Dropshipping has continued to grow as one of the most accessible e-commerce business models in India. From college students testing ideas to small business owners building digital brands, more people are utilising this space every month.
But there might be one common question that arises, as always: ‘How much can you earn from dropshipping in India?’
The truth is, your income in dropshipping depends on more than just what you sell. The niche you choose, your marketing approach, profit margins, and delivery speed all contribute to your overall success.
In this guide, we’ll break down the average dropshipping income in India and explain how profit and revenue flow in a typical store. Even if you are just starting to explore dropshipping, this blog will help you understand the numbers, challenges, and opportunities behind it so that you can begin your dropshipping business confidently.
Key Takeaways:
- Average dropshipping profit margins in India range from 20% to 30%, with top sellers achieving margins over 35% by offering exclusive or high-ticket products.
- Dropshipping revenue growth depends heavily on choosing profitable niches, building a strong brand, and effectively using social media and other platforms to reach customers.
- Successful dropshippers prioritise sustainable growth strategies, including research, social media marketing, and customer retention efforts, to maximise monthly earnings.
- Using popular platforms like Shopify and Amazon effectively can boost your income, but success requires continuous learning and adaptation to market trends.
What is Dropshipping?
Dropshipping is a retail business model that allows you to sell products online without holding any inventory. When a customer places an order on your online store, you forward the order to a third-party supplier who then ships the product directly to the customer.
This model enables you to focus on promoting your store and delivering a better customer experience, while the supplier handles the packaging, printing, delivery and logistics.
In India, this model has become more practical than ever, thanks to India’s best print on demand and dropshipping platform Qikink, which manages printing, storage, and shipping under your brand name.
So instead of worrying about inventory or courier tie-ups, you can now:
- Launch your dropshipping store within a few days.
- Test multiple products easily on many platforms and online stores available.
- Scale your winning products and secure your stable income soon.
Despite its simplicity, successful dropshipping requires planning, research, and continuous promotion to build trust and ensure profit margins. This is an excellent option for beginners and seasoned entrepreneurs looking to run a scalable e-commerce venture with low risk.
Dropshipping Monthly Income in India
Dropshipping has emerged as a low-entry barrier business model that enables many Indian entrepreneurs to earn an income without the need for inventory or heavy upfront investment. The average dropshipping income in India varies widely, depending on factors such as the seller’s experience, niche choice, marketing efforts, and the platform used.
However, it’s important to note that dropshipping doesn’t provide quick money. It’s a low-investment business that demands consistency and data-backed decisions. While some sellers generate massive monthly revenues, their profit margins depend on how efficiently they manage product costs, ad budgets, and supplier relationships.
Dropshipping Earning
Let’s break down the earning potential of a beginner in a dropshipping business compared to an established dropshipper, including their profit margins and monthly income ranges.
|
Experience Level
|
Average Monthly Income
|
Profit Margin
|
Key Focus
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Beginner Dropshippers
|
₹15,000 to ₹40,000
|
10% to 20%
|
Limited product variety, testing ads and suppliers.
|
|
Intermediate Sellers
|
₹40,000 to ₹1,00,000
|
20% to 30%
|
Focus on customer service, refined product listings, and social media engagement.
|
|
Established Stores
|
₹1,20,000 to ₹3,00,000+
|
25% to 35%+
|
Strong niche focus, recurring customers, premium pricing, and advanced marketing strategies
|
Understanding these income ranges and business stages helps set realistic expectations and provides a clear roadmap for anyone looking to grow in India’s competitive market.
Average income: Low-Ticket vs High-Ticket Dropshipping
Not all dropshipping stores follow the same strategies. Different dropshippers commonly follow two types of dropshipping models. They are the Low-ticket and High-ticket dropshipping. Before starting your dropshipping business, understanding the differences between these strategies is essential.
1. Low-Ticket Dropshipping
Low-ticket dropshipping involves selling inexpensive items, typically priced between ₹100 and ₹1000. These products, such as phone accessories, small kitchen gadgets, or trendy apparel, attract customers due to their affordability and urge-to-buy nature.
Pros:
- Higher sales volume potential, with its larger audience in the marketplace.
