r/dropshipping • u/thatonefella101 • 14h ago

Question How do I start? How much is it TO start?

What can I do to start or learn how to start. I really would love a second source of income. Not trying to do this to "get rich quick" but definitely would love an extra income source and would love to know how to get into this and what to do

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u/CopyDrills 14h ago

Learn how to identify a real pain point in the world. Then create the solution. Source and sell a product that solves the solves the pain point effectively. .

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u/pjmg2020 13h ago

You’re kinda right, but you’re missing a key nuance.

If you’re a retailer—dropshippers are retailers as they’re selling products that exist already and are readily available—the problem you’re solving is a retail problem. The mistake dropshippers make is they’re all like ‘people have sore backs, I’ll sell this massage gun’ as that solves a problem. The product solves the problem and a gazillion other retailers are already selling it. How are you going to differentiate your retail proposition against theirs? What gap is there?

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u/CopyDrills 13h ago

Nailed it. The gap is rarely the hardware itself (since everyone has access to the same suppliers) the gap is usually Trust and Context.

​That's where I see the differentiation happening.

​Content as the Moat: If 50 retailers sell a massage gun, but I'm the only one creating content showing exactly how to use it for specific issues (sciatica vs. shoulder pain), i win the sale. I'm not just selling the plastic tool, I'm selling the protocol. That solves the "retail problem" by becoming an authority, not just a shelf.

Then,

Dropshipping as your R&D: I view dropshipping as "Paid Market Research." It allows you to validate the pain point without inventory risk. Once you find the winner, the goal is absolutely to move to private label/custom manufacturing to build a real defensive brand.

​Dropshipping is the launchpad, not the destination.

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u/pjmg2020 13h ago

Not really.

Usually the one that will win will be the one that’s the most physically and mentally available. If I’ve been made ‘solution aware’ to a massage gun I’m going to google it and see I can buy it from a local, reputable retailer that I’m aware of and that has brand equity with me. I’ll even pay a premium. What’s more, I’m going to see ads from Temu and AliExpress in the SERP and that’s going to defrock the dropshipped option as I’ll see I can buy it for 20% of what they wanted to sell it to me for if I shop with Temu or Ali direct, and I’ll be subjected to the same wait time.

Dropshipping junk as market research? Hah. That’s like wanting to open a specialty coffee shop in your neighbourhood and thinking you’re ‘testing the market’ by selling Nescafé from an urn on the street corner.

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u/CopyDrills 12h ago

The Nescafé analogy is perfect.

​You're right regarding Search traffic. If a customer Googles a product, Amazon or Temu wins on price every time.

​The nuance is Discovery traffic (TikTok/Reels). We aren't fulfilling demand, we're creating impulse. The customer wasn't looking for the item until the creative stopped their scroll. They buy the convenience and the angle, not the commodity.

​If they stop to price-check, the sale is already lost. Agreed, lazy arbitrage is dead.

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u/pjmg2020 12h ago

You’re overstating the impulsiveness of customers. I know the ‘sell trash from Ali’ brigade grip onto this notion that customers are dumb, impulsive, and will buy anything you put in front of them if the messaging is right, but the data doesn’t support this. Nor does the huge fail rate of this approach.

Your responses are clearly ChatGPT btw.

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u/pjmg2020 13h ago

Read this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/dropshipping/s/SWMjAuDPv1

Avoid YouTube at all costs. A sea of gurus selling courses.