How to Import Products From AliExpress

Did you know? Zendrop can source pretty much any product you want to sell. Keep in mind, this feature is currently available to Zendrop Plus members.

Step 1: Log In and Upgrade

Step 2: Product Sourcing Request

Step 3: Activate Sourcing with AI Chatbot

Step 4: Enter Your Contact Information

Step 5: Await Your Quote

Step 6: Explore Zendrop Plus Benefits

Now you can sell all your favorite products - even if they're not on Zendrop. Happy selling!

Click here to go to your products.

 

Dropshipping in 2023: Yes, It's Still Profitable (Here's Why)

If you're thinking about starting a dropshipping business, you might be wondering if the industry is still profitable.

The short answer is yes—dropshipping is still a viable business model for 2023.

Here's why:

  1. Ecommerce continues to grow.
  2. There are more opportunities for specialization and niche targeting.
  3. Dropshipping is becoming more automated.
  4. Customer expectations are changing.
  5. You can reach a global audience more easily than ever before.

1. Ecommerce Continues to Grow

The ecommerce industry has been growing rapidly for years, and that trend is expected to continue into 2023 and beyond. In fact, according to eMarketer™, online retail sales will reach $6.17 trillion by 2023, with ecommerce websites taking up 22.3% of total retail sales! As the ecommerce industry grows, so too does the opportunity for dropshippers to find success.

2. There Are More Opportunities for Specialization and Niche Targeting

With an increase in the overall size of the ecommerce industry comes an increase in the number of niches and sub-niches that exist within it. This provides dropshippers with more opportunities to become more specialized in their businesses and focus on targeting specific groups of customers with laser-precision. As a result, we're seeing an increase in the number of successful "micro-dropshipping" businesses that focus on niche products and niche audiences— a trend that's only going to continue in 2023 and beyond.

3. Dropshipping Is Becoming More Automated

One of the biggest challenges faced by dropshippers is managing inventory and fulfillment— but thankfully, automation is here to help! These days, there are dozens of apps and software programs that can automate various steps in the dropshipping process, from inventory management to order fulfillment to customer service. As dropshipping becomes more automated, it becomes easier and less time-consuming to run a successful business— and that means more opportunities for profits!

4. Customer Expectations Are Changing

In today's world, customers have higher expectations than ever before— and they're not afraid to shop around until they find a business that meets their needs perfectly. This means that businesses need to focus on providing an exceptional customer experience if they want to succeed—and that's good news for dropshippers! Because dropshipping allows you to focus on customer experience without having to worry about managing inventory or fulfillment, it puts you in a great position to meet (and exceed) your customers' expectations and build a loyal following of repeat buyers.

5. You Can Reach a Global Audience More Easily Than Ever Before

Thanks to the internet, it's easier than ever before to reach a global audience with your products—and that includes dropshippers! Whether you're selling physical goods or digital products, there are no geographical limitations on who can buy from you...and that opens up some amazing opportunities for those who are willing to think outside the box and market their businesses to an international audience!

Overall, dropshipping is still a very profitable business model in 2023—maybe even more so than it was in previous years!

So, if you're thinking about starting your own dropshipping business, now is the perfect time to do it!

Just be sure to focus on niche products and target audiences, provide an exceptional customer experience, and think outside the box when it comes to marketing your business globally . . . and you'll be well on your way to success!

Ready to get started on your dropshipping journey? Click the link below to claim your FREE trial of Zendrop Plus and start building your ecom empire today!

Dropshipping for Dummies: A Complete Guide

Have you ever wanted to start your own business but didn't know where to start?
Look no further!

Dropshipping is a great way to start an online business with little to no overhead costs. In this post, we'll give you a crash course in dropshipping so you can hit the ground running.

What is Dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method where stores don't keep the products they sell in stock. Instead, when a store owner receives an order from a customer, they contact the supplier, who will then ship the products directly to the customer. This fulfillment method provides many advantages for entrepreneurs who are looking to start their own business with little risk.

Benefits of Dropshipping

There are many reasons why dropshipping has become such a popular ecommerce business model. Some of the benefits include:

How Does Dropshipping Work?

