The boom of the digital age has indeed changed the world of business. According to a report by Internet Retailer, US e-commerce grew 15% in 2018, or online sales reached USD 517.36 billion USD which was USD 449.88 billion in 2017. As a popular addition to online business strategies, drop shipping is making a buzz. The concept takes much workload off an entrepreneur’s plate, like the handling and shipping, thus allowing one to focus on more essential matters, especially if one is a startup. Aside from that, financial risk is well-mitigated as there is no need to shell out for the bulk of the capital to launch the business.
If you’ve already made up your mind that you’d want to venture on the drop shipping business, then below are some of the critical things that you need to know and prepare before knowing the Shopify ideas.
1. A Reliable Product Finder
For someone new in the business, finding the right product to sell can be an intimidating and daunting task. There’s just a lot of niches to choose from, of which there are thousands of goods for you to sell. Choosing the right product is a significant factor for your success.
Fortunately, gone are the days wherein the only basis in choosing a product to sell is that it is what you want to sell. Tools that can provide you with trend statistics are now available.
These are among the tools that you may utilize to check if the product you’re eyeing is the right one. You may use one or a combination thereof:
a)- Google Trends
The tool would show you how specific keywords faired. On your end, you think of the possible keywords for your product then check if there are a good number of people utilizing the keywords you’ve come up with on their searches.
b)- Salehoo Market Research Lab
This analyzes data pulled from two e-commerce giants, Amazon and eBay. Whether you have a market for your product will be shown on the statistics the Lab will provide you. It then eliminates your guessing game.
c)- Aliexpress
This is the China-based retailer that is using the online platform. The items labeled as “hot products” on their site are the ones that most of the visitors’ purchase.
These three are examples of reliable product finders as these platforms give you an objective and real-time view of what’s trending. For further insights on e-commerce, you may check on Journal Review.
2. An Easy to Navigate Drop Shipping Aide
Starting your drop shipping business on Shopify is made more accessible by some partner apps that will eradicate setting up your store manually, like the uploading of product images.
These are some of those applications that can serve as your aide:
a)- Oberlo
You link this to your Shopify store. It enables you to find suppliers and then import the images of those products you have chosen for your Shopify account. Once a customer places an order, you can order through this app and then the supplier will ship the item directly to your customer.
b)- Dropified
With their brand promise that they are continually working in the background whenever a customer orders from your store, you can order your products that will be shipped directly to the customer and then Dropified will track the order for you.
There are others that offer similar services mentioned, which you can check out for yourself.
3. The Social Media Platform of Your Target Market
Since most of the time-consuming tasks are done by a third-party, you have ample time for your marketing strategy. Depending on where your target market lurks, you can choose to run your ads on Facebook, Google, Instagram, and other social media platforms. Once you have identified which one to use, you may want to deepen your understanding of how ads are run effectively on that platform. Many tutorials and courses are available online. If the task is too overwhelming for you, then you may also find someone to do this effectively and efficiently for you.
Trending Products
With the foundations of your drop shipping business briefly covered, here are some of the trending products you can choose from that may give you a higher chance of profitability. In no particular order, the list is based on the top items of leading e-commerce websites such as Amazon, eBay, and Aliexpress. The count of positive ratings of these items is between 10 to 20,000 left by consumers.
1. USB Chargers
Most of the people around the world own a smartphone that requires a USB charger. A charger is one of those accessories that are so delicate; in no time it would just quit working without any way of a do-it-yourself or DIY fix, so the owner is forced to buy a replacement. The projected sales by 2025 for USB chargers are at 37.89 billion USD. If you’d want a percentage of that, then you may want to add this on your inventory.
2. Fitness Wearables
Most millennials are gearing towards being health conscious. This generation is also one who’s known for being tech-savvy. They want something comfortable to carry and can be integrated into their gadgets. Fitbit and Garmin are the famous brands of fitness trackers. With a market that has the purchasing power, demand on fitness trackers has not seen its dip yet. As per the report by CCS Insight, the estimated sales of wearable by 2022 will be USD 29 billion with 243 million units sales.
