All right, so get this, we're diving into Shopify dropshipping today.
Ooh, fun.
You guys wanted to know if it really lives up to the hype?
Yeah, it does it.
Luckily, we've got Sarah Finance's YouTube video
where she documented her whole experience trying it for a week.
A whole week?
Yeah. So we're going to break down her experience
to see what worked for her, what didn't,
and ultimately, whether dropshipping is all it's cracked up to be.
So you're saying we're not just dealing with theory here?
Yeah, exactly.
We get to see Sarah's actual wins and struggles,
which, let's be honest, is sometimes way more useful
than just reading a textbook.
Of course.
So first things first, you got to pick a product to sell, right?
Right.
And Sarah had a pretty good checklist for that.
Oh yeah, what was it?
Well, she wanted something in high demand,
something that solves a problem.
That makes sense.
And something you can't just find at any store.
OK, that'd be unique.
And of course, it's got to have that wow factor.
All right, something that makes people stop scrolling on their phones
and be like, wait, I need that.
Totally, so that all makes sense in theory.
But how do you actually find a product that
checks all those boxes?
Good question.
Well, Sarah turned to TikTok.
Ah, the land of viral trends.
Exactly.
And what did she find?
What was it?
Soap sheets.
Interesting choice.
Why that?
Well, they're super practical.
They're kind of novel, and they're
perfect for the on-the-go lifestyle.
So it makes sense they were trending.
Yeah, TikTok is like a live feed of what people
are into at any given moment.
It's like market research on autopilot.
Totally.
And speaking of autopilot, when it came to setting up shop,
Shopify was Sarah's go-to.
Smart move.
Shopify is super easy to use.
Yeah, she had her store up and running in under an hour.
Seriously?
Yeah, she was raving about how user-friendly it is.
Which is key for anyone starting out.
You don't want to be messing around with complicated tech
when you're trying to build a business.
Couldn't agree more, but a pretty website
doesn't automatically mean sales.
True.
What else did she do?
Well, she knew those product photos had to be top-notch.
Right, because you're shopping online,
you can't actually touch the product.
Exactly.
So those images have to do all the heavy lifting,
like showcasing the product, its features,
basically making it irresistible.
Make you want to buy it now.
Exactly.
And she was smart with those product descriptions, too.
Oh, yeah.
How so?
She was focusing on the benefits
using persuasive language.
It was like a mini sales pitch right there on the page.
Nice.
And then don't forget the reviews.
Oh, yeah.
Reviews are huge.
It's that social proof.
Yeah.
You know, seeing other people love the product
gives you that extra confidence to buy it yourself.
For sure.
Now, sourcing products, this is where things got interesting.
Ooh, tell me more.
So she actually started with AliExpress.
Oh, OK.
AliExpress is pretty popular for dropshipping.
It is, but she ended up switching to a platform
called S Pocket.
S Pocket never heard of it.
Yeah.
It's apparently known for faster shipping and higher quality
products.
Ah, so she was prioritizing those two things.
Absolutely.
She was really emphasizing how important they
are to building a successful business.
And she's right.
You know, in the age of Amazon Prime,
people expect their orders like yesterday.
For real.
And if the product's bad, say goodbye to those five-star reviews.
And hello to customer complaints.
Exactly.
And to manage everything, she had a whole arsenal of apps.
Well, I guess Shopify apps.
She was using S Pocket for sourcing
one-click e-com for finding trending products
and running Facebook ads, and then
looks for those photo reviews we were talking about.
Smart move, using those tools to automate everything.
It's like having a virtual assistant by your side, 24-7.
Totally.
OK, let's talk marketing now.
The fun part.
So Sarah actually decided to skip Facebook ads
this time around.
Interesting.
Why is that?
She said it was just too time-consuming for a one-week
experiment and went straight for TikTok influencer marketing
instead.
Bold move makes sense, though.
Yeah.
TikTok's reach is incredible, especially
for certain products.
