Strategic, thoughtful, high-quality content can transform how companies connect with their target audience and drive organic traffic to their websites. For small business owners navigating today’s digital landscape, understanding content creation isn’t just helpful; it’s essential for survival and growth.

Learn how to excel at the content creation game, with insights from Ali Osterhol, founder of Explorer Knits + Fibers; Charlotte Palermino, founder of Dieux; and Liah Yoo, founder of KraveBeauty.

Table of contents

What is content creation?

Content creation is the process of developing and publishing digital content across various online platforms and marketing channels, like email, social media, and blogs. The goal is to create valuable content that tells your brand’s story, educates your specific audience, and drives website traffic.

Content creation formats

Understanding different content formats can help you create engaging content across multiple platforms to support your content marketing strategy. Here’s a breakdown of common formats:

Blog posts and articles

Publishing written content (especially long-form articles) can improve your SEO ranking and drive organic traffic to your website. Expert-driven articles help businesses that want to establish topical authority in their industry and boost search visibility.

The key lies in balancing organic SEO tactics with reader value. Your blog content should naturally incorporate relevant keywords while addressing your audience’s specific needs and questions. Creating evergreen content that addresses common customer queries can continue delivering value long after publication—a cornerstone of an effective SEO strategy and the written content form.

Video content

Video has emerged as one of the most engaging content formats—with video streaming making up 91% of global internet traffic). Video offers businesses powerful ways to connect with their audience through visual storytelling. From short-form content on TikTok and Instagram Reels to longer educational videos on YouTube, video content allows brands to demonstrate products, share expertise, and build personal connections with viewers.

The versatility of video content makes it suitable for various marketing goals. Educational videos establish expertise, behind-the-scenes content builds trust and transparency, product demonstrations showcase features and benefits, and livestreaming creates real-time engagement opportunities.

Create videos that drive growth

Use this free template to research and plan video ad campaigns for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms.

\nDownload template\n

Charlotte Palermino, founder of Dieux, shares on the Shopify Masters podcast how her TikTok video content made complex topics accessible to her audience. “One of our most viral videos right now has over 100,000 views and is just talking about packaging and non-mined aluminum,” she says. Educational content, when presented in an engaging way, can capture audience attention even when it’s centered around seemingly mundane topics.

Liah Yoo, founder of KraveBeauty, built her multimillion-dollar skin care company by documenting her journey with adult acne on YouTube. On Shopify Masters, Liah emphasizes the power of long-form video content: “You can’t really form a relationship with a content creator if you’re watching that person for 15 seconds. I think an audience comes to YouTube and they intentionally click on your video to watch what you have to say or what your life is like.”

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While video content requires more resources than written content, the investment often pays off. Consider your content team’s capabilities and your audience’s platform preferences when developing your video content strategy to use your resources effectively and maximize your reach.

Email newsletters

Newsletters are a valuable form of content creation, allowing businesses to maintain regular communication with current customers while nurturing potential customers through targeted messaging. Unlike social media platforms, where algorithm changes can limit your reach, email marketing ensures your content reaches subscribers who have explicitly opted to hear from you.

Effective email newsletter content balances promotional messages with valuable information, educational content, and exclusive insights that subscribers can’t get on your other marketing channels. This approach builds anticipation for your emails while providing genuine value that justifies your place in busy inboxes.

Email newsletters work particularly well for sharing behind-the-scenes content, announcing new products or services, providing exclusive discounts, and delivering curated industry insights. They also serve as a platform for repurposing and linking to other content formats, such as your blog articles and YouTube content.

The key to successful email content is consistency, personalization, and segmentation. Regular communication keeps your brand top of mind, while personalized content based on subscriber behavior and preferences increases engagement rates and conversion potential.

Social media content

Social media marketing encompasses various formats across different platforms, with each requiring a tailored approach to maximize engagement. Understanding each platform’s unique culture and how your audience consumes content on different social media platforms helps you create more effective social posts that drive meaningful interactions.

For example, Instagram favors visually appealing content and brand storytelling, while LinkedIn thrives on professional insights and industry commentary. TikTok rewards creative, entertaining content that captures viewers’ attention quickly, and Facebook still excels at community building through discussions. What works on one social media platform may not translate effectively to another, requiring platform-specific content strategies.

Authenticity, honesty, and relatability are key to effective social media content creation. Charlotte grew an audience for Dieux by talking straight to the camera when posting to social media, educating her audience on the science of skin care. And she doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable subjects, like how Dieux prices its products.

@dieuxskin Replying to @lauren I haven’t heard people talking about the fact that MOST beauty brands don’t own their formulas — at Dieux we are lucky. Instant Angel, our award winning moisturizer is safe for now! #smallbusiness #greenscreen #cream #skin #moisturizer ♬ original sound - Dieux Skin

“I think a lot of brands are afraid to say certain things because it opens up the door for more conversations,” Charlotte says on Shopify Masters. “It’s much easier to give a straightforward answer to something that’s definitive versus saying, ‘Well, it depends.’ That takes a lot more work, and a lot more education.”

Her honest approach to content creation has helped Charlotte earn more than a million likes on TikTok and establish Dieux as a trusted voice in skin care. Her approach demonstrates that successful content creators don’t just push products—they provide genuine value to their content consumers through education and transparency.

Podcasts and audio formats

Podcasts and other audio formats are a rapidly growing marketing channel, as more people embrace audio consumption during commutes, workouts, and other activities. The format allows for in-depth conversations, expert interviews, and storytelling opportunities that help you build deeper connections with your audience.

Audio content works particularly well for educational topics, industry discussions, and personal stories that benefit from conversational formats. You can repurpose audio content into written content, social media clips, and video content, maximizing your content creation efforts across multiple channels.

Shopify Masters: The ecommerce podcast for ambitious entrepreneurs

Shopify Masters is a business podcast powered by Shopify where successful entrepreneurs and experts share their marketing and sales experience with inspirational stories.

Learn from leaders

Tips for your content creation process

Creating a sustainable content creation process requires understanding your business goals, target audience, and available resources, then tailoring your content to each individual platform.

Identify your audience’s problems

Before developing content ideas, identify what challenges your target audience faces. Liah’s success came from addressing a specific customer pain point. “People who have dealt with acne for so many years feel almost hopeless,” she says. “So when they’re finally coming to YouTube to search how to clear acne, they are looking for the last piece of advice.”

Ask yourself: What questions do your customers repeatedly ask? What misconceptions exist in your industry? What problems can your products or services solve?

Stay true to your brand’s voice

Your content should reflect your brand personality and brand values. Determine your brand voice, whether it’s your own voice, as it is for Charlotte, or a character that your brand assumes. Charlotte says, “I remember I met somebody that I was kind of friends with on the internet, and they’re like, ‘Oh wow, you really are exactly like you are on social media.’” The tone of your posts will change depending on the content, but your brand voice should stay consistent.

Build a brand customers love

Dive into Shopify’s free branding worksheet to develop your brand’s name, style, and voice, and build a strong connection with your audience.

\nDownload worksheet\n

Plan your content calendar strategically

Rather than creating content daily just to meet a posting goal, develop an editorial calendar centered on content pillars. Use social media planning tools to organize your content ideas, publishing dates, and topic ideas. Consider seasonal trends, product launches, and industry events when planning your content strategy.

Repurpose successful content across other formats and channels. For example, you can expand ideas that perform well in social posts into blog posts, and convert high-performing video clips into full-length educational content.

Set up your socials for success

Schedule your posts and develop a sophisticated content strategy with this free social media calendar template.

\nGet template\n

Focus on quality over quantity

The pressure to create content constantly can lead to burnout—and more isn’t always better. Ali Osterhol, founder of Explorer Knits, takes a quality-over-quantity approach that challenges conventional wisdom. She explains on Shopify Masters how her strategy proves that meeting posting quotas isn’t the only effective approach. Rather than focusing on posting schedules, she shares content when she has something genuinely valuable to say.

This philosophy has helped her build a successful business and following through organic content (Explorer Knits + Fibers has more than 50,000 Instagram followers) without relying on paid advertising or following strict posting schedules.

Measure what matters

Track marketing key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your business goals rather than vanity metrics. Whether it’s website traffic, conversion rates, or community engagement, focus on how your content creation contributes to your bottom line.

Adapt and evolve

Your content creation process should evolve as your business grows and your audience’s needs change. Conduct regular content audits to identify what’s working, what isn’t, and where you can improve. This data-driven approach ensures your content marketing efforts remain effective as your business scales.

The key to successful content creation is authenticity, consistency, and genuine value. Focus on creating valuable content that serves your audience’s needs while staying true to your brand purpose. Building a sustainable content creation process takes time, but the results—loyal communities, increased sales, and brand authority—make the investment worthwhile.

What is content creation FAQ

What is meant by content creation?

Content creation refers to developing and publishing digital content across various online platforms. It includes blog posts, social media content, video content, and email newsletters.

What is an example of content creation?

When skin care brand Dieux created a video for TikTok breaking down the brand’s packaging and non-mined aluminum, it transformed technical industry knowledge into educational, behind-the-scenes content that proved highly engaging for its audience and went viral on TikTok.

What does a content creator do?

A content creator develops valuable content that serves their audience’s needs while supporting business objectives. Content creators research topic ideas, understand audience preferences, create multiple pieces of content across different formats, and continuously refine their content strategy based on performance and feedback.

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A strategic content creation plan can help you reach your audience by offering them something of genuine value. Learn how to form deep connections via content.

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Facebook Marketplace has transformed how entrepreneurs sell products and connect with potential buyers in their local communities—and beyond. Originally designed as a digital bulletin board for local listings, the platform has evolved to support nationwide shipping and has become a powerful sales channel for businesses of all sizes. With more than one billion active users, according to CNBC, Facebook Marketplace provides unprecedented access to a broad audience of potential customers seeking everything from used furniture to baby supplies.

Whether you’re looking to start a successful business or expand your existing revenue streams, Facebook Marketplace offers unique opportunities to reach customers where they already spend their time. The key to success lies in understanding which products perform best on the platform and how to position them effectively. Understanding the most profitable products to sell on Facebook can boost your online business strategy and help you achieve consistent sales.

Table of contents

Pros of selling on Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace offers several compelling advantages for sellers looking to reach more customers:

Access to a large audience

Facebook’s integration with the world’s largest social network (over three billion monthly active users, according to Statista) provides instant access to billions of potential buyers, making it easier to sell fast compared to other online marketplaces. Facebook Marketplace’s broad audience reach is unmatched by most selling channels.

Your listings appear in local searches immediately, and Facebook’s algorithm shows your items to people in your area who might be interested. The social aspect means friends might share your listing, creating potential for viral growth.

Quick and easy setup

You can list items on Facebook Marketplace within minutes using just your smartphone, and the platform’s automatic price optimization suggestions help ensure you’re offering competitive prices.

Free local listings

Facebook Marketplace’s free model for local listings means no listing fees or commissions for local sales, allowing sellers to keep more profits while accessing free traffic from Facebook’s massive user base. This option is particularly effective for selling items that benefit from in-person pickup, such as furniture items or large sports equipment.

Note: If you choose to use Facebook Marketplace to sell products nationally, Facebook charges a selling fee of 10% (or 80¢ minimum per order), which is deducted from your payout.

Cons of selling on Facebook Marketplace

Selling items on Facebook also comes with limitations to consider:

Lack of advanced tools and features

Unlike dedicated ecommerce platforms, Facebook Marketplace lacks some of the advanced customization options for listings, limiting your ability to create detailed product pages or implement sophisticated pricing strategies. For example, dedicated ecommerce platforms let you:

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Build branded storefronts with custom layouts, colors, and fonts
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Add product variants (different sizes, colors, etc.) with separate pricing
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Include detailed product specifications, sizing charts, and comparison tables
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Set up bundle deals, discount codes, and promotional campaigns
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Facebook Marketplace has none of these capabilities. It also offers limited tools for customer communication and sales analytics. All communication happens through Facebook Messenger, which doesn’t allow you to organize inquiries by product, priority, or stage of sale; create automated responses for common questions; track which customers you’ve already responded to; or schedule follow-up messages.

