How To Start Dropshipping With No Money

So, you want to start dropshipping without spending a dime. Is that even possible? If that’s your burning question, brace yourself for some hard truths.

First, a quick pop quiz for you. Can you name a single business model where you can get filthy rich without investing a penny? Can’t think of any? That’s because it’s one of the biggest myths in dropshipping. If it were that easy, everyone would do it and be rich, but dropshipping doesn’t work like that.

The myth of zero-investment dropshipping

Before landing here on this article, you’ve probably been bombarded with countless YouTube videos promising you the moon and telling you exactly the opposite. They’ll tell you tales of buying a product for $5 and selling it for $50 and, of course, introducing you to their “secret” or “special” method (because it’s so secret and special, it’s on YouTube). 

And the cherry on top? You don’t even need to spend any money on ads! Just post a few videos and pics on social media, and voila, you’re the next ecommerce sensation.

The reality check

Sounds too good to be true, right? That’s because it is. All these dropshipping gurus show you how to go to TikTok, search for viral hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt or #KitchenHacks, find product videos with millions of views and then find the same items on AliExpress from the cheapest supplier. This is their super secret research method that all beginners are using now, by the way.

After that, they tell you to just reuse the same old videos that you found on TikTok, cut them, put them together in a new collage, and that’s your new ad. But as you don’t have money to spend on ads, instead, you will have to create tens of videos like that and spam TikTok with them, hoping that at least one will get viral as the original videos. And you will have to do that for each product you plan to sell.

And guess what? Thousands of other dropshippers are doing the same thing with the same products and using the same videos and types of posts as you. And the real kicker? The only ones truly profiting and making money out of these strategies are those YouTube gurus teaching you their “secret” methods. With a CPM of around $20 to $30, they’re making money every time you click on and watch their “secret strategy” videos.

The cold, hard truth

Now, here comes the cold, hard truth:

1. Over 90% of dropshipping beginners crash and burn within their first year. Half of them give up within the first three months.
2. The vast majority of these are sourcing cheap products from China and marketplaces like AliExpress. They’re all using the same few tools and research methods.
3. They’re all posting to the same advertising platforms, mainly TikTok or Facebook, and using the same strategies to promote their products.

These folks are pouring in money, time, and effort. And yet, they’re sinking. So, what makes you think you can sail smoothly without investing a dime? It just doesn’t make any sense.

The blueprint for success

But hey, don’t get disheartened! If you’re here, it means you want to be successful and try something else, and that’s half the battle won. Now you just need to shift that energy in the right direction.

So, first here’s what you should STOP doing:

1. Stop selling cheap Chinese products and dropship from AliExpress: Sure, the profit margins look tempting but trust us, your return rate will also be crazy high.
2. Originality is key: Stop copying others. Using the same tools and strategies as everyone else is a one-way ticket to failure. Stop selling the same things as everyone else.
3. Avoid common advertising strategies: Stop using the same advertising strategies, channels, and creatives as all the other dropshippers. Remember that 90% of them crash and burn within their first year. So why would you copy people who in the end, will fail?
4. Reality check: Dropshipping without investment is a myth. Period. Stop dreaming about succeeding in dropshipping with no money or any upfront investment.

Here’s more on why we believe you should stop dropshipping from China 

Now, here’s what you should be doing:

1. Quality over quantity: Find domestic suppliers that can deliver quickly with a 2-5-day delivery time and handle returns efficiently. 
2. Go big or go home: Focus on high-ticket items. Aim for products with a profit margin of at least 80 to 100 dollars. The best price range is between 200 and 800 dollars.
3. Advertise smart: Focus on platforms where the buying intent is high. Google Ads, especially Google Shopping Ads, and Pinterest Ads are your best bets as a dropshipping beginner.

Read more: How To Start A High-Ticket Dropshipping Business

The road to success

So, what you just read is in fact your blueprint to success. If you’re a newbie with a tight budget, this approach will give you the best shot at making it big in dropshipping. Especially if you don’t have time and resources to waste on months of testing various products, channels, ads, and so on.

Read more: How To Start Dropshipping With AppScenic – A Guide For Beginners

Patience and preparation

And if you’re feeling a bit disappointed, don’t be. If now’s not the right time, it doesn’t mean dropshipping isn’t for you. Work hard, save up, and when you’re ready and have a decent budget to get started, dive in with both feet. Trust us, it’s better to wait and start strong than to rush and fail.

The reality of dropshipping

We’re not here to wage war against TikTok dropshippers or those YouTube gurus we mentioned earlier. But we had to get real, as the dropshipping community, especially those just starting out, are being bombarded with myths and half-truths. It’s just time someone stepped up, laid out the facts, raw and unfiltered, and set some realistic expectations.

Here’s our promise to you: Achieving success in dropshipping without any investment or prior experience is, to put it bluntly, a dream. If we’re talking odds, you’re looking at a slim 10% chance, and honestly, for many, it’s even less.

Yes, there are stories of folks striking gold with dropshipping and TikTok or Facebook ads. But behind those success stories, it’s an intense and often overlooked part. For a newcomer, replicating that success can feel like scaling Everest without any gear.

Conclusion

Again, we hope this article didn’t discourage you. Every cloud has a silver lining. For example, try our Dropshipping Academy and see if our course fits you. 

Now, if you want to learn more insights, there’s a lot of content waiting for you on this blog. Or go check our YouTube channel too. You can even subscribe to it if you prefer to watch videos in your journey to dropshipping. And remember: In the world of business, knowledge is power.

Read next: The True Cost of Dropshipping – What Nobody Tells You