Lessons I've Learn from My Past Dropshipping Experiences

Lesson 1: Dropshipping Does Work – It Just Might Not Be Working for You Right Now

First things first – I want to get this point across: Dropshipping works. You might be hearing people say it’s a scam or that it doesn’t lead to long-term success, but that’s simply not true. I’ve been a full-time dropshipper for the past 6 years, and I’ve seen firsthand that it’s possible to make a significant income from dropshipping.

Why It Might Not Be Working for You Right Now

If dropshipping isn’t working for you at this moment, it’s likely because something’s off in your process. It’s not that dropshipping doesn’t work—it’s that something’s wrong in your current strategy.

Here are a few possible reasons why:

• You might be doing something wrong: This could be related to the products you’re selling, your marketing strategy, or how your store looks.
• You haven’t found the right product yet: Product selection is crucial in dropshipping. Not every product will sell well, and finding a winning product is a process.
• It’s just not your time yet: Success in dropshipping often takes time, and it’s important to be patient.

When I first got started, it took me 6 to 12 months of trial and error—and I lost thousands of dollars before finding success. So, if you’ve been struggling for a few months and haven’t seen results, don’t give up. It takes time.

Lesson 2: The Road to Success Isn’t Immediate

It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re not seeing quick results. But remember: dropshipping is a business, not a get-rich-quick scheme. If you’re not getting results after 4 months or so, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t work—it just means that something in your business model needs adjustment.

Lesson 3: Common Mistakes That Could Be Holding You Back

If you’re not seeing success, there are a few things you should evaluate:

• Are you launching outdated products?Make sure you’re offering products that are in demand and appealing to your target audience.
• Are your ad creatives up to scratch?If your ad creatives aren’t engaging enough, people won’t click through to your store. Test different visuals and messaging to see what works.
• Does your store look professional?If your website looks cheap or tacky, it’s going to drive potential customers away. Make sure your store feels trustworthy and professional.
• Is your sales funnel working?There’s often something in the funnel that’s going wrong. Maybe people are clicking your ads but not converting. Check your funnel at every stage to ensure it’s optimized.

Dropshipping is a legitimate and profitable business model, but it requires time, patience, and continuous optimization. If you’ve been struggling, it’s important to reassess your approach and identify areas that need improvement. Dropshipping works, but it might take time to find the right products and strategies that work for you. Keep learning, testing, and improving your processes, and success will come.

Lesson 4: Don't Just Copy—Copy and Improve

One common mistake that many new marketers make is copying everything directly—from ad copy to landing pages—and running it as their own. While it might seem like an easy shortcut, this approach is not only ineffective but can lead to several issues.

1. Market Share and Differentiation

When you copy everything exactly as it is, you're essentially entering the market too late and without any differentiation. The original seller has already established themselves as the "best" or at least the leading player in that market. Simply replicating their content doesn't help you stand out. You're likely to get lost in the noise and won't capture much of the market share.

2. Copyright Issues and Account Bans

Copying content one-to-one can also get you into trouble. If you directly rip off someone else’s ad copy or landing page, you risk copyright infringement. Shopify or Facebook could ban your account, and you may face a DMCA takedown notice for violating intellectual property rights. This can be especially problematic if you’ve just re-uploaded their content without any changes.

3. Copy and Improve

So, what should you do instead? Copy and improve. This means you can use the methods that successful competitors are using, but make them your own. For example:

• If you see an ad copy that’s performing well, don’t just copy it verbatim. Instead, rework the script. You can start by transcribing the ad using tools like Riverside FM (or similar services) because you know it’s already a proven script.
• Once you have the script, feed it into ChatGPT or another writing assistant tool and ask it to rephrase or improve the copy. You can even use well-known copywriting formulas or techniques to elevate the script.
• Address missed pain points: Read the comments under the original ad and see if there are any common questions or concerns that aren’t being addressed in the ad. You can then incorporate those answers or solutions into your own ad copy or creative to make it more compelling and useful for potential customers.

4. Improving Landing Pages

Similarly, when it comes to landing pages, don’t just copy everything word-for-word. Take inspiration from successful pages, but improve upon them by making your own version. This could involve:

• Changing the layout or designto make it more user-friendly
• Highlighting additional benefitsor features that the original page missed
• Refining the call-to-actionto make it more persuasive

The bottom line is: never just copy someone else’s work. Always aim to improve upon it. The original seller has a head start—they have data, ad spend, and time on their side. When you come into the market, your goal is to outperform them by offering something better or addressing customer pain points more effectively.

