Are you planning to start a dropshipping business in India?
Dropshipping is a low-cost business model for selling products online quickly. It eliminates the need for inventory handling.
The Indian dropshipping market is estimated at around $1 billion and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25% in the next 5-7 years. Utilizing this market growth, starting a dropshipping business is profitable.
In this Blog, we share a detailed dropshipping guide for beginners to start a successful online store.
What is Dropshipping Business in India?
Dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method in which an online store sells products without owning or handling Inventory, packing, or shipping.
When a customer places an order, the online store(merchant) forwards it to a third-party supplier, who ships the product directly to the customer. Anyone can start a dropshipping business in india without handling inventory and shipping.
How does dropshipping work in India?
- In the dropshipping model, Dropshippers create an online store and partner with third-party suppliers.
- When customers place an order, store owners forward the orders to third-party suppliers’ dashboards.
- Third-party suppliers process the order and ship it directly to the customer under the store owner’s brand name.
- The store owners pay the supplier for the product at a discounted price / wholesale price and keep the difference as profit.
- Dropshippers promote their products with marketing strategies to increase sales and generate profits, and this is how dropshipping works.
Is dropshipping legal in India?
Yes, dropshipping is legal in India. There is no specific law that prohibits the operation of dropshipping businesses in India.
Some examples of successful dropshipping companies in India include Amazon, Myntra, and Flipkart. These businesses have been operating in the Indian market for years, gaining immense popularity among their customers.
👉Check out this dropshipping legal requirement in India blog guide to learn detailed information about GST, taxes, and the legal requirements for starting a dropshipping business.
Is dropshipping profitable in India?
Yes, Dropshipping is profitable in India. The Estimated success rate in India is between 10% and 20%. This success rate will differ based on product selection, effective marketing strategies, and reliable dropshipping suppliers.
Also, dropshipping profit margins are between 15% and 20%, though this varies by sector and product. If you are starting a new business, it’s essential to learn and understand dropshipping profits.
👉Check out this dropshipping profit calculator to learn more about profits.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Dropshipping in India
Dropshipping is a popular business model, and it has advantages and disadvantages. It’s essential to Consider the pros and cons before starting this business.
The advantages of Dropshipping
1. Low Startup cost and Reduced risk:
One of the biggest advantages of dropshipping is the low startup costs. You only pay for products when a customer orders them, so you don’t have to invest in inventory upfront. This means less risk if a product doesn’t sell.
2. Easier to experiment with different Products:
Dropshipping makes it easier to experiment with different products. You can try out various items and market trends without committing to large bulk orders.
3. Easy to add new products:
Adding new products to your store is simple with dropshipping. There’s a wide range of products available, and you don’t need to keep them in stock or manage inventory. Many drop shippers offer diverse products, so with proper research, you can find the right fit for your store.
4. Location Independence:
You can run a dropshipping business from anywhere with an internet connection, it giving you location independence.
5. Less manpower cost:
Dropshipping requires less manpower since you don’t need physical inventory.
6. There’s no hassle with order fulfillment and shipping:
Order fulfilment and shipping are hassle-free with dropshipping. When a customer places an order, the merchant forwards the order to a third-party supplier who ships the product directly to the customer.
The disadvantages of Dropshipping
1. Less Control:
You have less control over the quality, consistency, and delivery of your products.
2. Limited product Utilization:
While dropshipping offers a wide range of products, you’re limited to what your suppliers have in stock.
3. Low Profit Margin:
Since you’re purchasing products from a third party, you’re paying a higher price for each item. So your profit margins are lower than they would be with e-commerce.
4. Potential Issues:
Sometimes you deal with potential issues like order delays, Manual errors, or returns from customer orders.
5. Lack of control over the customer experience:
You have little control over the customer experience, which can be affected by factors like product quality, shipping times, and customer service.
Dropshipping for beginners - complete Dropshipping Guide 2024
Here is the detailed dropshipping guide to starting your dropshipping business without inventory.
With these 8 steps, we can help you find reliable suppliers from marketing strategies to promote your products and everything we covered.
Step 1: Learn Dropship market in India
Source: Dropshipping Google Trends
When you start an online store, it is essential to analyze the dropshipping market. By researching the market in-depth, you can find your niche market, people’s interests, current dropshipping trends, and more.
- Using tools like Google Trends and Semrush, you can easily determine customer interest and dropshipping profitability in your niche market.
- To find trending products, search India’s most significant marketplaces, such as Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho.
- Use Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to find current trends in your niche products.
👉Check out the Top 10 Dropshipping statistics guide to learn more details about the dropshipping markets and trends.
Step 2: Find the best dropshipping products
Choosing the right products for your online store is crucial. Use marketplaces like Amazon to find best-selling products, which can easily give you ideas of trending products for dropshipping.
