How to Start Dropshipping on Shopify [Complete Playbook for 2024]

Unlock Your E-commerce Potential: How to Start Dropshipping on Shopify – A Complete Playbook for 2024. Dive into the step-by-step guide tailored for this year, covering everything from setup to optimization.

Dropshipping is one of the easiest ways to start an online business. Dropshipping is the perfect business model for store owners looking to set up online businesses with little up-front cost. Shopify is one of the best eCommerce platforms to kickstart the dropshipping business.

According to many statistics, dropshipping constitutes nearly 30% of the global eCommerce industry. If you are looking forward to starting a dropshipping business on Shopify, this post is for you. Here, we will cover everything from choosing a product to set up your store.

Plus, we will provide tips and advice on promoting your store for quick sales and some of the most frequently asked questions about Shopify dropshipping at the end. So, let’s dive deep into this article without wasting more time.

What is Shopify Dropshipping and How It work?

In Shopify, you will get everything one needs to create an eCommerce store, from store builder to supplier, winning product ideas, and automation. You must create an online store as you want and import products from the suppliers you have a deal with.

When you receive an order, you simply have to pass it to the supplier whose product you are listing. Then the supplier will ship this product directly to the customers’ doorsteps. So, you won’t need to worry about owning inventories, warehousing, packaging, or shipping.

Due to its simplicity and low start-up costs, the popularity of dropshipping with Shopify has been going up over time by leaps and bounds. But before you start creating your dropshipping store, there are some things you must get ready before. Keep reading to know them.

What You Need Before Starting to Create a Shopify Dropshipping Store?

Most dropshippers do not have proper research before stepping into this industry. So, they cannot make a solid foundation for their store from the beginning. Whenever a storm or trouble comes, their business collapses like the sand and dust.

If you dream of being a successful Shopify dropshipper, you must clearly know how you will run this store, who your target customers are, where you will find reliable suppliers, what products to sell, and more.

Let’s have a quick overview of the things you must make sure of before starting to create a Shopify drop shipping store.

A Profitable Niche

A niche refers to a group of people with specific problems, interests, or desires. When it comes to dropshipping, a niche is a group of people you will target with your marketing efforts and sell products to.

If you want to ensure that your store will be successful in the long run, choosing a profitable eCommerce niche is a must. You need to consider some factors while shortlisting some potential niches. They are:

• What are people currently buying online?
• What are customers’ pain points?
• What do people need but can’t find in stores?
• What are the current trends in the industry?
• What do you have a personal passion for?

Answering these questions will create an insight into your mind about some potential niches. Next, you have to evaluate their viability and profitability. Check out the following factors by which you can measure the profitability of your shortlisted niches.

• The size of the niche market– If there aren’t large target audiences for your shortlisted niches, just avoid them. It’s because your products will have less demand in the market.

• The competition in the niche market– Too much competition can make it difficult to stand out. You have to spend a lot on marketing to generate sales. Again, not enough competition could mean insufficient demand for your product. So, choose a competitive niche where your marketing affordability can generate sales.

• How much money people will spend in this market– If not, the target audiences purchase your products recurringly to avoid those niches. Choose a niche whose products people regularly buy for daily usage.

• Check where your passion works– Passion is one of the most powerful drivers of success. If you have a niche where your passion works, this will help you grow your knowledge and stick to it until you reach success.

Once you’ve considered all of these factors, you should know whether or not a particular niche is worth pursuing. Hope you can do it.

If you find it hassling, never worry. BEBIGGY is there. You can buy a ready-made Shopify dropshipping store from us. We have ready-made stores in many high-demanding niches.

A Sustainable Target Market

A target market describes a group of people to whom you want to sell your products or services. When it comes to drop shipping Shopify, your target market is the group of people most likely to buy from your store. Here are some factors to consider while deciding on your target market:

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Interests and hobbies
• Income level
• Profession
• Relationship status

You can further segment your target market by buyer persona. A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer. Creating a buyer persona will help you understand your target market better and identify their needs.

