The Dropshipping Mistakes That You Want to Avoid

Internet gurus and social media personalities will have you believing that dropshipping is the easiest game in the business. All you need is a website and products, then you can make money. Except, it’s not that simple. Just like any business, it’s easy to make mistakes when starting a dropshipping websites. You might choose the wrong products or set your expectations too high.

Whether you’re a newbie to the world of dropshipping or a seasoned pro, these are the mistakes you might be making and the ones that you want to avoid. At Doba, our goal is to make dropshipping easier by providing you with high-quality suppliers and products to build your brand and website. With almost two decades of experience, Doba is the industry leader for high-quality dropshipping products.

We’re sharing the mistakes that you want to avoid making if you want to start or grow a successful dropshipping website. Growing a business is a learning experience that takes time, effort, and patience. This guide gives you the mistakes that almost everyone makes and how to avoid them.

1.       Setting unrealistic expectations

There’s a common misconception that dropshipping is a ‘get rich quick’ scheme. It’s not usual to see videos of dropshipping websites selling thousands of dollars of products every week, but that short viral video isn’t telling you the whole story.

Setting unrealistic expectations is the biggest mistake you can make for any business. It’s one reason why only 10-20% of dropshipping websites are successful. If you’re expecting to make money from day one, then dropshipping isn’t for you.

You’ll need to build a strategy, create a plan, and grow your business to start making money. In the beginning, you’ll also need to be prepared to re-invest that money back into your business with Facebook ads, social media content, and scaling your online presence.

Dropshipping is a long game – but it is one that can become a lucrative side hustle or a full-time business. You want to go into the industry with your eyes wide open and avoid setting yourself up for failure with unrealistic expectations.

2.      Not researching your product

It’s easy to scroll through a page of dropshipping suppliers and choose five or six products that you want to stock. Just because you think they’ll sell, doesn’t mean that they’re guaranteed to fly off the shelves. You want to do research for every product that you’re thinking of stocking.

Your research should focus on how popular the product is and whether there is a demand for it. Don’t forget to look into the profit margin. Would it be worth it to stock this product on your dropshipping website? You also want to research the competition within your niche to see how they’re pricing their products and how you can make your dropshipping website different.

Researching your competition doesn’t mean copying and pasting their entire website and branding. You want to be as original and unique as possible. No dropshipping business is successful without a unique selling point (USP) and you’ll need to find yours before you launch your e-commerce store.

3.      Not engaging with customer feedback

While you’re not manufacturing or shipping the product you sell, you are providing customer service for your website. You might think that a lost order isn’t your problem but your supplier’s. This mentality is one reason why dropshipping websites fail.

Your customer service is what will make or break your dropshipping business and either leave customers feeling like they’ve been scammed or been given a first-class service. Take the time to engage with messages on your social media platforms, including any questions about products. Always respond to feedback, both good and bad. If a customer has a problem, you want to reach out to your supplier and do everything you can to resolve it.

Just like any business, your customers should be your number one priority.

4.     Not investing in your website

It takes less than half a second for a visitor to form their first impression on your website. You want to invest your time and money in a professional-looking website that catches your visitor’s attention and stops them from moving onto the next website. Developing a high-quality website is a long-term investment into your business and can set you apart from the competition.

Your website should also incorporate your branding and be tailored towards your niche and target demographic. It’s a good idea to sit down and develop a marketing plan and strategy before you start building your website. You want to approach your website with a clear vision and story to tell your audience.

5.      Not planning for major shopping events

Retail isn’t an easy business. Everyone is working at least three months in advance. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the festive season from Black Friday to Christmas, but there are countless events and holidays throughout the year.

Prepare to plan. Prepare to fail. It’s as simple as that. You want to plan out your products and marketing strategy so that you’re always ahead of the game. Which holidays tie into your dropshipping website? If you sell beauty products, you want to be planning for Mothers’ Day, Easter, graduation season, prom season, and wedding season.

Getting ahead of the game and planning for major shopping events and seasons means that you can develop a proper strategy. Leaving it all to the last minute means that you might not get the products you want or be left rushing your social media content to try and get it out on time.  One of the worst mistakes that you can make is not maximizing the holidays, events, and celebrations that can boost your sales.

Now you know what mistakes to avoid, it’s time to get started on your dropshipping website. At Doba, we’re here to help you launch and scale your dropshipping business by making it easy to find high-quality suppliers and products. Our platform offers integration with all the top marketplaces and e-commerce platforms, allowing you to instantly sync orders and add products. Are you ready to kickstart your dropshipping business? You can find out more about Doba here.

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