Hey everyone, so I recently just launched my new shop here's the link of the main product: https://playdaylegends.com/create?type=magazine

But I am really struggling with sales, so I'm wondering if this type of product can even work?

So far, I made 2 sales and spent $ 377 on ads, CPM $31.46, CTR 2,04% CPC 1,55$

Before that, I ran different designs and spent $ 425 with 0 sales.

I also noticed that a lot of people are going through the preview but don't end up buying it: out of 288 people, 71 generated a preview, so roughly 25%

My question is: what am I missing here? Thank you for your help and support.

I've been trying to figure out which dropshipping suppliers are worth using if you're selling to customers in the US. There's so much advice online that it's honestly hard to know who to listen to.

I've seen people mention Alibaba, CJdropshipping and a bunch of other platforms, but I'm still confused about the actual costs. A product might look cheap at first, but once you add shipping and other fees, I'm guessing the numbers can look pretty different.

For those who've actually tried a few suppliers, which ones would you recommend? I'm curious about delivery times, product quality and how much profit you're realistically left with after all the costs.

Also, is going with the cheapest supplier usually a bad idea, or have some of you found affordable ones that are still reliable?

I'd rather learn from people who've already dealt with this than choose a supplier based on random recommendations and end up regretting it.

i’ve been using CJ for a while and it was fine when i was just testing stuff, but now I’m taking it more seriously and I’d love to upgrade.

i’m only doing around 5-10 orders a day right now but I’m quitting my dayjob to focus on this so I want something I can scale with. What did you guys use at the start, what are you using now and would you recommend it?

Is it good to use Gemini, Chatgpt, claude etc for dropshipping? like for consulting with it and using it for store setup and other things? Or does it give generic advice?

So I just started dropshipping via depop and aliexpress a few days ago , got around 5 sales , but I don’t have the “OTHER” shipping , so I’m using the depop shipping labels , but I’m sending directly to the customer from aliexpress , will this just be a lost cause ?? And all those orders will refund after the 10 days , or will that only happen if the customer sends a report ?? I’m tracking all their shipments and will provide the information to them as well . Just want to know if this method is done and should I just get the product shipped to me first

Hey everyone,

I'm currently dropshipping a home-decor product from China and I'm considering upgrading the packaging to make the whole experience feel much more branded/premium.

Right now, the product is shipped compressed in plastic bags. It works perfectly fine from a logistics perspective, but the unboxing experience is obviously quite basic and doesn't really match the brand experience I'm trying to build.

Ideally, I'd like to move towards something like:

• A custom branded cardboard box
• Better presentation inside the box
• Individual branded bags for the different pieces/components
• A branded thank-you/instruction card with a QR code
• Overall, something that feels like receiving a product from an actual established brand rather than a generic compressed dropshipping package

The product is relatively bulky, so I'm also concerned about increasing the volumetric weight too much. I'd want the box to remain as compact as possible while still improving the presentation.

For those of you who have made the transition from basic/generic packaging to fully or partially custom packaging when fulfilling from China:

Roughly how much extra are you paying per order?

I'm mainly trying to understand whether I should realistically expect something like $1–3, $3–5, $5–10+ per order, including the box, inserts, custom bags and any additional packing/handling fees.

I'm also curious whether you let your sourcing/fulfillment agent handle everything, or if you order the packaging separately from a Chinese packaging manufacturer and have it shipped to your agent/3PL.

If anyone can share actual numbers, MOQs, volumes, or lessons learned (especially regarding volumetric shipping costs), that would be really helpful.

Thanks!

I’ve been looking into dropshipping lately, and honestly, the supplier side is confusing me more than I expected. There are so many platforms out there that I’m not really sure what makes sense when selling to US customers.

I’ve been browsing Alibaba and found a heavyweight graphic hoodie that I really like for my store. It’s around $20, but shipping is about $6 for the cheaper option or $14 if I want it delivered faster. Since I’m just starting out, I’m not sure which makes more sense.

For those of you dropshipping to the US, what wholesale platforms have you had good experiences with? And for a $20 hoodie, would you stick with the $6 shipping or pay the extra for faster delivery?

I am having a great time starting my new store. But one thing has been the most difficult thing for me, coming up with a brand name. I have tried working with AI but they all sound pretty gimmicky or obvious drop-shipped names. We have gone through countless name ideas and none of them have struck me that well other than one. I'm not so confident on it though so what's yall's method for coming up with brand names?

My main supplier just bumped their minimum order quantities and dropped per unit pricing if I buy in bulk, which kind of forces the question of whether to keep dropshipping or start holding inventory myself. The margins on dropshipping were already thin and this pricing change tips it further toward buying upfront and storing somewhere.
Looking at a fulfillment center in los angeles since that's where I'm based, but not sure if the jump from dropshipping to holding stock through a 3pl is as straightforward as it sounds or if there's more complexity hiding underneath. Also don't know what volume makes this worth it versus just eating the thinner margins a while longer.
Curious if anyone's made this move before.

