There’s this common mistake many first-time dropshippers make. Let’s call it “ideas salad.” Instead of fleshing out dropshipping niches for their store, they make wrong bets, on the wrong inventory that doesn’t get traction.
So if you’re at the stage where you’re ready to grab the closest niche, don’t rush it. There are several ways to make a better decision on what you — personally — should and shouldn’t dropship. And if you’re a more or less experienced dropshipper who wants to expand their inventory, this post is also for you.
Why Finding Niches For Dropshipping Is Important
A unique online store doesn’t necessarily mean “full of never-before-seen stuff.” It should be a place where you, as a seller, know your products almost intimately. This includes dropshipping. Yes, you don’t have to stock those products in advance, but you should be able to consult your customers on them in great detail. So start with the following:
- Pick familiar niches for dropshipping.
Doesn’t matter if you’ve never dropshipped before: there must be a specific product category/sub-category you have a good, personal understanding of. Landscaping tools if you’re an avid gardener, comic book memorabilia if you’re a geek culture pro, make-up brand dupes if you’re into beauty products, etc, etc. It will be easier to find a quality supplier and understand the needs of your potential customers. After all, you ARE a part of your product’s target audience. - Bet on high-on-demand “one-hit wonders.“
Remember fidget spinners? At the peak of the 2017 craze, the original Fidget360 brand alone was making $2,5 million per month. The dupes revenue is unknown but it’s safe to say it was astronomical.
Some trends stay, they just change over time. Some trends — like spinners, selfie sticks, hoverboards, and more — disappear into obscurity, but not before making a colossal global profit. Your job is to figure out which niche is blowing out or is about to blow out akin to those former one-hit wonders. Note that this tactic is more suitable for experienced entrepreneurs or dropshippers.
If you decided to go with tactic Number 2, you need to find those emerging trends. Tactic Number 1 requires similar research: even if the niche you’re dropshipping is familiar to you, it still gonna have less popular/more trendy products within it.
- Check Google Trends. Dive into the Trending Topics category, type in keywords, or terms. Compare volume changes, fluctuations, locations.
- Browse Best Selling Items on eBay or Hot Products/Bestsellers on AliExpress. Also,fiddle with their search options to try and catch the hidden gems. It’s best to dropship with these two platforms anyway, so this is also a great way to look for suppliers.
- Hit Instagram and Facebook for clues. For IG, type in a category you have in mind in the Search bar and look for the tags with the most subscribers. This can even provide some niche ideas you never thought about. As for FB, use their Search in the same fashion, but this time chose the Groups category and research those with the most members. (Just beware the MLMs please.)
When dropshipping, niche product searching is essential. Trust us when we say you better take your time searching for the right one. And when you do, Ali2Woo will be more than happy to customize your store and provide you with reliable dropshipping plugins.
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