- Lower initial investment per product and easier entry with minimal startup capital.
- Quick turnover and frequent customer purchases are possible.
Cons:
- Significantly lower profit margin (ranges from 10 to 20%).
- Requires investment in advertising to achieve higher sales volume.
- Repeated purchases are less likely due to heavy competition in the market.
2. High-Ticket Dropshipping
High-ticket dropshipping centres on selling premium products priced from ₹5,000 up to ₹50,000 or more. These can include luxury office furniture, smart home gadgets, fitness equipment, and niche electronics.
Pros:
- Profit margin per sale is higher (ranges from 25 to 50%).
- Helps build your own brand and credibility, leading to repeated customer purchases.
- With a relatively lower volume of orders, a substantial income can be earned.
- Less dependency on paid ads due to better organic reach and referrals.
Cons:
- It experiences slower initial growth and requires higher initial investment and marketing effort.
- Requires more upfront research to find a good niche and quality suppliers.
- There is a greater need for excellent customer service and after-sales support.
Choosing between low-ticket and high-ticket dropshipping depends on your planning, financial capacity, and long-term goals. Many beginners start with low-ticket products to test and gain experience. As confidence and business grow, moving toward high-ticket products can unlock higher income and sustainable growth.
Average Dropshipping Profit Margin in India
Profit margin is the percentage of revenue you actually keep after covering all costs. In dropshipping, analysing your profit margin is crucial because high revenue doesn’t always mean high profit.
Many beginners believe selling a large quantity of products is sufficient, but without cost control, earnings can remain surprisingly low. With innovative strategies and the right tools, dropshippers in India typically see profit margins of more than 10% from the outset.
Typical Profit Margins
Profit margins vary due to a range of factors, including supplier costs, shipping fees, platform fees, product costs, taxes, and marketing expenses. Many Indian dropshippers leverage affordable domestic and international sourcing to keep costs low, while competitive pricing helps maintain decent margins.
Categories like fashion, electronics, accessories, health products, and home goods often exhibit higher profitability. Higher margins usually come with higher-priced products and strong branding, but balancing pricing and volume is crucial for sustainable profits.
Some sellers focusing on exclusive or branded products (High-Ticket dropshipping) can achieve margins above 50%, while highly competitive commodity items (Low-Ticket dropshipping) may only yield 10 to 15%.
Factors That Affect Your Profit Margin
- Lower costs from cheaper suppliers or local fulfilment centres like Qikink can improve margins significantly.
- Faster delivery often costs more, but regional providers can save ₹50–₹100 per order.
- Optimised ads increase sales, but overspending reduces profits.
- Shopify, Amazon, and payment gateways charge small percentages per sale, which can add up significantly.
- Increase average order value and improve margin without extra ad cost.
- Excellent customer service reduces returns and builds trust.
How to Calculate Dropshipping Profit Margin
Accurately calculating your profit margin is essential for pricing products effectively and ensuring your dropshipping business is profitable.
The formula can be used is,
Profit margin = ((Selling Price) – (Product Price + Product’s GST + Printing Cost + Printing GST + Shipping))
Consider yourself selling a T-shirt for ₹799, with the total costs listed as:
- Product cost: ₹240
- Printing cost: ₹160
- Shipping cost: ₹50
- Marketing (ads) cost: ₹150
- Payment gateway fees: ₹20
From the prices, the profit margin is calculated as follows: 799 − (240 + 160 + 50 + 150 + 20) = ₹179. With the revenue obtained, the profit margin percentage is calculated: (179 / 799) * 100 = 22.4%.
Using the above method, you can calculate your dropshipping profit margin for every sale. Qikink’s Profit Margin Calculator simplifies this process by considering all relevant costs.
Practical Tips to Improve Profit Margins
- Optimise advertising campaigns to reduce your cost per acquisition and improve ROI (Return on Investment).
- Offer bundles or discounts to increase your average order value, delivering more value per customer.
- Negotiate with best dropshipping suppliers or switch to local print on demand fulfilment partners like Qikink for lower product and shipping costs.
- Reduce returns by providing accurate product descriptions, sizing guides, and excellent customer support.
- Focus on repeat customers, as retaining existing buyers requires fewer marketing strategies than acquiring new ones.