Now that we've gone over some of the reasons why you should start dropshipping, let's briefly go over how it works so you have a better understanding of the process. When a customer places an order on your store, there are four main steps that happen:

  1. The customer places an order on your store and pays for the product.
  2. You contact the supplier and place an order for the same product on their website at wholesale price. Be sure to include the customer's shipping information!
  3. The supplier ships the product directly to your customer's doorsteps.
  4. Rinse and repeat! Depending on your niche and marketing efforts, hopefully you'll receive more orders that keep your business going.

That's pretty much all there is to it! Dropshipping is a simple yet powerful way to start your own business with little upfront investment required. We hope this guide has inspired you to take the plunge into entrepreneurship and given you some direction on where to start!

Dropshipping is a great way to start an online business with low overhead costs.

Ready to get started on your dropshipping journey? Click the link below to claim your FREE trial of Zendrop Plus and start building your ecom empire today!

4 Proven Pricing Strategies for Your Ecommerce Store

If you're running an ecommerce store, then you know that pricing is one of the most important aspects of your business.

After all, if you're not making money, then what's the point of having a business in the first place?

While there's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to pricing, there are certain strategies that have been proven to work time and time again.

In this blog post, we'll take a look at four of the most effective pricing strategies that you can use for your ecommerce store- and the pros and cons of each of these!

1. Cost-Plus Pricing

Cost-plus pricing is one of the most commonly used pricing strategies in the business world. Essentially, cost-plus pricing involves adding a margin on top of your costs in order to generate a profit.

For example, let's say that it costs you $10 to produce a widget. If you want to generate a 50% profit margin, then you would add $5 to the cost of the widget, meaning that you would sell it for $15.

One of the benefits of cost-plus pricing is that it's easy to calculate. All you need to know is your costs and your desired profit margin, and you can come up with a price pretty easily.

However, one downside of this approach is that it doesn't take into account what the market will actually bear. Just because you can sell something for $15 doesn't mean that anyone will actually pay that much for it.

2. Value-Based Pricing

Value-based pricing is similar to cost-plus pricing in that it involves adding a margin on top of your costs.

However, instead of simply adding a percentage onto your costs like with cost-plus pricing, with value-based pricing you're adding enough to the price so that your customers perceive the value of what they're buying to be greater than what they're paying.

For example, if a customer perceives the value of a widget to be $100 but it only costs you $10 to produce it, then they would be more likely to buy it than if they perceived the value to be $15 (as would be the case with cost-plus pricing).
Value-based pricing can be a great way to maximize profits while still providing customers with perceived value.

However, one downside is that it can be difficult to accurately determine how much value customers place on your products or services.

3. Dynamic Pricing

Dynamic pricing is a strategy where prices are constantly changing based on demand and other factors. This approach is often used by companies in industries where there's a lot of fluctuation in demand (such as air travel or hotel stays).

Dynamic pricing can be beneficial because it allows companies to capitalize on periods of high demand by charging premium prices.

However, this strategy also has its drawbacks; namely, that customers may feel like they're being "gouged" if they happen to purchase during a period of high demand.

4. Penetration Pricing

Penetration pricing is when companies price their products or services low in order to gain market share quickly.

Once they've gained a significant amount of market share, they will then begin raising prices slowly over time until they reach their ideal price point.

Penetration pricing can be an effective way to quickly gain market share and build brand awareness.

However, one downside is that it can be difficult to raise prices after implementing penetration pricing, as customers may feel like they've been "tricked" into buying.

There's no perfect solution when it comes to setting prices for your ecommerce store.

However, by using one or more of the strategies outlined above, you can create a pricing strategy that works well for your business and helps you maximize profits.

Experiment with different approaches and see which ones work best for your products or services.

And don't forget to keep an eye on your competition; sometimes, they can provide insight into what price points work well in your industry!

Ready to get started on your dropshipping journey? Click the link below to claim your FREE trial of Zendrop Plus and start building your ecom empire today!

