What Is Dropshipping and How Does It Work? (2024)

If you’re eager to enter the world of e-commerce but aren’t prepared for the complexities of managing product logistics, dropshipping could be the ideal starting point for your entrepreneurial journey. By entrusting logistics to a third party, you can focus on building your brand and marketing your products effectively.

What is Dropshipping?

Dropshipping is an online retail method where products are sold without inventory storage. When an order is received, the seller forwards it to another company or dropshipping supplier, shipping the product directly to the customer. In this model, the seller acts as a middleman between the customer and the company or dropshipping supplier with the actual product.

What is a Dropshipper?

A drop shipper is an individual or business that adopts the dropshipping model, buying inventory and fulfillment logistics from a third party rather than managing the warehousing and shipping of products themselves.

A dropshipper is an individual or business entity that engages in the dropshipping business model. Dropshippers act as intermediaries between customers and suppliers in this retail fulfillment method. Unlike traditional retailers who stock and manage inventory, dropshippers don’t hold physical products. Instead, when a customer places an order, the dropshipper purchases the item from a third-party supplier, who then directly ships the product to the customer. Dropshippers curate and market products without needing inventory storage or handling the complexities of order fulfillment. This approach allows dropshippers to focus on building their brand, marketing strategies like Performance Marketing, and customer relationships while leveraging the efficiency of third-party logistics.

How Does Dropshipping Work?

Dropshipping involves a symbiotic relationship between a customer-facing store and a supplier. Two common approaches are finding wholesale suppliers independently or using apps that connect the store to multiple suppliers. Here’s how dropshipping works:

1. Customer Places an Order:

• A customer visits the online store operated by the dropshipper and places an order for a product.

2. Order Forwarded to Supplier:

• The dropshipper, instead of stocking the product, forwards the customer’s order and shipment details to a third-party supplier or manufacturer.

3. Supplier Processes the Order:

• The supplier processes the order, picks the product from their inventory, packs it, and ships it directly to the customer. The supplier handles all aspects of order fulfillment.

4. Customer Receives the Product:

• The customer receives the product directly from the supplier, and the shipping process is often white-labeled, meaning the dropshipper sent the product.

Key Points to Note:

• Dropshippers do not need to invest in or hold inventory.
• The dropshipper doesn’t handle the physical product, eliminating the need for storage space and logistics management.
• The dropshipper focuses on Performance marketing, customer service, and building their brand.
• This model allows for a wide range of products without the risk of unsold inventory.

While dropshipping offers convenience, it comes with challenges, such as potential supplier errors and lower profit margins. Success in dropshipping often depends on careful supplier selection, effective marketing, and providing excellent customer service.

Benefits of Dropshipping Business:

1. Less upfront capital required: Launch an e-commerce store without hefty investments in inventory.

One of the most significant advantages of dropshipping is the ability to launch an ecommerce store without investing substantial amounts of money in inventory. Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar or ecommerce retailers that must tie up significant capital in purchasing inventory, the dropshipping model operates differently.

In dropshipping, you only purchase a product once you’ve secured a sale and received payment from the customer. This eliminates the necessity for significant upfront investments in inventory, making it feasible to start a dropshipping business and achieve success with minimal financial resources.

Moreover, starting a dropshipping store entails less risk since you are not obligated to sell through inventory purchased upfront, as in other business models. This flexibility and reduced financial commitment make dropshipping an attractive option for entrepreneurs looking to enter the ecommerce space without the challenges of managing substantial inventory costs.

2. Easy to start: Focus on building your business without dealing with physical products.

Operating an ecommerce business becomes significantly more streamlined when you’re not tasked with managing physical products. In the realm of dropshipping, you can alleviate concerns related to:

1. Managing or paying for a warehouse
2. Packing and shipping orders
3. Tracking inventory for accounting purposes
4. Handling returns and inbound shipments
5. Constantly ordering products and managing stock levels

By embracing dropshipping, these logistical challenges inherent in dealing with physical products are mitigated, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on other crucial aspects of their business, such as marketing, customer service, and business growth.

3. Low overhead: Minimal expenses as you don’t manage inventory, fulfillment centers, or shipping.

Due to the absence of the need to purchase inventory or manage fulfillment centers, dropshipping results in low overhead expenses. Numerous thriving dropshipping stores operate as home-based businesses, necessitating little more than a laptop and a few recurring expenses to sustain operations.

While costs may increase as your business grows, they will remain comparatively low when contrasted with the overhead expenses incurred by traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. This cost-effectiveness is a notable advantage for entrepreneurs entering the ecommerce space through the dropshipping model.

4. Flexible location: Manage your business from anywhere with an internet connection.

Dropshipping enables the operation of a successful business from virtually anywhere with an internet connection. The essential requirements are communicating effectively with suppliers and delivering timely service and support aligned with customer expectations. This flexibility allows entrepreneurs to run and manage their businesses with geographical independence, underlining the adaptability and accessibility afforded by the dropshipping model.

5. Wide selection of products: Offer a variety of products without pre-purchasing inventory.

Dropshipping allows you to present a diverse selection of trending products to your potential customers by eliminating the need for pre-purchasing items. This flexibility extends to the ability to rotate or modify your dropshipping products list without concerns about unsold inventory. Suppose suppliers maintain stock of a particular item. In that case, you can seamlessly list it for sale on your online store at no additional cost, underscoring the dynamic and adaptable nature of the dropshipping model.

6. More straightforward to test: Test customer appetite for new product categories or lines without significant commitments.

Dropshipping is a valuable fulfillment model, serving as a launching pad for new stores and a testing ground for business owners exploring customer interest in additional product categories, such as accessories or entirely new product lines. The primary advantage of dropshipping lies in its capacity to list and potentially sell products without committing to large inventory purchases beforehand. This feature enables entrepreneurs to gauge market demand and make informed decisions about expanding their product offerings.

7. More straightforward to scale: Scale efficiently with less incremental work than traditional businesses.

In contrast to a traditional retail business, where a surge in orders typically translates to a proportional increase in workload, dropshipping streamlines the process by shifting the majority of the workload to suppliers. With dropshipping suppliers handling much of the order processing, entrepreneurs can scale their businesses more easily, experiencing fewer growing pains and requiring less incremental effort. This scalability is a significant advantage, allowing enterprises to efficiently manage increased demand and expand their operations without being burdened by a linear increase in workload.

Drawbacks of Dropshipping:

1. Low-profit margins: Intense competition may lead to low-profit margins.
2. Inventory issues: Managing inventory from multiple suppliers can be complex.
3. Shipping complexities: Coordinating shipping from various suppliers can be challenging.
4. Supplier errors: Third-party errors in order fulfillment may impact your business.
5. Limited customization and branding: Limited control over product design and branding.

Start Dropshipping Business with Fathershops:

Starting a dropshipping business with Fathershops is convenient. Set up a Fathershops account, choose a theme, customize your store, and use apps like Fatherstock to import and manage products from suppliers. Despite complexities, careful planning can lead to a successful and profitable dropshipping venture.

What is Dropshipping? FAQ:

How to Do Dropshipping:

1. Your customer places an order on your online store.
2. Your store automatically sends the order to your dropshipping supplier.
3. Your dropshipping supplier prepares your customers’ demands.
4. Your dropshipping supplier ships the order directly to your customer.

While dropshipping business in Australia presents challenges, careful consideration and strategic planning can make it a thriving, profitable business model.