By copying and improving, you’ll differentiate yourself from the competition and avoid the risks of legal issues or bans while standing a better chance of gaining market share.

Lesson 5: Stick to the Best and Most Scalable Niches

When you're getting into dropshipping or if you're currently dropshipping, one of the best pieces of advice I can give is to focus on scalable niches. These are the niches that not only have a broad market but are also easy to scale and grow over time. Below are the niches we recommend based on our personal experience and success in the industry.

1. Beauty

The beauty niche is massive, especially when it comes to products that improve confidence, such as makeup, skincare, and shapewear. Women, in particular, love buying beauty products online. It's a very scalable niche with numerous pain points you can target, such as skin care solutions, makeup tools, and more. It's one of the most profitable niches, and if you're just starting out, it's a great choice.

2. Health

Health is another broad niche with a wide range of opportunities. Almost everyone, at some stage in life, faces health problems—whether it's back pain, knee pain, or posture issues. These are real pain points you can solve with products that cater to those needs. Health-related products are highly scalable, and there's always demand, making it a great niche to focus on.

3. Home Decor

Home decor is one of my personal favorites. It's a niche that appeals to a wide variety of people, especially those who own their homes. Whether it's small decorative items, furniture, artwork, or lighting, there's always something people want to improve their living spaces. This niche works well in various markets like the USA and EU, and the scalability is immense. Plus, it’s not as confined to a specific audience as some other niches.

4. Kids' Toys

Kids' toys are perfect for the holiday season, especially around Q4. This includes everything from remote-control trucks to baby products like floats and toys for young children. Toys have a broad target audience, from parents shopping for their kids to people buying gifts for others. It’s a highly scalable niche, and as a bonus, it’s seasonal, so sales can surge during certain times of the year.

5. Fashion (Requires a Good Backend)

Fashion is a tricky but potentially lucrative niche. While it’s scalable, it does come with challenges, particularly around sizing. For example, Chinese sizes are often smaller than European or U.S. sizes, so you need to ensure you provide accurate sizing charts and advice to customers. If you’re selling fashion, make sure you have a solid backend process, including handling returns, exchanges, and customer queries about sizing. If done right, fashion can be a profitable niche, but it requires extra attention to detail.

By sticking to these niches, you can build a scalable business with a broad target audience. Each of these niches offers plenty of opportunities for growth, and they align well with customer needs. Just be sure to tailor your approach, especially when it comes to fashion, to ensure smooth operations.

Lesson 6: Explore Untapped Markets

If you haven’t already, one of the best strategies you can pursue is selling to untapped markets. By "untapped markets," I mean countries or regions where the majority of people are not targeting. This doesn’t mean there’s zero competition—there’s always a dropshipper targeting these markets—but they are less saturated and can offer great opportunities for growth.

1. The Obvious Markets: USA, UK, Australia, and Canada

When starting out, many dropshippers default to selling in English-speaking countries like the USA, UK, Australia, and Canada. These markets are the most popular because the audience speaks English, and there is a relatively low barrier to entry. However, competition in these markets is high, which can make it harder to stand out.

2. The Second-Tier: Major EU Markets

After targeting the big English-speaking countries, the next step is to look into major EU markets. Some of the best-performing countries here are:

• Germany: Arguably one of the best markets in the EU.
• Austria: A high-buying power market alongside Germany.
• Netherlands and Belgium: These countries also have significant buying power and a decent-sized audience.

Running ads in these markets isn’t necessarily easy, but it is realistic to achieve five-figure days consistently in these regions, given the right product and strategy.

3. The Third-Tier: Smaller, Untapped EU Markets

Next, there’s a tier of smaller, but still untapped markets in the EU. Countries like:

Denmark, Sweden, and Norway: While Sweden requires special setup (like CL, a Swedish payment method), these countries still represent potential for growth.

• Sweden: Requires a CL(credit line) to make online purchases, making it a little more challenging to break into unless you have the right setup.

Although these markets aren’t as easy to enter, they still present opportunities. The barriers can often be overcome with the right local knowledge and the appropriate payment options.

4. The Fourth-Tier: Lesser-Known Untapped EU Markets

There are even more untapped markets in the EU that people often overlook, including:

• Poland
• Italy
• Portugal
• Czech Republic

These countries are not saturated, and with a bit of research, you could easily generate 1K/day in revenue in these regions. Opening several stores targeting different markets and consistently making $1K/day could set you up for sustainable growth.

5. Exploring Asia: An Untapped Goldmine

Beyond Europe, there’s huge untapped potential in Asia, particularly in places like Singapore. Many dropshippers don’t consider these markets, but they are ripe for the taking.

