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Dropshipping can be quite a profitable venture however most merchants fail within the first month of business. As disheartening as the prospects of losing your hard-earned cash on dropshipping there is a light at the end of the tunnel if you manage the dropshipping business properly. Success in the field depends on how much knowledge you can gather on the changing tides in the market and how you can handle inventory, understand the key challenges and be ready to take them head-on. The first thing you have to put in mind when starting dropshipping is that it takes time to achieve the desired results therefore it is not a get-rich-quick scheme.
Before you embark on dropshipping you have to be armed with knowledge on some of the downsides of dropshipping.
Dropshipping has the allure of low starting cost however most products that you will retail on your online store have low-profit margins. The battle is more than just keeping the overhead costs low but rather ensuring that the margins are sustainable to keep the business afloat.
The low margins are a direct consequence of the fact that you do not own the merchandise and often the prices are set by the supplier to give you very little in the way of margins as you can not raise the price too high to and expect customers. The low margins make it hard to cover your expenses in marketing, site maintenance, office hours, and sales order management.
Success in the industry requires one to maintain margins above 15% and have at least a 2% conversion rate. The challenge however is that most wholesalers, manufacturers, and suppliers' prices will have a discount of less than 20% making it hard to get good margins. There is also a challenge of being undercut by big companies. The mountain is tough when factoring in the fact that low traffic for a new store means that you want to have lower prices to attract more clients.
There are markets and products that work with different markets and niches. You have to be sensitive to the clientele you are targeting. The same product that sells in the US won’t work in a neighboring nation. The demographic demarcations can be very strategic and influence the kind of sales you can make.
Many will encourage you to start dropshipping due to the low capital requirement. The persistence necessary to succeed in dropshipping requires some extra cash to keep you going as you wait for the store to attract more organic traffic to your site and return customers.
There are many platforms where you can sell your products. You have to make a choice between highly competitive platforms like Amazon with many customers or sites with low competition and few customers. A wrong platform can also be a result of choosing the wrong marketing channel to market your products.
Dropshipping does not give you control over the supply chain as with regular stores where you can handle customer problems such as fulfillment speed and return policies. You are at the mercy of the supplier yet customers buy goods directly from you. You are therefore trapped in a vicious cycle of hoping the supplier addresses problems while reassuring your customers that you are in control.
Customer support is one action that can help gain and maintain loyal customers over time. Merchants must realize that dropshipping doesn’t end with products being dispatched. The dropshipping store has to stay connected with customers and reply to their queries to increase customer satisfaction.
Many customers prefer fast delivery. Working with a wholesaler who handles fast delivery can increase your customer as the customers have more confidence in your product. One of the best ways of ensuring you have better delivery times is to ensure you work with a dropship supplier in your target market or have a store in the specified market.
Dropshipping mainly relies on two metrics: conversions and margins. A poor user interface is a nono if you intend to attract new customers. Those who are interested in buying from your store may face a hard time trying to purchase goods from your store. A good product will get watered down by the poor store design.
Dropshipping is like any other business therefore following some good business management principles can take you a long way. You need to study the hurdles and prepare with a solid business strategy to get some headway.
Research! Research and more research is the only way to have a proper understanding of the market. Good research can help you mitigate risks, reduce inventory costs and help you reach the right customer.
A good dropshipping can be a solution to a slew of drop shipping problems to keep you in the game for longer while making healthy profits. Experienced dropship suppliers will have more products and suppliers that more research can yield a lot of goods and suppliers who can help raise your product margins. Compare factors like delivery time, prices, and the reliability of the drop shipper before opting in. There is more product control as the dropshipping platform creates safeguards to keep the merchant safe from rogue suppliers who create delays. There are several apps like Yakkyofy that can help you analyze a good dropship supplier before committing your cash to the venture.
There are many products that are released yearly in varying niches yearly. When deciding on the products you need to sell you have to put in mind the customers you can reach. If you need high-margin goods then consider large, valuable, or other high net goods that can easily make money from. If you opt for a lower margin item then have fast-moving goods that volume of sales make up for the low margins.
How accessible is your store and how much appeal does it have to the customer. Take time to create a store by going through online tutorials which may even reduce your site development costs. Try as much as possible to improve the buying experience.
Getting the right niche and prices is not enough; you have to be able to reach your target customer. Social media is one of the easiest and cheapest methods of targeting your potential customers. Use SEO strategies to help your shop stand out among the competition and attract organic traffic. Make the strategy relentless yet try to keep it as low cost as possible. Integrate good customer support strategies as good marketing techniques to help your target new customers.
Recommend reading：
OBERLO VS ALIDROPSHIP: Which One is Better
How Can You Use Instagram to Promote Your Dropshipping Store?
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