Dropshipping myths that sabotage your success

Today I'm finally putting an end to all the supposed problems and myths that keep you from finally achieving your goals with dropshipping.

I know it is quite normal that as soon as you want to start an online business with dropshipping you also want to know as much as possible about it.

But also, when you are about to start your business, you have doubts and just can't get started and put your plan of e-commerce business into action.

Now I've answered all the questions I've been asked over and over again as a mentor to finally silence the last "doubter" and lay a foundation for you to build your own dropshipping business in no time.

After this post, you will be able to remove your blocks and finally profitably start your ecom business without any doubts or even take it to the next level.

Can I do dropshipping if I am a minor?!

Basically, my answer is clearly NO. However, if you are not yet 18, you can use a few tricks to start your own ecommerce business.

You can, of course, find an adult partner who will then register a trade, there would be no problems here.

Or talk to your parents and you will surely find a way how you can dropship anyway....

What you need besides business registration is a business bank account or PayPal account, and of course a credit card is an advantage.

But as I said, your parents will certainly help you if you explain your plans to them!

For more questions about being an entrepreneur as a minor, you can also visit www.unter18unternehmer.de.

How do I regulate everything with the terms and conditions, data protection, etc. ?

Nowadays, you don't necessarily have to go straight to a lawyer to create the general terms and conditions for your store...

To do this, you can also use tools and internet resources that will help you create your T&Cs, privacy policy and imprint.

These resources include, for example, www.e-recht24.de

At a later date you can also go to a lawyer if you want to, but for now the online services will suffice....

Oh yes, for the very lazy: Shopify also has a generator for these legal texts and in Scriptlabs we are also currently working on integrating customized legal texts at the push of a button.

Should I dropship internationally?!

It's best to start in Germany if you're from the region....

You will probably be more familiar with German laws than with those of other countries.

Once you have gained experience, International Dropshipping is definitely recommended!

What's in store for me at customs!

Basically, most dropshipping products tend to be in the lower price range....

You should be careful that your products cost under 22 € in the purchase, because then you are exempt from the customs declaration!

So just look most of the time for products that cost around €22 or less to buy, so you don't have to worry about customs....

Small fun fact: The customs duty is not paid by you, but by your customer. So don't worry so much about it!

Which platform is better for drop shipping? Shopify or WooCommerce for WordPress?

I recommend Shopify at this point!

Why? Shopify is simply more user-friendly for dropshipping...

Shopify is also designed more for dropshipping due to the many apps and you should use that if you are still a complete beginner who has no idea about technology and just wants to sell products quickly....

Which is better? Clickfunnels Dropshipping or Shopify?!

The best way to start is with Shopify!

Here you can test products well and continue to do so... at a rapid pace. The operation and user-friendliness, i.e. the intuitive use, also benefits you a bit more here.

With Clickfunnels, you can build a landing page in front of your Shopify products to collect a few more leads (e.g. email addresses) to build a long-term customer base and increase your sales.

Therefore, in the beginning, use Shopify and test more products and when you have found a reasonably good selling product, clickfunnels to put a landing page in front of it.

Can I also use BuilderAll?

No.

How do I explain the long delivery times to my customer!

Today you order something on the Internet and it is usually in your hands within a few days...

With dropshipping, however, this takes a little longer, I always assume about 2-4 weeks.

My advice: Stay TRANSPARENT!

You should tell your customers often enough that delivery times are longer and will settle between 2 and 4 weeks.

It is best to write the notifications about the delivery time in several places in your store and additionally send reminders in the emails that the delivery will take some time.

To satisfy your customers you MUST offer excellent customer service:

Offer your customers to redeem a coupon code for another product while they wait for the order and they won't complain!

Can I dropship with Big Buy too?!

BigBuy is similar to AliExpress, but only in the European region...

You have the advantage here that the delivery times are much shorter than with Aliexpress!

The prices are also comparatively a bit higher, which can make your possible margin smaller... but in return you usually have a very high product quality.

However, if you sell high-priced products, products that cost more, you can work insanely well with BigBuy.

With what start-up capital can I begin?!

To start an ecommerce business with dropshipping you don't need much startup capital. Most of the time, access to Shopify and some apps are enough. If you have between 500€-2000€ at your disposal, I would rather invest it in training and education than in advertising or similar, as this offers the highest long-term added value.

The technical etc. should not cost more than 100€ per month and can be done without a team from the comfort of your home. Here in this video I explain it to you in more detail!

How fast can I find my bestseller?!

The question is very difficult to answer, because it is always different!

I've had stores where the best sellers were there within days and also some that I waited several months for....

But don't set yourself the goal of having 100 products in your store!

It is rather better to work with few products in the store

Because there you can sell a product often and then also achieve further upsells!

Which apps should I install first on Shopify!

I think Oberlo is the most useful app you can install to begin with!

The app helps you to add new products to your store and also to edit and fill orders.

So Oberlo is also the first step to automating your store! 