6. Why Explore Untapped Markets?

Exploring these lesser-known regions allows you to avoid the fierce competition in major English-speaking markets. By entering untapped areas, you can:

• Capture market share earlyin emerging markets.
• Achieve sustainable growthin less competitive environments.
• Benefit from lower competitionand lower customer acquisition costs.

Don’t limit yourself to the most obvious markets. Untapped regions like smaller European countries, as well as parts of Asia, hold significant potential for dropshipping success. By exploring these markets, you can find less competition and grow your business in unique, lucrative regions.

Lesson 7: Focus on Ad Creatives and Product Selection

When it comes to dropshipping, there are two main things that will drive success: ad creatives and product selection. While the design of your store matters, it's not the main focus if you're already following a basic template or using a simple design. Most dropshipping stores can be set up with just a simple, clean design if you follow the right examples. The real focus should be on:

1. Ad Creatives
2. Product Selection

1. Ad Creatives Are Key in 2024

In 2024, ad creatives are the most important element of your dropshipping business. If you have a winning product, the key to success is testing different ad creatives—not constantly testing new products.

Focus on refining your creatives, such as:

• Changing hooks(the attention-grabbing opening lines)
• Adjusting scripts
• Modifying ad text
• Testing different video formatsor UGC (User-Generated Content)

The key here is iterating on your creatives. Run as many variations as possible and keep optimizing them. In most cases, your ad creatives will be the bottleneck to scaling, not your product selection.

2. Product Selection Is Crucial

Product selection is another massive factor in dropshipping success. If you're simply copying old products that were popular 6–12 months ago, you're likely not going to see great results. Some people may have short-term success with this approach, but for most, it will fall flat.

• Instead, focus on finding products that are trendingor have been recently launched but already show traction. Look for products that are on the rise and have the potential to go viral. These are the products you want to “jump on” before they hit their peak.

The best approach is to ride the wave of trending products until they reach saturation, then move on to the next. Don’t waste time with products that have already peaked or are on the decline.

If you focus on ad creatives and product selection, you're more likely to see success in the competitive dropshipping space.

Lesson 8: Roadblocks Are Part of the Game – Don’t Panic

In dropshipping, roadblocks are inevitable. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced seller, you will face challenges along the way. These roadblocks can be frustrating, but it's important not to panic. Many successful dropshippers, including myself and my team, have faced similar obstacles. The key is knowing how to handle them and push through.

1. It’s Normal to Face Roadblocks

• Roadblocks happen to everyone: Whether it's a DMCA takedown, a Facebook ad account ban, PayPal holding your funds, or something else, challenges are part of the process.
• Don’t panic: It's easy to feel like the world is ending when things go wrong, but most issues in dropshipping can be solved. The best thing you can do is stay calm and take action.

2. How to Handle Common Roadblocks

Ad Account Bans:

• Don’t stress. You should always have backup ad accountsset up in your business manager.
• If your account gets banned, investigate the cause (e.g., aggressive ad copy, certain creatives that Facebook doesn’t like).
• Adjust your approach and run the ads on a different account.
• If your business managergets banned, you can buy another one. You can find people in Discord or Telegram groups who can help you with that.

PayPal Holds:

• If PayPal holds your funds (e.g., for 21 days), email PayPalto ensure you are uploading tracking information to resolve the issue.
• You might need to use a credit cardto manage your cash flow while you wait for funds to be released.
• If you work with a dropshipping agent, ask if they can help by continuing to ship products, allowing you to pay later (e.g., in 5-7 days).

3. The Importance of Connections and Experience

• Experience: The more you experience these roadblocks, the better you'll become at handling them. Most seasoned dropshippers have already been through it and learned how to fix these issues quickly.
• Connections: Building a network with other dropshippers and agents gives you the resources and knowledge to overcome problems. The key is finding reliable contactswho can help you with things like business managers, payment solutions, and shipping.

4. Stay Calm and Keep Moving Forward

• It’s okay to feel frustrated: When you hit a roadblock, take a few hours to vent, but then get back to work.
• Find a solution: Almost everything in dropshipping has a solution, you just need to stay focused and keep problem-solving. The best dropshippers are those who can push through the obstaclesand keep moving forward.

Roadblocks are part of the dropshipping journey, and you will face challenges. However, don’t panic—most problems have solutions. With experience and the right connections, you can navigate these issues and keep your business running smoothly. Stay calm, analyze the situation, and take action to fix the problem.