The lack of detailed analytics makes it difficult to understand customer behavior patterns or measure listing effectiveness compared to other online marketplaces.

Safety concerns

Facebook Marketplace is rife with scams and fraudulent transactions. Here are key tips to avoid protect yourself as a seller:

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Verify that real people are behind buyer profiles.
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Use secure payment processors.
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Don’t accept overpayments.
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Keep all communication within the Facebook Marketplace platform.
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Pay for package tracking.
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Always confirm payment has cleared before issuing a refund.
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Haggling culture

Because of the informal nature of Facebook Marketplace, price negotiation is common. Sellers used to setting a firm price may find it challenging to deal with shoppers who want to negotiate. Consider including the ability to negotiate as part of your pricing strategy. If you start with slightly higher prices, it will give you some room to come down.

During the negotiation, remain respectful but firm. You don’t need to take any offer that isn’t appropriately valuing your product, time, and effort.

How to do product research for Facebook Marketplace

So what products can you sell on Facebook and, more importantly, which ones are profitable? There are a few tools—free and paid—you can use to do research before you start listing:

Learn what you can’t sell on Facebook

Before you dive into your product research, review Meta’s terms and policies related to commerce content across all its platforms. Facebook maintains strict policies regarding prohibited items to ensure user safety and legal compliance. You can’t sell:

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Digital products, including software, ebooks, and online courses
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Tobacco-related products, including cigarettes, cigars, and vaping devices
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Alcohol and alcoholic beverages of any kind
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Health care products, including prescription medications and medical devices, and hazardous materials
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Weapons, ammunition, and explosives
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Adult products and services
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Live animals (though pet supplies are permitted)
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Stolen goods or items of questionable origin
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Services requiring professional licensing without proper credentials
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Explore the Meta Ad Library

One of the most valuable resources is the Meta Ad Library, provided by Facebook itself. Use this searchable database to browse and explore all of the ads running on Facebook’s ad platform. Using relevant keywords and the built-in search filters, you can analyze competitor ads to understand:

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What products they’re selling
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How they’re positioning their products
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Which ads and products generate the most engagement
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Which ads have been running the longest
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You can also search through the active ads from specific sellers by going directly to their business page, navigating to the About section, and scrolling down to find the Ads from this Page section.

For example, if you have a coffee brand, you may spend some time on the Chamberlain Coffee page and analyze its ad content.

Join Facebook groups in your niche

Understanding the needs and demands of your target demographic is key to being a good seller on any platform. Facebook makes consumer research accessible by giving you direct access to your audience through Facebook groups.

Lucia Cedron, a senior product lead at Shopify who spends a lot of time helping users navigate the challenges of selling online, suggests joining groups in your niche and studying the conversations that happen in those groups. What problems are they identifying? Are there products that solve those problems?

For example, if you join Facebook Groups created for coffee lovers and see that a lot of them complain about bitter coffee, you may then decide to emphasize qualities such as “smooth” or “well-balanced” in your coffee—and your marketing.

Analyze other social media platforms

What’s successful on Facebook Marketplace often mirrors success on other platforms, says Lucia. For example, TikTok and Instagram are highly visual platforms. On all three platforms, the mechanism for exploration and discovery is the same: scrolling.

“I would look at the TikTok Creative Center because a lot of TikTok ads are then being repurposed and shared on Facebook as well. So, a lot of times things that are viral on TikTok will be viral and sell well on Facebook,” says Lucia.

“Buyers are often scrolling passively through their feed,” she adds, “so whatever your product, it has to have this scroll-stopping factor.”

Use AI tools

AI chatbots like Gemini and ChatGPT can help you with preliminary research. Ask them to generate lists of the most profitable products to sell on Facebook Marketplace. To get the most personalized recommendations, include details about:

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Products you already have or sell
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How much storage you have
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Your location
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Whether you want to ship or deliver products
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How much money and time you can commit
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Your ultimate goals
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Then cross-check the data with tools like Google Trends.

Validate products with Google Trends

Google Trends can show you the monthly average search volume over time for keywords on the search engine. You can use this data to make more informed decisions about what to sell on Facebook Marketplace. For example, if you want to start selling milk frothers to expand the scope of your coffee business, you can analyze the data on Google Trends to see how often users are searching for “milk frothers” and the history of interest in the product over time. Look for consistent interest, growing interest, or recent spikes in search volume rather than focusing on specific numbers.

8 popular product categories to sell on Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace’s local focus makes it particularly effective for products that benefit from in-person inspection or pickup, while its broad user base creates consistent demand across multiple categories:

1. Furniture and home décor

Furniture and home décor represent some of the most consistently profitable categories on Facebook Marketplace, especially for businesses focused on local markets. The furniture category includes:

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Vintage pieces that can be refurbished for higher profits
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Modern small appliances like air fryers, coffee makers, and blenders
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Used furniture like couches, dining sets, dressers, and coffee tables
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Home décor items such as wall art, decorative mirrors, lamps, and rugs
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Handmade or customized decor pieces
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2. Electronics

Electronic products consistently perform well due to constant technology upgrades and replacements. Popular items include:

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Refurbished smartphones, tablets, laptops, and gaming consoles, which attract budget-conscious buyers seeking quality electronics at competitive prices
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Electronic accessories like phone cases, wireless earbuds, and charging cables, which offer high margins and quick turnover since they need regular replacement
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Success in electronics depends on ensuring items are in good working condition and priced competitively relative to newer models.

3. Clothing and accessories

Clothing and accessories can be highly profitable on Facebook Marketplace. Popular items in this category include:

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Designer brands, athletic wear, and seasonal items
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Bundles of baby clothes, which appeal to parents looking to save money on rapidly outgrown items
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Shoes, handbags, and jewelry
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Vintage or designer pieces, which can command the highest prices
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Success in this category often depends on presenting items with high-quality product images and detailed descriptions. The apparel category is also one of the most popular for dropshipping.

Dropshipping with Collective

Connect with Shopify brands to sell their products. Use Collective to browse thousands of items, list them in your store, and ship them directly to customers.

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4. Baby and kids’ items

Baby supplies and children’s products represent a consistently high-demand category due to parents’ consistent need to replace outgrown or worn items. Popular items include:

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Strollers, high chairs, activity tables, and play equipment
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Baby toys and children’s toys—especially popular brands or educational items—which sell fast when priced appropriately
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Ensure any items you sell are in excellent condition and safe to use. Parents often want to first inspect any products with a safety component before purchasing, and therefore prefer local listings for items like strollers and car seats. Baby products like clothes, white noise machines, and bottles are also a popular dropshipping category.

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5. Sports and outdoor equipment

This category benefits from Facebook Marketplace’s local pickup model, as sports and outdoor equipment are often bulky or expensive to ship. Although the popularity of fitness equipment for the home has fallen a bit since the COVID-19 pandemic, the smart home gym equipment market continues to grow. Personalized, connected fitness equipment is gaining in popularity with consumers.

Consider selling:

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Dumbbells, yoga mats, and exercise bikes
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Bicycles of all types
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Camping gear and gardening tools, which maintain steady demand from outdoor enthusiasts
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Seasonal items, such as grills in the spring or snow equipment in the fall, which can command premium prices when timed correctly
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6. Books

Books of all types and genres are popular to sell online, though some categories outperform others. BookScouter, which sells used books to more than 30 vendors, mentions textbooks as the best books to resell, followed by self-help books, classics, book sets, and faith-based books. Books are inexpensive to ship, making them excellent for nationwide selling.

🍜 Success story: How a YouTube chef became a published author

Serial entrepreneur and self-taught vegan chef Wil Yeung built his business with a YouTube content strategy. He now sells his recipes as books, ebooks, and courses online.

\nRead Wil’s story\n

7. Collectibles

Selling collectibles requires specialized knowledge but can yield substantial profits for those who understand their markets. Popular collectibles include:

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Vintage items like comics, baseball cards, toys, and bakeware
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Trading cards
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Coins
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Memorabilia
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Items in mint condition or pristine packaging can command premium prices from dedicated collectors.

8. Print-on-demand (POD) products

Print-on-demand products offer unique opportunities for creative sellers who want to avoid inventory management. You can design and sell T-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and posters using print-on-demand platforms, allowing sellers to test designs without upfront investment. This category works particularly well when targeting specific local interests or events that resonate with potential customers in your area.

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Free Webinar:

How to quickly start a profitable print-on-demand store

In our free 40-minute video workshop, we’ll get you from product idea to setting up an online store to getting your first print-on-demand sale.

Tips for selling on Facebook Marketplace

Here are proven strategies for maximizing your success on Facebook Marketplace:

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Take high-quality product photos. High-quality product images are essential for attracting potential customers and building trust. Take multiple photos from different angles, ensure good lighting, and include close-ups of any unique features or minor flaws.
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Offer exceptional customer service. Respond quickly to customer inquiries and provide detailed, honest answers about your products. Quick response times and helpful communication can build buyer confidence and lead to positive reviews that attract more customers to your future listings.
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Write detailed, SEO-optimized descriptions. Include relevant keywords that potential buyers might search for, but write naturally for human readers. Mention brand names, model numbers, dimensions, and condition details. Good product descriptions can reduce unnecessary questions and attract serious buyers.
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Research and price competitively. Study what other sellers are charging for similar items, and consider using automatic price optimization tools or regularly adjusting prices based on market response to help ensure competitive prices. Strategic pricing can also help you manage the negotiation process that’s common on Facebook Marketplace.
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Leverage seasonal timing for maximum profits. List seasonal products at optimal times—sell winter coats in the fall and garden furniture in the spring. Understanding seasonal demand patterns can help you achieve fair price premiums and sell fast when demand peaks.
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Pay to boost your listings. You can boost your listing to reach more potential customers. This effectively turns your Facebook Marketplace into an ad that runs on Facebook Feeds, in Facebook search results, and on Marketplace. You choose a budget, set the duration of your ad run, and select audience segments to target. After your ad goes live, you can view analytics for its performance.
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Most profitable products to sell on Facebook FAQ

What item sells the most on Facebook?

Electronics, particularly smartphones and gaming consoles, consistently rank among the top-selling items on Facebook Marketplace. Baby supplies and fitness equipment also generate high sales volumes due to constant demand and high replacement rates.

What products cannot be sold on Facebook?

Facebook prohibits digital products, tobacco-related products, alcohol, health care products, hazardous materials, weapons, adult content, live animals, and items violating trademark laws and alcohol regulations. Always review Facebook’s current commerce policies before listing items.

Can I dropship on Facebook Marketplace?

Yes, you can dropship on Facebook Marketplace. Facebook Marketplace expanded to support shipped products in 2019, making it a valuable platform for ecommerce entrepreneurs using a dropshipping business model. However, there are specific requirements you must meet to operate a Facebook dropshipping business successfully.

","With more than a billion active users, Facebook Marketplace offers access to a vast audience. Explore the most profitable products to sell on Facebook.","

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With more than a billion active users, Facebook Marketplace offers access to a vast audience. Explore the most profitable products to sell on Facebook.

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Finding products with high demand and low competition might sound too good to be true, but these opportunities do exist. New niches, seasonal moments, and trending categories often create openings where you can source products with relatively little competition but a substantial audience. Whether you're launching a dropshipping business or rethinking your product mix, spotting these opportunities early can give you a significant advantage.

The secret is in identifying emerging interest before competition floods the market—think underserved audiences, clever product twists, or timely cultural shifts. These windows don't stay open forever, so you'll need to validate quickly, stay flexible, and be ready to pivot when the landscape changes.