This will help you create marketing campaigns more likely to resonate with them. Also, you’ll be able to generate more sales from your target market. There are two ways you can identify your target market:

• Look at your current customers: If you already have some customers, look at their demographics (age, gender, location, interests, etc.) and start there.

• Use market research: If you don’t have any customers, you can use market research to find your target market. In various ways, you can do this, such as through surveys, focus groups, and interviews.

Now, it’s your turn to use these factors to identify a sustainable target audience for your dropshipping business.

Reliable Suppliers

A supplier is a third-party vendor that manufactures or owns the inventory you sell to your customers. Whenever you get an order, you will pass it to a supplier who will then deliver it to the customers. This is why honest and reliable suppliers significantly influence the dropshipping model.

A reliable supplier ensures they package your products correctly, embed your business logos to the package, and deliver them to the customers in time. There are three types of suppliers you can work with: manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.

• Manufacturers are the people or companies that create products from scratch. They own the inventory they sell and can offer you the best prices. They usually work with dropshippers that order in large quantities.

• Wholesalers are the people or companies that buy products from manufacturers in bulk and then sell them to retailers at a higher price. They also work with dropshippers that order in large quantities.

• A retail supplier is a company that buys products from manufacturers or wholesalers and then sells them to customers. Retail suppliers work with dropshippers that order in small quantities.

Some popular eCommerce platforms to find dropshipping suppliers are: Alibaba, AliExpress, SaleHoo, Doba, WorldwideBrands, etc. You can take the help of Google directories to find your suppliers.

Winning Product Ideas

Product is the heart of an eCommerce business. Winning products have the potential to make your store successful, while a bad product can ruin all your efforts. Here are some factors you should consider while finding winning products for your store:

• Trends: Identify the latest trends in your niche and look for products that align with those trends. This will help you stay ahead of your competition and attract more customers to your store.

• Customer needs: You should choose products that solve a problem or meet a need of your target customer. This will pursue them to buy from you.

• Competition: Look how competitive your product is. Better if you evaluate the product offering strategies of your competitors. Based on that, you have to find ways to improve your offering styles. This could be in terms of price, quality, selection, etc.

• Profitability: Calculate your costs and make sure you’re able to sell the product at a price that will give you a good profit margin.

In addition, you can explore products that are in high sale on popular eCommerce platforms like Alibaba, Amazon, Walmart, etc. You can read customers’ reviews on those items, and this can also help you get a good idea of winning products.

Once you buy a ready-made store from BEBIGGY, we will decorate your store with hundreds of winning products. You won’t have to waste a single minute on exploring different sites to get product ideas. You can immediately go selling products.

An Online Store

Dropshipping with Shopify is an eCommerce business model. So, you cannot kickstart this business without an online store. You can have an online Shopify store in two ways: build it from scratch or buy a ready-made Shopify drop shipping store.

BEBIGGY is a popular and trustworthy platform that sells ready-made Shopify dropshipping stores in various niches. You will get those websites fully decorated with hundreds of winning products, eye-catchy appearance, reliable suppliers, and more.

So, you never have to waste time experimenting. Once you buy a store, you can instantly go for sales and marketing. This article will break down both these processes. Keep reading to the end to decide which one suits the best for you.

Build a Shopify Dropshipping Store from Scratch

Building a Shopify dropshipping store from scratch may take several hours to weeks, depending on your skills and expertise. You have to set up an account, design the website, add products, install an app, and do other configurations. Let’s see the process.

Step 01: Create a Shopify Account

The first thing you need to do is create a Shopify account. Go to www.shopify.com. You will see the “Start free trial” button on the top-right corner. Click on it. You will get on the setup page. Enter your email address, password, store name, and country. Then click “Create store”.

After that, you’ll be asked to enter some basic information about the store, such as your business address, phone number, and the type of products you sell. Once you’ve entered this information, click “Continue”. It will take you to the Shopify dashboard and complete the account creation.

Note: You must use a unique and eye-catchy name when opening a store. Better if you use the same name for domain registration, and Shopify won’t allow you to use a name that is already in use.

