Thanks to the swarm of pseudo-gurus of the eCommerce world, dropshipping are often viewed as something scammy. And unfortunately, this sometimes stops the interested entrepreneurs from doing more research; some even wonder if dropshipping is legal. Others claim dropshipping is as good as dead in 2021. Today, let us sit down and deal with the main myths and rumors once and for all.
Myth 1: “Dropshipping is illegal.” Dropshipping is a perfectly legal trading practice. Of course, keep in mind that owning an online store makes you a business owner — and businesses need to be registered legally. As long as you’re an honest taxpayer who doesn’t try to dropship low-quality or forbidden products, you’ll be fine. Check the common laws your country has for the entrepreneurs to learn the nuances.
Myth 2. “Dropshipping is about scamming others (or being scammed.)” No, dropshipping is not a scamming scheme. So much so that it’s not even forbidden by the Terms & Conditions of major retail platforms (yes, including Amazon.) On AliExpress you can find dozens of sellers who offer affiliate programs for dropshippers. And why would it be otherwise? For free dropshipping, those platforms receive traffic and sales through your store and gain nothing but profit from your sales. Sure, your store’s customers don’t know you dropship the products but you aren’t doing anything every on- and offline reseller does, so it doesn’t really affect them on their end.
You, as a dropshipping newbie, alas can be scammed by fraudulent “experts”. Beware of those charging hundreds upon thousands of dollars for their useless courses or corrupt software. Be vigilant, skeptical, and don’t make rushed decisions.
Myth 3. “Your dropshipping store won’t survive the competition.” A basic, ill-maintained website with no distinctive theme and/or unreasonably high pricing doesn’t have a chance, yet. But if you create a professionally-looking store, invest in software & advertising, and commit to dropshipping products that are niche and on-demand? Different story.
Here are just a couple of ideas for unique online stores:
- Dropshipping print on demand items with a personalized touch;
- Dropshipping quality dupes of famous brands (think IKEA-esque decor, Gucci-esque purses, beauty products mirroring famous Korean brands, etc.)
- Dropshipping band merch for music fans.
Myth 4. “You will get super rich super quick.” Yes, dropshipping as a business model allows you to save money on inventory. But, as we mentioned above, it’s still a job that demands attention to detail, research, and dedication. Dropshipping is not a way to get passive income. Still, it becomes extremely rewarding as soon as you start making steady profits.
Myth 5. “You need to be a tech wiz.” While having a general idea of how the digital world works never hurt anyone, you absolutely don’t have to be more-than-average knowledge in that department. Especially if you’re dropshipping with WooCommerce: in that case, you can get affordable yet reliable and user-friendly software to support your store 24/7. Ali2Woo Plugin for AliExpress dropshipping is the best example. It is designed for full customization, automation, and synchronization of online dropshipping stores. Click the link above to learn more about the software’s features and perks. And rest assured dropshipping is far from dead in 2021.
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