From Zero to $1M in 8 Months | Awesome Dropshipping Success Stories (2024)

From Zero to $1M in 8 Months | Awesome Dropshipping Success Stories (1)

Max Godin

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During my years of doing dropshipping I’ve met countless people who wanted to make money online and build a lifestyle business where they can travel the world and work from their laptop. Of all of those people, I can count only a handful who really made it a reality.These people are self starters who actively search for other sources of income or who have turned selling on eBay into their main revenue source. But what about becoming a millionaire from ecommerce or making $30,000 a month? I know it sounds far fetched but in this post I will introduce you to three exceptional individuals who are the embodiment of dropshipping success stories.

Top Dropshipper #1: Irwin Dominguez

From zero to $1M+ in less than 12 months

Meet Irwin Dominguez from San Diego who within 8 months made $1,000,000 in profit as a dropshipper.

What drove Irwin to e-commerce entrepreneurship as a dropshipper ?

Dominguez happen to have a very good friend who was bringing in large amounts of cash on a monthly basis as a dropshipper. Irwin had no clue how to start dropshipping but he figured he would give it a try since he felt he had more to gain than to lose. He started by doing three simple things:

  1. He learned about e-commerce using Google
  2. He opened a Shopify account
  3. He started using Oberlo which is a platform which helps you import dropshipped products into your ecommerce store and ship them directly to your customer

What was Irwin doing before dropshipping and how did he make his first sale ?

Before becoming a dropshipping success story, Dominguez was a local marketing consultant helping small businesses increase online traffic. The skills he acquired through this job no doubt helped him succeed in his new online venture.

He made his first sale using Facebook ads which he says ate into most of his profit but was well worth the investment in order to jumpstart his business. He swears by advertising on Facebook and says he owes most of his success to this form of marketing though he stresses that business owners must learn over time how to balance the cost of Facebook ads with profit margins.

Let’s talk numbers – what is Dominguez’s revenue per day

On his best day of e-commerce, Irwin pulled in a cool $30,000 and on average pulls in $10,000 a day though he says he is trying to increase these numbers. He talks about finding a niche product but that at some point you have tapped most of your target market so you need to find new products in the same niche (learn how we found the perfect niche) or move on to a different niche entirely.

What recommendations can you give to aspiring dropshippers ?

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Pro tip # 1: Before dealing in large quantities, validate your product idea by making a few sales before jumping in head first.

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Pro tip # 2: Be prepared when the floodgates open! Once you find a product that is super popular, make sure you have a mechanism in place to deal with the demand.

Top Dropshipper # 2: Kate

$32,000+ monthly revenue from her dropshipping business

Kate is not making millions like some other dropshippers but I decided to write about her since I think her business story and strategy contain great actionable insights for dropshippers across the board.

Who is kate and what is her background ?

Kate works for Aliexpress’s e-commerce department creating and testing promotion strategy for dropshipping stores. But kate knew nothing about dropshiping just three years ago when she started working for Aliexpress – before that she worked as a journalist and as a saleswoman at an offline gift store.

What type of ecommerce store did Kate create ?

Kate decided to create a dropshipping store using anime (roughly: Japanese comics) theme based on research she did which told her that there was a lot of interest in this niche. Her logic says that many dropshippers can make money by pooling different items from a variety of dropshippers based on a common theme and thus create a dedicated shopping base.

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Pro tip: Kate stresses that her idea was perfectly legal as anime creators do not aim to profit from merchandise as opposed to Disney for example who absolutely does aim to profit from paraphernalia – make sure your themed drop shipping store is not legally infringing on anyone’s copyrights.

What is your strategy for finding successful products to dropship ?

  1. Offer a large variety – Kate says that even when she got to 100 products in her store’s inventory it wasn’t enough to quench fan’s thirst.
  2. New products – You constantly need to add new products, kate says. Don’t just look at ‘Best Sellers’ on Aliexpress or eBay, also look at the ‘new arrivals’ and you will often find your next top selling products.
  3. Duplicate and modify – Constantly check which products are selling best and which are not. Try and get rid of the items which are unpopular and import more items similar to the successful ones in order to generate more sales.

How do you learn about your target audience?

Google Analytics – Kate uses google analytics to find out crucial information about her customer base such as age, gender and country. Since she now knows that most of her customers are young men from developing countries she tries to keep prices low in order to move more merchandise.

Targeted Facebook advertising campaigns – Kate says Facebook is also an integral platform both for advertising and data collection. Facebook and google complete and complement each other.

Tell us some more about how you promote your dropshipping store on the internet ?

  1. Instagram – The store’s Instagram account currently has 1,851,910 impressions, 81,000, 8,272 posts and has an ever growing fan base.