Countdown timer also makes the whole thing a bit more interesting...

The app adds a countdown that shows how much time is left until the offer expires.

This boosts your conversion rate again and your store performs better!

How can my customers pay in the store?!

It always depends on your audience....

If you are selling internationally or in the US, the MOST IMPORTANT thing is the credit card!!!

In Germany PayPal, purchase on account and Klarna are very important!

On the other hand, it is always better not to overwhelm a customer because there is too much choice.... I therefore usually recommend a mixture of PayPal and Stripe (credit cards etc.).

How do I ship my goods?!

It is very important to have a good supplier!

That's really the nuts and bolts of the matter.

When it comes to shipping, tracking is also best, because that way you can provide excellent customer service and your customers stay satisfied....

Even better is to build a really good relationship with your supplier so that you get good conditions for the delivery!

How do I make contact with a dealer!

The first place to go should be Aliexpress or BigBuy! There are others, but these are the easiest.

Here you can write to dealers directly and talk about products...

English is the key factor here....

Your English and the English of the suppliers should be at a good level so that you understand each other and everything runs smoothly without misunderstandings.

Who is liable for my products?!

The liability is clearly with you, if you dropshipping from outside the EU into the EU! If you dropshipping within the EU and have a European manufacturer, you are on the 1000% safe side. (I am not a lawyer, but I am pretty sure about it...) If you need more confirmation from a lawyer, just arrange a free initial consultation. Most of them offer that).

You can cover yourself with commercial liability insurance, which will cover you up to €3 million for about €50 a month.

Can I use the product images from Aliexpress or other dropshipping suppliers?!

Basically YES! Also Oberlo simply takes over the product images from Aliexpress into your online store, so there should be no problems with you there...

In the case that you are not sure, check directly with the dealer, but most will give you permission since you are selling their product for them!

What is the ideal advertisement!

I think there is no such thing as THE perfect ad... Copywriting is a fine art and needs to be learned.

This is also the reason why I had Scriptlabs (my software) developed. It was just always ultra hard to create profitable ads... that's over now!

You then arouse the customer's interest and desire for your product!

For advertising I can tell you: always stay on the ball and try out and keep going!

Scriptlabs is currently only accessible for participants of my Coaching Programs.

Do I need knowledge about online marketing?!

You do NOT need any prior knowledge about online marketing to start! However, marketing is the most important factor in any ecommerce business. It is even more important than the product you are selling. 

The important thing is to stay on the ball, keep going and acquire more and more online marketing skills. I recommend you to check out my free webinars or trainings to stay one step ahead of your competition.

By the way, it can start after a few days and you can make good sales!

What form of business should I choose?!

You can just start with a sole proprietorship....

If you wish, you can also establish a UG (haftungsbeschränkt), this is also sometimes called Mini GmbH.In the UG can be converted into a GmbH when a sum of 25,000 € is accumulated.

UG and GmbH are interesting because the liability at this point is not with you privately, but with the UG or the GmbH and your private assets are safe...

My current recommendation are foreign companies, such as LTDs (Limited) because here you can form within 24 hours and with already a single euro. In addition, you can found a company "cash in hand" and do not even have to pay a share capital into the company. By the way, you also have limited liability here.

How do I find the perfect price for my product?!

You have to test! I recommend to add at least 100% to the purchase price. Optimal is 500% on the purchase price.

You calculate the minimum amount by adding the purchase price and the shipping price. Then you add the 19% VAT and last but not least the cost of advertising.

After determining the minimum amount you add your desired margin and get your sales price...

Remember: You can only earn a lot of money with high margins!

Should I always test products before posting them in my online store?!

At best YES! That means you should order the products and check the quality.

If the quality is right, you can post the product and see how it sells....

The choice is yours, of course...

A possibility with good contact with your dealer is also a control by a person on the spot, so that you are always convinced of the quality... Always act ethically and morally correct.

My conclusion

In any business, there are common misconceptions that can ruin success, and dropshipping is no exception. If you know the facts, you can spot dangerous myths before they hurt your business - or someone else's. Myths can spread like wildfire if we don't take the time to distinguish fact from fiction. We all have a responsibility to act as consumer advocates in such cases and take action against misinformation.

Dropshipping may seem simple on the surface, but it requires a lot of strategic thinking to make a business successful. Underlying all of these myths is the assumption that building and scaling a dropshipping business requires little effort or resources. But nothing could be further from the truth; you need an idea for a good model and enough resources to support it properly, just like any other type of business.

Ultimately, the entrepreneurial journey is never linear - there will always be ups and downs, no matter what type of business you own. Successful entrepreneurs have both setbacks and successes, so don't believe everything you read on the internet without checking your sources first! Knowing which dropshipping myths to ignore can make all the difference in moving forward with your own business.

Want to debunk more dropshipping myths? Drop me a line in the comments below! I hope I was able to give you some valuable insight on how to debunk false claims about dropshipping - now go create something amazing!