Hey Mireille! We get this question all the time. Customers will wait for their product if: (1) You nail the marketing/branding aspect of your store, setting you apart from bulk retailers like Amazon; (2) You're up-front about shipping times; and (3) You offer great customer support throughout the shipping process. For more tips, this is a great blog post: www.oberlo.com/blog/shipping-tips-dropshipping - Tommy
My thoughts exactly! I tried the shipping out my self to see how long it would take. Used e-packet, purchased Dec 21st. Still waiting for the product. Umm, no! i can't sit and wait to explain this to customers.
Hey there! For some products, the shipping times are problematic. It's all about choosing the right product, offering a compelling deal, and then communicating with the supplier. Make sure you don't forget that last part--not all suppliers are created equal! Some will ship more quickly than others. Feel free to contact your supplier and ask if this wait time is normal. - Tommy
You keep telling that the waiting time is not important when it is. The shortest time I have experienced to receive a parcel is 2 weeks. Customers do not like to wait. Doing dropshiping using Aliexpress is not a good choice. Do not try to convince us that it is. What you need to do is to find a solution for this problem.
Hi Mireille! We thought your question was really great, so we addressed it in our new Q&A video. Hope it helps! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-R1jjOEK0j4M.html
Could you use Google Trends to decide what youre going to sell if you don't care about what you sell as long as youre making profit. so things that Google trends report as good sellers you add the to your shop. If this is a good idea how do you reccomend I search Google trends for the right items?
Hey there, dope question! 👋 You can totally use Google Trends to search for products that are trending and add them into your store. 💡 You can create a niched store and only add things that make sense in your niche, or you can go with a general store and add all the products you want. Not being totally invested in the products you're selling can make it easier to scrap an idea and move to the next one. 🙌 I suggest finding trends that are on the up and not at it's peak, it's harder to sell when everyone already knows about it. Let me know if you have more questions for us. 🚀 -Kitana
Thanks for all the great starting tips. I think the idea of selling products I can get behind just makes sense. This way marketing and store layout just comes organically.
Yep, exactly. When you know why YOU would buy a product, it can be easier to highlight that product's best features in your ads. Good luck dropshipping! - Tommy
Is it good to decide product according to season and the demand of the people i have to sell summer wear of men and women and beauty and sports product at my starting is it good to start with it or do more research
To your question I feel inclined to sell both on a shopify store that has different item collection and Market those at different times. Is it possible to create an eCommerce website that changes it's theme/niche in the same site, but is has a catchy phrase to use with the products it sell's when marketing? Without having to change or create more shop's? I am learning, so is just a question. Hope you can help with this question.
Hey there! A lot of merchants have success managing multiple stores at the same time. Alas, that does mean they open multiple stores. It's possible to switch your store's theme and niche back and forth--it would just take a lot of work and attention to detail. - Tommy
I’m really into Sketching so I’m thinking of setting up a store that sells different sketchbooks and sketching materials like pencils etc. Would love your feedback on this idea
Hey Alan! This sounds like a great idea, especially because you know the product so well. Just make sure your margins are safe. Offer bundled deals so you don't lose money when customers order small-value items like pencils. Best of luck! - Tommy
Great question, I would like to do both, sell products I have an interest in and products just for the sales. Most likely, I will do this for a period of time and see if one wins out over the other... I would have to give it at least two years, in my opinion, in order to give it sufficient time to show any noticeable patterns. What do you think?
Hey Ben! It's an absolutely fantastic idea to test the two different product types. On the one hand, you know why the products you already buy appeal to customers. On the other hand, you can look at products you don't buy with a more objective eye. I bet you'll start learning which product performs better within a few months. Even so, you're right to take the long view of things. These businesses take time to grow. But once they do, the momentum is great! - Tommy
Hey there! Great question. You will need both a Shopify account as well as an Oberlo account to get started. You can create your free trial on Shopify here (bit.ly/2zQaAlv). 😀 -Kitana
I love niche finess but i have problem im still fight for save some money from ebay for open my own store i love oberlo can liste a lot of items so easy thank you soooooo much brother
It's more important to love your customers than to love your products. Sell what they love but try to learn to appreciate it to make your marketing efforts easier!
