At Dropified Customer Support we get asked a lot of questions that have to do with the following ideas that are Dropshipping myths.
Let’s see if I can dispel some of those dropshipping myths and help you make the decision ‘is Dropshipping for you?’
1. Isn’t Dropshipping a bit shady and illegal. A lot of sites seem to discourage Dropshipping?
First of all Dropshipping is NOT illegal! It is a common business practice that has been around for as long as wholesalers have been selling their goods through middle men. You can trace the modern practice back to the 1950s.
The word “drop shipping” itself is quite new. The idea has always been basic. First a warehousing distributor, wholesaler or manufacturer is willing to ship individual orders directly to the end-user. Then an entrepreneurial individual (another recent term) jumps in and sells the product directly to the consumer.
Remember the mail order companies and the door to door salesman who would have your order shipped directly to you? Yep, dropshippers.
Then came the internet and for some reason, people automatically think this must be shady. That is not to say there have been more than a few shady individuals trying to dropship and get rich quick. But that is true in every genre or industry.
When a site says they don’t do dropshipping they are really discouraging this practice because they want the business directly. They want to control the purchase and customer info. That is understood but, once you buy the product from a site like Amazon or eBay, the seller really doesn’t have the authority to tell you what you do with the product.
In truth, when you dropship their products they are getting a sale and generally are happy about this.
2. Dropshipping really can’t work because people will find the product and buy it directly from the site you are selling from?
So there is some truth to this if the customer is as good as you are for finding products. But this is rarely the case.
Essentially what we are doing is no different than a product being sold at Walmart cheaper than at Sears. It is the same product but a different location.
If the client wants to take the time to search out your product on other sites then they will likely find a less expensive alternative. The fact of the matter is that many, if not most, customers don't take time to do that. They are responding to your site and or advertising. This is why so many are so successful at dropshipping.
Consider your business as a service to the customer. You are sourcing these products and helping them find what they need. You are then passing this product on to them at a marked up price to cover the cost of the service you are providing.
3. Dropshipping should be super easy since your software seems to do it all? We should be able to get rich really quick!
This is more common than you think. Because much of the process can be automated then what do dropshippers do all day? I get potential users coming into our chat say things like “how can I get rich.”
Or more commonly from a current user, “I am not making money, I thought you guys would guarantee success.”
Though Dropified does automate much of the process for you this will still require you to be the salesman at the doorstep we talked about. You will still have to find ways to get your products out there.
You will have to choose the right products at the right prices. You will need to find ways to drive traffic to your store and speak to your customers in a way that will close this deal. There is no app that can replace a good salesperson and Dropified will help, but won’t replace this essential skill.
The most successful dropshippers work hard to get out there and find buyers. They often have to manage teams of staff when they grow and scale their business. They still have to deal with returns and customer satisfaction. They have to have good websites and be creative in Social Media.
Just posting some product on a storefront will just not be enough to run a successful dropshipping business. Like any worthy endeavor, this will take some work.