Kate used a variety of simple methods to achieve these astounding results including:

  • Writing an appealing bio
  • Analyzing the most popular hashtags
  • Experimenting with different post formats
  • Using Instagram Ads

2. Facebook – On Facebook the store is also very popular with 34,000+ followers – the main tactic is providing high quality content and attracting buyers and visitors vis-a-vis Facebook ads.

  1. Content Marketing

This includes writing original content or rewriting original content which is related to the product and publishing this on the store blog and on Facebook. This is a great way to engage people and get them interested in your product in an indirect way.

  1. Google Shopping

This is a semi – automated option and generates 300 sales on average per month. When someone searches for something related to the product, in this case anime, a picture of some products and prices appear in the google search.

How successful is your dropshipping business ?

The numbers talk for themselves – as of October 2017 Kate’s dropshipping business had 922 orders and $32,000:

Note the conversion rate which is 1.31%, this is a standard conversion rate for eCommerce sales so there’s a lot of opportunity to improve here, as you’ve probably read already, we increased our eBay conversion rate by 220% by optimizing our eBay listings.

Top Dropshipper # 3: Aloysius Chay and Galvin Bay

$60,000 a day within a year of starting their dropshipping store

How did these guys get started in dropshipping and what were they doing before ?

Before becoming successful dropshipping entrepreneurs, these guys were professional poker players in the Vegas like city of Macau. Like so many others, they had heard of friends who were making big bucks and wanted in on the action.

What challenges did these guys face ?

Towards the beginning they really struggled to find the correct product and the correct market. They failed at the beginning, trying to sell 20-30 different items. “Creativity and perseverance are key to success”, they both say.

They started selling Jewellery in June 2016 but did not end up even breaking even but they did learn many things such as the need to target specific audiences by country.

Chay and Galvin don’t really have a niche – they sell products that seem to be in demand or try selling products that are new on the market (you may remember the post we wrote about what to sell on eBay, these guys are implementing some of the best practices)

How did they promote and develop their business ?

These guys swear by Facebook ads and say that this was hands down the best marketing tool at their disposal. They say that it is super user friendly and any information or skills they lacked were easily enough found in online tutorials.

The pair also recommends networking and sitting down with friends and family who are involved in e-commerce in order to exchange and improve ideas (you’re welcome to read some of our eBay selling advice and how to boost eBay sales to get ideas for your eBay business).

What do you love about running a successful dropshipping company ?

Chay and Galvin love the most obvious and envious things – the income and the freedom. Now that they are totally independent they have a large source of income and they get to decide when they work and when they don’t. For most people in the workforce this sounds nothing short of a magical dream.

What is your highest sales record and what advice do you have for new entrepreneurs ?

Their record is 5 figures in one day and they hope to make it to six figures.

As far as advice for new entrepreneurs – always add new products (learn more about finding the best things to sell on eBay)! This will keep your business fresh and customers coming back. They say that the risks of adding new products pay off in the long run.

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My pro tip: This is a valuable advice for any online seller, it’s very important to understand that as a business owner you must be on your toes all the time, ready to make bug changes in order to grow your business. I always say that a business who’s not growing is essentially slowly dying and finding new products is a lifeline to business growth.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”, Thomas Edison once famously said. All in all there are many dropshipping success stories but also people who have failed. Failure lays the foundations for success and we can learn from both experiences. I hope this post gave you some insights into how to better start or run your dropshipping business – I would love to hear your stories and experiences with dropshipping below.

Max Godin

Co-founder and CMO of CrazyLister -the world's leading eBay & Amazon listing software.2x eBay award recipient for excellence in sales and highest conversion rates.Started my journey in eCommerce back in 2008, grew an online business from zero to $4.5M in sales and never looked back.

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From Zero to $1M in 8 Months | Awesome Dropshipping Success Stories (2024)

FAQs

From Zero to $1M in 8 Months | Awesome Dropshipping Success Stories? ›

Yet for some reason people assume they can build a passive six-figure income with dropshipping after a few months of part-time effort. That's just not the way it works. It will realistically take at least a year to build a business that generates an average full-time income.

How long does it take to succeed with dropshipping? ›

Yet for some reason people assume they can build a passive six-figure income with dropshipping after a few months of part-time effort. That's just not the way it works. It will realistically take at least a year to build a business that generates an average full-time income.

How much profit in first month of dropshipping? ›

But with high ticket dropshipping, it's not unreasonable to say that you can be making anywhere from $200 – $3000 in the first month or two of making your store if you put in the work and happen to get a little lucky with the right product along the way.

Is dropshipping still profitable 2023? ›

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!

Can I make 10k a month dropshipping? ›

If you are hoping to make $10,000 a month in profit, you will need to partner with reliable companies who are producing and dropshipping high-quality products. They are much more likely to work with you if your business is legitimate and comes across as professional and serious.