Lesson 9: Expect Ups and Downs in Dropshipping – It’s Part of the Game

One of the most important lessons in dropshipping is understanding that there will always be ups and downs. This is completely normal, even for experienced sellers. If you're just getting started, or even if you're scaling your business, you’ll face fluctuations in revenue, and that's okay. The key is to embrace the volatility and not let it discourage you.

1. Revenue Fluctuations Are Normal

• Big months and low months: Some months, you may hit huge numbers—$100K, $200K, $300K—while other months may be lower, perhaps only $100K. For someone just starting out, a month of $30K might feel like a big win, but the next month could drop to $10K or $12K as your winning product starts to lose traction.
• Daily fluctuations: Even within a single day, you might see revenue spikes. For example, weekends could generate $1Kin revenue, while weekdays may see a sharp drop to $200. This kind of inconsistency is normal and should be expected.

2. Take the Long-Term View

• Focus on the bigger picture: It's easy to get caught up in short-term fluctuations, but remember to assess your progress over the long term. Look at your yearlyperformance instead of getting upset about a bad day or a slow month. Try to average things out and think about how things will look at the end of the year.
• Consistency over time: Dropshipping isn’t about constant, smooth growth. There will be peaks and valleys. Some months you’ll be coasting, other times you’ll have great weekends or a spike in sales, followed by a sudden drop when you hit roadblocks like ad account bansor product issues.

3. Expect Challenges Along the Way

• It’s not always smooth sailing: No matter how successful you get, you’ll face setbacks. Whether it’s a drop in product performance, issues with ad accounts, or other unexpected challenges, there will always be something to work through.
• Ad account issues: For instance, if your ad account gets bannedfor a few days, it could impact your revenue significantly until you resolve the issue. It can take time for your ads to get back into a positive cycle after a setback.

4. Embrace the Volatility

• Ups and downs are part of the game: You have to be prepared to accept the risk and volatility that comes with owning a dropshipping business. If you're not comfortable with this unpredictability, you might want to consider a more stable job where you know exactly how much you'll earn each month.
• For those who want more: If you're watching this video, it's likely because you're looking for more than just a steady paycheck. You’re willing to face the challenges and the risks because the potential rewards are worth it.

5. Every Successful Dropshipper Faces This

• You're not alone: Every dropshipper, from beginners to those generating seven figuresin revenue, faces ups and downs. Even those with years of experience, like myself and others, have to navigate through the same kinds of challenges.

Dropshipping is a volatile business, and it’s important to recognize that fluctuations in revenue, product performance, and other factors are normal. The key is to stay calm, focus on the long-term picture, and embrace the ups and downs. If you can handle the unpredictability, you'll be able to ride the waves and reach greater success.

Lesson 10: Never Stop Learning and Testing – Ego Will Be Your Downfall

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in dropshipping is that ego will be your downfall. No matter how successful you become, never stop learning and never stop testing. Here’s how I came to realize this:

1. Early Success Can Lead to Complacency

• First-Year Wins: When I first started dropshipping, things went well. I reached $30K months consistently, and even hit $50K monthsin revenue. At that age, it was a lot of money, and I hadn’t seen anything like it before.
• The Pitfall of Easy Money: At 19 or 20, with that kind of revenue, I didn’t know how to handle it. Instead of reinvesting in my store, products, or ads, I made poor financial choices like spending on designer clothes and partying at clubs.
• The Downfall: Eventually, my winning product died out, and I found myself struggling for the next 6 to 12 months. This was a wake-up call that reminded me of the importance of humility, reinvesting, and continuing to do the work that made me successful in the first place.

2. The Danger of Stopping the Grind

• When You Stop Testing: After finding a winning product, I stopped testing new products, assuming I had figured it all out. As you can guess, this was a mistake. Without continuously testing and finding new products, my business began to stagnate.
• Getting Back on Track: I had to remind myself to go back to basics—long days of product research, continuous testing, and focusing on what worked before.

3. The Cycle of Quick Success and Complacency

• The Trap of Quick Success: I’ve seen so many people come into dropshipping, hit a six-figure monthor more, and then blow through their earnings. They get cocky and think they’ve made it, only to end up back at square one when things go wrong.
• Staying Humble: The lesson here is to stay humble. Never think you’re too big to keep learning. The best dropshippers—no matter how successful they are—continue learning new techniques and testing new ideas.

4. Learning from Others

• Everyone Has Something to Teach: Whether someone is making $100K in revenueor just starting out with $10K, you can always learn something new from them. In fact, some people might have insights, tools, or strategies that you haven’t seen before.
• Sharing Knowledge: Inside our group, we share different insights—sometimes new members have websites, tools, or ideas that others can benefit from. Never dismiss someone’s experience; there’s always value in what others can teach you.