Wow....very brood, non specific. If it was that easy everyone will be able to do it. Really guys pick a section, (don't try to cover the whole process in one little video, it just becomes mumbo jumbo) research it well and put something together that will actually help people
Hey Kerry! I appreciate the feedback. I know this video seems pretty broad--it's just that I was worried about repeating too much of the stuff we've already dived into on our blog. If there's a specific topic you want me to go deep on, let me know. I'll either point you to that blog post ASAP or put it in the video queue. Cheers! - Tommy
A lot of merchants agree with you, Ian. You know how to market a product that you've already been convinced to buy. Good luck getting out there and selling! - Tommy
What niche are you in? I started selling sunglasses and glasses as part of my fashion shop. Now they are selling more than my main products. I started with this WMP eyewear brand. Supper happy with it!
could you please talk about the most important .are the prices of products competitive. after checking checking aliexpress is more expensive than ebay , and that is without my margin...
Yes you are right! I had the same thing, but not only cheaper, they drliver them faster! As I looked at the shops that make real revenue, I found that the best shops have created their own product or they use local suplier which improves quality and delivery speed in no time! On the other hand shopify is good platform, but for geniuine ideas. However they need to market themselves to make money!
A lot of times it comes down to marketing, Eric. You can charge a higher margin if you give your customers a curated catalogue of products, content that inspires customer to use those products, and an ongoing relationship with customers (and cart abandoners) via email. It's tough to do all of that on eBay. But ultimately, the choice is yours! - Tommy
there you go that s what we need to hear on video. i do know i have a liberty of choice , i do agree about your app being simple and fast , but you need to talk about the problems and there are some and competition with china with Chinese product is the biggest.
Nikkah Sanchez I work with Oberlo through Shopify. I can not attest to the other, but I love Shopify easy management and build of the site. Oberlo is easy, thousands of products in a wide price range. You do not have to pay to dropship and the payment portal is inexpensive with everything interconnected. It has felt very little like work. I think you'd like it. Also, most important thing. Anytime I have a question or need help, they answer very quickly and are always helpful and kind. Hope that helps.
I believe in order to sell a product I will have to have a degree of curiosity and interest in that idea line. I so want to do this but believe I need a mentor to walk me thru the uncharted territory. I'm watching everything I can, but still haven't a clear idea. Also, I am an artist and was wondering if I can have a site that sells both dropshipping and my paintings. Finding a niche is mindboggling. are there mentors out there that walk you thru the process. If not....that would be a great business.
That's definitely a business! You can check out experts.shopify.com/ to find a setup guide. Otherwise you can ask us any questions you have or sign-up for Shopify's free dropshipping webinar: bit.ly/2dd0e1P! :) - Tommy
Hi there, I am in the process of building an online store through Shopify and I have downloaded the Oberlo app (which is really great by the way) and I have few questions about oberlo... Q1: Are all oberlo suppliers trusted suppliers? For example, if there is a dispute or any other issues with the product or order how do I contact the supplier? The reason I ask this question is that every time I add a product, it shows the supplier on the same page but if I click on the supplier's name it gives the email address that I can contact. The thing is that the email address to contact for all the different products are the same (help.supply@oberlo.com). So back to my question.. is this the only way to contact someone for any disputes or issues with the product? sorry if this is confusing and hope my question makes sense. Q2: With oberlo, do all the products have shipment tracking even if they are china post or yun express? Lastly.. Q3: Are all oberlo suppliers the best suppliers, as in top rated in products and delivering? I was trying to find a way to see reviews or star rating on oberlo suppliers but I could not find this anywhere.
