Online sales are booming and the turnover of businesses with a merchant site is constantly growing. Customers are buying increasingly specialized product lines, not only during holidays or for special occasions, but at any time of the year.
Did the idea of creating your own online sales site touch you? But you were put off by the risks or the fact that you do not completely master computer science? Rest assured, there are very simple solutions. The “dropshipping” allows you to start your business without stock and without working capital. Online solutions like Shopify, very easy to use but very powerful, also exist to help you create your online shop. We will explain below the method combining these two techniques (the “dropshipping” and Shopify) to allow you to put your e-commerce site very quickly and simply online.
How Drop shipping works:
The word “dropshipping” is an Anglicism which means “direct delivery”. This is an increasingly popular selling technique that relies on collaboration between suppliers and sales sites. Thus, it is your supplier who is responsible for sending the order directly to the end customer, which you have sent to him beforehand. So you do not deal either with inventory management or shipping, but only with the commercial aspect, which saves you a lot of time and protects you from bad surprises (such as having a large inventory, unsold).
The technique of “dropshipping” is appreciated also because finally the two actors, the supplier and the merchant site, come out winners. Indeed, the supplier is happy to have a showcase to sell his merchandise and the online sales site benefits from a serious catalog.
The benefits of using Shopify for an online sales site in dropshipping
Shopify is probably the online shopping system currently best suited for dropshipping. Why that ? Simply because this functionality is perfectly integrated with the system, for example the transmission of orders to your supplier is done in a simplified way. There are a number of applications available in the Shopify App Store that are added to your online store, and these applications are for well-known vendors such as AliExpress or Oberlo. So through Shopify you are saving valuable time that you can dedicate to more useful things like promoting or writing details for every product you sell.
Shopify is an excellent online store system, one of the strengths of which is to offer themes to flawless designs, which is a significant advantage for you compared to your competitors using other platforms. Feel free to browse through Shopify’s themes and features, and you’ll get a free 14-day trial.
Creating your online store with Shopify
Although making sales in dropshipping is easy, you can not omit the different steps of creating your online business. First choose a type of product that you know well because you will have to answer customer questions and offer them good after-sales service. Also make sure to work with a serious and recognized provider, you will have no trouble to inquire about the Internet by reading the comments of the managers of online sales sites using the dropshipping.
You can also make test orders directly from the supplier you are interested in to confirm that your shipping times are reasonable.
Regarding other elements of creating your online store, such as choosing a name or creating a logo, Shopify also provides free tools available on its site. So do not hesitate to take advantage of all the potential in tools simplifying the life of the company creator that is offered to you.
You will then have to set up your catalog and descriptions of the items you are going to sell. It is this precise point that will make all the difference; Indeed, accurate and detailed descriptions that are well referenced will appear at the top of the search results in the larger search engines. Remember that other online websites use the same providers (unless you have found a rare or local product) and therefore offer the same products. But if you choose the best pictures and describe the products in the most accurate way possible you considerably increase your chances of sale.
With Shopify, you can choose from many payment gateways, so you will have to choose the ones that are most popular among your target group. It is also preferable to set up a tracking system, which is always reassuring for the customer.
Finally, do not forget to write general conditions and to make commercial gestures in case of problem.
Specifics of dropshipping for an online sales site
Dropshipping is a good way to start an online store quickly, but you have to take account of its specificities to avoid any disappointment. Indeed, if you do not really need working capital, you will still have to plan a substantial amount of work at the marketing level. The amount allocated to the promotion must also be adapted to your activity, you do not make an omelet without breaking eggs! Particularly care for your customers and they will remain faithful to you.
By choosing Shopify as your online shopping platform, you will save yourself a lot of trouble and effort, Shopify is a powerful and comprehensive tool especially well-equipped for dropshipping. Online shops can be created quickly and without special knowledge in computer science.