And influencer marketing is all about tapping
into that trust in audiences influencers have built.
Exactly.
So what was her strategy?
Well, get this.
She contacted 40 influencers.
40?
Wow.
Yeah, and she only had a $40 budget for the whole campaign.
OK, so she was really going for it.
She was.
But guess how many influencers got back to her?
I'm going to guess like five.
Just two.
Oh, wow.
So it's not as easy as it sounds.
Not at all.
It's a pretty competitive landscape,
and finding the right influencers takes work.
Yeah, you got to build those relationships.
OK, drumroll, please.
The moment of truth.
Are you ready for the results of Sarah's drop shipping
experiment?
Get me.
So the influencer she partnered with had over 200,000
followers.
No way.
Yeah, and only charged her $40 for the whole thing.
What a steal.
I know, right?
Shows the power of negotiation.
And the potential reach with an audience that big.
Totally.
The TikTok video itself got a whopping 200,000 views.
Wow.
So the sales must have been through the roof.
Well, hold on.
Let's break down the numbers and see what
the actual return on investment was.
OK, let's do it.
Over two days, she made $211 in revenue.
Not bad.
But maybe not the instant fortune some drop
shipping gurus make it out to be.
Right.
But remember, this was just a one week experiment.
There's always a learning curve.
True.
It's about taking those early insights
and applying them to future endeavors.
Exactly.
So let's do the math.
She spent $40 on the influencer, $14 for the Shopify domain,
$10 in Shopify and PayPal fees, and then $67 for the product
costs.
OK, so after crunching the numbers,
her total profit was about $80.
Not bad for a week's worth of work, right?
Not bad at all.
Nearly a 40% profit margin.
And this wasn't some perfectly orchestrated success story
either.
This was real with its ups and downs.
Which is so much more valuable than any sugar coated version.
Totally.
All right, so in part one of our deep dives,
we've seen how Sarah went from zero
to launching a Shopify drop shipping store in a week.
And she even turned a profit.
Impressive.
But this is just the beginning.
Oh, it was more.
We've got a lot more to unpack.
So stay tuned for part two, where
we'll dive into strategies for taking a drop shipping
business to the next level.
Can't wait.
Sounds like drop shipping 2.0.
Exactly.
See you there.
Welcome back, drop shipping explorers.
Round two.
Last time we left off with Sarah making a decent profit
in just one week.
Yeah, it was pretty impressive.
But what if she had more time?
Good question.
Could she have supercharged those earnings?
I think so, yeah.
There's always room for improvement.
That's what we're digging into today.
Let's get strategic.
Let's start with pricing.
OK, pricing's key.
She was selling those soap sheets for $6.99.
Which seems reasonable.
Yeah.
But maybe there was room to experiment there.
Oh, yeah, for sure.
What if she had offered different options?
Like what do you mean?
Like maybe a premium bundle with more soap sheets
for a slightly higher price?
I like that idea.
Or a discount for buying in bulk?
Oh, yeah.
Bulk discounts always work.
And it's all about A-B testing, right?
Exactly.
You try out different versions and see
which one performs the best.
It's like a little science experiment for your business.
I love that.
OK, now let's talk about influencers.
All right, influencers.
Remember, she reached out to 40, but only partnered with one.
Yeah, could she have been more strategic there?
Totally.
A huge following is great, but engagement is key.
It's about finding those influencers who really
connect with their audience and whose audience
aligns with the product.
Right.
So instead of just aiming for the mega influencers,
she could have maybe focused on those micro influencers
with a smaller but super engaged following.
Yeah, and who are specifically into eco-friendly products
or travel products, that kind of thing.
Exactly.
It's all about finding that perfect match
between the product and the influencer's audience.
It's like matchmaking for marketing.
OK, so we've got pricing and influencer strategies.
How do you say it?
Let's talk about scaling the business.
OK, how do you go from a one-week experiment
to something bigger and more sustainable?
