
Despite the saturation of dropshippers in the market, there is still a lot of room for profit.
This is because the dropshipping model is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to run an online business.
Dropshippers enjoy low overhead costs, access to a global market, and the ability to scale their business quickly and easily.
What are the PROS and CONS of dropshipping?
So far, we have provided valuable information about the dropshipping business.
However, now that you can continue forming your own opinion, we offer you some pros and cons.
Pros:
1. Low Start-Up Costs: Dropshipping is a great option for those with limited start-up capital, as it requires very little money to get started.
2. Easy to Set Up and Run: You can easily set up a dropshipping business quickly and without any prior experience.
3. No Inventory Required: One of the biggest advantages of dropshipping is that you don’t need to carry any inventory yourself. This means no storage costs or risk of products becoming outdated or unsellable.
4. Increased Flexibility: Dropshipping allows you to run your business from anywhere in the world, as you only need an internet connection.
5. Scalability: Dropshipping businesses are easy to scale as you can add more products to your store as your sales increase.
Cons:
1. Low Margins: The biggest downside of dropshipping is that margins are often quite low, which makes it difficult to be profitable.
2. Lack of Control: When you’re dropshipping, you don’t have much control over the quality of the products you’re selling or the shipping times. This can lead to negative customer experiences and bad reviews.
3. Highly Competitive Market: The dropshipping market is very competitive, and it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd.
4. Dependent on Suppliers: Your business is only as good as your suppliers, so it’s important to carefully vet anyone you’re thinking of working with.
5. Requires Constant Promotion: Dropshipping businesses need to be constantly promoted through marketing and advertising to be successful.
How to prevent my dropshipping business from dead??
With everything you have learned so far, we trust that you are convinced that the death of dropshipping is far from happening.
The Ecom King explains how to approach the dropshipping business correctly and with up-to-date methods.
Now, we present some tips so that YOUR dropshipping store stays and is also very successful.
1. Do your research – Before starting a dropshipping business, it’s important to research and understand the industry. This includes understanding the different types of dropshipping businesses, the risks involved, and the potential profits you can make.
2. Find a niche – It’s easier to dropshipping successfully if you choose a niche market to focus on. This allows you to become an expert in that area, making it easier to market and sell to customers.
3. Choose the right platform – You can use different dropshipping platforms, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Amazon. Each platform has its advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose the right one for your business.
4. Find a supplier – One of the most important aspects of starting a dropshipping business is finding a reliable supplier. This supplier will be responsible for shipping products directly to your customers, so it’s important to find one you can trust.
5. Promote your business – Once you have everything set up, it’s time to start promoting your business. This can be done through various marketing channels, such as social media, search engine optimization, and pay-per-click advertising.
By following these tips, you’ll increase your chances of success in dropshipping. However, it’s important to remember that there is no guarantee of success and that you will need to work to make your business successful.
What is the best platform to set up a dropshipping store?
You can use a few different platforms to set up your dropshipping store, but the most popular ones are Shopify and WooCommerce.
Shopify is a turnkey eCommerce platform that allows you to set up an online store quickly and easily.
It’s perfect for those who don’t have much experience with web development or coding.
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that turns your WordPress website into an eCommerce store.
It’s more flexible than Shopify but requires more technical knowledge to set up and run.
Both Shopify and WooCommerce have pros and cons, so choosing the right one for your business is essential.
However, if you’re unsure which platform to use, we recommend starting with Shopify.
The best of Shopify is that it integrates with many apps (called Shopify apps) that can help you automate different aspects of your business, from marketing to order fulfillment.
It’s dropshipping still worth it ?
Dropshipping is still worth it because it is a low-risk and low-cost way to start an online business.
There are no upfront costs for inventory or product development so anyone can start a dropshipping business with very little investment.
Additionally, dropshipping companies are easy to scale since all you need to do is add more products to your store and market them to reach a wider audience.
With the vast majority of shopping moving online, there’s never been a better time to start a dropshipping business.
What are the biggest challenges dropshippers face?
The biggest challenges dropshippers face are finding reliable suppliers, getting traffic to their stores, and generating sales.
Finding a reliable supplier is important because they will be responsible for shipping products directly to your customers.
If they are unreliable, they will reflect poorly on your business.
Getting traffic to your store can be difficult because there is a lot of competition online.
Therefore, you must use marketing and advertising strategies to get people to visit your store.
Generating sales is challenging because you need to convince people to buy your products.
Then, you can offer competitive prices, good customer service, and unique products.
5 stores that prove that dropshipping is not dead.
As we have told you throughout this article, the dropshipping business is not dead.
There are wonderful businesses that exemplify it with their existence; here we list some of them for you to learn and analyze their successful ways of doing:
1. Inspire Uplift: Inspire Uplift is an excellent Dropshipping store that has been in business for a significant amount of time. They have recently switched from Shopify to Magento, but they are still a great example of a successful dropshipping store! Plus, they receive traffic consistently each month.
2. Meowingtons: They specialize in anything related to cats, with all products sourced from AliExpress, which primarily appeals to cat-aholics. Even though it seems like they have a small area of influence, they attract thousands of visitors per day and have 557k Instagram followers and 1.3 million likes on Facebook! Meowingtons’ success primarily comes from its effective branding strategy.
3. District of Clothing: District of Clothing is a print-on-demand business founded in 2014 by Dionna Dorsey, who was inspired by the creative community around her at Dionna Dorsey Design. She decided to spread positivity further by selling apparel with inspiring messages printed on them using Printful. District of Clothing was originally just a side project that Dionna spent an hour or two on each day. Yet in 2016, this hobby turned into a money-maker, bringing in an extra $29,000. The key to District of Clothing’s success is its meaningful messages, updated product designs, and viral marketing campaigns using influencers and story-telling.
4. Odittymall: has found success in the Weird Gifts niche by offering something original and different from the traditional gifts that people are used to giving. Their website consists only of affiliate links, which means they don’t actually sell any products on their site but simply advertise it for companies that do.
5. Until Gone: The store bases its whole approach on the psychology of FOMO. Everything in this store is geared towards making the customer feel like this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to grab something special, encouraging them towards an impulse decision.
What is the future of dropshipping?
The future of dropshipping is looking very promising for the following reasons:
Ecommerce has been increasingly adopted worldwide, with more people buying online instead of in brick-and-mortar stores.
Not only that, but merchants have become more willing to work with dropshippers as they understand the concept and its advantages.
Online payments have also become more accessible than ever, which helps remove any friction in purchases.
Additionally, dropshipping can help support paid marketing campaigns by providing a cost-effective way to drive traffic and conversions.