Now that you know how to calculate and optimise your profit margin, let’s see how these numbers translate into your actual monthly revenue.
Build a successful dropshipping business in India with Qikink
Dropshipping Revenue in India
Revenue in dropshipping is the total money your store earns from all sales, but what really matters is how much of that converts into profit. Many beginners focus only on revenue numbers, but understanding costs, ad spend, and fulfilment is essential to gauge actual monthly earnings.
Indian dropshippers benefit from the ability to launch stores quickly without inventory investment while sourcing products affordably from domestic and international suppliers. The potential customer base is growing rapidly, with over a billion digital consumers and increasing online shopping adoption across urban and rural areas.
Let’s consider a practical example of a small but thriving dropshipping store in India to illustrate how revenue and costs interact. Suppose your store handles between 200 and 400 orders per month with an average order value ranging from ₹500 to ₹700. Here’s how your costs and revenue can be distributed in dropshipping:
- Product Cost & Shipping: These typically take up 40% to 50% of the total revenue, depending on your product niche and sourcing strategy. This includes the supplier’s price and logistics, typically ranging from ₹200 to ₹350 per order.
- Marketing & Ads: Effective advertising is essential for growth, usually accounting for 10% to 20% of your revenue. This budget could be allocated to Google and Facebook Ads, influencer collaborations, or social media promotions.
- Platform Fees & Payment Gateways: Platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce, along with payment processors, can charge 2% to 5% per transaction, roughly ₹20 to ₹35 per order.
- Miscellaneous Costs: Small overheads (packaging, branding materials, customer support, website hosting) typically account for a minor portion, adding up to around 5% of your revenue.
Can I Earn 1 Lakh per Month from Dropshipping?
Many of them might have the same doubt regarding the income from dropshipping. Does it provide the lakh figures to your monthly salary? Following the proper strategies will surely lead you to run a successful earning business.
Continuing the aspects of the previously stated practical example, when your store processes 200 to 400 orders per month with an average order value of ₹500 to ₹700, it can result in a gross monthly revenue of more than ₹1 lakh. The estimated expenses and profit can be depicted as:
- Product Cost & Shipping: ₹60,000 to ₹75,000, depending on the niche and supplier.
- Marketing & Ads: ₹15,000 to ₹30,000, applicable to either a single site or multiple platforms.
- Platform & Payment Fees: ₹3,000 to ₹7,500, with minimal variation across platforms.
- Overheads: ₹7,500 to ₹15,000 can add up.
- Total expenses: ₹86,500 to ₹1,28,000. Net profit: ₹22,000 to ₹63,500 (around 15% to 25% profit margin on gross revenue)
Your numbers might start small, but consistency in testing and marketing can easily scale you past ₹1 lakh in a few months.
Amazon Dropshipping Earnings in India
Amazon remains one of the largest and most popular e-commerce platforms in India, offering many more opportunities for dropshippers. With its vast customer base, strong brand trust, and reliable logistics network, many Indian entrepreneurs rely on Amazon for consistent sales and steady income.
Average Earnings on Amazon Dropshipping
Recent industry insights suggest that successful Amazon dropshippers can generate approximately $290,000 in annual sales, with over 55,000 sellers worldwide making more than $1 million annually.
Most beginners start with lower revenues and scale up gradually through product testing, optimisation, and targeted advertising. Typical profit margins range between 10% and 30%, as seller fees and high competition can reduce net profit.
Why Choose Amazon for Dropshipping?
- With millions of active users in India, there is high traffic potential.
- Customers’ trust in the platform helps to increase conversion rates.
- Amazon FBA and seller-fulfilled programs support various types of business models on this platform.
- Diverse tools are available for tracking sales performance and advertising.
- India’s mobile commerce boom favours Amazon’s app-driven shopping.
Challenges to Consider on Amazon
- Intense competition leads to pricing pressure and lower profit margins.
- Strict seller policies require compliance and prompt issue resolution.
- Limited branding opportunity compared to standalone stores.
- Dependence on Amazon’s algorithms for product visibility and discoverability.