Here's what you need to know about selling high-demand products.

Table of contents

What is a high-demand, low-competition product?

High-demand, low-competition products experience significant spikes in interest while supply lags behind, creating an opportunity for agile online businesses. These products typically address sudden or emerging needs that existing sellers have not yet recognized or fulfilled. Keep in mind that markets with high demand and low competition typically offer short-term windows of opportunity rather than consistent demand and sustainable competitive advantages.

\"A high-demand, low-competition product has to be some sort of trending, viral product,\" says Lucia Cedron, senior product lead at Shopify, who helps merchants identify pain points and succeed on the platform. These products can also cater to seasonal needs or serve niche interests.

High-demand products come in several categories:

Viral products

Viral products surge in popularity—typically on social media—driven by influencer content, viral videos, or cultural moments. They can generate rapid sales but often have short life cycles. Fashion accessories and beauty products often go viral due to fast-moving trends, though viral hits can appear in any category.

For example, Google Trends data shows that Stanley cups interest spiked in late 2023 and early 2024, after a viral video showed one surviving a car fire—ice still intact. Since then, the interest has waned and stabilized.

Niche items

Niche products serve specialized audiences that mainstream sellers often overlook. They succeed by solving specific problems for dedicated customers—like precision scale spoons for serious bakers, replacement VR face cushions for gamers, or breed-specific grooming tools for dog owners.

While low-competition niches are smaller than mass markets, customers in these segments are typically more engaged and willing to pay premium prices for products that meet their exact needs. For example, niche dropshipping has a higher conversion rate than general dropshipping, though you may have trouble finding specialized suppliers with consistent inventory.

Seasonal products

Seasonal products experience predictable demand spikes during specific times—think holiday decorations, beach gear for summer, Halloween costumes, or greeting cards. While these items can technically sell online year-round, most revenue concentrates in brief seasonal windows.

Some businesses survive entirely on this model, like pop-up Halloween stores that dominate through massive inventory and specialized focus. Target might stock costumes in October, but it can't match Spirit Halloween's variety and depth. Seasonal retailers succeed by catering to time-bound demand, carrying extensive product ranges that mainstream stores can't justify.

Keep in mind that online stores may find it more challenging to compete in this category because customers often want immediate availability. Part of the appeal of physical seasonal stores is not having to wait for shipping during peak demand periods.

Problem-solving innovations

Problem-solving products are new or improved versions that address emerging pain points. They typically enjoy high demand and low competition before markets mature and become saturated.

For example, each new iPhone triggers a rush of accessory manufacturers adapting to new specifications. When Apple switched from Lightning to USB-C charging ports, entrepreneurs quickly identified opportunities for Lightning–to–USB-C adapters and dual-connector cables that accommodate old and new models. Google Trends shows a massive demand spike in September 2023, when Apple announced the change. Now, however, competition has saturated the market for these products.

Event-driven demand

These products spike due to news events, celebrity endorsements, or cultural phenomena. Quick identification and fast action are crucial for capitalizing on these fleeting opportunities. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many forward-thinking entrepreneurs started offering highly targeted products like touchless door openers, decorative face masks, fancy hand sanitizers, UV sterilizers for mobile and electronic devices, and thermometer guns. While some maintained consistent demand post-pandemic, the spike for most of these products was short-lived.

How to find high-demand products with low competition

Finding these high-demand, low-competition opportunities requires agility and the right tools to spot emerging trends before they become oversaturated. Here are strategies you can use to identify profitable products during their explosive growth phase:

Use powerful research tools

\"The first key step is keyword research,\" says Lucia. Google Trends is a free tool that offers insight into what products people are searching for.

Start by creating search queries for broad categories—like \"coffee\" or \"workout clothes\"—in addition to more specific categories—like \"coffee mugs\" or \"sustainable workout clothes.\" Bookmark your searches for easy access later on, and check time ranges like \"Past 4 hours,\" \"Past 7 days,\" and \"Past 30 days\" using the dropdown menu.

Focus on the \"Related topics\" section and set it to \"Rising.\" Here, you'll see breakout search terms like \"Irish coffee\" or \"mushroom coffee.\" Click a topic to explore its search volume trends over time.

For deeper insights, tools like Jungle Scout's Opportunity Finder and Dropship.io help you discover product trends, track sales performance, assess competition, and identify opportunities. You can filter by category and adjust your search based on your criteria. Dropship.io even aggregates Facebook ads so you can analyze competitor ad spend. If you see your competitors investing in mushroom coffee ads, this may indicate an emerging market trend. You can also browse the Meta Ad Library, though it doesn't show ad spend.

If you're unsure where to start, you can also ask AI tools like Gemini to identify high-demand products with low competition in your niche, then cross-check suggestions with Google Trends and other research tools.

Once you've identified promising products, dropshipping apps can help you quickly source and test these items without upfront inventory investment. This approach lets you validate demand for trending products while maintaining the flexibility to pivot as market conditions change.

Mine social media

Social media platforms aren't just for sharing content—they're early warning systems for products about to explode in popularity. Each platform offers unique insights into emerging trends that smart sellers can capitalize on:

\n
TikTok trend monitoring. Browse TikTok Shop's trending category for bestselling products or search for product-related keywords and sort by recent videos with fast-rising views. Products generating organic viral content often signal the beginning of major demand spikes. Monitor comments for questions like \"Where can I buy this?\" to identify unmet demand. Lucia also recommends looking at hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt.
\n
\n
Instagram tracking. Start with the Instagram search function by exploring relevant hashtags like #coffee, #espresso, and #coffeetime to discover what products people are discussing. This is also an effective way to identify influencers in your niche and monitor their pages to see what products they're featuring.
\n
\n
Pinterest trending analysis. Pins with high engagement—many saves and likes—often indicate high-demand products or ideas. The Pinterest Trends page shows emerging searches, related trends, and popular pins within the category you're exploring.
\n
\n
Reddit pulse monitoring. Find low-competition niches through Subreddits like r/shutupandtakemymoney, which often showcase products before they go viral. Browsing broad categories like \"Food & Drinks\" can reveal global trends—like \"Dubai Chocolate,\" which might inspire you to create a matching coffee flavor or incorporate it into your existing product line.
\n

Analyze competition

Understanding timing is crucial for viral and trending products. The goal isn't just finding low competition, but identifying temporary windows where demand has spiked but competition hasn't yet responded.

Search major platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Google Shopping for potential products, focusing on recent listing dates and seller entry timing. Look for demand spikes where few sellers or low-quality listings suggest untapped opportunities.

Use the Meta Ad Library to track how many businesses have recently started promoting similar products—low ad competition can mean you're early to a trend. Tools like Milled also let you scan competitors' marketing emails to see what they are (or aren't) actively pushing.

Finally, check supplier availability across multiple platforms. While AliExpress remains popular, consider exploring dropshipping apps that connect you with verified suppliers offering faster shipping times. Products with limited supplier options or recent supplier additions often indicate emerging trends that haven't reached full market saturation.

Monitor seasonal opportunities

Track upcoming holidays, events, and cultural moments that could drive product demand. Products related to Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, major sporting events, or music events can offer excellent high-demand, low-competition windows for prepared online sellers.

Monitor news cycles, cultural events, and emerging lifestyle trends that could spark sudden demand or create new product categories. Celebrity endorsements, viral news stories, or cultural phenomena can create immediate product opportunities.

For example, if you're a clothing retailer and know Beyoncé is about to embark on her Cowboy Carter tour, you might stock up on cowboy hats and sparkly jackets early to stay ahead of the coming demand.

Dropship products with Shopify

Connect dropshipping apps to your store to discover, list, and sell products—no inventory or shipping to manage.

\nBrowse apps\n

13 high-demand products with low competition

Remember that high-demand, low-competition products often represent temporary opportunities rather than long-term market positions. Successful sellers in this space focus on quick entry, aggressive marketing during peak demand, and strategic exit planning before market saturation, while continuously identifying new opportunities. Here are examples of products that can experience high demand with low competition:

Eco-friendly products

These niche products cater to sustainably minded consumers who may not be satisfied with generic options.

1. Pet supplies. Compostable or biodegradable poop bags, pet toys made with upcycled materials, and sustainably sourced snacks can speak to eco-aware pet parents.

2. Makeup. Refillable eyeshadow palettes, refillable mascara, and vegan formulations are just a few examples of makeup products with a planet-friendly twist.

3. Solar-powered gadgets. Solar-powered power banks, for example, support sustainability-minded and adventurous audiences.

4. Houseware. Sustainable beverage containers, reusable plastic bags, biodegradable straws, and nontoxic cleaning supplies are all avenues into the eco-conscious homeware space.

Hobby products

Catering to trending hobbies can make you the go-to supplier for a particular sport or activity.

5. Pickleball. To break into the pickleball trend, consider tackling niches within the sport, like luxury pickleball paddles or pickleball paddle carriers with witty phrases.

6. Urban gardening. Microgreen kits, vertical planters, countertop terrariums—the opportunities to bring plants into small, indoor spaces are endless.

Lifestyle products

This is a broad category that's particularly prone to new high-demand, viral products.

7. Wellness industry. Light therapy glasses, sauna blankets, weighted blankets, and supplements for niche diets are all ways to break into wellness trends.

8. Digital nomadism. Smart wallets with AirTag holders, elaborate cord cases, and solar-powered phone chargers can all support audiences looking to adopt a #Vanlife lifestyle.

Alternative parenting products

Whether its baby-led weaning or forest schools, parenting trends come with many associated products, including:

9. Montessori. Wooden puzzles and sensory toys can serve parents looking for plastic-free, educational toys.

10. Adventurous parenting. Test products like inflatable bathtubs, kid-friendly science kits, nature workbooks, and adventure kits for outdoor enthusiasts.

11. Organized parenting. Support parents with jam-packed schedules by launching products like niche planners, oversized wall calendars, helpful fridge magnets, or car organizers.

Fandom and subculture items

Catering to fans of TV shows, movies, musicians, and games can help you capitalize on new trending products that peak with new seasons, albums, sequels, and tour dates.

12. Cosplay. Anime costumes, high-quality props, and accessories can adapt to evolving cosplay trends.

13. Everyday essentials designed for specific fandoms. World of Warcraft–inspired keychains, BTS Army–themed notebooks, and Taylor Swift–style friendship bracelets are all examples of products that tap into a devoted fandom.

Each of these profitable product categories represents an area with recent demand growth, manageable competition, and viral potential, but these dynamics can shift quickly. For instance, as pickleball or Montessori go mainstream, new competitors will likely enter the field.

Pricing is one brand differentiator that can attract customers, says Lucia. \"You need to consider a price that a buyer is not going to have to think twice about whether they buy this product,\" she says. Branding, marketing, and reliability are also key differentiators. \"Customers are only going to come if you're telling a solid story, and you're fulfilling a need that has unmet demand,\" she says.

High-demand products with low competition FAQ

How do I find low-competition, high-demand products?

To find high-demand products with low competition, use Google Trends to identify recent search spikes rather than steady patterns. Monitor social media platforms for viral content featuring products, and set up alerts for trending hashtags and emerging search terms in your niche market. Focus on speed—by the time traditional market research identifies opportunities, competition has often already arrived.

How do I find high-demand, low-competition products on Etsy?

You can browse Etsy's trending page for popular products, search for terms with recent volume increases but few quality listings, and monitor Etsy's social media to spot viral products.

What kind of products have the highest demand?

Products with explosive demand often fall into trending categories like phone accessories, functional kitchen gadgets, sports equipment, outdoor activities gear, and everyday essentials. Social media, niche interests, seasons, and cultural moments drive these trends—especially when products solve problems and photograph well for online sharing.

","High-demand products with low competition experience significant spikes in interest while supply lags, creating opportunities for online businesses.","

$\"Array$

High-demand products with low competition experience significant spikes in interest while supply lags, creating opportunities for online businesses.

