There's a reason why the majority of dropshippers begin by selling AliExpress products. There are hundreds of sellers and millions of products to choose from as a subsidiary of Alibaba, the world's largest merchant platform.
They also make it simple to do business with their vendors by integrating with a variety of eCommerce platforms and automation systems that make product importation and sales setup quick and straightforward.
Let's take a look at some things you should know about using AliExpress for your dropshipping business if you're not already familiar with the platform.
1. AliExpress Is Excellent For Product Testing
One of the most appealing aspects of having a dropshipping business is that you don't have to invest any money in products or inventory. Yes, you'll need to cover your eCom platform as well as any other automation software, hosting, apps, email system, and so on, but you won't have to spend any money on products until your customers have paid you.
This makes it very simple to stock your store with almost any goods you desire because it won't cost you anything. That means you can test as many things as you want to see whether or not they will sell.
While you are free to test as many goods as you like, it is a good idea to have a testing strategy in place. After all, while there is no real monetary cost associated with physical inventory, there is a cost associated with testing irresponsibly.
So make sure you conduct your product research so you can effectively filter down your options and make the most of your product testing time. In the following section, we'll delve deeper into product research.
2. Product Research Is Critical To Your Success
As indicated in the preceding section, thorough product research is crucial to your company's success.
Let's suppose you already know what kinds of things you'd like to sell.
(If you're having trouble deciding what niche to pursue, see the list of blog posts at the bottom of this page for extra information.)
Now that you know what kinds of things you want to offer, you can start looking for specific products to sell.
There is a much faster way than going to AliExpress and manually searching through all of their product listings.
There are numerous software applications available to assist you "power search" AliExpress results and sort through thousands of products in minutes or even seconds.
If you're a Dropified member, you already have access to one of these powerful tools: their AliExtractor software, which comes standard with your subscription.
When you access AliExpress and conduct a product search, the program will show you at a glance what each product is, how much it costs from AliExpress, including final costs with all fees, total profit (depending on the total margin you pick), vendor and vendor ratings, and much more.
That means you can see all you need to rapidly discover products that would be ideal to test in your store in just seconds. Even better, you may create your own unique filters to ensure that only products that fit your requirements are returned.
AliExtractor is a must-have in your product research armory because it can save you dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of study work.
3. Check and double-check trading partners
Despite the fact that this should go without saying, many rookie dropshippers learn the hard way.
Yes, you may believe you've discovered the ideal thing to offer, that the price is just great, and that you're eager to sell it and make a fortune.
As a result, you add it to your store and begin selling it.
Then catastrophe hits!- The merchandise is of poor quality.
- Or the shipment is running late.
- Alternatively, the product may be unavailable.
- You contact the vendor again, but they do not answer.
You're now faced with refunding your irate consumers, and you're out a lot of money because you paid the vendor. Now you must work with AliExpress to see what you can accomplish from here.
But...
All of this might have been avoided if you had studied the AliExpress vendor reviews thoroughly.
Or had you personally contacted the vendor before selling the items to check how attentive they were... or whether they provided Seller Protection... There a number of additional possible sites where red flags may have appeared.
So, don't fall victim to this. Spend a significant amount of time researching each vendor's ratings and evaluations, as well as speaking with them.
Also, order product samples so you can see for yourself how good the product is.
Yes, even after extensive investigation, unexpected events can occur. However, thorough, proactive vendor and product research considerably reduce this risk.
4. Stay away from products that infringe on copyrights or may infringe on copyrights.
While it may seem appealing to cash in on the Star Wars Baby Yoda trend, it is also the quickest way to have your store shut down, your merchant processor blacklist you, and Disney's deep dollar lawyers sue you.
And believe me when I say that there are plenty of dealers on AliExpress prepared to offer you fake Baby Yoda merchandise.
I'd flee in the opposite direction, even if it was an artist rendering.
Do not attempt to sell any known brand unless you are working directly with the company or have proper authorization, no matter how little you believe you are. They will Liam Neeson on you, track you down, and deal with you.
Finally, if you truly want to sell products from a legitimate brand, you must go through their formal licencing processes and obtain a licence.
If not, stay away.
5. Be upfront and honest about delivery times.
Many dropshippers learn the hard way in this area as well.
You must be completely transparent with your customers about the shipping times for your products.
Many vendors, however, believe that if they are honest, they would lose sales, so they either omit shipment estimates, hide them, or openly lie about genuine shipping timeframes.
They rapidly realise that was a mistake.
Whether it's angry emails and phone calls, refund requests, or even chargebacks, not being upfront will catch up to them swiftly.
And having a lot of refunds and chargebacks is the fastest way to lose your merchant account.
Instead, you should be transparent and upfront about how long their orders will take to arrive.
It should be included in your ads, order forms, terms and conditions, and even email receipts.
Indeed, the more places you put it, the more likely you are to win any chargeback case if they claim you didn't notify them how long it will take.
So, how can you counteract the potential sales impact of long shipment times?
For a variety of reasons, people will be ready to wait for a known extended shipment period, including:
- Your marketing entices customers to make an impulse purchase, and they don't ship...
- They don't want to miss out on a particular offer you're making...
- Your item is one-of-a-kind and difficult to obtain anywhere...
- Following their purchase, you keep them updated on the status of their order and give them with tracking information...
Simply put, good, reliable customer service can help you win and keep sales, as well as overcome any shipping opposition you may face.
If you're new to dropshipping and AliExpress, maybe this fast overview can make things a little easier for you.
