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I Tried Shopify Dropshipping on Tiktok With $0…
I Tried Shopify Dropshipping on TikTok With $0…
For many people, dropshipping can seem like a challenging business model, especially if you don't have access to top-quality suppliers or a large advertising budget. But with the rise of TikTok, there's a new opportunity to launch a brand new store with a new product and start seeing profits in as little as 24 hours. In this article, I'll walk you through my exact process for dropshipping on TikTok without spending any money.
Selecting the Product
The first step in this challenge is to find a product that practically sells itself. To do this, I turned to TikTok and used the hashtag method to discover viral products that have already gained popularity on the platform. After some research, I found a winning product: color-changing swim shorts. These shorts have a wow factor and can catch people's attention within the first three seconds of a TikTok video. They are unique, not easily found on major retail platforms, and have a broad market appeal, making them perfect for this challenge.
Sourcing the Product
Once I found the winning product, the next step was to source it. Instead of relying on AliExpress, which often has long shipping times and high costs, I used a powerful tool called De-essers. This tool allowed me to import the AliExpress listing for the product and find multiple suppliers who could source it or already had it in stock. Using De-essers, I was able to negotiate prices, reduce shipping costs, and ensure fast shipping for my customers.
Creating the Store
With the product in hand, I set up a Shopify store to showcase and sell the color-changing swim shorts. I followed a winning product checklist to ensure that the product had a wow factor, could be sold within a profitable price range, was unique, and had no age or gender restrictions. This product checked all the boxes. I also explored the potential for expanding the brand by adding women's and kids' lines in the future.
Creating TikTok Ads
To market the product on TikTok, I created viral user-generated content (UGC) ads. These ads followed the native style of TikTok, with vertical videos shot on an iPhone, fast jump cut editing, and trend-surfing elements like popular sounds and hashtags. I focused on creating testimonials and lifestyle videos showcasing the color-changing swim shorts' unique features and benefits. I didn't add text or music to the ads at this stage, as I wanted to fine-tune the content before posting.
Posting Strategy
Due to the limitations of a new TikTok account, which had fewer than a thousand followers, I had to drive traffic to the Shopify store through an Instagram account connected to the TikTok bio. I posted two TikTok videos per day, using trending sounds and hashtags, and engaged with the TikTok community in my niche by following creators in the swimwear and lifestyle space. I also engaged with my own followers, responding to comments and removing spam.
Results and Profits
Despite facing some setbacks with low exposure and reach initially due to the new TikTok account, I managed to make some sales and profits. With just a few views on the TikTok videos, I received nine add-to-carts, seven reached checkouts, and had two sessions converted into purchases. In total, I generated 75-$76 after ordering the shorts from the supplier.
Summary
By leveraging the power of TikTok and creating viral user-generated content, I successfully generated sales and profits in a short period of time without spending any money on advertising. Although the process had some challenges and setbacks, it ultimately showcased the potential of organic marketing on TikTok for dropshipping businesses.
Keywords: dropshipping, TikTok, Shopify, color-changing swim shorts, product sourcing, viral user-generated content, organic marketing.
FAQ:
Q: How did you find the winning product for your TikTok dropshipping challenge? A: I used the hashtag method on TikTok to search for popular products, focusing on those with viral videos and high engagement.
Q: How did you source the product without using AliExpress? A: I used a tool called De-essers to import the product listing from AliExpress and find alternative suppliers who could source or already had the product in stock.
Q: What kind of ads did you create for TikTok? A: I created viral user-generated content (UGC) ads, such as testimonials and lifestyle videos, showcasing the unique features and benefits of the color-changing swim shorts.
Q: Did you face any challenges with the new TikTok account and low exposure? A: Yes, the new account had low exposure initially, likely due to being perceived as a bot account by TikTok. I had to warm up the account by getting followers, engaging with content, and connecting it with Instagram.
Q: How successful were your TikTok dropshipping sales? A: Despite the low exposure, I managed to generate 75-$76 after ordering the product from the supplier.