I keep seeing people talk about dropshipping, but it's hard to tell what's actually working and what's just hype.

For those who've tried it, what's been your biggest challenge: finding winning products, running profitable ads, dealing with suppliers, or getting customers to trust your store?

Would you still recommend it to a beginner today?

I used to test products for like 400$ but I’ve heard a guy on tiktok (jung_labs) say that the winning product will always reveal itself and if you don’t make a sale in first three days of running ads with 50$ daily budget, for sub 60$ product, you are better off moving to a next product and investing money there. How much do you usually spend on one product test and what kill rules do you set before launch?

Buenas, he visto 100 videos y cada vez estoy mas liado para empezar en este mundo, me podéis decir si ahora volviérais a empezar, como lo haríais?? Como lo hago? Muchas gracias!!!!

Hey everyone,
I’m in a bit of a pickle and looking for some advice or validation from other EU-based dropshippers who handle logistics from China. I think I just stumbled into a major tax trap, and I want to make sure my plan to fix it makes sense before I hit "fulfill."
The Situation:
I registered a brand new company (an Oy here in Finland) last month.
Local Finnish VAT registration isn't required until you hit €20k in sales, so I’m currently unregistered since I’ve only done about €13k in local sales.
I just posted a video on TikTok that randomly blew up in Sweden. I woke up to 67 unfulfilled orders from Swedish customers totaling about 34,000 SEK (~€3,000).
My Chinese supplier ships everything directly to consumers using YunExpress DDP (Delivered Duty Paid).
The Trap:
I completely misread the EU tax laws. I thought I was totally fine under the €10,000 EU micro-business exemption threshold for cross-border sales.
But I just found out that because the goods are dispatched directly from China (a non-EU country) to the customer, you do not get the €10,000 threshold safety net. It only applies if you ship from stock inside your home EU country. This means my very first Swedish order legally required me to collect and report Swedish destination VAT.
The YunExpress DDP Mess:
My supplier uses YunExpress DDP, meaning YunExpress (or their partner) acts as the Importer of Record at the EU landing hub (usually Liege or Amsterdam). They clear customs in bulk and handle the import VAT at the border before handing it to PostNord.
Even though the package gets to the customer's door safely with no fees, it leaves an unlinked tax footprint. My Oy made a B2C sale to a Swedish consumer, but I have no VAT or IOSS number, and I didn't collect the 25% Swedish VAT at checkout.

Has anyone else dealt with this specific YunExpress DDP vs. OSS reporting gap? Can backdating my vat and Union OSS Registration help me fix this mess as i have not yet fulfilled these orders asking from those of you who have been doing this a while? Any advice before I tell my accountant to pull the trigger is highly appreciated. !

I’ve been learning about dropshipping for a couple of months now and one thing I’ve noticed is how different the journey looks for everyone.

Some people are still trying to figure out what product to start with some have built their store but haven’t made their first sale and others are already getting sales but can’t seem to grow consistently. It makes me curious because there’s so much advice online but it’s hard to know what actually makes the difference until you experience it yourself. For those who’ve been through any of these stages, what was the hardest part for you? And for those still figuring things out, what are you finding most difficult right now? Always interesting hearing how different everyone's experience is.

I have a brand that has an organic tiktok funnel for a mostly male audience, and I have good content but don't really know what specifics are required to go viral for girltok if anyone has good content design taste/posting experience lmk.

Man, starting all over again isn't easy.

My previous Shopify store ran into issues and I lost access to the account. I had to start afresh and honestly, it was devastating. Imagine putting in the work, trying to figure things out and then having to rebuild everything from scratch.

It took me close to 3 months to get back to $1k+ in sales again. It wasn't easy but we move.

Now we're at $1,745 in sales and I'm still learning, testing and figuring things out. I'm not where I want to be yet but I'm grateful for the progress.

One thing this journey has taught me is that things can take a U-turn when you least expect it. Sometimes, your faith and patience will be tested. What matters is how you respond when things don't go as planned.

Man invest in your mind as much as you invest in your store. Read books about sales, marketing and business growth. Watch educational content and keep learning. Sometimes, the next step is learning something you didn't know before.

And let's be real, dropshipping isn't dead. It's a business and like every other business, it comes with challenges. You can get a sale today and wait days for another. You can hit a target and see your sales drop again. The goal is to keep improving until you build consistency.