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Forget the exhausting cycle of trend-chasing and inventory panic: What if you could tap into the steady stream of dropshipping products that shoppers have chosen for years and will continue buying for years more? Evergreen products are reliable income generators that prove dependable while flash-in-the-pan trends come and go.

Sure, you may not experience those intoxicating viral sales spikes that make for great Instagram Stories, but you also won’t wake up to find your entire product line has become as relevant as last year’s memes. Remember fidget spinners? Instead, evergreen products can give you the opportunity to pursue steady, consistent growth and build a dropshipping business that isn’t subject to the whims of the trend cycle, says Lucia Cedron, a senior product lead at Shopify.

Read on to learn more about evergreen products, with advice and tips from Lucia about building a business with evergreen products.

Table of contents

What are evergreen products?

Evergreen products are exactly what they sound like: They’re products that maintain steady demand regardless of seasons or market trends. Unlike seasonal products (think Halloween costumes or Valentine’s Day chocolates) or trending items (like t-shirts with pop culture references soon to become outdated), evergreen items appeal to basic human needs and lifestyles that don’t change much over time.

“They have very consistent demand. They have long life cycles. They have a very stable market. In general, these evergreen products tend to have a kind of universal appeal,” says Lucia.

Common categories include wellness products, home décor, pet supplies, and sports equipment. These evergreen niches solve everyday problems—helping people stay fit, care for pets, decorate their homes, or improve their appearance.

“At the end of the day, the main thing is, does the product solve a specific need, and is that need everlasting?” Lucia says. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many products that solved a need for that specific moment in time—like touchless door openers and button pushers or ultraviolet phone sterilizers—but are no longer as useful in our everyday lives. Other popular COVID-era products, like hand sanitizers, disinfectant spray, and even masks, have become part of people’s everyday use and have gone from time-specific to evergreen.

If you’re building an ecommerce store and want long-term success, supplementing your product lines with evergreen products can be a smart, sustainable strategy, says Lucia.

Dropship products with Shopify

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Advantages of evergreen products

Here are some reasons you may decide to add evergreen products to your product line:

Recurring revenue

Since they’re in demand year-round, evergreen products can generate consistent sales. For example, humans are going to be having babies until the end of time, says Lucia. So onesies, baby bottles, pacifiers, and non-toxic baby toys can be sold all year long.

Similarly, she says, consumers are going to always care about their health and wellness. So dumbbells, reusable water bottles, workout clothes, and yoga mats are likely to have steady appeal. “You’re never going to run out of demand,” Lucia says. That means you can more accurately plan ahead without worrying about unexpected sales instability.

No shortage of suppliers

Evergreen categories usually have many reliable dropshipping suppliers—on platforms like Alibaba, AliExpress, and Dropship.io—so you’re not tied to one fragile supply chain. More importantly, you can be picky about your suppliers because you have so many to choose from.

For example, a search for ceramic mugs on Aliexpress turns up thousands of search results—because people always need mugs. You can take your time finding the right supplier. Look at reviews from other sellers. Order product samples and test them out yourself. Which mugs feel brittle? Which mugs are the most versatile? Are they finished with non-toxic materials? Which ones are priced to fit your budget and business plan? Explore different niches, like mugs that appeal to specific interests or mugs that have classic designs.

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Disadvantages of evergreen products

Of course, adding evergreen products to your product line isn’t a fail-proof business strategy. Here are some things to consider before you go to market:

High competition

Due to evergreen products’ universal appeal and low barrier to entry, many other dropshippers are stocking them, which can lead to market saturation. “You really need to do your research. What is the competition doing? How is your competition pricing?” says Lucia. “You don’t want to go into this dynamic where none of your products sell even though they are evergreen, because competition is high and buyers are finding your products elsewhere with better prices and maybe a better narrative.”

You can differentiate your products with strong branding, unique designs, competitive pricing, and superior customer service. For example, Ben Francis, the founder of athletic apparel company Gymshark, started out by dropshipping fitness supplements. He then added fitness apparel to his product lines. The convenience of buying supplements and workout clothes in one place was a key differentiator for Gymshark that helped them branch out and eventually start designing their own clothes.

“One of the main things when you’re dropshipping is the importance of creating a story around why you’re selling the products that you’re selling, why that solves a specific need, and how you as a company are helping the buyer out with this problem that they have,” says Lucia. Since you know your products have lasting appeal, you can invest in a marketing strategy that’s likely to pay out dividends for months to come, rather than one that’s relevant only as long as a new viral craze lasts. Having a consistent message helps you build a stronger, more trustworthy brand.

Marketing innovation required

In crowded markets where everyone sells identical products, differentiation happens through creative marketing—engaging social media, influencer partnerships, and compelling email campaigns. One goal is cultivating FOMO (fear of missing out): making customers feel they’re missing out on joining an exclusive community or transforming their routine. For example, Dollar Shave Club, which started out as a private label dropshipping company, didn’t just promise razor delivery—it identified two pain points: overpriced, subpar razors and annoying emergency store runs when blades dulled.

Their solution was simple: quality razors delivered monthly, through a subscription model, eliminating both dull blade emergencies and retail markup. No other razor company was doing this at the time, although the men’s grooming industry was already oversaturated with razor brands. They launched the brand with a legendary viral video that used irreverent humor and an unforgettable tagline—“our blades are f***ing great”—to turn a mundane product into an innovative brand.

Dropshipping with Collective

Connect with Shopify brands to sell their products. Use Collective to browse thousands of items, list them in your store, and ship them directly to customers.

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How to find evergreen products to dropship

The key to selling evergreen products profitably is researching the right items and validating demand. Here are a few effective methods:

AI chatbots

As a starting point, you can use AI chatbots to brainstorm viable product categories. “With AI, merchants now have an advantage to go a lot deeper in their research and ensure that they have the right strategy for the evergreen products they want to focus on,” says Lucia. For example, you could ask AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini to find pet products that have consistent demand. The chatbot will then produce a list of those products—like, say, dental care products or pet wipes. Use that list to identify promising evergreen products.

You could also ask more specific questions—such as, “If I were to dropship reusable water bottles, what are common search terms associated with them, and would you expect their demand to be consistent or seasonal?” or “If I'm looking for evergreen pet supplies, what qualities should I look for in a dropshipping supplier for those products?”

Remember: Chatbots like these do not provide real-time data, so be sure to cross-reference suggestions with actual dropshipping research tools and platforms.

Dropship.io and AutoDS

Platforms like Dropship.io and AutoDS let you analyze product catalogs, track competition, and discover high-demand items with low shipping costs.

Dropship.io’s sales tracker, for example, can aggregate data from other Shopify stores and provide real-time statistical information about how products are performing. Use the platform’s product database to identify products you’re interested in. Sort the products by monthly revenue or monthly sales—now, you have an understanding of the revenue potential of that product. More importantly, you can look at specific store data to find successful competitors and study their strategies, from retail prices to marketing.

AutoDS has a tool called the AutoDS Finder that scans data from 40,000 dropshippers on eBay, as well as the suppliers’ sites. It then shows you best-selling products from those stores and allows you to automatically import those products into your store. Remember, if you do that, you still need to differentiate your product through branding and marketing.

Alibaba and AliExpress

These global marketplaces make it easy to find suppliers for just about anything—from diet pills to wedding items to home decorations. On Alibaba and Aliexpress, you can filter by seller ratings and shipping availability to find the right supplier.

Alibaba also has a free AI sourcing agent that can generate business reports for items you are interested in. You can ask questions like, “What are some beauty products that have consistent demand?” The sourcing agent will then produce a report that includes information on “resilient categories,” the market size, growth, and strategic insights. For example, it may let you know that K-beauty or eco-friendly beauty products are trending upward.

AliExpress doesn’t have built-in AI capabilities. If you already know which category of products you want to explore, you can search that category and then sort the results by number of orders. This will show you the items with the highest order volume. For example, if you generally search for “coffee,” you can then sort the search results to find the top-selling items in that category—it may show you milk frothers or coffee bean grinders. The AliExpress Dropshipping Center also has a section on winning products you can explore to discover new categories and products. Similarly, on AliExpress Business, you can browse top-ranking items in categories ranging from “Biking Essentials” to “Action & Toy Figures.”

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Kamil Sattar, alias The Ecom King, transformed his floundering dropshipping venture into a $1 million business. He now imparts insights on YouTube and underscores TikTok's organic marketing potential for budding entrepreneurs.

\nMeet Kamil\n

Social media

Search platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and other social media sites for what creators and influencers are using in everyday life. Trends may come and go, but many evergreen items regularly pop up in lifestyle content—like reusable water bottles or beauty products. Lucia recommends using social listening tools to gain an understanding of your audience: What are they interested in? How high is the demand?

Scan the feeds of popular influencers and analyze the products they’re using most. You can also search products you’re interested in and explore content that shows up in the results. For example, you can search “milk frother” on TikTok and explore the videos that show up. Do they have a lot of views? Are commenters expressing enthusiasm for the product?

Amazon Best Sellers

You can browse Amazon Best Sellers in categories including camping gear, gaming products, hair products, organizational tools, and kids’ toys. Products with solid rankings over long periods tend to be reliably evergreen. You may see patterns in these categories. In the clothing category, you may notice women’s underwear or men’s boxers are in high demand. White t-shirts also show up a lot. In the coffee and tea category, electric kettles reign supreme. Analyze these categories for products that show up over and over again and think about how they can fit into your business strategy.

Google Trends

Check Google Trends and verify that the products you’ve selected have consistent demand over time. When you search “milk frother,” you can see that there has been consistent demand for milk frothers for the past five years—but that demand spikes in the winter months, when people are drinking more hot beverages. Google Trends will also show you “related topics” or “related queries,” which can help you find niche products. For example, in the “milk frother” search, “matcha whisk” shows up as a related topic. But when you run a search on “matcha whisk,” you’ll notice that interest in the topic has only spiked recently, in the past couple of years, which may indicate that it’s a trending, not evergreen, product.

Evergreen product ideas for dropshipping

Here are some evergreen niches and product examples, compiled using the methods listed above:

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Wellness products. Yoga mats, jade rollers, fitness bands, posture correctors, and essential oils appeal to people looking to feel better and live healthier, year-round.
\n
\n
Pet care supplies. From grooming tools to interactive pet toys, the pet products category is a huge market. Items like pet beds, automatic feeders, and odor removers maintain consistent demand.
\n
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Car accessories. Car care products like seat covers, organizers, phone mounts, and portable vacuums are functional, easy to source, and often involve impulse purchases.
\n
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Athleisure. Thanks to on-the-go lifestyles, clothing items like leggings, sports bras, activewear sets, and performance socks are always in demand.
\n
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Home décor. Home decorations such as LED lights, storage solutions, organizers, wall decals, and cleaning supplies are popular products to sell online.
\n
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Wedding products. Wedding items like customized invitations, centerpieces, ring holders, and bridal robes have consistent demand.
\n
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Tech accessories. Charging cables, car phone mounts, and laptop stands are practical products with high turnover rates and wide audiences.
\n
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Kitchen tools. Reusable containers, digital kitchen scales, garlic presses, and silicone baking mats make everyday cooking easier and are purchased regularly.
\n
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Baby products. Non-toxic kids’ toys, baby carriers, bibs, and nursing pillows are always needed by new parents. These items are part of a niche market with steady renewal.
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Travel accessories. Neck pillows, travel-sized containers, compression socks, and anti-theft backpacks cater to both frequent flyers and casual vacationers.
\n

Evergreen products FAQ

What is an example of an evergreen product?

Examples of evergreen products include workout clothes, beauty products, pet supplies, and home décor. These items fulfill basic needs or lifestyle enhancements, so their demand remains steady year-round.

What’s the difference between evergreen and trending products?