Finding Reliable Dropshipping Suppliers in the US

If you're thinking about starting a dropshipping business, one of the first questions you'll need to answer is where you're going to source your products.

And if you're looking to dropship products to customers in the United States, that means finding reliable US-based suppliers.

In this post, we'll give you a few tips on how to find trustworthy suppliers for your dropshipping business.

The easiest way to find potential suppliers is to do a Google™ search for "dropshipping" or "dropshippers”, drop-shipping” or “drop-shippers."

This will generate a list of companies that offer dropshipping services. You can then narrow down this list by looking for companies that are based in the United States and dropship within the USA.

Once you've found a few companies that meet these criteria, it's time to start doing your due diligence.

One of the most important things you'll want to look at is each company's customer reviews.

Customer reviews can give you insights into a company's shipping times, customer service, and overall reliability. You should also take a look at each company's social media presence. A strong social media presence can be an indication of a company's popularity and reach.

Another thing to keep in mind is that not all dropshipping suppliers are created equal.

Some companies may have longer shipping times than others, or they may not offer the same range of products. It's important to find a supplier that offers the products you're interested in and that can ship them to your customers in a timely manner.

In summary, if you're looking for reliable US-based dropshippers, there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind:

  1. First, do your research and read customer reviews before partnering with any supplier.
  2. Second, take a look at each company's social media presence; a strong social media presence can be an indication of a company's popularity and reach.
  3. And finally, make sure you choose a supplier that offers the products you're interested in and that can ship them to your customers quickly and efficiently.

By following these tips, you'll be on your way to finding the perfect US-based supplier for your dropshipping business.

Here at Zendrop, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you (all of our suppliers are pre-vetted for excellent service and top-notch quality).

Ready to get started on your dropshipping journey? Click the link below to claim your FREE trial of Zendrop Plus and start building your ecom empire today!

How to Make Your Dropshipping Store a Success

Making your dropshipping store a success is no easy feat. With over 1 million dropshipping stores worldwide, the competition is stiff.

But don't despair!

There are many things you can do to set your store apart from the rest. In this blog post, we'll share three digital marketing strategies that are sure to help your store thrive.

Digital Marketing Strategy #1: Create Memorable Content

If you want people to remember your store, you need to create content that is both memorable and shareable.

One great way to do this is to create infographics using infographics templates. People love visual content, and infographics are an easy way to pack a lot of information into one visually appealing package.

You can use CanvaTM or PiktochartTM to create free infographics. Once you've created your infographic, be sure to promote it on social media and other online channels. You can also submit it to popular infographic directories like VisuallyTM.

Digital Marketing Strategy #2: Use Email Marketing

Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience. It's also an inexpensive way to market your business. There are many ways to use email marketing effectively.

Try sending out a weekly email newsletter featuring new products, blog posts, or special discounts. You could also send out automated email sequences when someone subscribes to your list or makes a purchase.

Finally, don't forget about abandoned cart emails! These are automated emails that are sent when someone adds an item to their shopping cart but doesn't complete the purchase.

Digital Marketing Strategy #3: Invest in Paid Advertising

While organic reach is important, it's not always easy (or cheap) to get in front of your target audience organically.

That's where paid advertising comes in. Paid advertising allows you to pay for placement on popular platforms like Google™, Facebook™, and Instagram™. When done correctly, paid advertising can be very effective at driving traffic and sales to your store. Just be sure to track your results so that you know what's working and what isn't worth your time and money.

Making your dropshipping store a success requires some creativity and effort. By following these three digital marketing tips, you'll be well on your way to setting your store apart from the competition.

Ready to get started on your dropshipping journey? Click the link below to claim your FREE trial of Zendrop Plus and start building your ecom empire today!

How to Start Dropshipping with Zendrop

Dropshipping is a type of ecommerce business model where you don’t have to carry any inventory.

You simply partner with a supplier who will ship products directly to your customers.

Dropshipping is a great way to start an ecommerce business because it’s relatively low risk and easy to set up.

In this post, we’ll show you how to start dropshipping with Zendrop.