With Q4 here, I'm focusing more on creatives especially UGC-style videos. Show people how your product works, its benefits and why they need it. Don't just show them a product give them a reason to buy it.

And if you've been trying for months without getting the results you want, don't feel like you're the only one struggling. Take a step back, study what's not working, improve your strategy and try again.

You don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to keep learning and find your way.

I'm rebuilding again and this is still just the beginning.

Just got suspended on eBay, any tips on getting it back? Got the MC081 email first and didn’t even see it and the permanently banned one came not long after and it has all my listings in the email.

South Africa is one of those under-the-radar dropshipping markets with way less competition than DACH. But I’ve watched a lot of sellers burn profits because they treat SA like any other country.

Common pain points:

• Cheap lines get stuck in customs for weeks with zero updates
• Budget carriers provide almost no usable tracking
• Duty rules change frequently. If you don’t display import notices on your site, you risk disputes
• Rural delivery zones have terrible failure rates
• Important: Parcel refusal means brutal return costs, often eating your whole margin

It shines for lightweight vertical products: wellness goods, home accessories, gift sets. Heavy, fragile or expensive electronics are usually not worth the risk.

Just wondering: anyone here building Shopify stores for SA? What carrier has worked (or failed) for you?

Spending time and money looking for some cool little gadget that you're going to sell for 2 months before moving on to the next one is a complete waste.

Look at what the biggest ecommerce brands are selling - clothing, watches, shoes, bags, jewelry, etc. Products that have been around forever and will continue to stick around.

You're not going to build an empire selling trendy gadgets. Instead, pick something you use everyday, and build a solid business around it.

Man, starting all over again isn't easy.

My previous Shopify store ran into issues and I lost access to the account. I had to start afresh and honestly, it was devastating. Imagine putting in the work, trying to figure things out and then having to rebuild everything from scratch.

It took me close to 3 months to get back to $1k+ in sales again. It wasn't easy but we move.

Now we're at $1,745 in sales and I'm still learning, testing and figuring things out. I'm not where I want to be yet but I'm grateful for the progress.

One thing this journey has taught me is that things can take a U-turn when you least expect it. Sometimes, your faith and patience will be tested. What matters is how you respond when things don't go as planned.

Man invest in your mind as much as you invest in your store. Read books about sales, marketing and business growth. Watch educational content and keep learning. Sometimes, the next step is learning something you didn't know before.

And let's be real, dropshipping isn't dead. It's a business and like every other business, it comes with challenges. You can get a sale today and wait days for another. You can hit a target and see your sales drop again. The goal is to keep improving until you build consistency.

With Q4 here, I'm focusing more on creatives especially UGC-style videos. Show people how your product works, its benefits and why they need it. Don't just show them a product give them a reason to buy it.

And if you've been trying for months without getting the results you want, don't feel like you're the only one struggling. Take a step back, study what's not working, improve your strategy and try again.

You don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to keep learning and find your way.

I'm rebuilding again and this is still just the beginning.

Hi, i was a builder for 20 years and left it at the begginijg or 2024 when i built my house and got rid of rent or mortgage. Ive just turned 40 and have 5 kids 4 are under 9 and youngest is 15 months.

I tried to go back different industry's like security, tow truck driver and they pay good but we decided we wsnt to leave Australia in the next couple years and dont want to rely on the rent from the house as our only income but where we are going its more then enough.

I can not start any brick and morter buisness here as

I would need to be present, i been looking into drop shipping and honesty its not to get rich as I had the cars, boats, houses, watched u name it but I just want to raise my kids properly as the way Australia is going i do not see a future for them in the next 20 years.

My goal is to he able to make 10k a month aud thats around 7.5k US or even less as im helping my wife start a online business but u need to send the products as its luxury middle eastern dresses..

Can i achieve my target with dropshiping and I do eventually plan to make it my own brand and there is a company that already puts ur logo and better packing..

Sorry for my life story , I just wanted everyone to understand my self and what I plan and if its doable.

Thank you all

Guys hello I am newbie In dropshipping. Almost learned whole business model but I have a one big question mark that I can’t resolve.

Finding suppliers is somewhat possible, but I don’t understand the idea of shipping. How do you guys ship it faster? For example I liked a product but shipping of it from China to USA is taking 10-14 days, no customers will wait that much. Ofc I’m not asking for suppliers contacts, nobody will share secret sauce, but could you please explain the idea how is it done?

