AFFILIATE RESELLER
Q) What is drop shipping?
A) Drop shipping is a fulfillment model that allows you to buy products individually from a wholesaler and ships them directly to your customers. Instead of purchasing a large amount of inventory, you simply partner with a drop shipping supplier and list their merchandise for sale on your website.
Then, once you receive an order, you simply forward it to the supplier for fulfillment. The supplier will ship the products directly from their warehouse to your customer. You will be charged only for the price of the shipped items.
Q) Is drop shipping a profitable business model?
A) Like all businesses, success and profitability rely on a number of variables. But when done correctly, it’s possible to create highly profitable online businesses with drop shipping.
Drop shipping isn’t a magic formula. Real success takes significant work and time. It’s a viable online business model with very low risk. Drop shipping is the model to start your online store and it allows you to sell wider range products to improve your business.
Q) How much can I make with drop shipping?
A) Again, like all businesses, profits and success range widely based on a number of factors – most notably, the commitment and dedication of the business owner and the niche selected.
But with a long-term commitment, hard work and the right approach, it’s possible to create a drop shipping business that provides a six-figure income.
A business of this scale will take time to build – likely years – but it’s definitely possible. And once a drop shipping business is up-and-running, it’s fairly straightforward to automate and/or outsource most of the day-to-day aspects of the business.
Q) What kind of profit margins can I expect with drop shipping?
Profit margins will vary greatly depending on the products you sell. For expensive electronics, margins are thin and will likely be in the 5% to 10% range. But for low-priced accessories, margins will often be in the 100% range.
Your margins will also depend heavily on your ability to offer value to your customers, which allows you to charge a premium price over your competitors.
Q) Where do people sell drop shipped products?
People sell drop-shipped products just about everywhere. Sales can be conducted on any eCommerce sites, Facebook, Forum or any 3rd party websites… etc.
Example: even the big boys utilize drop shipping to expand their product catalogs and offerings. It’s likely that large companies like Sears and Home Depot utilize the drop shipping model for some of their less popular items.
This allows them to offer a broad selection while limiting the inventory they have to maintain.
While it’s possible to sell drop shipped items in a number of ways, creating your own eCommerce site offers the best chance of building a profitable and successful drop shipping business in the long run.
Steps of Drop Shipping
BENEFITS OF DROP SHIPPING
Lower Capital Requirement
With drop shipping, you don’t need to invest thousands of dollars in inventory. Instead, you only purchase a product when you have an existing order to fill.
Reduced Risk
Without thousands invested in inventory, the risk involved with starting an online store is dramatically reduced. If things don’t work out, you aren’t stuck with thousands in inventory you have to sell at a loss.
Wider Product Selection
When you don’t have to pre-purchase all the items you sell, you can offer a significantly larger number of products to your customers.
Location Independence
Because you don’t have to worry about fulfillment or running a warehouse, it’s possible to run a drop shipping business from anywhere with a laptop and an internet connection.