5. Continual Growth

• Constant Innovation: The guys at the top of dropshipping are always testing and learning. They never think they know everything. Innovation and adaptationare key to long-term success, and staying in the game requires consistent growth.

Stay humble, keep testing, and never stop learning. Dropshipping can be a rollercoaster, and no matter how successful you become, it’s essential to avoid complacency. Always be open to learning new strategies, testing new products, and refining your approach. Those who stay humble and keep pushing forward will ultimately find long-term success.

Lesson 11: Speed is Key in Dropshipping – Move Fast and Be Aggressive

One of the most critical factors in dropshipping is speed. You need to be aggressive and act quickly. Here’s why:

1. The Importance of Speed

Quick Turnaround: When you find a winning product, act fast. Aim to create a product page with custom images (not necessarily photos, but edited to match your brand), launch ads, and get the product live within 24 hours.

Fast Creative Production: In addition to the product page, ensure that you have a creative ready to go within that same 24-hour window. The faster you can get everything online, the better.

2. Avoiding Complacency

Don’t Wait Too Long: Too many people hesitate when they find a product, thinking it might not work, and delay testing. But if you wait too long to launch, someone else will seize the opportunity. You need to jump on it quickly, or someone else will rip the product idea and run with it.

The Urgency of Speed: In dropshipping, money loves speed. If you don’t scale aggressively—whether by increasing ad budgets, expanding your reach to new audiences, or launching multiple stores—someone else will. The market moves quickly, and you need to keep pace.

3. How Fast Can You Move?

Experienced Sellers Move Fast: Everyone I know who is doing well in dropshipping can launch a store and get it to $2K per day within the first week. Of course, this comes with experience, but speed is always the key. These sellers don’t waste time; they focus on quick testing, scaling, and optimizing.

4. The Risk of Delaying

Don’t Delay for Weeks: If you're waiting 2-3 weeks to get a product ready, it’s too slow. Sure, branding may require more time for things like packaging or design, but for general dropshipping, speed is essential.

Competing with Others: If you wait too long, someone else will pick up the winning product and scale it faster than you. Be the first to move, and you'll have a competitive edge.

5. Challenges Will Arise

• Expect Issues: As you scale quickly, you’ll encounter challenges, such as issues with payment processors or other operational hurdles. It’s all part of the game, and it’s important to remain adaptable and problem-solve as you go.

Speed is critical in dropshipping. The faster you can identify, test, and scale a winning product, the more likely you are to succeed. If you’re too slow, someone else will beat you to it. So, move fast, scale aggressively, and be prepared to tackle challenges head-on. Speed is your best friend in this business.

Lesson 12: Avoid Following Too Many Different Sources of Advice

In dropshipping, it’s essential to focus on a few trusted sources for advice rather than trying to follow everyone’s guidance. Here’s why:

1. The Problem with Too Many Opinions

If you try to implement every piece of advice you hear, you’ll end up experiencing analysis paralysis. For example, one person might tell you to test with CBO (Campaign Budget Optimization), while another might recommend a different approach. When you don’t know which advice to follow, you end up doing nothing because you’re overwhelmed by conflicting opinions.

2. Take Action by Simplifying Your Sources of Advice

The key is to narrow down your sources of advice. Choose a handful of trusted people (it could be me, Beast of Ecom, or anyone else you respect in the industry), and focus on their strategies. Stick to their methods for a while, test them thoroughly, and then evaluate the results. If something doesn’t work, move on to the next technique, but don’t try to juggle too many conflicting approaches at once.

3. Find What Works for You

Everyone in dropshipping has their own approach. Some people swear by launching CBO campaigns, others prefer testing with specific ad creatives or focusing on certain markets (like the USA vs. the EU). The point is, dropshipping is about finding what works for you. What works for someone else might not work for you, and vice versa. Focus on one or two methods, test them consistently, and stick with what yields results.

4. Be Open to Learning, But Stay Focused

While it’s important to be open to learning new things, especially as you gain more experience, avoid jumping from one method to another too quickly. Consistency and focus are key. Test the advice you choose, refine your strategies, and build your own approach to dropshipping.

In dropshipping, don’t try to follow every piece of advice you hear. Choose a couple of trusted sources, stick to their methods, and test them thoroughly. Once you’ve found what works, keep refining it. Dropshipping success comes from focus, testing, and consistent action.