Step 02: Customize Your Store Appearance

Customizing store appearance is vital to stand out from the competition and build trust with potential customers, and it also helps you create a unique brand identity. When customizing your store, there are a few things you need to take into consideration:

• You must have a clear idea about the likes and preferences of your target audience. This will help you determine what colors, fonts, and images to use.

• Your store should reflect your brand identity. This includes using the same colors, fonts, and images on your other marketing materials.

• Your product display can also help you stand out from the competition. For example, if you sell eco-friendly products, you may want to use green in your store design.

Now, we’ll guide you on how to customize the major elements of your website. Check them out below.

Use a Mobile-Responsive Theme

 

Over the last few years, mobile traffic has been increasing steadily. More than 50% of all internet traffic comes to a website from mobile devices. This means that if your store is not optimized for mobile, you’re likely to lose many potential customers.

Using a mobile-responsive theme allows your store to adapt to any screen size, providing an optimal user experience for mobile users. Shopify offers a wide range of free and paid mobile-responsive themes.

When choosing a theme, make sure to check the demo version on both desktop and mobile to see how it looks and feels. Also, consider the features offered by the theme and whether they meet your needs.

For example, if you want to offer a loyalty program to your customers, make sure to choose a theme with this feature. Installing a theme on Shopify is very easy. Just follow these steps:

• From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes.
• Click the Upload theme button.
• Click Choose File, and then locate the theme file on your computer.
• After uploading the theme file, click Publish as my shop’s theme.

This is how you can install a new theme for your Shopify drop shipping store.

Setup Your Store Navigation Menus

Once you’ve installed your theme, it’s time to set up the navigation menus for your store. This will help customers find the pages they’re looking for more easily.

• From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Navigation.
• In the ‘Main menu’ section, you’ll see a list of the pages in your store. You can drag and drop these pages to reorder them.
• To add a new page, click the Add menu item button.
• Enter the page’s name and URL, then click the Save menu button.
• Repeat this process for each page to add to your menu.

Your navigation menus are now set up and ready to use.

Add Logo and Favicon

A favicon is a small image appearing in your web browser’s tab, making it easier for customers to find your store when they have multiple tabs open. A logo helps build brand recognition and makes your store look more professional.

Shopify allows you to upload a favicon and logo from your Admin panel. To do this:

• Go to Online Store > Preferences.
• Under the ‘Store identity’ section, you’ll see the fields to upload your logo and favicon.
• Once you’ve uploaded your images, click Save.

Your favicon and logo will now be visible in your store. BEBIGGY will create a unique and eye-catchy logo if you order us to buy a Dropshipping store for you.

Customize Colors, Fonts, and Typography

The next step is customizing your store’s colors, fonts, and typography. This will help you create a unique look for your store that reflects your brand identity. Shopify provides a wide range of color schemes to choose from. To select a color scheme:

• From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes.
• Click on the Customize button, which is next to your theme.
• In the Theme Editor, click Colors.
• Under ‘Color presets’, click the color scheme you want.
• To create a custom color scheme, click Custom Colors.
• Enter a name for your color scheme, then click Save.

You can now start customizing the colors of your store. To change an element’s color, click on it and select the color you want to use. Shopify also allows you to customize the fonts and typography of your store. To do this:

• From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes.
• Click the Customize button next to your theme.
• In the Theme Editor, click Fonts.
• Under ‘Font presets’, click the font preset you want to use.
• To create a custom font scheme, click Custom fonts.
• Enter a name for your font scheme, then click Save.

You can now start customizing the fonts of your store. To change an element’s font, click on it and select the font you want to use. This is how you can customize your Shopify dropshipping store’s colors, fonts, and typography.

Step 03: Set Up a Custom Domain

Shopify offers a free domain for one year when you sign up for a new account. This domain is automatically set up and configured. And the URL of this domain will always end as myshopify.com, including your store name.

For example, if your store name is ‘Best Electronics’, the URL of your store will be www.bestelectronics.myshopify.com. You can use this free domain as long as you want. But if you keep your Shopify store deactivated for 60 days, Shopify will cancel your free domain.