3. Organic Tea
A Shopify store owner who opted to sell matcha tea in 2015 reached USD 922.16 in revenue within only three days since their store had been launched. The organic tea business is forecasted to reach 295.1 million USD by 2021. There’s still time for you to think if you’d like to start with organic tea as your product.
4. Baby Carriers
The estimated birth rate in the US every year according to the National Center for Health Statistics is 3,855,500. With such an addition to the number of babies in the country each year, in a matter of 7 to 8 months, around the same number of parents would purchase baby carriers. Aside from the demand, this option may give you a higher profit compared to other products as parents would invest in quality carriers. With this, they would set aside a reasonable budget.
5. Bluetooth Speakers
Young or old, many are drawn to good music, and they would like to listen to it on speakers with high-quality audio. The demand for Bluetooth speakers is relative to the rise of music apps available on easy to carry gadgets like tablets and mobile phones. The comfort that it brings has left the wired ones way behind. The owner can use the device while roaming around listening to the song playing on the speaker.
6. Security Cameras
With people’s growing consciousness on security, the demand for security cameras has risen. The ease of reviewing recorded footage directly from a mobile device contributes to its popularity. For a lot of people, with a security camera installed within their premises is a practical thing to do as it warns and protects them from unprecedented harm. This market is forecasted to grow up to 47.5 billion USD by 2020.
7. Facial Mask
Anyone would go through some lengths in preserving the vibrancy of one’s face. Facial masks, being a product that’s not reusable, is guaranteed to induce repeat buying. Priced at an average of 36 USD with a low competition according to Salehoo, this is one of the best options for someone looking at the beauty care niche.
8. Ukulele
If you’re a music enthusiast who has a particular interest in stringed instruments, then Ukulele may be the right product for you to showcase on your store. If you go to social media sites, now and then you’d see someone playing Ukulele that entices others to learn to play the instrument. Fender’s Chief Executive Andy Mooney mentioned that they sold 1.5 million units in the United States, according to a report from the Evening Standard.
9. Sunglasses
Nowadays, many people would wear sunglasses not only to neutralize the glare of the sun but as part of their fashion statement. Anywhere and at any time, so long as one can pull it off with the outfit, a pair of sunglasses may be an add-on.
10. Massager
The fast-paced life may not afford an individual to go to a spa to get a massage. A handy massager is an excellent product as it can be used whether one is in the office or somewhere else waiting. The market for this product is looking at an expected growth of 6% per year until 2021.
11. Bluetooth headphones
People opted to bid goodbye to those dangling wires on their headphones. Headphones are worn when they jog or do some exercise in the gym. With its Bluetooth connectivity, headphones can easily be connected to a mobile device that’s placed a few steps away from the person while doing some activity. As per the report by Global Market Insights the market is expected to grow and even exceed 25 billion USD by 2025.
12. Smoothie Blender
The love for that easily ingested healthy smoothie caused this product to be on the list. As individuals are aiming to achieve a healthy lifestyle, they compliment their exercises with the consumption of healthy food and drinks. The big brands for this are Magic Bullet and Fruit Ninja. If you can source for a product that is gaining popularity and can match the performance of those two brands, then let your marketing strategy do the talking for you to be noticed. You already have a certain market.
13. Teeth-Whitening Products
This dropshipping idea is a bonus for you. As one’s smile is very important, whether in a casual or office setting. The confidence to flash a smile is tied to the appearance of one’s teeth. According to the American Dental Association, the confidence to smile is fueled by the thought that one’s teeth look white and healthy. As per a report, the global market for teeth-whitening products is predicted to be at USD 7.4 billion by 2024.
Conclusion
Above are the profitable business ideas that you may consider. There are many other options out there for you to check as well. Take some time to do a thorough research of your niche. You’ll never know, the product you are passionate about may also be among those profitable ones, too. Whichever you would sell in the end is entirely up to you, but keep in mind the basics, and you are well on your way to having a successful Shopify drop shipping business.
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