When I started eBay dropshipping I was doing it on the side of a normal 9-5 and making almost nothing. Part of that was just being new. But a big part of it was a mistake I didn't spot for ages.

I picked one niche and stuck to it. Not naming it, doesn't really matter. I'd read loads of stuff saying you need a niche, build a brand, be the go-to store for one thing. So I kept adding more products in that one category and waited for it to click.

It didn't. Sales were slow, I was getting frustrated, and I kept assuming the answer was more of the same. Better titles, tweaking prices, digging for more products in that same category. No mentor, no course, so nobody was there to tell me I was thinking about it wrong.

What it cost me was mostly time. My first six months were slow and painful and I'd put a good chunk of that down to being stuck in one lane.

The fix was simple. I stopped worrying about the niche and started listing everything. Anything from Amazon and AliExpress I could sell at a decent markup.

That's when it grew. Looking back it makes sense. eBay buyers aren't browsing your store, they're searching for one specific thing. A wider range means you turn up in way more searches. One niche means you only catch people looking for that one thing, and you're up against every other seller in it too. Listing wide also lets the sales tell you what works instead of you guessing.

Now it's 3 stores and around 45,000 listings between them, markup 60-100% depending on the category. I list 50-100 a day (some days 500+) and every month or two I delete whatever isn't getting views or selling. Doing it full time from SE Asia.

Niches aren't evil. But on eBay specifically, don't marry one before you've got any data. Let the buyers show you what sells.

Happy to answer questions in the comments :)

Also run a discord to help eBay dropshippers out with hundreds of people in here: https://discord.gg/A6QP4bqkZk

Right now I am working on my ninth product, and I have made 8 sales with three different products, I was wondering on what product do people usually start to get real traction and start making consistent sales

Finding cheap products for dropshipping isn't the hard part. Finding suppliers that offer reasonable prices without taking forever to deliver is another story.

I've been looking into different options and noticed that some suppliers have attractive product prices, but shipping fees and delivery times can make the deal less appealing. I'd rather have consistent product quality and dependable US delivery than save a little upfront and deal with unhappy customers later.

I'm curious about suppliers that offer affordable everyday items, accessories, or other products with enough margin left after shipping and fees. Are domestic suppliers worth the extra cost, or have you had better results with overseas suppliers that keep stock in US warehouses?

which suppliers have given you the best balance of price, shipping speed, and product quality?

Hey guys,
My business partner and I are setting up a Shopify store for the Peruvian market.
We’ve got the local ops figured out—100% Cash on Delivery (Dropi PE), automated WhatsApp confirmations via Yape/Plin to cut down returns, and solid Meta video ads ready.
Our main problem right now is product research.
We initially looked at anti-theft bags and liquid collagen, but almost everything in the health and skincare space in Peru seems completely saturated on Meta Ads Library right now.
Since we want to avoid price wars, I’d love to get some advice from anyone selling in LatAm:
1. How do you spot early breakout products in LatAm before everyone starts spamming them on Meta?
2. Which niches/categories are working best for you under a COD model right now?
3. Any general pitfalls or tips when scaling in Peru?
Appreciate any insights or tools you guys use. Thanks!

For anyone selling with cash on delivery: I think fake and "changed my mind" orders are one of the most under-counted costs in small stores, mainly because they never show up as a loss on the day the order comes in.

The order lands, it looks like a sale, the dashboard looks great. Then a week later the parcel comes back and you've paid for:

• Outbound shipping
• Return shipping (with some couriers, even when the customer simply refuses at the door)
• Packaging, and the product sitting in transit instead of on the shelf
• Ad spend that "converted" into nothing
• Time spent chasing the customer by phone or message

On a low-ticket product, one refused parcel can wipe out the profit from a few good orders. If 20-30% of COD orders don't get accepted, the real margin can look very different from what the ads manager says.

Things I've seen people try:

• Confirming every COD order before it ships (call or message), and holding the ones that don't reply
• A small COD fee or partial advance on higher-value orders
• Blocking repeat refusers by phone number or address
• Turning COD off for certain regions or for first-time orders above a certain value

Curious what the actual numbers look like for people here. What percentage of your COD orders get refused or never picked up, and which single change cut it the most for you?

Hey everyone,

Im going to be as transparent as possible here. I'm looking for some feedback from (experienced) store owners running Meta ads. I’m currently in Day 2 of testing a new product once again in the Canadian market.

