Dropshipping Ideas for the Holidays

Through the Internet and various online platforms, launching an online business has never been more accessible to entrepreneurs. If you’re interested in starting an online business, one type you can try is dropshipping.

What is a Dropshipping Business?

Dropshipping is a form of retail selling where the seller accepts customer orders without managing the stock inventory. Instead, the online business sells the product and forwards the order to a third party that will handle the packing and shipping.

Dropshipping is growing in popularity because it has increasingly become appealing for entrepreneurs to no longer worry about the inventory and warehousing of products. Consequently, it results in less start-up and operating expenses.

Dropshipping Basics

The top two things you need to know about dropshipping are:

• First, you sell your products at a marked up retail price that covers the shipping cost.
• Second, you order the product from your supplier that will handle the delivery to your customer.

Dropshipping is a pretty straightforward business model. Here are the basic steps that this order fulfillment process will involve.

1. Customer orders from your store

Like with any other retail business, order placement from your customer is the first step.

2. Seller forwards the order to the dropshipping supplier

Next, the online seller buys from the dropshipping supplier based on the customer’s order. The seller purchases from the supplier at a cost lower than the retail price they set on their store.

3. Dropshipping supplier prepares the order

The dropshipping supplier prepares and packs your order for shipment to the delivery address of your customer.

4. Dropshipper sends the order straight to your customer

Lastly, the dropshipper is in charge of sending customers’ orders to their delivery address. Overall, it gives entrepreneurs less worry about the logistics and order fulfillment part of an online business.

Joining the Holiday Rush

Any day is a good day to start dropshipping and if you’re looking to join the online vendors now, here are product ideas apt for the season.

• Electronic devices

They can be smartphones, gaming consoles, and small gadgets like earbuds. These items are sure to be enjoyed by everyone since who does not use them now?

• Fragrances

Christmas is the season for some sensory pampering, which makes perfumes a good gift.

• Home and kitchen appliances

The extra cash of people during this bonus season conversely makes them more open for bigger ticket purchases like TV and other home and kitchen appliances.

• Watches and jewelry

These remain a hit, especially for sentimental gift-givers who want to mark the occasion with a tangible piece.

• Giftable food

Examples are grazing platters, pastry sets, boxes of chocolates, and ready-to-prep continental breakfast bundles — but keep in mind that it is riskier to engage in food dropshipping.

• Matching Christmas-themed attires

Holidays are also marked by photo ops, especially family and couple photos. This is a perfect time to sell matching Christmas-themed outfits for babies, kids, men and women, and even for fur babies.

Getting Started

Now that you have some ideas about dropshipping, you need is to make sure that your online business can accept digital payments. If you are an entrepreneur interested in adding digital payment options for your e-shop, sign up with SwiftPay here for a free demo and activation.