However, using a free domain is never professional if you want to grow your store as a brand. It looks weird. This is why all successful Shopify droshippers use a custom domain. Below we have described the process of setting up a custom domain in your Shopify store.

• First, you need to buy a custom domain. You can buy it from any domain registrar such as GoDaddy or Namecheap.
• Once you’ve bought your domain, log in to your Shopify admin and go to Online Store > Domains.
• Enter your custom domain name in the ‘Add a new domain’ section.
• Click the Save button, and you’re done!

Now, your store will be accessible at your new domain URL.

Note: If you’re using a subdomain (e.g., blog.example.com), you need to set up DNS records with your domain registrar before adding it to Shopify.

Step 04: Pick and Install a Dropshipping App

A Shopify dropshipping app is a tool that helps you run your dropshipping business. It automates many tasks and processes essential to running a successful store, such as adding products, processing orders, and sending shipping information to suppliers.

(Add an Image of DSers dropshipping app)

There are many different Shopify dropshipping apps available. DSers is one of the best of them. It includes a good range of features to help you run your store. These include:

• Automatically add products to your store from various suppliers.
• Fulfill and track orders automatically.
• Send shipping information to suppliers automatically.
• Offer discounts and coupons to customers.
• Provide real-time order tracking information.

Installing DSers is very simple. It’ll take you only several minutes to do that. Just follow these steps:

• From your Shopify admin, go to Apps.
• Click the Visit the App Store button.
• In the search bar, type ‘DSers’.
• Click on the app listing and then click Add app.
• Enter your email address and click Install app.

Next, you have to connect your Shopify store to the DSers app. To do this:

• From your DSers dashboard, click the ‘Connect to Shopify’ button.
• Enter your Shopify store URL and click Connect.
• Log in to your Shopify store and click Install app.

You have now successfully installed DSers on your dropshipping Shopify store!

Step 05: Add Products to Your Store

After you’ve installed the DSers app, you can start adding products to your store. Just follow these steps:

• From your DSers dashboard, go to the ‘Products’ section.
• Click the ‘Add Products’ button.
• Enter the keyword of the product you want to add and click Search.
• Select the products you want to add to your store and click ‘Add to import list’.
• Click the ‘Import’ button.

This way, you can add products to your Shopify drop shipping store. Remember, just adding products cannot ensure your success potential. There are some things you must carry out, and check them out below.

Write Engaging Product Title and Description that Hooks Customers

It is important to have catchy and attention-grabbing headlines. You want potential customers to click on your product while scrolling through an online marketplace. How do you make sure your product stands out among the rest?

Your headline is like a news headline, and it should be short, sweet, and to the point. Be creative- use puns or jokes to make your headline stand out. Use active language and strong verbs to convey a sense of urgency. Avoid using generic phrases like “best quality” or “lowest prices”.

Your product description is where you sell your product, and this is your chance to convince potential customers that they need your product. Use strong and persuasive language to make your case. Be sure to include all the important details like dimensions, materials, shipping information, etc.

Your product descriptions ought to be clear, concise, and free of grammar or spelling errors. Proofread your work before you hit publish!

Upload High-Quality Photos and Videos

Your product photos and videos are one of your most important selling tools. They give potential customers a chance to see your product in all its glory and decide if it’s something they want to buy.

Make sure you use high-resolution but lower size photos for the best SEO results. Be sure to include close-ups and photos of your product in use. If you have a video, be sure to include it on your product page as well.

Never include a blurred and low-resolution photo in the list; it will seriously harm your brand value. If you have only a limited number of photos, make sure they have a high-quality resolution.

Set Pricing

Pricing is the last thing that will hook customers to buy your products, and how you price your products will directly impact your profitability. You can use a few different pricing strategies for your Shopify dropshipping store.

• Cost-plus pricing: This is the most common pricing being used globally. As a dropshipper, your costs might be expenses on advertisements and Shopify monthly fees. Make sure you include them.