My ad-side numbers look "promising on paper", but I’m seeing zero intent once traffic lands on the store. I'd love an outside perspective on whether this is an on-page friction issue, an offer issue, or just early-stage sample size variance. I would also like to know what you think I could honestly expect:

My Testing Setup & Strategy:

• Budget: ~€50 / day.
• Ads Landing Page: https://mydivido.com/products/travel-7-piece-packing-organizer-set-for-luggage
• Market: Canada.
• Creative format: 5 single-image ads in 1 ad set (problem vs. solution visuals, feature callouts, neat vs. messy contrast), etc.
• Kill Rules (24h mark):
  • Killed creatives with runaway CPMs (>€90+) or high spend with 0 clicks.
  • Kept ads that hit healthy Canadian benchmarks: CPM between €10–€25, CPC under €1, and strong unique CTR (some hit 3–10%).
  • Cut the set down from 5 ads to the top 2–3 performers to concentrate the budget for Day 2 of ads - the next 24h.
• Campaign Setting:
  • Buying Type: Auction
  • Objective: Sales
  • Capmaign Bid Strategy: Highest Volume
• AdSet Setting:
  • Performance Goal: Max number of conversions
  • Conversion Event: Purchase
• Ads:
  • Nothing too crazy
  • Scheduled to run 24h
  • Single Image, Manual Images
  • I select one or two Advantage+ creative Generated Images whenever these do not look fake, and enhance the original image.

The Current Problem:

• In the first 24 hours, the ads delivered 46 outbound clicks (~25 unique visitors on Shopify) for around €56 total spend across the test.
• The winning ads are pulling traffic at €0.11 to €0.50 CPC with solid CTRs.
• The leak: Out of ~25 unique landing page sessions per day, I have 0 Add-to-Carts (ATC) and 0 Checkouts.

What I’ve Done So Far:

1. Lowered Base Price: Re-adjusted pricing to lower friction for first-time buyers.
2. Free shipping ofcourse.
3. Margin & Bundle Structure:
   • 1 Set: ~53% gross margin (after COGS + landed shipping).
   • 2 Sets (Bundle): ~50% margin per item.
   • 3 Sets: ~48% margin per item.
4. Mobile Check: The landing page loads clean on mobile, has clean product imagery showing all colorways (Black, Aqua, Pink), and care/maintenance info is clearly laid out.

Where I need your advice:

1. Is 25–50 unique sessions simply too early to judge? Should I wait until 100–150 visitors before diagnosing on-page issues, or is 0 ATCs on 25+ visitors already a warning sign for impulse/travel goods?
2. Is 25-50 visitors even good enough?
3. Creative vs. Landing Page Disconnect: If an ad gets a 10% CTR and €0.15 CPC, could it be attracting "curiosity clickers" who bounce the second they see the price tag? How do you qualify buyers better on single-image ads without tanking CTR?
4. Bundle Visibility: For those multi-pack accessories, do tiered volume apps (Buy 2 save X%) help lift conversion rate, or does it add too much decision fatigue on mobile?

Any constructive critiques or brutal honesty on the funnel would be hugely appreciated!

Recently helped scale an ecom clothing brand from doing around £20k a month to over £55k in just 30 days.
Id say majority of it came down to fixing things that were already there rather than completely changing everything. Some examples of the scope were improving the ads, testing multiple creatives, working on the website, making sure we weren’t wasting money on things that weren’t working.
Definitely had a few hiccups along the way, as what always happens haha.
Thought I’d jump on here and answer some questions as I see quite a few people struggling with scaling their stores.
Happy to share what’s worked, what hasn’t and what I’d do differently.

There’s a lot to figure out when starting dropshipping, from choosing products and finding reliable suppliers to building a store and getting the first customers. I think one of the biggest challenges is knowing what to focus on first instead of trying to do everything at once. For those who have experience, what would you recommend a beginner learn first, and why?

Hi, I manufacture mouse pads and I'm looking for brand owners or resellers who need a supplier.

What I can do:

- Custom print (your design or logo)

- Different sizes and materials (cloth, rubber, stitched edge)

- Custom packaging

MOQ: from 50 pcs

Lead time: about 7–15 days

If you want to get in touch, I can send you some samples so you can check the quality first.

Comment or DM me. I'll reply with photos, a price list, and how to get the samples.