Hello there! Q1: We try to onboard experienced and trusted suppliers only! In case you face any issue regarding your Oberlo Supply order, you can report a problem directly in the app. Here's an article that explains the procedure: help.oberlo.com/orders/order-related-issues/supplier-support-center. If, however, you just want to get in touch with the supplier and ask some questions, help.supply@oberlo.com is the right email to use! Q2: Yes, Oberlo Supply suppliers ship their products with carriers that offer shipment tracking only, so no need to worry! Q3: That's right, unfortunately, Oberlo Supply suppliers do not have reviews or ratings yet. But once again, we try to pick the best suppliers in the market. Learn about all Oberlo Supply perks here: help.oberlo.com/other-faqs/what-are-the-differences-between-oberlo-supply-and-aliexpress. All the best, buddy! -Tommy
Hey there! I find that merchants are able to counter long delivery times by being up-front with customers and providing excellent customer success. But the choice is up to you! - Tommy
Hey there! You can add Amazon as a sales channel on Shopify, but I cannot guarantee that it will work flawlessly. Simply because Oberlo does not have direct integration with Amazon (only with Shopify). -Tommy
Oberlo how long does products from Oberlo take to get to customers? Do they vary? If so how can I check how long each item will take to reach a customer to avoid disappointment
Aliexpress items are listed at near retail value, or saturated on ebay or Amazon by the China suppliers themselves. That is what I have run into for the last 6 months. It is nearly impossible to sell, what China is selling on ebay at their own cut rate prices. There is just no competing and people don't tell you this. They make is sound like you are getting fantastic low pricing when in FACT you have to spend hours hunting and pecking for that item that you MIGHT be able to do an upsell on without mentioning for the most part, their prices are near retail. If ali express is drop shipping, there shouldn't be other channels for them to sell their own items, defeating the drop shipping idea for thousands of us out here beating our heads against the wall trying to find an item to upsell. It shouldn't be that hard, but alas, it is. Plus, the flip side. Even if you choose epacket, my recent order, the supplier sent snail mail any way even after I paid for epacket. I will no longer do business with this supplier.
erica miller I am having problems with this as well. My first customer was my husband to test this out for our business. We got one item and it took forever. A supplier from AliExpress for another of our items is refusing to refund our money even after I was providing proof to them that the item is still at the Sorting Center in China since December 6, 2017. We had to wait soooo long, just to be treated like this by our supplier. I know that not all suppliers would do this, but waiting eons for a product and having scenarios such as these is not a way I want to do business for our clients. They have to do something about shipping times without resorting to alternative methods to ePacket charging even more than the price of the product itself! Also, the prospect perhaps coming into contact with AliExpress themselves, and seeing the price of our products being much lower there, is a bit disconcerting, too. I hope they can get real wholesalers, without resorting to other people's retail, and resolve this shipping nightmare.
I told my supplier that I would open a dispute about them telling me point blank that it would take 30-40 days for my customer to get his package when in fact I reminded this supplier that I paid for epacket which would be 12-20 days, well checking my orders my customer has complained about the shipping time. And when I told the supplier I would open up a dispute, they didn't seem concerned at all, not in the least. There is NO oversight for these suppliers it seems and I myself am not happy with this as well. I saw epacket pricing sometimes more than the item itself as well. For God's sake, it is a number to track a package, it does not cost them anything. But they charge for it just the same. And then thwart the epacket shipping and send snail mail. There are other issues as well, this is just the tip of the ice berg.
erica miller Me, too! My supplier and I are in dispute ourselves, and they are not even responding or caring. In the beginning they told me, when they were late and I contacted them about this, that the package would take an EXTRA 21 days due to "bad weather". There is no bad weather here, or there ... it still says it is stuck at the Sorting Center ... ePacket is dreadfully slow, as it was with our other item, and it takes nothing more to send items to our customers than it does with China Post, along with just a tracking number. Why was our item still stuck at the Sorting Center ... is it under someone's desk? 😀
Hey guys! Hope you don't mind me jumping into the conversation. Erica and Stella, both of you raise legitimate concerns about dropshipping and AliExpress. And I'm really sorry to hear you've had frustrating experiences with suppliers. I walked over to Oberlo's gurus to talk to them about the issues you raise. For context, Oberlo's gurus they work with merchants every day. They see what works, and they see where merchants get stuck. We put our heads together to come up with a response to this conversation that, hopefully, will address some of your concerns and also help out anyone reading this. (Sorry in adance for the long post!) First, one thing to note about prices: You will never be the cheapest. And you don't have to be. Especially with lower-priced products (
I WOULD APRECIATE IT >>IF YOU DONT SPEAK TOO FAST ..SLOW DOWN JUST A LITTLE SO WE CAN UBDERSTAND 100% OF WHAT YOU SAY...PLEASE GIVE OUR BRAINS ENOUGH TIME TO ABSORB WHAT YOU R SAYING...NOT EVERYONE IS A TEENAGER..WITH ALL RESPECT TO YOU...SLOW DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT ....THANX
You're a winner in the making! If dropshipping was easy, everyone would do it. Look at your failures as lessons, and use them to get smarter every time you try again. Best of luck! - Tommy
Hey Linh! Yes, you can use Oberlo in Vietnam. The only thing you need is a payment gateway so customers can pay you. Here are the ones available for Vietnam (bit.ly/2AcTgHc). -Tommy
