Dropshipping is a reasonably new concept, but it is revolutionizing the way we go about delivering goods to customers. It effectively cuts out the middle man and allows you to buy directly from the manufacturer or wholesaler and deliver straight to the end customer – without having to own or store the products yourself. If you have started using this e-commerce method and want to become a better dropshipper and build your own E-commerce, then you have come to the right place. Read on for our top five tips on how to get better at dropshipping today.
1. Consistency is Key
Much like any other aspect of a business, consistency can make or break your brand. Many online marketers agree that not failing to maintain it is the best way to fail at dropshipping from the outset, including these ones, says Cloud Ways. Listing new products on a daily basis will open you up to a whole range of consumers who will regularly browse your wares. Consider online shopping site Wish, as they're doing a great job with updating their products.
Your customer also expects quick replies from you and strong communication. Ignoring your audience is a sure-fire way to lose it in the future. Clients want complete transparency in an online world. Make sure you set up a direct communication through your web page where any worried client can get in touch, and you can reassure them. Customer contact is also a great way to boost your good reviews and get you climbing the local SEO listings.
2. Choose a Niche
Dropshipping is easier when you choose a niche. Finding a niche market means targeting your E-commerce business at an area of the market that has not got a lot of, or any, coverage. Operating in this manner means that you have a smaller potential client base, but it also means that there is less competition. If a mainstream business doesn't supply your products, there is a whole lot more chance that you will be able to sell them. You can pick multiple niches to help redefine your dropshipping business and make a reputation for yourself.
An excellent example of dropshipping within a niche market is that of a person who sells sporting goods through their online business. While most brands will cover the most popular sports like rugby, football, golf, basketball, or hockey, they might not supply sporting equipment for ice skaters, snowkiting or sledding. By the way, hobbies and equipment for them can be a great niche to take off with the business.
3. Use ePacket Shipping
When choosing your shipping methods – choose wisely. Dropshipping isn't worth the money it saves if you pay through the nose for reliable delivery. Epacket Shipping is an excellent way of supporting your online business without breaking the bank in terms of shipping costs. Entrepreneurship depends upon a system that establishes you as a brand to be trusted, and ePacket shipping and delivery will help you do this.
Epacket allows for international shipping, very quickly and without the cost of using the postal service. In the 'old days' goods from or to China and the Eastern countries had to be carried by sea and could take more than eight weeks. Today, ePacket tracking records deliveries on average of 30 days after posting. Not only does it make the process faster but it also makes for far less missing, damaged or lost packages all around. You can read more about ePacket shipping and delivery here, courtesy of Oberlo.
4. Don't Be Afraid of Suppliers
A poorly kept secret of supply and demand is that there is always, always, always another supplier. If one lets you down, replace them. Do not mess your customers around by using the cheapest supplier. Cheaper doesn't always mean better – and not just in terms of quality produce. Your online business depends on useful items received in a timely fashion. Dropshipping while using bad suppliers will see you lose customers faster than you can deliver to them.
What constitutes an inferior supplier? If they are often late with deliveries, wrong times, dates or prices, or frequently forget to inform you when things go wrong. Any supplier worth their salt will bend over backward to keep your business – so complain! Moan! Tell them it's not good enough! Don't be afraid of suppliers, just replace them and get back to business. Don't let anyone take advantage of you - all business is cutthroat, even online ones.
5. Refine Your Product Range
As well as choosing from reliable suppliers, a careful choice of the product line can earn you more customers regularly. How? It would be best if you found a balance between selling products that are in fashion and trendy, and selling items which are easy to ship. The bulkier an item, or the more oddly shaped, the more it is going to cost you in shipping. Likewise, if it is fragile or delicate, you could find yourself losing money on replacements.
Selling the most popular products is a good strategy provided you work the numbers correctly. It would help if you pinpointed when the market starts to curve off when selling the most trendy items so that you aren't left listing wares that nobody wants anymore. For further tips on how to predict the changes in your niche market see this article from Investopedia.
So, what are you waiting for?
You now have all the ammunition you need to dropship with a difference. Get out there and enjoy your entrepreneurship, we will be rooting for you!