I Tried Dropshipping On TikTok & Facebook For 7 Days

What's popping, guys! Today, I'm diving into a 7-Day Dropshipping challenge with an intriguing twist: comparing Facebook ads against TikTok ads. The objective? To determine which platform is currently more effective for launching, scaling, and marketing a brand new dropshipping store from the ground up. I've got a product ready, and six ad creatives in hand — all of which I'm running on both platforms simultaneously while keeping as many variables consistent as possible.

If you're as hyped for this article as I was for the challenge, let's dive straight into it!

Day 1: Initial Setup and Launch

Today, we received our user-generated content (UGC) ads, consisting of multiple clips and varying hooks to attract consumers. Our ads focus on the product's benefits and usage in visually appealing ways. Using UGC creators was essential because we are currently based in Bali, Indonesia, and did not have access to Amazon Prime for quick product delivery.

We then built the website from scratch. Here's our structure:

Homepage
Track Your Order Page
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Us
Product Page

Our product, the "Nebie Cube," is marketed at $ 29.99 USD, with a roughly $ 10 USD procurement cost. The ads are now live, set at $ 100 per day for both Facebook and TikTok campaigns using dynamic creative testing and broad targeting.

Day 2: First Sale and Initial Observations

Exciting news! We made our first sale, registering $ 34 from 28 sessions. However, ad performance was below expectation, particularly on TikTok, where the click-through rate (CTR) was low, and cost per click (CPC) was high. Facebook also showed high CPC, but we haven't spent as much as yet.

Day 5: Mid-Challenge Analysis

Four days into the challenge, while traveling to Tokyo, I observed:

Seven purchases on Facebook versus six on TikTok.
TikTok showed high CPC and low CTR, making it unprofitable with a high cost per acquisition (CPA).
Facebook's ads were better, albeit not yet profitable, showing potential for optimization.

To manage fulfillment, I turned to AutoDS, leveraging its competitive rates and ease of order fulfillment. This tool allows efficient sifting through suppliers and streamlined order completion.

Day 7: Wrapping Up Ads and Store Performance

The last few days showed:

Total sales of $ 420 from the final three days.
Facebook, again, dominated with eight new purchases.
TikTok remained unprofitable with a high CPA despite acceptable conversion rates.

Conclusion and Final Numbers

After a week, the result is clear: Facebook significantly outperformed TikTok. Despite a total expense of nearly $ 2700, our revenue only reached $ 1370, leading to a $ 1300 loss. This result is a harsh reminder that paid advertising isn't always straightforward and emphasizes the viability of starting with organic methods to identify winning products before diving into paid ads.

Summary:

Not all ventures yield immediate wins.
Organic methods are invaluable for initial testing.
Facebook currently offers better advertising ROI than TikTok for this product.

Keyword

Dropshipping
Facebook Ads
TikTok Ads
UGC Creators
Dynamic Creative Testing
Broad Targeting
Conversion Rate
Cost Per Click (CPC)
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
AutoDS
Fulfillment
Revenue & Expenses

FAQ

1. What was the goal of the 7-Day Dropshipping challenge? The goal was to compare the effectiveness of Facebook ads against TikTok ads in launching and scaling a new dropshipping store.

2. What product was used in the challenge? The product used was called the "Nebie Cube," priced at $ 29.99 USD.

3. How were the ads structured on both platforms? Ads were created by UGC creators and included dynamic creative testing with broad targeting, running at $ 100 per day on each platform.

4. What was the main difference observed between Facebook and TikTok ads? Facebook ads performed better, showing a lower CPA and CPC, whereas TikTok ads had a higher CPC and lower CTR, leading to unprofitability.

5. Which tools were used for order fulfillment? AutoDS was used for efficient order fulfillment, ensuring the best competitive rates and streamlined processes.

6. What was the final financial outcome of the challenge? The challenge resulted in a financial loss of $ 1300, with total expenses reaching nearly $ 2700 against a revenue of $ 1370.

7. What are the key takeaways from this challenge? The key takeaways include the current superiority of Facebook ads over TikTok for this particular product, the importance of starting with organic methods for testing products, and the acknowledgment that not all ventures will be immediately profitable.