Some of the best dropshipping products in India
- Apparel products
- Accessories
- Home and living products
- Fashion accessories
- Health care products
How to find products for dropshipping
Here, we share the best dropshipping product finder tools in the market.
- Salesource
- Niche Scraper
- Dropship Spy
- Sell the trend
👉Check out our top dropshipping products guide to get ideas about popular dropshipping products for your online store.
Step 3: Find unique selling proposition( USP)
After finding your dropshipping products, you have to choose a unique selling point to differentiate your store from competitors. Because the dropshipping business is highly competitive, you must be creative in your approach.
Some of the unique selling proposition examples
- Add extra values like customization options for products
- Initiate Fast shipping options
- Include the rush order processing method in your store
- Offer exclusive discounts and cashback programs to your customers.
These are all about making people feel like they need to buy your products. So, finding your USP is essential to this competitive business.
Step 4: Find trustworthy dropshipping suppliers in India
Find reliable dropshipping suppliers who provide a wide range of products and customer services and offer quality products at reasonable prices on products.
Prioritize suppliers with proven track records and positive reviews, as well as top e-commerce platform integration options.
How to find suppliers for dropshipping
When it comes to selecting a dropshipping supplier, there are many methods available to explore.
- Search suppliers Through Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
- Utilise Online supplier directories like Inventory Source.
- Find Wholesale Suppliers through Online Dropshipping platforms like Salehoo and Doba.
- Suppliers can be found in marketplaces like Aliexpress and Indiamart, which offer a wide selection of suppliers from around the world.
- Find the best dropshipping supplier through Google Search.
👉Check out our 10 best dropshipping suppliers in India guide to compare which one is suitable for your online store.
Step 5: Online platforms to sell products in India
Choose whether you are going to sell your products on E-commerce or marketplaces. Both have their benefits and drawbacks.
E-Commerce:
If you choose an e-commerce platform like Shopify or WooCommerce, you can completely control your online store. These platforms are also easy to use and provide customizable templates for your online store.
Examples of the Best E-commerce Platforms to Sell Products
Shopify dropshipping – Here are two significant reasons you should choose Shopify to build your dropshipping business.
- Shopify has everything beginners need to start a dropshipping business. It also has all the necessary apps to install to contact the best suppliers.
- Shopify doesn’t only create an excellent and functional website or online store. It works to grow the store by providing exceptional marketing, sales, and payment features to entrepreneurs.
Woocommerce Dropshipping – WooCommerce is a market-leading platform for developing an effective online store. It has several features designed to simplify small business owners’ lives. With the appropriate WooCommerce tools, you can build a scalable, adaptable, and flexible dropshipping business.
Recommended Resources:
Marketplaces:
If you choose marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, and Flipkart, you have the opportunity to reach a broad audience worldwide. They also handle customer services and payment processing. However, they offer less control over branding and customer service.
Examples of the best marketplace to sell products:
Amazon dropshipping – Amazon dropshipping is a business model in which sellers list their products on the Amazon Marketplace without holding any physical inventory.
👉Check out the Amazon Dropshipping guide to learn more details about Amazon.
Meesho dropshipping – Currently, it is the third most used e-commerce platform in India after Amazon and Flipkart. And needless to say, they have a vast customer base.
With Meesho, you can share and sell a wide range of products from various suppliers directly through your social networks, like WhatsApp and Instagram.
Step 6: Create your brand name
Create a unique store name that stands out from your competitors. A good brand name is a trademark search for your online store. It makes your store more visible.
- The visual part of your brand identity makes the best impression on customers about your dropshipping store.
- Create your brand logo for your online store. Use different colours, graphic styles, and typography to create an attractive logo.
- Creating a brand story can help you understand why your business exists.
- Share your visions and values to inspire more customer engagement.
- Create professional brand Guidelines.
Step 7: Setup Your Online Dropshipping Store
After creating a store name and choosing an e-commerce platform, you must list dropshipping products on your online store.
Tips to set up your store
Tips to set up your store- Add high-quality images and product mockups to your Dropshipping store.
- Add an impressive product description on your product page.
- Use optimized SEO product titles and relevant keywords on your product details.
- Use FAQ questions on your products page. It creates a better understanding of your products for customers.
- Add videos about placing an order at your store.
- Develop help guides like how to place orders in your online store, price details, product details, and more.
Use the Best Payment Gateway
We have listed some of the top payment gateways that you can consider for your online store.
- PayPal: Higher fees than Indian gateways
- Stripe: Limited adoption in India currently
- Amazon Pay: Seamless for Indian e-commerce customers
- Razorpay: Great for startups and SMBs, easy to integrate
- ApplePay: Limited adoption in India currently
- InstaMojo: Good for freelancers, individuals, and small businesses
- Cashfree: Used by many Indian marketplaces
- PayU: Caters to Indian merchants and consumers
- Paytm Business: Wide reach, popular with Indian consumers
- CCAvenue: For large enterprises and eCommerce sites
👉Check out the best payment gateway India guide to learn more factors about scaling your dropshipping business.