First, you’ll need to sign up for a Zendrop account. Once you’ve done that, you can browse through our supplier directory and choose a few suppliers that you’d like to partner with.

Once you’ve found a few good suppliers, it’s time to set up your store.
We recommend signing up with Shopify™ next to create a professional-looking store in just a few minutes.

We provide all the tools and resources you need to get started, including customizable themes, product descriptions, and even marketing materials.

Once your store is up and running, it’s time to start promoting it. There are many ways to promote your store, but one of the most effective methods is through social media.

Zendrop offers a range of tools that makes it easy to manage and track your results.

Here are just a few of the amazing tools and options Zendrop offers to help you get started:

So, if you’re looking for a simple way to get started in ecommerce, dropshipping with Zendrop is the way to go.

Ready to get started on your dropshipping journey? Click the link below to claim your FREE trial of Zendrop Plus and start building your ecom empire today!

Understanding Sales Taxes For Your Shopify Business

What are Sales Taxes?

US sales tax is a tax paid to a local governing body (State or Local) for the sales of certain goods and services. These laws require the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. The seller is then required to remit sales taxes collected into the state or local tax authorities. For large “Brick and Mortar” retailers (such as WalMart) understanding what jurisdiction to collect and remit sales taxes in is simple. The point of sale is where the buyer physically purchases the goods, which would be the State (or local town) of the store in which the purchase was made.

For online sellers (e-commerce), there is usually no physical store for which the purchase occurred. In most tax jurisdictions, Sales Tax for online sales is a DESTINATION-BASED which means the transaction is likely taxable in the State (or local town) for which the order was SHIPPED TO. This tends to alarm online sellers because at scale you can have orders shipped to many different jurisdictions.

As you can tell, this is a very complex area for online sellers. As a result, Sales Tax compliance questions are definitely some of the most frequently asked questions that we receive as a firm.

Where should I comply with Sales Taxes?

As an E-Commerce Seller, you need to comply in jurisdictions for which you have NEXUS. Nexus is a tax term that essentially means presence. The two types of Nexus are PHYSICAL NEXUS and ECONOMIC NEXUS.

What is Physical Nexus?

Physical Nexus focuses on the PHYSICAL PRESENCE presence of your business. Some common examples for online sellers include:

What is Economic Nexus?

The intent of the economic nexus is for Tax Authorities to generate sales tax revenues, even if the E-commerce sellers do not have a physical presence in their state. To simplify, economic nexus includes States for which you have no physical presence but have a high volume of sales.

Unfortunately, every state has its own rules so it requires lots of research and knowledge to become and remain compliant. Fortunately, most of the states have adopted similar rules, which we will present to you. Even with these similar rules being adapted, we do recommend that all E-Commerce sellers very closely analyze risk for economic nexus.

Most economic nexus states have adopted the following thresholds for the trailing 12 months:

If either of these rules are tripped up, the state views the Seller as having an Economic Nexus and technically requires the seller to be Sales Tax compliant going forward.

I have Nexus, what does Sales Tax Compliance Entail?

If you determine that you have nexus and need to be Sales Tax Compliant in a jurisdiction, you need to register with that jurisdiction to acquire a Sales Tax Permit (Some states have a different name for this, but it is essentially the same for each state).

Once you have a state Sales Tax Permit, you are required to charge sales taxes to your customers who ship their orders into the state. You are then required to remit (pay in) the collected sales taxes to the state that you’re registered in. For example, if you have a sales tax permit in NY you are generally required to charge sales taxes to any customers that SHIPS TO NY. Then you are obligated to remit those Sales Taxes collected to the state of NY.

Are Sales Taxes and VAT the same thing?

No! These are two separate and distinct tax types.   They are similar in terms of their calculation, but “Sales Tax” typically pertains to state and local tax authorities in the United States, while VAT is applicable to sales that occur outside of the US.

Advice from The Ecommerce Accountants

As you can likely tell, Sales Taxes can be extremely complex. Our advice is to consider consulting with a Sales Tax professional that specializes in E-Commerce.

Keyword, SPECIALIZE.

