Let's Talk Straight
Good start to the month, $24,266 in 9 days
You've seen these posts on X, on Instagram, on Threads. Flooded with comments like 'killing it bro!' and 'teach me!'. But what's the truth behind these numbers?
The screenshots of their revenue are real, right?
In some cases, yes. But the net profit will be much slimmer than most would expect. The reality is rarely broken down in public.
I've seen countless beginner dropshippers fall in love with following these posts.
So let's set some things straight.
Myth #1: The Market Is Too Saturated to Be Profitable
Dropshipping is dead!
I heard that in 2019.
And in 2020, and 2021...
... And every year since.
Meanwhile, countless stores continue to earn 5 figure profits.
A good friend of mine's supplement business? 4 fulltime employees and still makes six figures
(although he's scaled well beyond simple dropshipping these days).
The market isn't saturated. Take a look at Gemma's post if you want data proof.
It's bad shops with rubbish products that are saturated.
Big difference.
Myth #2: Premium Pricing Kills Sales
Keep it cheap to beat Amazon!
Wrong way round, mate.
Let me share some numbers:
– $9.99 product = 2,000 sales = endless complaints
– Same product at $24.99 = 1,500 sales = half the hassle
– Higher price = better customers = fewer headaches
Cheap prices attract cheap customers.
Cheap customers leave bad reviews.
Bad reviews kill your store.
Don't just take my word for it - Try it:
– Premium pricing = margin for proper support
– Margin for proper support = happy customers
– Happy customers = sustainable business
Myth #3: You Can Set It and Forget It
where's my order????
Monday morning. Wake up to 23 angry customer messages.
Your supplier ran out of stock. Didn't tell you.
Still accepted orders.
Automatic? If you have the skills. Hands-off? Never.
Real dropshipping means:
– Daily support
– Regular product research & testing
– Constant customer service
– Ad monitoring
– Market research
– Store grooming
– SEO and Social Media activity
It's a proper business. An e-commerce business like any other.
Treat it like one.
Dropshipping is just your fulfilment method at the end of the day.
Myth #4: Dropshipping Is an Easy Way to Make Fast Money
Just set up a store and watch the money roll in!.
Yeah, right.
Here's a more realistic first three months:
– Month 1: -$390
– Month 2: -$625
– Month 3: $515
Not quite the beach lifestyle promised by that self-procliamed YouTube guru, is it?
Truth bomb - Most successful dropshippers will spend their first months:
– Testing products that fail
– Writing ads that don't convert
– Dealing with supplier headaches
– Learning expensive lessons
Easy money?
Not even close - but those willing to learn and adapt - they are the ones that making a lot of "easy" money.
Myth #5: You Don't Need Any Upfront Investment
Start with zero pounds!
Stop it. Please, enough already.
Let’s break down the startup costs:
– Domain: $10
– Ecommerce platform: $39/month
– Dropshipping tooling: $29/month
– Test products: $200
– Ad Budget: $500/month (minimum)
– Company set-up: $600
– Other apps: $60/month
Total before making your first dollar: $1,438
Could you start with less? Sure. Why not.
Would I recommend it? Nope.
The Real Truth About Dropshipping
Dropshipping is not a hands-off licence to print money. Nor is it a fad/trend that a few "lucky" folks jumped on early enough. It's a real business and can be very rewarding if you have the stomach for it and understand the key principles.
Research your products and analyse the data
Know your numbers cold
Test everything twice
Build real relationships
Treat customers like humans
Want to start?
– Find your products.
– Test them properly.
– Scale what works.
Now go prove me right.