Trending products skyrocket in popularity for a short period—like hoverboards or Halloween décor—then fade.Evergreen products sell well over long periods, offering more stability and lower financial risk.

Is selling evergreen products profitable?

Selling evergreen products can be a valuable venture, especially if you focus on identifying your target market, offering quality products, and maintaining smart advertising strategies. You may face lower profit margins due to competition, but consistent sales often balance that out.

How do I price evergreen products?

Consider your product costs, shipping, transaction fees, and competitor pricing. Use a competitive pricing model while ensuring you maintain healthy profit margins. Tools like Shopify’s pricing calculator can help.

","Evergreen products are always in demand, and a few practical research strategies can help you identify them and add them to your dropshipping store.","

$\"a$

Evergreen products are always in demand, and a few practical research strategies can help you identify them and add them to your dropshipping store.

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Dreaming of starting a dropshipping business but don’t have much money to start? The beauty of the dropshipping business model lies in its low startup costs and minimal barrier to entry. Unlike traditional retail, there’s no need for large inventory investments. With just an internet connection and the drive to succeed, you can launch your dropshipping business.

This step-by-step guide walks you through the process of how to start dropshipping with no money, or a small upfront investment. We’ll cover everything from setting up your online store to attracting customers and scaling your dropshipping venture, with advice from Jacqui McLellan, a Shopify Community Moderator who helps merchants thrive on the platform.

Table of contents

What is dropshipping?

Dropshipping is an inventory-free business model for selling products online. When a customer places an order through your store, the order is forwarded (manually or automatically) to the supplier, who ships the product directly to the customer—so you never touch or store the item yourself.

The dropshipping business model connects three parties: you (the retailer), your customers, and your dropshipping suppliers. You run the online store, market products, and handle customer service, while reliable suppliers manage inventory, packaging, and shipping. This setup lets you focus on marketing efforts and building customer relationships without the overhead of traditional retail.

Dropshipping with Collective

Connect with Shopify brands to sell their products. Use Collective to browse thousands of items, list them in your store, and ship them directly to customers.

\nLearn more\n

Why is dropshipping cost effective?

Since you don’t have to invest in stock, dropshipping allows you to test different products and niches with minimal risk. You can also save money by automating many dropshipping processes, like order forwarding and inventory management, with supplier apps.

This makes dropshipping an ideal online business model for entrepreneurs with limited or no capital. That said, starting with $0 means you need extra grit, creativity, and hustle to make it work.

How to start dropshipping with no money

Starting any business without upfront capital and a few months of runway can be challenging, but dropshipping is relatively less capital-intensive than many other business types. Moreover, there are ways to stretch whatever money you do have by using free tools and some tricks of the trade. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Look for a profitable niche

Successful dropshipping businesses start with thorough market research. That market research includes finding your dropshipping niche. Jacqui recommends starting with a category you’re already interested in—your existing knowledge will make it easier to market the products. Areas like pet supplies, fitness equipment, or hobby-related items often perform well.

Focus on areas where you can provide exceptional customer service in order to build trust and stand out. Use free tools like Google Trends, Keyword Planner, Meta Audience Insights, and TikTok Shop Top Products to explore what people are searching for. You can also use these tools to research high-demand niches and trending products.

Once you’ve narrowed down your niche, research your potential competition by studying their social media posts, customer reviews, and product offerings. What are customers complaining about? Where do these potential competitors fall short? This reconnaissance can help you spot gaps in the market and position your own dropshipping business.

2. Find reliable suppliers

Building relationships with trustworthy suppliers is crucial for your dropshipping venture’s success—your reputation depends on their performance. Take time to find partners who meet your business standards. When evaluating dropshipping suppliers, prioritize those offering quality products, reasonable shipping times, and responsive communication. Always read merchant reviews carefully.

Dropshipping services and directories make it easy to browse products and connect with suppliers.

If you want added peace of mind, order samples. “I don’t see a lot of people that are terribly successful with dropshipping without product samples,” Jacqui says. While many suppliers charge for samples and shipping, it’s worth asking for free samples to assess product quality firsthand.

Dropship products with Shopify

Connect dropshipping apps to your store to discover, list, and sell products—no inventory or shipping to manage.

\nBrowse apps\n

3. Create an online store

Creating your own store doesn’t require spending money upfront. Shopify, for example, offers a three-day free trial, followed by an introductory rate of $1 per month for the first three months. During the trial, you can import as many products as you want, customize your Shopify store, and even start processing customer orders.

Your online store is often the first impression customers get, so it’s worth investing time to make it look professional and trustworthy. Use free themes and customize them to reflect your brand and build customer confidence.

To start dropshipping on Shopify, you can leverage Shopify Collective, connect your store to a dropshipping app, or partner independently with a supplier.

Build an online store with AI

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\nTry it now\n

4. Leverage social media

Social media is another free option to start dropshipping. “I have seen people do it with Instagram,” Jacqui says. “Set up a free Instagram store and start selling products that way, and then buy them on Aliexpress manually. This method takes either a lot of skill or a lot of manual work.” You can also start selling products on Facebook Marketplace (which is a good place for product validation) or TikTok, while manually ordering products from your supplier.

Even if you aren’t directly selling on social media, those channels are critical if you want to attract customers and build brand awareness. In the dropshipping world, non-paid marketing approaches are known collectively as organic dropshipping. Organic dropshipping requires more time and effort than paid advertising, but eliminates ad spend.

To do this, create valuable free content on TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram reels that speaks directly to your target audience’s problems and interests. Share helpful tips, behind-the-scenes moments, or product demos. Building an authentic presence on these platforms costs nothing but time and effort, and can drive meaningful traffic to your online store.

Post marketing materials consistently (but not constantly), and don’t forget to use relevant hashtags and keywords to help your content appear on Discover or For You pages. Be active on the social media platforms your audience uses most. For example, if you’re in the beauty niche, investing in TikTok and Instagram is a good idea since that’s where a lot of makeup brands market their products.

🎵 Dropshipping to $1M: Kamil Sattar’s TikTok Marketing Success

Kamil Sattar, alias The Ecom King, transformed his floundering dropshipping venture into a $1 million business. He now imparts insights on YouTube and underscores TikTok’s organic marketing potential for budding entrepreneurs.

\nMeet Kamil\n

5. Build out a blog

Want to get discovered without blowing your budget on ads? You can write blog posts about topics related to your niche, incorporating relevant keywords that help improve your search engine rankings without spending money on paid advertising.

“You can also use AI to help you with the SEO of your product pages themselves,” Jacqui says. “Make sure that the product pages are really descriptive, that they hit the right keywords, but that they also make sense.” There are a number of free tools that help you find trending keywords, run a competitor keyword analysis, and audit your website for search engine optimization (SEO) rankings.

Create social media business accounts and use email marketing platforms like Mailchimp or Klaviyo with free plans for small subscriber lists. These tools help you maintain professional communication with customers and build your brand presence online. Free SEO tools like Ahrefs or services with free plans like Moz can help you find the best keywords to target.

6. Monitor and optimize performance

Regularly analyze your store’s performance informed decisions about where to focus your limited time and resources. Shopify Analytics reports crucial data like site traffic, conversion rate, and how much money your store is making across channels. Learn what’s working and where you need to improve.

A/B test different product descriptions, pricing, and marketing messages. Small optimizations can lead to significant improvements in conversion rates and boost profitability. For example, you can create multiple Instagram posts with different photos of your eyebrow pen as the main image and see which image creates the highest engagement. You can then decide to use that image as the main one for your product page as well.

7. Seek funding

Once you’ve proven that your dropshipping idea has legs—ideally, you’ve started making regular sales—it might be time to think about funding. Just because you start without a lot of capital, it doesn’t mean it has to stay that way forever.

You don’t need a pitch deck or venture capital to grow. You can explore local crowdfunding platforms, grant programs, pitch contests, or small business centers at community colleges. The US Small Business Administration (SBA) also offers microloans of up to $50,000 for new entrepreneurs.

For flexible funding tied to performance, look into revenue-based financing. You’ll get upfront cash and repay it through a percentage of your monthly sales—no fixed interest rates or rigid payment timelines. When you’ve already learned to do a lot with a little, even modest funding can give your dropshipping business the boost it needs to go from side hustle to full-time income.

Tips for running a successful dropshipping business

Diversify your product range

Avoid relying on single bestselling items by gradually expanding your product range. Diversification protects your dropshipping business from market fluctuations and supplier disruptions. Monitor market trends and customer feedback to identify new products that complement your existing lineup. Consider adding evergreen products to help keep sales steady.

Introduce new products gradually, not in bulk. This measured approach allows you to evaluate performance and customer interest before committing significant resources to marketing. Remember, it’s better to excel with a focused range of quality products than to overwhelm customers with too many options.

Automate key business processes

As your dropshipping store grows, look for opportunities to automate repetitive tasks. Many ecommerce platforms offer built-in automation features for order processing, inventory updates, pricing changes, and customer communications.

Automation saves time and reduces the chance of errors that could impact customer satisfaction. Dropified, for example, features a tool for automatically applying pricing markups based on global percentages, cost tiers, and fixed amounts. AutoDS sends automated order tracking updates.

Free Webinar: The Right Way to Start a Profitable Dropshipping Store

Learn how to find high-margin products, import them into your store, and start selling—fast.

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Prioritize excellent customer service

Outstanding customer service differentiates successful dropshipping businesses from the competition. The goal is to build customer loyalty through consistent, reliable service that encourages repeat business and positive reviews.

Set clear communication protocols, like creating form letters for specific inquiries, and respond quickly to customers. Even with limited resources, use a human, personable tone when addressing customer questions and feedback.

Customer relationships don’t end at checkout. Follow up to ensure buyers are satisfied with their purchases, resolve any concerns promptly, and keep customers informed about order status or potential delays. This ongoing engagement builds customer loyalty and increases the likelihood of repeat orders.

Build secure payment systems

Even a business on a shoestring budget needs secure payment systems. Choose an ecommerce platform that includes secure payment gateways by default, like Shopify. Display trust badges and security information prominently to reassure customers that their information is protected. Consider offering multiple payment options to accommodate different customer preferences.

Network in online communities

Join forums, Facebook groups, and other online communities where your target customers spend their time. Provide helpful advice and build relationships before promoting your products. Respond to comments in a genuine, human voice. Many successful dropshipping entrepreneurs grow by becoming trusted community members who share their expertise.

*Shopify Capital loans must be paid in full within a maximum of 18 months, and two minimum payments apply within the first two 6 month periods. The actual duration may be less than 18 months based on sales.

How to start dropshipping with no money FAQ

Can you dropship without much money?

You can start a dropshipping business without much capital by using free trials, organic marketing, and other workarounds. While a budget helps scale faster, many succeed by leveraging free tools and focusing on organic growth.

How can a beginner dropship?

Start by picking a profitable niche, finding reliable suppliers, and building a simple online store using a free trial. Build out your presence using organic marketing channels like social media platforms and blog posts, then expand your technical skills as your business scales.

Is dropshipping on Amazon free?

It is not free to dropship on Amazon. To sell on Amazon, a seller plan is required. The Individual plan allows sellers to make up to 40 sales per month and costs 99¢ per unit sold. The Professional plan allows unlimited sales and costs $39.99 per month. In addition, sellers are charged referral fees on each sale.

","The dropshipping business model lets you start a business with no inventory, retail, or storage space. Learn how to dropship without upfront investment.","

$\"orange$

The dropshipping business model lets you start a business with no inventory, retail, or storage space. Learn how to dropship without upfront investment.

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Whether you’re starting your dropshipping journey or want to reduce your reliance on paid ads, an organic strategy provides a pathway to long-term customer relationships and sustainable business growth. While traditional advertising methods demand significant upfront investment, organic approaches focus on building authentic connections with your target audience through valuable content and genuine engagement.