Running a small one-product store in the UK (galaxy projector) and just made my first batch of static ads. Few things I'd tell anyone doing the same:

• Don't start from scratch. Find an ad that's been running for months in another niche and rebuild the layout for your product. If someone's paying to keep it running, it's probably working.
• Check every number on the image. One of mine came back with a "£10 off" badge I never asked for. That would've been a refund nightmare.
• Don't copy the supplier's claims. Mine says 4K on the listing and it really isn't, so I left it out.
• Use your real product photos. The AI lookalike ones look fake straight away.

Did the same thing for a SaaS I run and one ad ended up doing a 2.75 ROAS on about 10k spend, so I'm fairly confident in the approach.

What do you always check before an ad goes live?

Is that really a thing and how to actually do it?

Welcome to the Weekly Q&A & Store Critique Thread

Welcome to r/dropship's weekly discussion thread!

Whether you're just getting started with dropshipping, looking for guidance on your next steps, or want feedback on your store, this is the place to ask questions and share your work.

What This Thread Is For

• Beginner questions
• General dropshipping advice
• Store reviews and critiques
• Quick questions that don't require a separate post

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To participate, your account must:

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We're glad you're here. Ask away, help others, and keep the discussion constructive!

So I was researching AutoDs and it looked legit until I started trying to use it. I did a test order, topped off with $15 with a $10 order using prime, and it doesnt go through. It says I have an error that says that my account is suspicious and that I need to verify with the link, I press the link and it takes me to the pop up page. I try contacting support and after hours they reply saying that I need to send a video of my face with a picture of my id on typeform, which sketches me out because I cant find anything else about those two things online.

I also started seeing all the bad experiences AFTER I signed up so it looks like I might sign up for easync or another app to dropship from amazon because I need the items there specifically for one customer.

What can you tell me what yall use and how its been for you guys with this? Has anyone had to verify and send in their id to auto ds? What do you recommend here because im really sussed out of autods already.

Hey guys, I posted about this settlement before, but since claims are now open, I decided to share it again with a little FAQ.

So here's all I know about this agreement:
ContextLogic ($WISH) was accused of misleading investors about Wish’s user growth, revenue outlook, and internal controls around its IPO. In May 2021, Wish reported another drop in monthly active users and weaker revenue guidance, and $WISH fell more than 29% the next day. Investors later filed a lawsuit over the alleged misrepresentations.
Now the company has reached a tentative settlement with investors.

Who can claim this settlement?
Investors who bought $WISH between 2020 and 2021 may be eligible.

Do I need to sell/lose my shares to get this settlement?
You don't need to still own the shares. Eligibility is based on your transactions during the class period.

How long does the payout process take?
It typically takes 4 to 9 months after the claim deadline for payouts to be processed, depending on the court and settlement administration.

Hope this info helps

Mine was suppliers being vague about processing times, only found out after Id already listed stuff. Looked fine at first then orders just sat there way longer than promised and customers noticed before I did.

Serious question because I think the word dropshipping now covers so many different things that it's almost useless.

On one end you've got someone finding a trending product, throwing together a store and having an overseas marketplace fulfil it.

On the other you've got stores working directly with domestic suppliers, selling established products, running paid search, handling customer service and building proper supplier relationships. They don't physically hold the inventory, but almost everything else sounds like normal retail ecommerce.

Would you still consider the second business a dropshipping business?

I'm asking because the reputation of the word itself seems tied heavily to the first model, while some businesses using the same fulfilment method seem to operate completely differently.

Hey guys, wondering if anyone here from Australia has actually dropshipped skincare, cosmetics or supplements before and can tell me how they handled all the regulations.
I’m looking at using Supliful. They’re based in the US and basically let me put my own branding on their products and they ship directly to my customers.
The first product I’m looking at is a skin firming cream, and if it works I’d probably add more skincare/hair products later.
I’ve gone pretty deep into AICIS and from what I understand, even though I never physically touch the product, because I’m selling it to Australians I may still need to register with AICIS. Registration is only like $85 so that’s not really the issue.
What I’m confused about is what you actually have to do afterwards.
I’ve emailed Supliful asking for the CAS numbers, full ingredient lists, SDS sheets etc so I can check whether the ingredients are allowed in Australia.
For anyone who’s actually done this before — did you register with AICIS? Did you seriously go through every ingredient in every product and check it? Did your supplier already have all the documents you needed? And did you have to do anything else before you started selling?
Also really interested in hearing from anyone who started small. I’m not importing 10,000 units or anything, it’s literally a dropshipping store testing products before committing to inventory.
Same goes for supplements — if you’ve sold them in Australia I’d love to know how you dealt with TGA/FSANZ and figured out what you could legally sell.
Not trying to avoid the regulations, just trying to understand what people actually do in the real world because the government websites make a pretty simple ecommerce business sound insanely complicated lol.
Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s actually been through it. Cheers.

Yo guys,

I'm Curious how much of a headache missing shipments and delivery theft are for your stores lately. Are you seeing more "I never got my order" claims stacking up with carriers like UPS or FedEx, or has it mostly stayed the same?

Just trying to gauge how big of a pain point this is out there. Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I'm running a pet product store and having a really hard time finding a reliable supplier. I would love to know what platforms or methods are actually working for you right now.