Step 8: Use a marketing strategy to promote your business
Marketing strategies are the backbone of your dropshipping business’s success. A well-defined marketing strategy helps you find a targeted audience, understand market trends, and increase brand awareness.
Without marketing, your business won’t be seen and recognized.
Marketing strategy Example:
For Example, you can create an Instagram page for your store name and post product images, upcoming product launch details as short videos to increase customer engagement, and information about how your store works.
This helps you reach more customers. With this Instagram marketing strategy, you can run Ads to reach a larger audience and increase sales.
Types of marketing strategy
Email Marketing:
This marketing channel enables you to keep customers on your email list informed about new product launches, services, and programs.
Content Marketing:
With this strategy, you create valuable content about your products, such as social media posts, blogs, videos, and more.
Social Media Marketing:
This method allows you to interact with customers, and strengthen your brand, boost sales, and receive feedback about your products.
Influencer Marketing:
You can partner with popular social media users to promote your products and services.
Pay-Per-Click Marketing:
Advertisers pay when customers click on their ads as part of this marketing strategy.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization):
This improves your website ranking in search engine results pages.
Streaming Service Advertising:
This service enables you to run ads about your products or store information, for instance, on music channels like Spotify.
👉For detailed information about promoting your online store, check out our 9 Marketing Strategies for Dropshipping blog guide.
How to start Dropshipping with Qikink
Qikink is a print-on-demand dropshipping company. We offer a wide variety of dropshipping products in different categories. With Qikink, you don’t have to handle inventory and shipping. Start your dropshipping store with Qikink. We take care of everything from printing and packing to shipping to your customers.
Step 1: Create your account with Qikink:
You can create an account on Qikink for free. No upfront investment is needed to start your dropshipping business with Qikink. Payment is required only when a customer places an order.
Note: No documents are required to use Qikink’s services.
Step 2: Create products using your designs on the Qikink dashboard:
Upload your designs with the Qikink dashboard. You can create various designs using design editing software.
Step 3: Integrate your store with an e-commerce platform:
You have to choose a platform to build your online store. Qikink offers seamless integration service on Shopify and Woocommerce platforms.
Step 4: Update and Launch your store:
- Make sure to update your store with the products you design on the Qikink dashboard. If your store is on platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, you can utilize Qikink’s push product feature to add the products to your store easily.
- For custom websites, you can create product mockups using the mockup generator and then manually add them to your store.
- The push product feature allows you to automatically push products to your store and synchronize them with the Qikink My Products section.
Step 6: Setting up product price and payment gateway:
- Set the competitive product price for your dropshipping store and include the shipping cost.
- You have the option to connect your storefront with payment gateways such as Razor Pay, PayPal, Instamojo, PayU, and Cashfree.
- This allows your customers to make payments directly to your bank account.
- Qikink charges for the products in the form of credits. To recharge your wallet, you can use your preferred mode of payment, which includes UPI, Net Banking, Card, and more.
Step 7. Place a sample order with Qikink:
We highly recommend that you place a sample order before proceeding with your customer order. This will allow you to physically assess and confirm the quality of the product, ensuring that it meets your standards and expectations.
Also, experiencing the services through a sample order will provide you with the assurance you need regarding product quality and overall services.
Step 8. Market your dropshipping store:
Once your store is ready, it’s time to make your first sale. You can find marketing strategies on an online blog or social media to promote your products and increase sales.
Also, experiencing the services through a sample order will provide you with the assurance you need regarding product quality and overall services.
Signing up with Qikink is the first step to making it happen.
Place your sample orders now!
Read more about Qikink
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dropshipping a good idea for beginners?
Yes, Dropshipping is a good idea for beginners to get started with minimal investment and sell products without handling inventory.
Is Shopify a good way to start dropshipping?
Yes, Shopify is a great platform for starting your dropshipping business due to its user-friendly interfaces, customizable templates, and robust features.
What is the easiest thing to sell dropshipping?
The easiest thing to sell dropshipping is
- Apparel products
- Kid’s Clothing
- Accessories
- Home and living products
Does Amazon allow dropshipping?
Yes, Amazon does allow dropshipping under specific conditions. Dropshipping, which helps third-party fulfill orders for you, is allowed on Amazon as long as it’s clear to the customer that you are the seller. However, there are strict rules to follow:
- It would be best if you were identified as the seller on all shipping documents, including packing slips and invoices.
- You can’t use packing slips, invoices, or packaging that show another seller’s name or contact information.
- If you use a fulfillment service, you need an agreement with your supplier stating that you are the only seller.
- You must remove any packaging or documents that identify a different seller before shipping.
- You are responsible for handling customer returns and must comply with Amazon’s policies.
Content Writer, Blog Editor at Qikink