But what is organic dropshipping, exactly? And how do you do it?

Read on to learn everything you need to know about organic dropshipping, including insights from Shopify community manager Jacqui McLellan, who has spent the past seven years helping merchants find success on the Shopify platform.

Table of contents

What is organic dropshipping?

Organic dropshipping is a type of the dropshipping business model that focuses on attracting customers and generating sales through free marketing efforts rather than ads. This approach emphasizes creating engaging content, building community relationships, and leveraging organic reach across multiple platforms to sell products without the cost of continuous ad spend.

Here are some examples of channels you can use for organic dropshipping:

\n
Organic search engine optimization (SEO). Drive traffic to your site by optimizing your website’s content to rank for search queries, also known as keywords.
\n
\n
Organic social. Build a following on social platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
\n
\n
Email. Grow your email list via organic means—like converting organic website traffic to email sign-ups—and engage them with a newsletter, product promotions, and more.
\n
\n
Podcast. Launch a branded podcast that features thought leadership or customer storytelling. For example, if you have a coffee brand, you can start a podcast that delves into the cultural significance of coffee, combining history and anecdotes from around the world.
\n
\n
Events (digital and IRL). Host free workshops that show your audience how to use the products you’re selling, or host live conversations with experts in your industry—like an expert barista for your coffee dropshipping business.
\n
\n
Content partnerships. You don’t necessarily need to pay for content partnerships—you can create barter partnerships, where you offer to guest post on other brands’ blogs or social media accounts.
\n

\t\n

Dropshipping with Collective

Connect with Shopify brands to sell their products. Use Collective to browse thousands of items, list them in your store, and ship them directly to customers.

\nLearn more\n

Is organic dropshipping for you?

While organic marketing for your dropshipping business won’t require an ad budget, it will require time and creative resources. Before investing, ask yourself:

\n
Do you have a limited budget? If you lack funds for extensive paid advertising campaigns, organic dropshipping offers an accessible alternative that requires time and creativity instead of money. This approach allows small entrepreneurs to compete with larger companies by focusing on audience engagement rather than advertising spend.
\n
\n
Is there a passionate community for your product? Organic dropshipping appeals to business owners who want to build long-term customer relationships rather than pursuing quick sales. This approach requires patience and dedication to content creation, but building a community around your brand can nurture customers into brand advocates.
\n
\n
Do you have the time and energy to invest in organic marketing? Concepting and editing videos, writing blogs, commenting back to social followers, and responding to customer DMs can take much longer than setting up programmatic ad campaigns. If you decide to move forward with organic marketing as your dropshipping strategy, you need to budget the time and resources for it.
\n

\n\n

Organic dropshipping tactics

Success with organic dropshipping hinges on your ability to get creative within your channels, so that you stand out from the crowd. Here’s how:

Target long-tail keywords with blog posts

Blog content remains one of the most effective ways to attract organic traffic to your dropshipping store. By writing detailed blog posts about trending products, industry insights, and solutions to customer problems, you can establish your brand as an authority in your niche. You can then distribute this content using a variety of organic channels.

One option is organic search. By targeting strategic keywords related to your brand’s topical authority with blog posts, you can increase your organic traffic over time. “Conduct keyword research to identify ranking opportunities. Don’t just think about single-word or short phrase keywords. You want to think about long-tail keywords,” says Jacqui. Long-tail keywords are often easier to rank for and have a stronger search intent than more general ones. Focus on the keywords that sit squarely within your brand’s niche for the highest chance of ranking.

Throughout your blog content, focus on creating valuable, educational insights that help potential buyers make informed decisions. Think: how-tos, comparison guides, and how-to content—all of which provide value to your reader beyond just exposure to your product. For example, a ceramics dropshipping brand might create comparisons of different ceramics materials, like porcelain versus stoneware, along with styling guides that show how to mix and match your ceramics with glassware, cutlery, and table linens for a dinner party. When you provide value through informative blog posts, you build trust with your target audience while showcasing your high-quality products naturally within the content.

Leverage user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) represents one of the most powerful organic marketing strategies available to dropshipping businesses. When satisfied customers share photos, videos, or reviews of your products, they are essentially gifting your brand authentic testimonials, which are an essential part of the consumer journey. Research from PowerReviews found that consumers choose websites to purchase from based on the availability of reviews, with 77% of shoppers specifically seeking out websites that have ratings and reviews on them.

UGC not only provides free marketing material but also builds social proof that, in turn, fosters brand trust—often more effectively than influencer marketing. A study conducted by EnTribe found that 86% of respondents were more likely to trust a brand that publishes content from actual customers as opposed to influencers.

To start drumming up UGC to incorporate onto your dropshipping site, encourage customers to share their experiences by creating branded hashtags, running contests, or simply asking for feedback. Of course, remember to ask for permission to use their photos on your own channels and get their written consent to use the content for marketing.

Master social media platforms

Promoting your dropshipping business via organic social media platforms is a must-do. Some dropshippers also choose to sell directly through social platforms—for example, TikTok organic dropshipping can leverage TikTok Shop, which allows you to sell products from your online store on the app itself without redirecting shoppers to another website. Creating a TikTok business account is the first step toward maximizing the platform’s potential as an organic marketing channel.

To develop your TikTok content strategy, you’ll want to stay current with trends, use popular sounds, and create content that feels native to the platform rather than overly promotional.

But not all consumers are on TikTok, so you’ll want to develop a multi-platform strategy with a tailored approach to each. Instagram favors visually appealing content and stories, while your TikTok audience likely prefers authentic, entertaining videos. Don’t count out Facebook either. Making a Facebook business page and posting about your products on there can help capture different audiences that don’t use other platforms.

🌵 Success Story: TikTok’s Plant Mom Spun Virality Into a Brand

Get inspired by Sonja Detrinidad, a mortgage professional turned succulent influencer who monetized her audience to start her plant business, Partly Sunny Projects.

\nRead Sonja’s story\n

Engage in community groups

Posting on social platforms isn’t enough. If you’re not actually connecting with your audience, you’re just shouting into the void. “If all you’re doing on your social media is promoting your product, you’re probably not going to build the community,” says Jacqui. Instead, try joining interest-based community groups, where you can connect with potential customers and even gain valuable market intelligence.

For example, let’s say you own a biking accessory business. You can join Facebook groups for bikers and stay synced up to the conversations they are having—their complaints about competitor brands, needs that are unaddressed by the market, and trending products in their communities. Rather than treating these spaces as advertising platforms, focus on becoming a valuable community member who occasionally shares relevant products when they genuinely solve problems discussed in the group.

Platforms like Reddit, Facebook groups, and industry-specific forums contain highly engaged audiences passionate about particular topics. By providing helpful advice and building relationships within these communities, you can establish credibility and pave the way toward sales. The key lies in offering value first and selling second, ensuring your contributions align with community guidelines and expectations.

How to enhance your organic dropshipping strategy

1. Invest in high-quality assets

High-quality marketing assets are the fuel that powers the organic marketing efforts for your dropshipping store. So, take the time and resources to create compelling images, videos, and written content. You don’t need a professional to do this for you. It’s possible to take professional-looking product photos on your iPhone. “Take your own photos for Instagram and TikTok and Facebook, and make your own videos with your phone,” says Jacqui. She notes that AI tools are available to help with this, but the best tools can be costly. Instead, she recommends buying the product you plan on dropshipping and taking your own photos and videos.

Moving beyond visuals, you’ll need to generate high-quality written content as well. You can use free AI tools to generate short-form copy assets like captions and to help get you started on blog posts. But to rank on search engines, you’ll want to invest in infusing your blogs with human expertise and experience, which AI can’t do for you.

Shopify Magic

Shopify Magic makes it easier to start, run, and grow your business. Our groundbreaking commerce-focused AI empowers entrepreneurs like you to be more creative, productive, and successful than ever before.\n

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2. Maintain consistent posting schedules

Consistency forms the backbone of successful organic marketing efforts. Regular content creation keeps your brand visible in your audience’s feeds and signals to platform algorithms that your account remains active and engaging. It also helps you stay top of mind for your customers. Develop a sustainable posting schedule that you can maintain long-term rather than burning out with unsustainable daily posting requirements. Adobe recommends the following posting schedule:

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Facebook: 1–2 posts per day
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X: 3 posts per day
\n
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LinkedIn: 2–5 posts per week
\n
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Instagram: 1–2 Reels per day + 1 image or carousel post per day
\n
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TikTok: 1–3 posts per day
\n
\n
Pinterest: 4–10 posts per day
\n

Create a content calendar that balances promotional posts with valuable, educational content. Your TikTok videos and other social media posts should follow the 80/20 rule: 80% valuable, entertaining, or educational content, and 20% direct product promotion. This balance maintains audience engagement while providing opportunities to showcase your dropshipping products naturally.

3. Stay current with social media trends

Keeping up with trends should be part of your social media strategy. Monitor Google Trends, TikTok trends, and other platform-specific trending topics regularly to stay abreast of hot topics and what’s currently in the zeitgeist. You can also look at what trends your competitors are hopping onto—or even just other brands you admire. At the same time, make sure any social media trend you take part in aligns with your brand.

Understanding the TikTok algorithm and similar systems on other platforms helps you optimize your content for maximum organic reach. Trends move quickly, especially on platforms like TikTok, so developing systems to identify and respond to relevant trends quickly can significantly impact your organic growth.

4. Diversify across multiple platforms

Relying on a single platform for organic traffic creates vulnerability if algorithms change or platform popularity shifts. Successful organic dropshipping strategies spread efforts across multiple social platforms to create a more stable foundation for customer acquisition.

Each platform offers unique advantages: TikTok for viral potential, Instagram for visual products, YouTube for detailed product demonstrations, and Pinterest for discoverable content. Adapting your social media strategy to each platform’s strengths while maintaining consistent brand messaging maximizes your organic reach potential.

5. Prioritize genuine audience engagement

Authentic engagement builds stronger connections than passive content consumption. Respond promptly to comments, ask questions in your posts, run polls and surveys, and create content that encourages interaction. This engagement signals to algorithms that your content generates genuine interest, often resulting in increased organic reach.

For example, if you have a baby accessories brand, you can ask new moms: “What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a new mom?” on your Instagram Stories. (Make sure to include a note that their answers may be used in marketing materials.) You can use that content to create blog posts or an Instagram carousel of their answers. This kind of post may not be directly marketing your products, but it helps your audience connect more meaningfully with your brand.

Amazing customer service extends beyond traditional support channels into social media interactions. How you respond to questions, handle complaints, and engage with followers publicly demonstrates your commitment to great customer service and influences potential customers’ perceptions of your brand.

Create must-share videos

Use this free video briefing template to plan TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube video ads that will attract maximum clicks.

\nDownload template\n

Organic dropshipping FAQ

What is organic dropshipping?

Organic dropshipping is a marketing approach that focuses on growing a dropshipping business through unpaid methods like content creation, social media engagement, and community building rather than paid advertising. This strategy emphasizes building authentic relationships with customers through valuable content, leveraging organic reach on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to attract potential buyers naturally.

What are the benefits of organic dropshipping?

Compared to traditional advertising, organic dropshipping requires no significant upfront investment for advertising, making it accessible to entrepreneurs with limited budgets. Additionally, organic traffic often converts better than paid traffic because customers discover your products through valuable content rather than advertisements. This approach also provides valuable insights into customer preferences and market demands through direct engagement, helping you make better product research and business decisions.

Can you dropship on social media platforms?

Yes, many social media platforms now support direct selling, with TikTok Shop being a prominent example of integrated ecommerce functionality. These platforms allow dropshippers to showcase products, engage with customers, and process sales without directing traffic to external websites, streamlining the customer journey. However, success on social media requires understanding each platform’s unique culture and algorithm. Adapting your approach to each platform while maintaining consistent brand messaging across multiple channels maximizes your organic dropshipping potential.