How much dropshippers fail? ›

With this in mind, here are a few sobering facts for you. It is estimated that 9 out of every 10 dropshipping companies fail within their first four months. Those who do succeed spend most of their resources on advertising since paid marketing is the best way to push a dropshipper's products.

What percentage of dropshippers succeed? ›

Dropshipping Success Rate

Successful dropshippers estimates that the dropshipping business with highest success rate is around 10 percent during the first year of operations. This is because most of the dropshippers dive into the business without properly understanding the risk factors involved.

How many hours do dropshippers work? ›

Expect to spend at least 10 to 15 hours per week to generate up to $2,000 in monthly revenue through your dropshipping business. But, just like any other small business, the time you invest increases your odds of making substantial revenue.

How much money can I realistically make dropshipping? ›

Dropshippers make between a 20% and 30% profit from each sale or up to $100,000 per year on average. This works out to be between $1,000 and $5,000 per month. The remaining money goes to purchasing the product from the supplier, dropshipping fees, paying to host dropshipping websites, and marketing.

How much does the average dropshipper make a year? ›

Professional Drop Shipping Salary
Annual SalaryMonthly Pay
Top Earners$66,500$5,541
75th Percentile$45,500$3,791
Average$42,870$3,572
25th Percentile$29,000$2,416

What is more profitable than dropshipping? ›

Amazon FBA can be potentially more profitable than dropshipping. This is because you are purchasing items in bulk from a manufacturer and then shipping them to an Amazon warehouse or third-party warehouse. This allows you to better scale up your Amazon business.

How much do dropshippers make a week? ›

While ZipRecruiter is seeing weekly wages as high as $1,356 and as low as $404, the majority of Drop Shipping wages currently range between $548 (25th percentile) to $807 (75th percentile) across the United States.

Is dropshipping passive income? ›

Dropshipping is one of the most profitable passive income sources. With dropshipping, you can find trending products on marketplaces like AliExpress to sell to customers around the globe. You can fill your online store with items from various dropshipping niches, such as fashion, home décor, or beauty.

Can you make a living off dropshipping? ›

If you want to earn a decent income by starting your side business, then dropshipping is definitely worth it. However, if you want to make lots of money in a short amount of time, then dropshipping is definitely not worth it. For dropshipping to work successfully, you will have to invest time, money, and effort.

How can I make $10 000 a month in passive income? ›

Here are 11 ways to make 10k a month.
  1. Start Dropshipping with Shopify. ...
  2. Offer Freelance Writing Services. ...
  3. Start a Bookkeeping Business. ...
  4. Open a Custom Pins Shop Online. ...
  5. Start Affiliate Marketing with Clickbank. ...
  6. Start a Blog. ...
  7. Sell T-Shirts through Tee Spring. ...
  8. Start a Web Development Business.
Jan 1, 2023

Can you make a million dollars dropshipping? ›

Dropshipping is a business model you can use to turn a tiny investment into a million-dollar business. Instead of paying for inventory upfront, your supplier charges you for the product once it sells. It's the supplier's responsibility to pick, pack, and ship the item to your customer.

Why is dropshipping so hard? ›

Reason #1: Cost of Dropshipping

Store platform that you'll use as your website. Compatible dropshipping software and other apps that you need to use. Drive traffic to your store (FB Ads or Google Ads) Orders (including the shipping fee) that suppliers will send to your customer.

Why is dropshipping not worth it? ›

Dropshipping, while it has many benefits, can also have downsides. For example, ceding control of inventory management and order fulfillment to vendors and suppliers can potentially lead to issues such as stockouts, shipping delays, and even product quality issues.

Who makes the most money dropshipping? ›

Top Dropshipper #1: Irwin Dominguez.

How much money is needed to start dropshipping? ›

You will, however, need a small cash cushion in the $1,000 range to get your business launched and operational. You'll need this for minor operating expenses (such as web hosting and dropshipping suppliers) and to pay any incorporation fees, which we'll discuss below.

Is dropshipping a good side hustle? ›

All you have to do is set up your store, price your products, and market the business. Dropshipping is also a low-risk opportunity because, again, products are only shipped when they're purchased, which leaves plenty of room for profit, so long as your marketing expenses are reasonable.

How do you make serious money on dropshipping? ›

You make money from dropshipping by adding a profit margin to your product. The merchant will give you their total price and then you add whatever you like to that as your profit earnings. It's worth remembering that your profit margin needs to be realistic, as eCommerce is very competitive.

How much does the average person make on Shopify? ›

On average, the monthly Shopify income is around $3,897.

Can you start dropshipping with no money? ›

Dropshipping is one of the easiest ways to start a business without money, since you only pay for inventory when a customer buys it. There are no warehousing fees or excessive product manufacturing costs.