Amazon dropshipping provides Indian sellers with a scalable and low-risk entry point into e-commerce. It’s particularly suited for those dealing in fast-moving consumer goods, accessories, or everyday essentials, and for those looking to learn how to sell online before building their own independent brand.
Shopify Dropshipping Earnings in India
Shopify has gained massive popularity among Indian dropshippers due to its flexibility, customizability, and ability to create branded online stores quickly.
Unlike Amazon’s marketplace, Shopify allows sellers complete control over their store design, product presentation, and customer experience, which are the key factors in building a loyal customer base and premium positioning.
Average Earnings on Shopify Dropshipping
Monthly revenues for Indian Shopify dropshippers vary widely depending on niche, marketing, and product quality. On average, successful Shopify dropshippers can earn between ₹70,000 and ₹3,00,000 per month in revenue. Profit margins can range from 20% to 40%, often higher than Amazon’s, due to its better pricing control and lower platform fees.
The key difference is that Shopify dropshippers own their traffic and customers. While building organic sales takes longer, long-term profits can be much higher since there are no marketplace fees or heavy competition within the same platform.
Why Choose Shopify for Dropshipping?
- Customise everything from the store look to marketing funnels, giving you total branding control.
- Shopify’s fees are generally fixed and transparent compared to marketplace commissions.
- Access to apps for inventory, marketing, analytics, and customer engagement.
- Integrates well with print on demand providers like Qikink, payment gateways, and other tools popular in India.
- Opportunities to sell via social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram shops
Challenges to Consider on Shopify
- Requires more active marketing skills to drive traffic directly to your store.
- Initial setup and customisation might be complex for beginners without technical skills.
- Building a brand and establishing customer trust takes time, whereas at Amazon, instant recognition can be achieved.
Shopify dropshipping is ideal for entrepreneurs who want to own their brand, maximise profit margins, and scale beyond marketplace limits. While the initial growth phase demands patience and consistent marketing, it offers far more control, creativity, and long-term profitability than platform-dependent models.
When combined with a reliable dropshipping partner like Qikink, Shopify becomes one of the most flexible and profitable ways to run a dropshipping business in India.
Case Study: A Successful Indian Dropshipper’s Story
Dropshipping has become a viable path to entrepreneurship for many Indians, offering a chance to build steady income streams without hefty upfront investment. Among these success stories, Asif Siddiqui’s journey stands out as a testament to persistence and leveraging the right tools to create sustainable online stores.
Asif Siddiqui: Discovery of Dropshipping in India
Source: Alidropship
Asif Siddiqui, an Indian entrepreneur, embarked on his online business journey in 2003, initially exploring affiliate marketing. Over the years, he expanded his ventures to include creating flash game websites and blogs monetised through AdSense.
Despite his diverse online endeavours, Asif was drawn to dropshipping because it allowed him to sell products without holding any stock, reducing risk and upfront investment. Inspired by Yaroslav Nevsky’s dropshipping journey, Asif became intrigued by the potential of the dropshipping business model.
Business Setup and Product Strategy
Currently, Asif manages four dropshipping stores, each catering to different niches. They collectively provide more than 60% of his income. Initially, Asif followed only popular niches, but soon he explored areas closely connected to his personal interests.
This strategy allowed him to connect more deeply with his target audience. When selecting products, Asif prioritised items with high ratings and reliable suppliers, ensuring quality and customer satisfaction.
Marketing and Promotions
Asif’s marketing strategy began with a modest investment, using a $3 shoutout on a small Instagram account. Remarkably, this led to his first sale within three days of launching the store. Building on this success, he continued to leverage social media platforms to promote his products, gradually scaling his marketing efforts to reach a broader audience.
Today, he focuses mainly on Instagram paid promotions, targeting niche-relevant audiences through shoutouts and ads, which outperform his Facebook ads in return on ad spend. Complementary organic channels, such as Pinterest, and passive Google Ads, also contribute to his sales.
Challenges and Resilience
Throughout his journey, Asif encountered challenges, including periods of low sales. He also managed multiple stores, a task that required approximately 2 hours daily, primarily spent finding new shoutout partners and creating promotional content.