Many accountants are generalists and may not understand your business, which can create significant sales tax risk. Would you go to your primary doctor and ask them about cavities? (NO!) Then why would you go to your local town CPA and ask them about E-Commerce specific tax issues?

About Us

The Ecommerce Accountants is an accounting firm that specializes in Ecommerce Entrepreneurs including Amazon Sellers, Shopify Sellers, Digital Marketers, Dropshippers, Cryptocurrency Brands, and much much more! Our services include bookkeeping, sales tax compliance, income tax compliance, income tax planning, and CFO services.

For more information, visit our website @ www.theecommerceaccountants.com

Everything You Need To Know About Dropshipping

What Is Dropshipping?

By now, you’ve probably already heard about dropshipping (in fact, it’s been a popular buzzword for quite a few years!)

But what is dropshipping really? Simply put, dropshipping is an order fulfillment method, where the store itself doesn’t actually keep or handle ANY products they sell. Instead, the shop purchases inventory on an as-needed basis, from a third party, such as a wholesaler or manufacturer.

Obviously, the KEY difference here is the fact that dropshippers do NOT own their own inventory. Instead, they act as a middleman.

As a result, they don’t have to deal with sticky fulfillment details, or pay massive amounts of upfront costs for a product.

This makes it easier and more accessible to start a dropshipping business.

Want to learn more?

Keep reading for all the details on dropshipping (and whether or not it’s a good fit for you and your business!).

How Exactly Does Dropshipping Work?

To start with, dropshippers need to find good quality suppliers who offer their products at affordable rates, for you to resell.

You can do a manual search, or you can use an app like Zendrop to find high-quality suppliers with fast dispatch times and great reputations.

Finding a quality supplier is absolutely key to a successful relationship with your customers and the success of your business.

Once you have found a supplier and listed your product, you’ll need to handle the fulfillment process. With Zendrop, fulfillment is completely automated, which streamlines the process for you- especially when you are just getting started.

Benefits Of Dropshipping

It’s no secret dropshipping has been around for a while! It’s accessible and easy for business owners to get started, without a lot of upfront capital.

Here’s a few of the KEY reasons dropshipping is a great choice for starting a business online.

1. Low Upfront Costs

Starting a business comes with its fair share of costs (especially an ecommerce business!)

But when you use the dropshipping model, you don’t need vast amounts of inventory just to launch your business. In fact, you can start a successful dropshipping business with a reasonably lean budget and still grow and scale.

In addition, there’s less risk to you if your products don’t take off in the market, as you’ve not invested thousands into inventory.

2. Quick And Easy To Get Started

Dropshipping is reasonably easy to get started with, especially when you are not struggling with physical products, inventory, packing your orders and inbound shipments. Plus, apps like Zendrop make it easier to deal with fulfillment and sourcing products, which makes the whole process even easier.

3. Low Overhead Costs

Without inventory and warehouse costs (not to mention the costs of a brick-and-mortar business), the overhead costs are reasonably low. Many dropshipping apps, like Zendrop, have many different plans to choose from, to suit your business growth- so you never have to worry about inflated overhead costs.

4. Flexible Working Location

With a dropshipping business, you can work from anywhere in the world. As long as you have an internet connection, you’ll be able to communicate with your customers and suppliers- and run a successful business.

5. Thousands Of Products To Choose From

With dropshipping, you’re not limited by storage and stock limitations- so you can choose from millions of products! When you work with a partner like Zendrop, you’ll get access to hundreds of thousands of products (and be able to effectively monitor trends)

6. Low-Risk Testing

When your dropship, you can test a range of different items in your store and refine what you sell over time before committing to buying a large amount of inventory. This not only saves costs, but helps your business grow and keep up with changing trends more effectively.

7. Scale Easily And Efficiently

Traditional ecommerce businesses are hard to scale, simply from a fulfillment perspective. The more products you scale, the more work that’s involved! As a dropshipper, it’s easy to scale your business with minimal stress and cost.

Cons of dropshipping

While there are many benefits to dropshipping, it’s not perfect! Here are a few problems to consider if you’re thinking about dropshipping.