How do I succeed in dropshipping? ›

For dropshipping businesses, it's smart to work with products in niches that are stable, so your source of income is guaranteed over a long period of time. A study by Shopify found health and personal care, wardrobe and accessories, and home and bedroom to be some of the most popular niches of 2021.

Do dropshippers pay taxes? ›

First of all, yes, dropshippers have to collect taxes. If you're a for-profit business, the U.S. government requires you to pay taxes. Dropshipping might be an online business, but you're earning an income from it, so Uncle Sam wants his cut.

What is the easiest thing to sell dropshipping? ›

What are the best dropshipping products?
  • Apparel and footwear.
  • Personal care and beauty products.
  • Kitchen and dining.
  • Baby products.
  • Pet supplies.
  • Home interiors.
  • Office products.
  • Tools and home improvement.
Dec 15, 2022

How can I make $1000 a month in passive income? ›

Passive Income: 7 Ways To Make an Extra $1,000 a Month
  1. Buy US Treasuries. ...
  2. Rent Out Your Yard. ...
  3. Rent Out Your Car. ...
  4. Rental Real Estate. ...
  5. Publish an E-Book. ...
  6. Become an Affiliate. ...
  7. Sell an Online Course. ...
  8. Bottom Line.
Mar 29, 2023

How much does an average person make a month from dropshipping? ›

How Much Do Drop Shipping Jobs Pay per Month?
Annual SalaryMonthly Pay
Top Earners$60,000$5,000
75th Percentile$42,000$3,500
Average$40,566$3,380
25th Percentile$28,500$2,375

How much money do you need to start dropshipping on Amazon? ›

How Much Does It Cost to Start Dropshipping on Amazon? Amazon dropshipping requires everyone to sign up as a seller on Amazon's website. Their Individual plan costs $0.99 per unit sold, while the Professional plan will cost you $39.99, regardless of how many items you sell.

Is Amazon a dropshipping company? ›

Does Amazon offer dropshipping services? Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is an alternative to using a dropshipping supplier. You procure products from your supplier of choice while Amazon handles the shipping, customer service, and returns on your behalf.

How to make $500 a day passive income? ›

9 Passive Income Ideas – How I Make $500 per Day
  1. Rental Properties. Rental properties can provide a steady stream of passive income. ...
  2. Dividend Stocks. ...
  3. Peer-to-Peer Lending. ...
  4. Royalties. ...
  5. Affiliate Marketing. ...
  6. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) ...
  7. Create an Online Course. ...
  8. Create an App or Software.
Mar 20, 2023

How can I make $200 a day passive income? ›

Here are a variety of things you can do to bring in $200 or more a day:
  1. Take Online Surveys.
  2. Invest.
  3. Deliver food.
  4. Freelance on Fiverr or Upwork.
  5. Pet Sit.
  6. Babysit.
  7. Be an Airbnb Host.
  8. Take Jobs on TaskRabbit.
Jan 14, 2023

How to make $1,000 a day in passive income? ›

How To Make $1,000 A Day
  1. Make Money Blogging. Out of all the ways to make $1,000 a day, making money with a blog has to be my favorite. ...
  2. Start An Ecommerce Business. ...
  3. Start A Service-Based Business. ...
  4. Day-Trading Stocks. ...
  5. Retail Arbitrage. ...
  6. Passive Income Rentals. ...
  7. Use Geo-Arbitrage. ...
  8. Crypto Trading.
Mar 19, 2023

Is it hard to be successful in dropshipping? ›

However, contrary to popular belief, the dropshipping business model is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Sure, it seems like easy money — you sell other people's goods and take a cut for yourself — but when you factor in all the drawbacks, obstacles and day-to-day management, it's far from easy and can be hard work.

How much does the average dropshipper make? ›

Professional Drop Shipping Salary
Annual SalaryMonthly Pay
Top Earners$66,500$5,541
75th Percentile$45,500$3,791
Average$42,870$3,572
25th Percentile$29,000$2,416

Is dropshipping 100% profitable? ›

Dropshippers usually keep their profit margin at 10%-20%. However, initially, this can be even lower than 10%. The biggest financial challenge dropshippers face is the marketing cost. If you already know how the basics of marketing work, you can increase your profit margin earlier.

Is dropshipping worth it 2023? ›

Dropshipping is worth it in 2023 for both retailers and suppliers. However, every business needs an effective and multi-pronged strategy to succeed. Dropshipping is profitable for retailers and vendors that develop strong relationships to lower risks and drive growth.

What is a good profit for dropshipping? ›

The average profit margin for dropshipping businesses specifically is a little higher, between 15% and 20%. If you want to be a successful seller, aim for 20% and more. With dropshipping, there's always room for growth.

How much will dropshipping make in 2023? ›

According to the latest data, the global dropshipping market is forecast to reach $243.42 billion in 2023. This is also the first year it has surpassed $200 billion, after a 23.7% increase from 2022's numbers.

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