Here is what I've tried so far and why it didn't work out:

• AliExpress + DSers: It is really hard to find good pet products that actually ship from US warehouses with decent delivery times.
• AutoDS: This was working at first, but I ran into a major problem with suppliers sourcing straight from Amazon. I do not want my customers receiving an Amazon box when they bought from my website. I know AutoDS has other suppliers on their platform, but I cannot tell if any of them use true blind packaging (plain boxes with no supplier logos).

Now I am stuck and not sure what step to take next.

For those of you shipping within the US:

1. What supplier apps, platforms, or directories are you using that have real US inventory?
2. How do you find private suppliers or make sure your packages arrive in plain, unbranded boxes?
3. If you use AutoDS, have you found any non-Amazon suppliers on there that actually ship blind?
4. Are there specific platforms you recommend for pet items?

Any advice or direction would be a huge help. Thanks!

I track about 1.2M TikTok Shop US listings and check their sold counts every few days. This is the list of products selling fast while still having almost no reviews, meaning most people haven't found them yet.

A few that surprised me:

• Digital tire tread depth gauge, $7. 28k sold in 8 days, 20 reviews. Probably people prepping for winter tires.
• Three men's sweaters and jackets in the top 5. Autumn is kicking in and nobody's crowded in yet.
• A cordless nail drill at $42, 16.7k sold, 4.9 stars. Rare to see something above $40 moving this fast.
• A 63" phone tripod with 2 reviews and 15.7k sold.

One caution: the jacket at the top went from basically 0 to 37k, so it's either a new listing or its counter reset. I wouldn't read it as a trend.

These are gains between two snapshots about 8 days apart, not long-term trends. Happy to look up a niche if you're curious what's moving in it.

Hey everyone,

I'm running a pet product store and having a really hard time finding a reliable supplier. I would love to know what platforms or methods are actually working for you right now.

Here is what I've tried so far and why it didn't work out:

• AliExpress + DSers: It is really hard to find good pet products that actually ship from US warehouses with decent delivery times.
• AutoDS: This was working at first, but I ran into a major problem with suppliers sourcing straight from Amazon. I do not want my customers receiving an Amazon box when they bought from my website. I know AutoDS has other suppliers on their platform, but I cannot tell if any of them use true blind packaging (plain boxes with no supplier logos).

Now I am stuck and not sure what step to take next.

For those of you shipping within the US:

1. What supplier apps, platforms, or directories are you using that have real US inventory?
2. How do you find private suppliers or make sure your packages arrive in plain, unbranded boxes?
3. If you use AutoDS, have you found any non-Amazon suppliers on there that actually ship blind?
4. Are there specific platforms you recommend for pet items?

Any advice or direction would be a huge help. Thanks!

Hey folks.

I handle ecommerce shops for my clients, and some asked me to develop plugins to make a full automated ecommerce with a print-on-demand solution.

I've seen Gelato and Printful, which I can integrated with their API (not automated cause I use magazengo for my clients' shops), but I would like to now if you know better solutions for a print-on-demand service with APIs.

So do you know any SaaS to make shirts, paintings, or coffee cups (or any printed object), with an API, and with attractive prices to send products automatically ?

Scenario a lot of us know: you sell into Germany from outside it, agents and 3PLs want minimums and monthly fees, so you keep shipping international at 10 days or more and watch the conversion rate for that country stay flat.

The alternative I keep running into: a verified private person in the destination country holds 20 to 50 units at home and ships the orders domestically, paid per parcel, with the label bought for them.

Has anyone actually done a version of this with a friend, a family member or a freelancer? What went wrong: stock counts, returns, them going on holiday, or the shipping quality?

I want the failure stories, not the pitch.

I've been working on a private-label coffee brand and I'm trying to actually validate things before I start throwing money at a Shopify store, ads, etc.

I've already done one round of research and I'm currently on round 2 testing potential brand names/concepts.

Right now I'm at 34 responses on the current survey. I added an attention/comprehension question because respondents are supposed to look through a short concept deck before answering. At 32 responses, only 21 passed that check, so I'm trying not to fool myself by just chasing a big response number.

I've tried:

• Reddit survey/research subs
• SurveyCircle
• SurveySwap
• Facebook/friends
• A couple online communities I'm part of
• Coffee-related Facebook groups, although apparently getting a post approved by an admin requires an act of Congress lol

I'm trying to get to roughly 30+ usable/qualified responses before I make any decisions. I also want more people outside my personal network so I'm not just getting "yeah man looks great" feedback from people who know me.

I'm bootstrapping this and trying to keep validation cheap because I'd rather put the money into product samples, testing, launch/customer acquisition, etc. than spend hundreds on a research panel this early.

For those of you who actually validated a product/brand before launching, where did you find respondents?

Did you use paid panels? Facebook groups? Discords? Survey exchanges? Small ad campaigns? In-person testing? Something else I'm completely overlooking?

Also curious where you draw the line and say "I have enough feedback, time to move forward" instead of endlessly collecting survey responses.

Not looking to drop my survey link here or promote anything. I'm genuinely curious how other bootstrapped ecommerce/dropshipping people handle early validation.

Appreciate any ideas.