","Organic dropshipping focuses on attracting customers and generating sales through unpaid marketing efforts rather than ads.","

$\"person$

Organic dropshipping focuses on attracting customers and generating sales through unpaid marketing efforts rather than ads.

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Ever dreamed of running your own online store without stocking shelves, packing boxes, or investing thousands upfront? That's the appeal of dropshipping—a low-risk business model that's helped thousands of entrepreneurs break into ecommerce with a laptop, a product idea, and a little hustle. But how much does it cost to get going?

\"Ideally, you start with at least enough to order some test products or get a basic Shopify plan,\" says Jacqui McLellan, a Shopify Community program moderator who works closely with merchants and partners. \"But the more money you start with, the higher a leg up you get, as with most things in life.\"

From ecommerce platform fees to paid ads, supplier fees to sales tax obligations, building a successful dropshipping business takes more than just picking a product and posting it online. Here's a realistic look at startup costs, ongoing expenses, and budgeting tips to help you launch a profitable business in today's global dropshipping market—with key insights from Jacqui.

\n\n

Table of contents

Breakdown of dropshipping startup costs

Costs can vary widely based on your dropshipping business model and how much you're willing to invest upfront. Here are some basic expenses to consider as you launch your new ecommerce business.

Website and ecommerce store setup

Creating your ecommerce store is a key step in starting a dropshipping business. Shopify is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms among dropshippers, thanks to its user-friendly interface and built-in tools tailored to online retail.

The basic Shopify plan costs $29 per month (paid annually), while also supporting unlimited product listings and up to 10 inventory locations. It integrates with dropshipping solutions like Collective for sourcing from Shopify brands, and apps like DropCommerce, Syncee, and AI Dropship, which automate order fulfillment and inventory syncing.

You can also create product collections, offer discount codes, and use Shopify's abandoned cart recovery tool to improve conversions. Hosting, SSL certification, and a customizable online storefront are all included in the monthly fees, but a custom domain must be purchased separately for $16 annually. (Otherwise, you can use the free \".myshopify.com\" domain.)

Build an online store with AI

Create a website in minutes with the AI store builder. Describe your brand or products to generate a free custom theme that fits your idea.

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Business registration and licensing

Depending on your location and business structure, you may need to register your business or apply for a business license. Business registration fees range from $50 to $500 in the US, depending on where you live, with annual fees ranging from $0 to $800.

Setting up a legal business entity, like an LLC, can also help you avoid double taxation, protect your personal assets, and establish credibility with customers.

Product samples

Ordering product samples lets you test both product quality and shipping speed. Skipping this step means you risk selling poor-quality products or leaving customers with long delivery times.

\"I don't see a lot of people that are very successful with dropshipping without product samples,\" says Jacqui. \"Ideally, you want to know what you're selling to other people.\"

The price of sample products depends on your supplier, the type of product, and shipping costs. For example, products with a typical retail price of $20 to $50, sample orders (including shipping) often cost between $50 to $100. Shipping costs can bea significant part of the sample price, especially if you use express services. While some suppliers require a minimum order quantity (MOQ), many let you purchase single products for testing.

Marketing and advertising costs

Marketing is essential for driving traffic and sales, especially in a competitive dropshipping market. Most dropshippers start with paid ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Google, spending $5 to $10 per day. Expect to invest at least $100 to $200 per month to effectively test and scale your campaigns. Google's Ads Cost Tool can help you estimate your budget.

Influencer marketing is another option. Nano-influencers (fewer than 10,000 followers) may charge $20 to $100 per post, while micro-influencers (10,000 to 100,000 followers) can cost several hundred. Larger influencers often charge $1,000 or more.

Email marketing platforms like Shopify Email, Mailchimp, and Klaviyo help with retargeting and nurturing potential customers. Consistent emails keep your brand top of mind for interested but undecided buyers. Most platforms offer free plans for small lists—costs typically range from $20 to $50 per month as your audience grows.

Dropshipping tools and integrations

Shopify offers a range of dropshipping solutions that connect your store to reliable suppliers. Collective lets you sell products from other Shopify brands with built-in order routing and shipping calculations. For broader supplier networks, apps like DropCommerce, Syncee, and AI Dropship help with product imports, pricing updates, and automated order fulfillment.

\"You could get away with not using an app, it's just going to be a lot more work,\" says Jacqui.

Most tools offer free trials, but expect to pay $20 to $50 as you scale, depending on the features and order volume.

Dropship products with Shopify

Connect dropshipping apps to your store to discover, list, and sell products—no inventory or shipping to manage.

\nBrowse apps\n

Supplier fees and product costs

Most dropshipping suppliers don't charge upfront fees, but the per-item cost is typically higher than traditional wholesale or bulk pricing. Some also add a dropship fee—such as $1 for the first order and 25¢ for each additional one. Dropshipping apps can help you compare supplier fees and find the most cost-effective options for your business.

Product costs vary depending on what product you're selling and who you're buying from. You need to factor in those prices before you can figure out your profit margins. For example, electronics are typically more expensive to source than fashion accessories. The lower sourcing costs may allow you to have bigger markups and make more per sale.

Shipping costs and fulfillment

Decide whether your customers or your ecommerce business will cover shipping fees—each approach has its pros and cons.

Pass-through shipping—passing shipping costs onto the customer—can lead to cart abandonment due to sticker shock. On the other hand, this simplifies budgeting, especially if your supplier unexpectedly raises shipping rates. Absorbing the cost lets you promote free shipping—a strong incentive for buyers. But of course, this means you pay for shipping, which adds to your costs.

Shipping costs can be free, flat-rate, or vary by product weight and destination. For example, light items like phone cases might cost $1 to $3 to ship, while heavier items like small appliances can run $15 or more. Suppliers on platforms like AliExpress often offer free shipping, but delivery can take two to four weeks, which may hurt customer satisfaction. Faster options like ePacket or DHL can cut shipping time to less than 10 days but raise costs, potentially impacting your pricing strategy.

\"You also have to make sure that your products go everywhere you want to sell,\" says Jacqui. \"Otherwise, you're going to be refunding a lot of orders, and you don't always get your credit card fees back if you do refunds.\"

Taxes and compliance

Depending on where you and your customers are located, you may need to collect, remit, and pay sales tax. Tools like TaxJar or Avalara can automate this, though they have recurring monthly fees.

Stay informed on what's happening with tariff policies, which can impact your business expenses.

\"You really have to find a reliable source for your information and keep watching it,\" says Jacqui. \"If you don't change what you're charging people based on what you're being charged by your supplier, you're going to end up losing money.\"

Also, plan for income tax on your profits, especially if your dropshipping store scales quickly. Set aside a portion of each sale for tax season—how much you owe varies by city and state.

There are four main taxes you may have to pay:

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Self-employment and income tax
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Sales tax
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Source tax
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Customs tax
\n

If you set up an LLC or C corp, consider hiring an accountant or using a service to manage your taxes.

How much does it cost to start dropshipping with Shopify?

To start dropshipping with a lean setup, expect to spend $200 to $600 monthly, depending on the tools, plans, and marketing you choose. This includes your Shopify subscription, domain registration, access to apps, and initial marketing costs.

Here's a point-form breakdown:

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$29 per month for Shopify's basic annual plan
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$16 for domain registration
\n
\n
$0 to $100 for dropshipping solutions like Collective (free for Shopify users) or apps like DropCommerce and Syncee
\n
\n
$100 to $300 per month for paid ads
\n
\n
$0 for organic marketing on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and other social media
\n
\n
Optional tools like email marketing (Shopify Email at $0 for first 10,000 emails per month) or SEO tools (Mangools at $50 or Ahrefs at $0)
\n

\"The more your business grows, the more you might need other things,\" says Jacqui, \"like a higher paid plan for your dropshipping app to handle more orders, or for your email marketing app to send out more emails.\"

Still, compared to an actual retail store or warehouse model, the cost to start dropshipping with Shopify is an extremely small investment. For many, it's one of the fastest ways to test a business model with minimal costs and risk.

🎵 Dropshipping to $1M: Kamil Sattar's TikTok Marketing Success

\nMeet Kamil\n

Tips for starting a dropshipping business on a budget

Technically, you may be able to start a dropshipping business with no money at all. But if you've got a small budget to play with, here's some advice on maximizing its impact.

Start small with ads

If you plan to use paid ads, start with a small budget. You might spend $5 to $10 per day testing different creative and targeting strategies. Once you understand what generates sales and customer interest, you can scale your ad spending.

Focus on organic dropshipping

Organic dropshipping is a strategy where you don't pay for ads. Instead of ads, you make organic content, like how-tos for using your product, to draw in your audience and organically sell the product to them. Organic traffic strategies like creating videos for TikTok and Instagram, posting on Pinterest, and adding relevant keywords to your site for search engine optimization (SEO) can drive free traffic to your ecommerce store.

Pick a profitable niche

Choosing the right niche helps you find the best dropshipping suppliers and connect with your target audience. For example, if you want to sell biking equipment, you can find dropshipping suppliers who specialize in those products and use marketing strategies to target cyclists as a demographic.

Because having a niche gives you a defined audience, it also supports better content marketing—like using cycling memes on Instagram—and partnerships with influencers embedded in the communities you're targeting.

\"Look into what others in your niche are doing, and just post often, post with the right tags, the right trends,\" Jacqui says.

Use free tools and trials

Many ecommerce platforms and dropshipping tools offer free trials. Take advantage of them while you're still testing your business model. Look for free SEO tools like Ahrefs, image editors like Canva, and email platforms like Shopify Email to help you launch with minimal business startup costs.

8,000 apps to help you sell

Expand your store with apps. Find everything from dropshipping suppliers to social media storefronts to AI-powered customer chat.

\nBrowse apps\n

How much does it cost to start dropshipping FAQ

How much money should you have to start dropshipping?

A realistic starting point is $200 to $300 in your first month. This should give you room to cover online store setup, product sourcing, marketing, and essential tools.

Is dropshipping 100% profitable?

No business model is guaranteed to be 100% profitable. However, with the right pricing strategy, customer satisfaction focus, and effective marketing strategies, a dropshipping store can become a highly profitable business over time.

How do dropshippers get paid?

When a customer buys from your store, the money is deposited into your account. In most arrangements, you then pay your supplier for the product, and keep the difference after deducting costs like shipping, advertising expenses, and transaction fees.

Which site is best for dropshipping?

Shopify is widely considered one of the best platforms for beginners due to its all-in-one approach, dropshipping app integrations, and ease of use.

","Dropshipping is a relatively affordable ecommerce model, but it does have some costs, like ecommerce platform fees, business registration, and supplier fees.","

$\"Gold$

Dropshipping is a relatively affordable ecommerce model, but it does have some costs, like ecommerce platform fees, business registration, and supplier fees.

",{"_2128":2144,"_1871":-5,"_1481":2250},{"_2128":2147,"_2148":2149,"_2150":2151,"_2152":1683},[-5,-5,-5,-5,-5,-5,-5,-5],"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/how-to-make-money.png?v=1729005795","Gold coins falling from the sky representing how much it costs to start dropshipping","27 June 2025",{"_2128":2129,"_1765":2259,"_1846":2260,"_1871":2261,"_2133":2262,"_2135":-5,"_2136":2263,"_2032":2264,"_2139":2265,"_2141":2266,"_1949":2267,"_2145":2268,"_2153":2269,"_2155":2270,"_2157":2271,"_2159":-7,"_2160":-7,"_2161":-7,"_2162":2272,"_2164":2262},"gid://shopify/Article/563127189538","how-to-start-an-online-store-without-inventory","How To Start an Online Store Without Inventory","2025-06-25T21:47:13Z",[1239],"

Starting your own business doesn't have to mean filling your garage with inventory or investing thousands upfront. In today's online retail ecosystem, you can start an online store without inventory and still build a profitable ecommerce business—and there's more than one way to do it.