• Competitive pricing: Check how much your competitors are asking for the same products you are offering. If possible, try to set a price lower than your competitors. It’s a great weapon you can use to hook customers.

• Understand the demand graph: When there is a high demand for some product but limited supply, you can charge a reasonably good price if you have its supplier. Google Trends is one of the top-performing tools to foresee market demand.

• Premium pricing: This is a pricing tactic that many business brands use to hook only the aristocratic customers. If your dropshipping business can collaborate with a supplier of premium branded products, you can take advantage of premium pricing.

The world economy is constantly changing rapidly, and customers’ needs and demands are also changing. So, before you set a new pricing formula for your products, make sure you are researching at least a bit about market conditions.

How to Processing Orders Automatically

Using the DSers app, you can easily automate your orders. Even if you start receiving bulk orders daily, you can send all of them to your supplier with just a single click. Let’s see how you can automate orders using the DSers app.

• From your DSers dashboard, go to the ‘Orders’ section.
• Click on an order to view details.
• Click the ‘Place Order’ button.
• Enter your supplier’s email address and click ‘Send Email’.

That’s it! You can place orders using the DSers app.

Step 06: How to Integrate PayPal into Shopify Dropshipping Store

Shopify Payments is the easiest way to accept payments online. It’s fully integrated with Shopify and lets you accept credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other popular payment methods with just a few clicks.

But Shopify has several conditions for new merchants in using its payment system. Besides, Shopify’s payment method is usable only in 24 countries. So, better if you integrate an alternative payment gateway.

As an example, we’ll show you how to integrate PayPal into the Shopify drop shipping store. Let’s suppose you have an active PayPal account. Next, follow the below steps.

• Go to the Shopify admin panel and settings.
• Select “Payments” from the left-hand sidebar in settings.
• Under the “Alternative Payments” section, click on the “Add provider” button and select “PayPal Express Checkout”.
• You’ll be asked to write your PayPal email address and some other basic information. Once you have filled out all the required fields, click on the “Activate PayPal” button.

Your Shopify store is now integrated with PayPal, and you can start accepting payments via PayPal! There are many other payment gateway providers that you can use to accept payments on your Shopify store, and some of the most popular ones include Stripe, Authorize.net, and Braintree.

Step 07: Set Up Necessary Pages and Lunch Your Store

A page is like a virtual business card for any eCommerce store. Whenever new customers come to a website, they spend a good amount of time judging the trustworthiness of the website.

If you don’t have pages of good quality, or some important pages are missing, customers have a good chance to move away to other places. Let’s take a quick look at what pages your Shopify dropshipping store should have.

Homepage:

The first page that visitors will see when they land on your store. It should give a brief overview of what you sell and why customers should buy from you.

About Us:

This is where you can tell your brand’s story and give visitors more information about who you are, what you do, and what makes you different from your competitors.

Product Page: 

A product page is where customers can learn more about a specific product that you sell. It should include high-quality product photos, detailed descriptions, pricing information, and customer reviews.

Cart Page:

The cart page lets customers see all the products they’ve added to their cart and proceed to checkout.

Checkout page:

The checkout page is where customers enter their shipping information and choose a payment method before completing their purchase.

Privacy and policy page: 

This page should include your store’s refund policy, privacy policy, terms of service, and other important legal information.

Shipping & Returns:

This page should explain your shipping policies and procedures and your return policy.

Contact Us:

This is where customers can reach out to you with any questions or concerns they may have.

Guest checkout page:

This page allows customers to checkout without creating a Shopify account.

Blog:

A blog is a great way to share helpful content with your audience and drive traffic to your store. You can use it to write informative articles, How-To guides, or announcements about new products. Once you have set up these necessary pages, you are ready to launch your store!

Buy a Ready-Made Store From BEBIGGY

Indeed, building a Shopify dropshipping store isn’t a complicated thing. But if you are new to this industry, it may take months to research winning products, find reliable suppliers, sketch marketing plans, and more.

