7 Mistakes to Avoid With Dropshipping
Starting your own dropshipping business can go really well or really…. Not well. It really just depends on how much you put in before you launch your business. Who are you learning from? Are you doing enough research? Is your product win-worthy?
Overall, it’s more than just picking a product, picking a supplier and then launching your store. There are plenty of mistakes that could be made along the way. Running a course and consistently offering support to over 1,000 students, I’ve seen every mistake that could possibly be made.
Mistakes are made to be learned from, friends! That’s why I wanted to make this list of the most common missteps that I’ve seen as people launch and run their own dropshipping business, so you can surely avoid them!
Rushing into choosing a product - I totally understand that excitement and eagerness to get started and get that ball rolling. It’s thrilling and normal to become impatient! However, this is a step that is crucial to take your time on. If you rush into finding a product, you’ll likely run into multiple bumps in the road along the way, and then eventually run into a complete stop. Read my blog post on the top 10 niches for dropshipping in 2023 to learn more!
Choosing a niche that is oversaturated - Winning in the dropshipping industry is all about being a unique brand. When your niche is too saturated and your product is everywhere, it’s way more difficult to catch people’s attention to get them on your site. Do your research and ensure that your product is a happy medium between trending and oversaturated.
Poor website/ad design - If you’re not the artsiest person, it may be helpful to hire someone with experience. You can find graphic designers through Fiver or Upwork to create your webpage and/or ads. Your ads are going to be your main point of sales. People need to be drawn to your ads and they need to look trustworthy and appealing. When they click on your site, they need to be wowed by what they see. It should have an aesthetic appeal that connects to your target audience.
Not testing your products yourself - ALWAYS purchase your product before creating your site, filing your LLC, and moving forward with your choice. I have seen far too many people jump the gun and move forward with their product choice only to receive their product from their chosen supplier and be disappointed as ever. The only thing more defeating than receiving a product that doesn’t meet your expectations is having to completely start over on all of the work you put in. Again, patience is so important in the beginning stages of dropshipping!
Moving forward with an unreliable supplier - Especially if you’re going through AliExpress or other intentional websites, you can sometimes run into suppliers that are a bit, well, sketchy. Make sure that the supplier you’re moving forward with can easily communicate and answers your questions when necessary. Truthfully, they are the backbone of your company and you HAVE to be able to rely on them.
Having unrealistic expectations - Yes, it’s true that dropshipping is a really easy business model to run. HOWEVER, that easiness starts to take place after work is put in. Dropshipping truly does require that hard work to be put in upfront. It’s not something you can just half-a** and hope for the best. Researching, setting up, and getting your systems in place is extremely essential to that smooth-sailing stage. You’ll get there, you just need to trust the process!
Not having support - As with any business, you are very likely to have questions or concerns along the way of starting up. Having a community where you can ask questions and get support is essential and makes the process so much easier. There are multiple courses and/or Facebook groups that you can join to find yourself a community of others in your same shoes. If you don’t know where to look, check out my dropshipping course with over 1,000 students who support and help one another each and every day!
Overall, don’t be afraid of running into bumps in the road, but do be aware of these mistakes that everyone should avoid to have the smoothest start to their new business!
In conclusion, dropshipping can be a lucrative and rewarding business, but it requires careful planning and execution. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can increase your chances of success and build a profitable business.
Want to learn more about dropshipping? Check out my Free Dropshipping Masterclass!