Start A Dropshipping Reseller - Business Ideas
Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.
Drop shipping is a retail fulfilment method in which the retailer does not keep goods in stock but instead transfers customer orders and shipment details to either the manufacturer, another retailer, or a wholesaler, who then ships the goods directly to the customer.
Drop shipping doesn't require much investment and it has a low risk because it doesn't require upfront costs. Besides, dropshipping can be a profitable business model for merchants since they do not pay for shipping or cost of product manufacturing.
To start the business follow these steps:
- Choose a niche
- Perform competition research
- Find a reputable manufacturer/supplier
- Build an online store
- Market your store
- Analyze and improve your offering
If you do not want to create a dropshipping business from scratch, you can find a dropshipping business for sale on exchange marketplace.
Starting a dropshipping reseller requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.
If you're interested in how to sell drop shipping, or selling drop shipping online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.
Key Stats
Startup Costs
Min Startup Costs | Max Startup Costs | |
---|---|---|
Office Space Expenses |
$0 |
$7,000 |
Inventory Expenses |
$350 |
$14,750 |
Software Expenses |
$150 |
$2,794 |
Website Costs |
$13 |
$215 |
Advertising & Marketing Costs |
$0 |
$2,450 |
Total Startup Costs |
$513 |
$27,209 |
Case Studies
Successful Businesses
Business | URL | Rank | |
---|---|---|---|
|
Oberlo |
oberlo.in |
18,385 |
|
E-commerce Mentoring |
e-commercementoring.com |
24,025 |
|
DROPIFY |
dropify.ph |
183,412 |
|
Start Dropshipping with EU and US suppliers |
apidrop.com |
210,009 |
|
The Kewl Shop |
thekewlshop.com |
235,170 |
|
SellPire – Best Wholesale Vendors and Dropshipping Suppliers Directory |
sellpire.com |
1,278,399 |
|
St Louis Wholesale |
stlouiswholesale.com |
1,458,542 |
|
Temples and Markets |
templesandmarkets.com.au |
2,148,907 |
|
BioTeq Labs |
bioteqlabs.com |
2,941,831 |
|
ECOVS |
ecovs.com |
4,152,784 |
|
Dropship Plug |
dropshipplug.com |
4,490,138 |
Pros & Cons
Pros | Description |
---|---|
Flexibility |
You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own. |
Ability to start your business from home |
It's not necessary to have a physical storefront or office space to get your business started. You can do everything from the comfort of your own home, at least in the beginning! |
Little startup costs required |
The cost to start a dropshipping reseller costs significantly less money than most businesses, ranging anywhere from 12 to 27,209. |
Rewarding work |
Starting a dropshipping reseller can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about. |
Scalable |
With businesses and processes changing daily, there will always be demand for new features, products and services for your business. Additionally, there are several different business models and pricing tiers you can implement that will allow you to reach all types of customers. |
Traffic to your website |
A dropshipping reseller gives people a reason to visit your website and to keep coming back to you! |
Cons | Description |
---|---|
Crowded Space |
Competition is high when it comes to your dropshipping reseller, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies. |
Finding The Right Supplier |
Most businesses in this space go the supplier/manufacturer route, which isn't a bad thing! However, finding the right supplier can take a lot of time, energy and trial/error. If done properly, this process can save you months (if not years) of time and energy. More on this below in the "finding a supplier" section. |
Security Issues |
With any Saas business, data loss and security issues may arise throughout your process of building your product. It's critical that you understand exactly what you're responsible for and how to avoid potential issues down the road. |
Lack of benefits |
With a dropshipping reseller, you are typically self-employed and responsible for finding your own insurance, which can be quite costly and time-consuming. |
Isolation |
Often times, as a dropshipping reseller, you typically work alone and do not have much face-to-face interaction with other team members. |
Taxes |
As a dropshipping reseller, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it. |
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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