But with a ready-made Shopify store, you will get everything organized for selling immediately. If you’re new to Shopify and dropshipping, or if you don’t have the time to build a store from scratch, then buying a ready-made store is a great option for you.

If you’re looking for a ready-made Shopify dropshipping store, then be sure to check out BEBIGGY. We have a wide selection of high-quality stores with all the features and pages you need to start selling immediately!

When you buy a store from BEBIGGY, you also get access to our world-class support team, who can help you with any questions or issues. We have a big collection of ready-made Shopify stores in numerous popular niches. Such as:

• Health and beauty
• Home and garden
• Fashion and clothing
• Electronics
• Toys and games
• Sports and outdoors
• Baby and kids
• Jewelry and accessories
• Pet supplies

For more information, leave a message in our chat box. One of your representatives will get back to you as soon as possible.

FAQs on How to Start Dropshipping on Shopify

This section will cover the most frequently asked question on how to start dropshipping on Shopify.

How profitable is dropshipping with Shopify?

Dropshipping with Shopify is a very profitable business model, and many Shopify entrepreneurs have made lots of money with it. However, it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. It will take your time, effort, and dedication to succeed like any business. Most average Shopify dropshippers make $200-$200o per week.

Is dropshippping a full-time job?

Yes, dropshipping can be a full-time job if you treat it like one. Many successful Shopify entrepreneurs work on their stores full-time and have made it their primary source of income.

How much does it cost to start with a Shopify dropshipping store?

The cost of starting a Shopify dropshipping store varies depending on your needs. If you’re looking for the most economical option, you can start with a Shopify Lite plan for $29 per month. This will give you the basic features you need to get started.

You can choose a Shopify Basic or Shopify Plus plan if you need more advanced features. These plans start at $79 and $299 per month, respectively.

How to set up dropshipping on Shopify for free?

Shopify offers a 14-day free trial to any new user. You can set up dropshipping with Shopify for free only for this 14-day period.

How many hours do Shopify dropshippers work?

The number of hours depends on your goals and how much time you’re willing to invest in your store. Most Shopify entrepreneurs work anywhere from 20-40 hours per week. As your business grows, you may need to work more hours to keep up with the demand.

Can Shopify dropshipping be a career?

Yes, Shopify dropshipping can be a career if you’re willing to put in the time and effort. Many successful Shopify entrepreneurs have made it their primary source of income and have even quit their day jobs to work on their stores full-time.

What are the benefits of dropshipping on Shopify?

There are many benefits to dropshipping on Shopify, including no need for inventory, low overhead costs, ease of getting started, flexible location, and scalable.

How can I get faster at dropshipping?

You can do a few things to get faster at dropshipping, such as finding winning products, connecting to reliable suppliers, building an automated email sequence, and optimizing your store for conversions.

Do I need a separate bank account for Shopify dropshipping?

No, you don’t need a separate bank account for Shopify dropshipping. You can use your personal account to receive payments from Shopify. However, we recommend opening a business account to keep your finances separate from your personal ones.

Can I sell my own products from Shopify dropshipping store?

Yes, you can sell your own products from Shopify dropshipping store. However, we recommend that you focus on selling products from suppliers first. Once you’ve built up a customer base and understand the dropshipping business model, you can start selling your own products.

How do I get paid with Shopify?

You can get paid with Shopify through many methods, including credit card, PayPal, bank transfer, and cash on delivery.

Are You Ready to Get Started with Your Shopify Store?

Who is there in the world who never wants financial independence? Obviously, you are also one struggling to find this freedom. Shopify dropshipping is an amazing idea that has already changed the lives of too many people.

If you are a newbie and really interested in starting a dropshipping business, never worry BEBIGGY will always be next to you. Explore the store on sale section and study our ready-made stores. It’ll help you get a quick idea of how your dropshipping store should be in 2022 to beat the market competitors.

Hopefully, now you know what Shopify dropshipping is and how it works. If you have more curiosities, just comment below or leave a message in your chat section stating all your curiosities.

BEBIGGY wants to keep a massive contribution to changing the lifestyle of many people. If you are reading this blog, surely you are one of them too.