Dropshipping with Shopify: an opportunity to get started in online commerce
Nowadays, many people want to get started in online business without taking any risks and without wasting time. Dropshipping is an attractive solution for these individuals because it allows them to get started in e-commerce without having to manage the manufacturing, inventory and shipping of products. Among the different online store creation solutions, Shopify is one of the most popular. In this article, I invite you to discover the different stages of developing your e-commerce thanks to dropshipping with Shopify.
How dropshipping works with Shopify
Dropshipping is an online sales method in which the merchant takes care of marketing the products, while the supplier takes care of manufacturing, inventory and shipping. To find suppliers, there are many sites such as AliExpress, Best Buy and CjDropshipping. To create your online store with Shopify, you must subscribe to a monthly plan which will give you access to the platform to design your online store. Shopify also offers a 14-day trial period to help you generate your first revenue.
Steps to use dropshipping with Shopify and develop your e-commerce
Here are the different steps to use dropshipping with Shopify and grow your online store:
Select a niche product to offer to buyers
To succeed in dropshipping, it is important to find a niche product, that is to say an original or recent product for which there is no demand. To find your business niche, you can use marketing techniques and conduct market research to determine which products could potentially generate online sales.
Choosing an impactful brand name
The name of your online store is essential, because it is the one that your customers will remember and communicate to their friends. You must ensure that it is unforgettable, optimized for natural referencing and that it corresponds to the services you offer. You can use online business name generators or do research to find an impactful name.
Create an account on the Shopify platform
To create your online store with Shopify, you need to go to the Shopify login page and create an account by entering your email address, a password and the name of your brand. You will also need to answer a few questions to configure your interface according to your needs. Once your account is created, you will have access to a Shopify dropshipping platform with a random theme that you can customize.
Choosing an Attractive Theme for Your Online Store
Shopify offers a gallery of free themes that you can use to customize your online store. You can sort themes by collection or industry, depending on your preferences. You can also personalize your theme by adding your logo, configuring your menu, inserting images on your home page, offering slideshows, promoting collections, customizing the platform colors, etc.
Improve your online store
To highlight your online store, you can add different elements on your homepage such as prominent products, slideshows, partner logos, testimonials, trust badges, blog posts, etc. You can also create additional pages for the legal notices and presentation of your dropshipping platform.
Import items to your online store
You can import the items to your online store using a Shopify app or by manually importing. If you use a specialized application, you can browse the AliExpress reference catalog and select the items that interest you. Otherwise, you will have to manually fill in the information for each item, such as title, description, images, price, etc.
Select payment solutions
To allow your customers to pay for their orders, you need to choose the payment providers allowed in your online store. Shopify offers several options such as PayPal, Dwolla, Amazon Pay, Bitcoin, etc.
Configure the domain name
It is recommended to use your own domain name for your online store. To do this, you can use a domain name you already own, transfer your web domain to Shopify, or purchase a new domain name through Shopify.
Shopify dropshipping with Oberlo
Oberlo is an application available on Shopify that makes dropshipping management easier. You can easily integrate it with your online store and use it to find products and suppliers. Oberlo also takes care of order management and offers features to edit product information.
In conclusion, dropshipping with Shopify is an excellent opportunity to get started in online commerce. By following the steps mentioned in this article, you will be able to grow your online store and generate income through dropshipping.