That's the million dollar question.
Well, one word, automation.
Automation.
There are tools out there that can handle tasks like order
processing, inventory management, even customer
service.
So you can free up time to focus on the bigger picture stuff.
Exactly like expanding your product line
or fine-tuning your marketing.
It's like having a team of virtual helpers
working behind the scenes.
Precisely.
And remember how she switched to S-Pocket for faster shipping.
Yeah.
Finding those reliable suppliers is crucial as you scale.
You need to be confident those orders are fulfilled quickly
and the products are top-notch.
Because if the shipping slow or the quality is bad,
you're going to have some unhappy customers.
That's not good for a business.
Now, what about expanding the product line?
What else could she have sold?
How do you decide what else to sell?
Well, think about what complements your existing
products.
OK.
She started with soap sheets.
Maybe she could have added like travel-sized toilet
trees or eco-friendly cleaning wipes
to create a one-stop shop for that target audience.
I like that building on what's already working and offering
products your customers are likely to want.
It's like knowing your best friend so well.
You can predict what they love even before they do.
OK.
Now, let's not forget about customer relationships.
Oh, customer relationships.
Crucial.
How do you go beyond just making a sale and actually
create those lasting connections with customers?
Well, first of all, exceptional customer service is a must.
All, of course.
To spawn two inquiries promptly be super helpful.
Go the extra mile.
Make people feel valued, not just like another transaction.
Exactly.
And then think about personalization.
Personalization.
How so?
You know, addressing customers by name, recommending products
they might like offering little discounts.
Those small touches make a big difference.
It's like that warm, fuzzy feeling
you get when someone remembers your birthday
or your favorite coffee order.
Exactly.
It makes you feel seen and appreciated.
OK.
And then there's email marketing.
Ah, email marketing, the secret weapon.
Building an email list is like having a direct line
to your customers.
It's a gold mine.
You can announce new products, share special offers,
offer valuable content that's relevant to their interests.
Exactly.
And you can segment your list so you're
sending super targeted messages to different groups
of customers.
Oh, yeah.
Like someone who bought soap sheets
might be interested in travel-sized toiletries.
So you're getting it.
It's all about delivering the right message
to the right people at the right time.
OK.
You ready for another marketing ninja move?
Bring it on.
It's called retargeting.
Retargeting, I've heard of that.
Have you ever browsed a website and then later you
see ads for those exact products following you around online?
Oh, yeah.
It's kind of spooky, but also kind of effective.
Right.
It's a way to remind people about those products
they were interested in and maybe give them a little nudge
to come back and complete the purchase.
It's like a gentle reminder.
Hey, remember me.
I'm still here.
OK.
So we've covered a lot in part two.
We've gone from optimizing Sarah's week-long experiment
to thinking about scaling a dropshipping business
for the long haul.
Yeah, we've gone deep.
And it's clear that there's a lot more to it
than just setting up a Shopify store
and hoping for the best.
Absolutely.
It takes work strategy, a willingness to learn and adapt.
So for those of you who are ready to take the plunge
into the world of dropshipping, remember,
success doesn't happen overnight.
It's a journey.
It's about finding your niche, building a brand,
nurturing those customer relationship.
There'll always be on the lookout for ways to improve.
But our deep dive isn't over yet.
There's more.
Join us for the final part of this episode
where we'll explore some even more advanced dropshipping
techniques and discuss the long-term potential
of this dynamic business model.
Ooh, can't wait.
See you there.
All right, welcome back for the grand finale
of our dropshipping deep dive.
This is the final countdown.
We've tackled the basics.
We've talked strategy.
And now it's time to level up to those advanced techniques.
Think of it as dropshipping masterclass.
Ooh, fancy.
We're going beyond just making sales.
Yeah.
We're talking about building a brand that really
connects with people.
OK, I'm all ears.
How do you do that?
It's about creating an identity.
Yeah.
You know, think about brands like Nike or Apple.