1. Lower Margins

When you’re not manufacturing your own products (and getting them straight from the source), you obviously run the risk of paying a little more for your products. Additionally, with other stores competing for the same market, rock-bottom prices are often the norm.

One way to combat this is by working with a good dropshipping partner to help you find good quality products at the lowest price (without bloated middle-man costs).

2. Inventory Issues

One problem that occasionally happens is when your suppliers have low inventory. As inventory can change quickly, you might find out that your supplier is out of stock when a customer orders from your website.

Luckily, it is possible to monitor inventory, and sync with your suppliers through several different apps on the market.

3. Shipping Costs

When you work with several suppliers, you might find elevated shipping costs become an issue when your customer orders several products at once. Typically, it’s wise for you to factor in these costs and absorb them into your business margins- but it can be complicated and time-consuming to calculate this efficiently.

4. Supply Problems

If your supplier makes a mistake (or they provide low quality products), the responsibility falls on you.

One way to avoid this is by partnering with quality suppliers. At Zendrop, we work hard to ensure every single product on our site is well-reviewed and well-made, so you’re never caught out with unreliable shipping of sub-par products on your site.

Have you ever been blamed for something that wasn’t your fault but had to accept responsibility for anyway?

5. Limited Branding Options

When it comes to branding your business, dropshipping can be tough. Most suppliers don’t offer customization or branding options, so you are not able to add these premium touches for your clients.

Unfortunately, if you want to go custom, you’ll often have to make a minimum order upfront, which can be problematic for dropshippers just starting out.

Fortunately, Zendrop offers premium branding options on several of our plans- so you can cultivate a strong brand image from day one!

Ready to get started on your dropshipping journey? Click the link below to claim your FREE trial of Zendrop Plus and start building your ecom empire today!

Dropshipping For Beginners

When you’re first getting started in the world of dropshipping, it can feel pretty overwhelming.

There are a lot of moving parts, and it’s not always clear what’s profitable, what’s not, and what you need to know before you get started.

So today, we’re going to jump into all of your most frequently asked questions and get clear on exactly what you need to do to build a successful ecom empire!

How Much Do You Need To Get Started With Dropshipping?

While costs can vary, you’ll need to make sure you budget for a good dropshipping app, an ecommerce platform, ads, and branding. To start with, you need at least $500 to launch your business successfully.

How Do Dropshippers Earn Income?

In short, dropshippers act as middlemen, selling a product directly from a supplier. They have to factor in marketing costs, overhead costs and product costs, before they make any profit.

To make a profit, dropshippers mark up their products when they sell them in their store.

It’s important to know your market, your audience and how much money you’re making on each product- so you can ensure you’re running at a profit and not a loss!

Is Dropshipping Legal?

Yes, absolutely! As long as you are running your business legally according to state and federal laws, dropshipping itself is merely a fulfillment model- and is perfectly legal.

Focus on building an upstanding brand, with clear branding and great customer support, and you’ll be able to scale and grow.

Consult with a lawyer to make sure you are following all laws regarding business practices and taxes, to ensure you are not making any careless errors.

Is It Possible To Dropship On Amazon?

Of course! Dropshipping on Amazon is a viable way to grow an ecommerce business. However, as margins are slimmer on Amazon, it might be worth considering establishing your own website or store and driving traffic directly to your products- depending on your goals!

What’s the difference between dropshipping and retail arbitrage?

Retail arbitrage refers to any instance where you resell products bought from other retailers and make a profit from this sale. Dropshipping is when you purchase directly from a wholesaler, and never actually handle the product- your supplier ships directly to your customer.

Is Dropshipping Still Profitable In 2022?

While any business model takes hard work and effort to succeed, dropshipping is absolutely a viable option to build a successful business and grow your online presence!

If you’re interested in dropshipping, make sure you arm yourself with the RIGHT tools and information, to give yourself the best chance of success.

Ready to get started on your dropshipping journey? Click the link below to claim your FREE trial of Zendrop Plus and start building your ecom empire today!