His commitment to learning from mistakes enabled him to navigate these obstacles effectively. He emphasises the importance of consistency, effort, and staying compliant through timely tax payments, which helped him achieve success in the dropshipping business.
Future Goals
Looking ahead, Asif plans to expand his business by launching a clothing line of his own production. He credits the flexibility and scalability of the dropshipping model as instrumental in providing the foundation and confidence to pursue this new venture.
Asif encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to analyse consistently, scale steadily, and never lose hope, even on days with no sales. His key advice to newcomers is to “take action now,” because success requires dedicated effort and keen learning through trial and error.
How to Maximise Your Dropshipping Income
Here are some practical, up-to-date tips tailored for dropshippers to help maximise monthly income:
- Identify a product niche with demand and less competition. A focused niche enables you to target your audience more effectively and increases your chances of success. Use Google Trends, social media insights, and marketplace research to find opportunities.
- Branding isn’t just for big companies. Use consistent logos, colours, and unique values across your store and social media, which could make customers trust and remember you.
- Use high-quality images and clear, compelling descriptions. Make sure prices are competitive. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and easy to navigate for the best shopper experience.
- Respond quickly to inquiries and resolve issues professionally. Good service encourages positive reviews and repeat purchases, which are critical for growth.
- Regularly post engaging content on social media and platforms. Use targeted ads and collaborations with influencers to reach the right audience and drive traffic to your store. Show ads or send emails to people who visited your store but didn’t make a purchase.
- Leverage festivals like Diwali with discounts, timely promotions and sales, which helps you achieve more new customers during peak buying seasons.
- Use tools to sync inventory, manage orders, and automate customer notifications. Also, monitor ads, product performance, and customer behaviour. Regularly adjust your strategies to stay ahead in your business.
Following these simple yet powerful marketing strategies will help you maximise your dropshipping income sustainably in India’s growing e-commerce landscape.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Dropshipping
- Avoid picking overly saturated or very low-demand niches..
- Late shipments or poor-quality products harm your brand and profits.
- Slow or poor responses can erode trust and deter repeat business.
- Inconsistent product quality results in customer dissatisfaction and refunds.
- Allocate budget wisely and optimise ads continuously
Avoid these basic mistakes and follow the right strategies to enter the dropshipping market strongly, creating your own brand and space on this business platform.
Start your dropshipping business with one of these ideas from this guide
Final Thoughts
Dropshipping in India offers tremendous opportunities for entrepreneurs to start with low investment and scale up steadily. Success depends on choosing the right niche, building a trusted brand, marketing smartly, and continuously learning from real-world data.
Leveraging reliable fulfilment partners like Qikink, which handles printing, storage, and shipping under your brand, can simplify logistics and help maintain consistent quality, allowing you to focus on growth and customer experience. Sign up and enjoy many more features.
While challenges like supplier issues or marketing hurdles are common, persistence and adapting strategies keep dropshippers ahead in this rapidly growing space. With a clear roadmap and dedication, anyone can build a profitable, sustainable dropshipping business in India.
Read More
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money can we make from dropshipping?
Earnings vary widely depending on niche, marketing skills, and operational efficiency. Beginners may earn ₹15,000 to ₹40,000 per month, intermediates ₹40,000 to ₹1,00,000, and established stores ₹1,20,000 to ₹3,00,000+ in net profit per month. With focused strategies, reaching ₹1 lakh per month is realistic.
Who is the richest dropshipper?
The richest dropshipper is widely recognised as Sebastian Ghiorghiu, with an estimated net worth of around $8 million. Other notable top dropshippers include Kevin Zhang, Andreas Koenig, Alexander Pecka, and Harry Coleman, each with millions in earnings from diversified e-commerce brands.
What factors influence the income potential for dropshippers in India?
The income potential of dropshippers in India is influenced by various factors such as market demand, competition, pricing strategy, product selection, and shipping costs.
What are the common challenges that affect dropshipping income in the Indian market?
Payment gateway issues, shipping delays, customs clearance, and product quality concerns are common challenges that affect dropshipping income in the Indian market. However, with careful planning and execution, dropshipping can be a successful business model.
How long does it typically take for a dropshipping business in India to become profitable?
A dropshipping business in India typically takes 6-12 months to become profitable.