They evoke certain emotions.
They stand for something.
Yeah, they're not just selling products.
They're selling a feeling.
Exactly.
And that's what you want to achieve with your dropshipping
business, too.
So it's more than just a logo and a website.
Way more.
It's the whole experience, the story you're telling.
OK, so where do you even begin?
You start by really understanding your audience.
Your target customer.
Yeah.
What are their needs, their aspirations, their pain points?
Like what are they struggling with?
What kind of lifestyle do they want?
Exactly.
You've got to get inside their heads.
And then once you know who you're talking to,
you can tailor your message and your visuals
to really resonate with them.
Right.
Everything from your logo and your color scheme
to your website design and your social media,
it should all reflect your brand's personality.
It's about being consistent and creating
a cohesive experience across all those different touch points.
And don't forget the power of storytelling.
Ooh, stories are powerful.
Share your brand's origin story.
Talk about your values.
People behind the scenes.
That's what makes people feel connected.
Like they're part of something bigger.
Exactly.
All right, now let's talk about a secret weapon
for building relationships and driving sales.
OK, hit me.
Email marketing.
Ah, email marketing.
We touched on this before.
Yeah, but it's so important it deserves its own spotlight.
OK, so remind me why it's so powerful.
Think of it as a VIP club for your most loyal customers.
OK, like that.
You can send them exclusive deals, new product announcements,
valuable content that's tailored to their interests.
It's all about providing value and staying top of mind.
Exactly.
And here's a pro tip segment your list.
Playing my list, what do you mean?
It means you divide your email list into different groups
based on things like their past purchases, their interests.
Oh, so you can send more targeted messages.
Exactly like someone who bought those soap sheets
might be interested in travel-sized toiletries
or other eco-friendly products.
Smart.
OK, I'm adding segmentation to my to-do list.
All right, you ready for another advanced tactic?
Lay it on me.
It's called retargeting.
Retargeting, yeah, I've definitely experienced that.
It's when you browse a website and then later you
see ads for those same products everywhere you go online.
Yeah, it's kind of creepy, but it works.
It does.
It reminds people about those products they showed interest in
and maybe gives them a little nudge to come back and buy.
Like, hey, remember me?
I'm still here and I'm still awesome.
Exactly.
All right, let's switch gears for a second and talk big picture.
OK, big picture.
Is dropshipping a sustainable business model?
Can you really build something long term with it?
That's the million dollar question.
What do you think?
Well, dropshipping is great because it's relatively
easy to get started.
But just like any business, it takes work to really thrive.
It's not a get rich quick scheme.
No, it's about dedication strategy and a long term vision.
But the beauty of it is that it's so scalable.
You know, you can start small, learn the ropes,
and gradually grow your business as you gain momentum.
Exactly.
And with the right approach, dropshipping
can absolutely be a path to financial freedom
and a business that truly aligns with your lifestyle and goals.
I think what's so exciting about dropshipping
is that it empowers people to build businesses
around their passions.
You know?
Totally.
You can choose products you love, create a brand that
reflects your values.
It's about freedom flexibility being your own boss.
And building something you're truly proud of.
So as we wrap up our dropshipping deep dive,
what's the key takeaway for all those aspiring entrepreneurs
out there?
Dropshipping is an amazing opportunity.
But it's not a magic bullet.
It takes effort, a willingness to learn,
and the ability to adapt to the ever-changing world of e-commerce.
It's about choosing the right products,
building a strong brand, mastering those marketing strategies,
and creating a customer experience that people will love.
And never stop learning.
Stay curious.
Try new things.
And don't be afraid to experiment.
Great advice.
Thanks for joining us on this dropshipping adventure, everyone.
We hope you've learned a lot and maybe even
feel inspired to start your own entrepreneurial journey.
And who knows?
Maybe someday we'll be featuring your dropshipping success
story right here on the deep dive.
That's a wrap.
I'm
s**t!