Whether you're launching a side hustle or scaling an existing brand, an online store without inventory can be a low-risk, high-reward path for online entrepreneurs. With the right strategy, you can focus on what matters most—building your brand, serving customers, and growing your business—while third party partners handle logistics.

To explore these strategies, Shopify community manager Jacqui McLellan shares her insight into picking the best strategy for your goals, budget, and skill set.

Table of contents

Advantages of selling without inventory

Choosing to start an online store without inventory can help reduce financial risk and startup costs. Here are the benefits of this model:

\n
Lower startup costs. When you don't buy stock, you eliminate warehouse costs and inventory management expenses, reducing your financial risk. This is ideal for bootstrapping, letting you launch and grow your own store with minimal upfront costs while maintaining full ownership and control.
\n
\n
Ideal for solopreneurs. The inventory-free approach makes running a one-person operation much more manageable. Ecommerce automation tools can handle jobs like order processing, inventory syncing, and notifying customers about shipping updates. Platforms like Shopify simplify storefront management, while third-party suppliers take care of storage, packing, and shipping. This frees up your time to focus on what drives real growth: marketing, customer service, and building your brand.
\n
\n
Scalability and flexibility. Because you're not limited by how much physical inventory you can store, you can easily list and experiment with a range of products. This approach makes it easier to test different product offerings, pivot your dropshipping niche based on what's selling, or quickly expand your catalog to meet demand or capitalize on trends.
\n
\n
Global reach. When you forgo physical inventory altogether by selling digital products (like online courses or ebooks), you get the advantages of instant delivery, no shipping costs, and infinite scalability—all while maintaining full control over product quality.
\n

Try Shopify for free

Create a store and bring your idea to life with a free trial. Discover how Shopify helps you manage your business and make sales.

\nStart free trial\n

Disadvantages of selling without inventory

Like any ecommerce business model, selling without inventory comes with potential challenges you should consider:

\n
Less control over product quality. With many inventory-free models, you're trusting third-party providers to meet customer expectations. If your supplier fails to deliver quality products, your brand reputation may suffer.
\n
\n
Fierce competition. In crowded markets where many stores offer similar products, standing out becomes challenging when selling selling generic items without a particular niche, target audience, or unique branding.
\n
\n
Returns and customer service complexity. Handling returns and refunds becomes more complex when you don't oversee inventory and fulfillment. Coordinating the process involves back-and-forth with the supplier, often leaving you stuck in the middle. \"Most suppliers are not going to take it back directly,\" Jacqui says. \"They might not refund you at all, depending on what the issue is, so you might end up losing money.\"
\n
\n
Lower profit margins. Not buying in bulk often means paying more per item. Combined with platform fees, your profit margins could be tight—especially when you're starting out.
\n
\n
Slower or inconsistent order fulfillment. Shipping processes depend on your supplier. Delays can lower customer satisfaction and increase support requests, which is why conducting through supplier research is essential.
\n

6 ways to start an online store without inventory

Several proven models let you sell online without managing physical inventory. Here are the top strategies online entrepreneurs use to generate sales while keeping overhead low:

1. Dropshipping

With a dropshipping model, a customer purchases from your store and your supplier handles order fulfillment, shipping the product directly to the customer. Many dropshipping apps sync your store with your supplier's inventory, automating what would otherwise be a tedious process. Shopify Collective offers a particularly streamlined approach, connecting you directly with other Shopify brands to sell their products. You act as the intermediary, earning profit on each sale. \"You don't have to keep anything on you ever,\" Jacqui says. But to keep expenses low, she adds, \"Start by doing as much as you can yourself. Use any apps that are free or that have free plans. Try to stick with those—especially when you're first starting out—because if you've got no sales, there's no point in paying more money for more apps.\"

Platforms: Shopify (with Collective, DropCommerce, or Syncee), WooCommerce, BigCommerce

Pros:

\n
No upfront inventory costs. You can implement this strategy with little to no budget.
\n
\n
Wide range of product offerings. You can expand your product offerings as your business grows.
\n
\n
Works for almost any niche. Dropshipping product options are almost limitless.
\n

Cons:

\n
Supplier reliability. Research and vet reliable suppliers to ensure quality products and enhance customer satisfaction—and don't forget to order product samples.
\n
\n
Intense competition. Dropshipping is a hot business strategy; defining a niche can give you an edge over the competition.
\n
\n
Shipping costs. Keep a close eye on your supplier's shipping rates because they can change without much notice, and you may have to absorb those costs.
\n

Dropshipping with Collective

Connect with Shopify brands to sell their products. Use Collective to browse thousands of items, list them in your store, and ship them directly to customers.

\nLearn more\n

2. Print on demand

Print-on-demand (POD) services let you apply custom designs to items like t-shirts, mugs, or tote bags. When a customer orders something from your store, the item is printed and shipped by the POD provider, meaning you never have to manage inventory.

\"Print on demand can be really great if you've already got a brand, like, say you're an influencer and you want to have merch, but you don't want to have to have a whole bunch of merch sitting around your house all the time,\" Jacqui says, adding. However, \"Do a lot of research into the product before you commit to it, because every moment that you have to spend reconsidering products is lost money.\"

Combine print-on-demand with digital marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) to attract organic traffic. You can quickly adapt to market trends by tracking Google Keywords or TikTok for popular phrases, then turning them into compelling designs people want to buy.

Platforms: Printful, Printify, Gelato (all of which you can integrate with your Shopify store)

Pros:

\n
No inventory management. Your product is stored digitally and produced on demand.
\n
\n
Easy to launch. You can integrate POD services with platforms like Shopify or Etsy and start selling within days.
\n

Cons:

\n
Slimmer profit margins. Because each product is produced and fulfilled on demand by a third-party provider, production costs are higher compared to buying in bulk.
\n
\n
Success depends on design quality. Your POD business's success hinges on the quality and appeal of your designs. Bad designs won't sell.
\n

Sell custom products

Connect print-on-demand apps to your store to create, list, and sell custom products—no inventory or shipping to manage.

\nBrowse apps\n

3. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

With this business model, you technically hold inventory in Amazon warehouses, but you don't manage it yourself. You send products in bulk to Amazon's fulfillment centers, and Amazon handles everything else—from storage to customer service. This ecommerce model works well for those who want the benefits of inventory ownership without handling the heavy lifting of processing orders.

Pros:

\n
Prime shipping. Amazon's shipping has name-brand credibility and customer trust.
\n
\n
Payment processing. Amazon manages all payments and transfers your earnings directly to you.
\n
\n
Customer service. Amazon also handles customer questions, returns, and refunds.
\n

Cons:

\n
Higher barrier of entry. FBA requires upfront investment and storage fees because you're buying the product ahead of time.
\n
\n
Requires inventory forecasting. You must keep a close eye on inventory and know when to schedule new orders.
\n

4. Affiliate sales

When you join a brand as an affiliate or start your own affiliate store, you feature items from other brands and earn a commission when someone buys through your link. Affiliate marketing programs work best for content creators or bloggers who get high volumes of traffic from search engines or social media marketing. This strategy centers on your marketing skills and ability to convince your audience to buy the products you recommend.

Platforms: Amazon Associates, ShareASale, Shopify Affiliate Program

Pros:

\n
No product handling. The supplier handles the transaction from sale to delivery.
\n
\n
Low financial risk. You don't need significant monetary investment to launch an affiliate store—unless you want to do paid marketing.
\n
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Passive income potential. Once you set up your store and content (like product reviews, blogs, or gift guides), it can generate sales and commissions passively over time—especially if you're ranking in search engines or driving organic traffic.
\n

Cons:

\n
Lower earnings potential. Depending on the program, your commissions on affiliate sales can be relatively low or infrequent. \"You're not going to make as much money, but there's less risk, and as with anything, the less risk, the less reward,\" Jacqui says.
\n
\n
Requires strong marketing skills or social media presence. You build and retain customers based on the strength of your brand, so if you're not earning their trust in your taste and driving them to your page, you'll struggle to make sales.
\n

5. Third-party logistics (3PL)

A 3PL company stores your inventory and manages order fulfillment for you. This model differs from the others because you can partner with a 3PL company if you run a regular ecommerce store and have your own stock, but don't want to handle the logistics. This hybrid approach is ideal for store owners who want to offer their own products without managing storage or shipping.

Platforms: ShipBob, Red Stag Fulfillment, Flexport

Pros:

\n
Scalable. You can scale your business quickly because you don't have physical infrastructure to expand or manage. Whether you're shipping 10 orders a day or 1,000, most 3PL providers already have the capacity to handle your growth.
\n
\n
Efficient. Outsourcing fulfillment frees you up to focus on product development, marketing, and branding instead of managing inventory or shipping logistics.
\n
\n
Return support. Many 3PLs offer return and reverse logistics services, making it easier to manage refunds, exchanges, and restocking without touching the products yourself.
\n

Con:

\n
Upfront costs and fees. Some 3PLs charge set up, monthly storage, and pick-and-pack fees, plus minimum order requirements. These upfront costs can quickly add up, especially for small or new businesses.
\n

6. Digital product sales

You can create or acquire high-quality digital products—like ebooks, online courses, design templates, or software—and market them to customers who trust your voice and expertise. This approach works great as a side hustle for teachers, coaches, or other subject matter experts with an established audience and solid knowledge base.

Platforms: Gumroad, Payhip, Shopify (with digital product apps)

Pros:

\n
High margins and unlimited inventory. Digital products can be created once and sold repeatedly without additional production or shipping costs. Plus, you never run out of stock.
\n
\n
Instant delivery. Customers receive their purchase automatically and instantly via email or a download link.
\n
\n
Minimal customer service issues. This model eliminates returns or refunds based on damages, lost packages, incorrect sizes, or shipping delays.
\n

Con:

\n
Requires an existing audience. People won't buy an online course from a stranger. You need both the right credentials and a knack for attracting viewers.
\n

What to consider before starting an online store

Not sure which approach to take? Here are some factors to consider as you evaluate your options:

Startup budget and upfront costs

If you're starting with a small budget, dropshipping, affiliate marketing, or selling digital products offer the lowest startup costs and financial risk. Fulfillment by Amazon and 3PL require more capital due to inventory purchases and storage fees.

Creative control

If creativity is your strength, print on demand and selling digital products give you full control over branding and design. Dropshipping and affiliate stores suit entrepreneurs focused on marketing strategy and search engine optimization (SEO).

\n\n

Business goals and scalability

Want passive income? Choose digital products or affiliate marketing. Want to build a long-term brand? Consider dropshipping with reliable suppliers or 3PL providers that scale with demand.

Time commitment

Affiliate stores and digital products often require less day-to-day involvement than dropshipping or 3PL models. In contrast, managing a successful online store through Fulfillment by Amazon or dropshipping may demand ongoing customer service, product updates, and market research.

How to start an online store without inventory FAQ

Can you sell online without inventory?

Absolutely. With dropshipping, print-on-demand, affiliate marketing, or digital products, you can start selling products online without ever buying or managing inventory yourself.

Can I sell on Amazon without having inventory?

Yes, you can sell through the Amazon Associates affiliate program or by publishing Kindle books and other digital content. You can also use Fulfillment by Amazon to avoid hands-on inventory management.

Do you have to have inventory to sell on Etsy?

No. Etsy allows sellers to offer digital downloads and use print-on-demand services. As long as you design the product, it complies with Etsy's policies.

How do you sell t-shirts without inventory?

Use a print-on-demand platform like Printful or Printify. Upload your designs, connect your ecommerce store, and let the service handle printing and shipping whenever a customer places an order.

","In today’s online retail ecosystem, you can start an online store without inventory and still build a profitable ecommerce business.","

$\"image$

In today’s online retail ecosystem, you can start an online store without inventory and still build a profitable ecommerce business.

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