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We have seen massive growth in using TikTok as a platform for ecommerce, with many businesses finding success in marketing and selling their products through the app. One business model that has gained traction on TikTok is dropshipping. In this blog, we’ll share all the knowledge we’ve gained at Ecom Pilot and provide an introduction to dropshipping through TikTok, show the advantages and disadvantages, compare different platforms, show their pros and cons and offer some tips for those just starting out.
If you’ve never heard of dropshipping before check out our previous blog post explaining ‘What is dropshipping?’ To quickly summarise, it is a retail fulfillment method in which a store doesn’t keep the products it sells in stock. Instead, when a customer places an order, the store purchases the item from a third party and has it shipped directly to the customer. This allows the store to offer a wide variety of products without having to worry about inventory or fulfillment.
Why is TikTok a good platform for dropshipping?
TikTok is a particularly good platform for dropshipping due to its visual and interactive nature. Users can create and share videos featuring products, which can be easily linked to an online store for purchase. This makes it easy for businesses to showcase their products and drive sales.
Advantages of dropshipping on TikTok
There are several advantages to dropshipping on TikTok, including:
- Large audience: TikTok has a large and growing user base, making it a great platform for reaching potential customers.
- Visually appealing: TikTok is a visual platform, which makes it easy for businesses to showcase their products and demonstrate how they can be used.
- Interactive: TikTok allows users to interact with content through comments, likes, and shares, which can help to increase the reach of a business’s content.
- Easy to link to an online store: TikTok allows users to include a link to their online store in their bio or as a swipe-up link in their videos, making it easy for users to purchase products.
- Cost-effective: TikTok’s paid promotion options can be an affordable way for businesses to reach a targeted audience and drive sales.
Disadvantages of dropshipping on TikTok
There are also some potential disadvantages to dropshipping on TikTok to consider:
- Competition: TikTok has a large user base, which means there is a lot of competition for businesses looking to sell products on the platform. It can be difficult to stand out and attract customers.
- Changing algorithms: TikTok’s algorithms for showing content to users can be unpredictable and may change frequently, which can make it difficult for businesses to consistently reach their audience.
- Dependence on third parties: As with any dropshipping business, there is a dependence on third parties for product sourcing and fulfillment. This can lead to potential issues with order accuracy and delivery times, which can negatively impact the customer experience.
- Limited control: Because dropshipping businesses don’t handle inventory or fulfillment, they have limited control over the products they sell and the customer experience. This can make it difficult to address issues that may arise and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction.
- Limited ability to customize: Because products are sourced from third parties, it can be difficult for dropshipping businesses to offer customized products or make changes to the products they sell.
In summary, dropshipping on TikTok can be a great way for businesses to reach a large, visually-oriented audience and drive sales through interactive and easily linkable content. However, remember while dropshipping on TikTok can be a lucrative opportunity, it’s important for businesses to be aware of the potential disadvantages and be prepared to address them in order to succeed.
We have now gone over the advantages and disadvantages associated with selling products on TikTok but you may be still wondering if that platform is the right one for you. There are multiple platforms you can start dropshipping on like Facebook Marketplace, Shopify, Ebay, Amazon. We will now compare a few to help you make the decision on what platform you should dropship on.
Is dropshipping on TikTok better than dropshipping through Facebook Marketplace?
It’s difficult to say definitively whether dropshipping on TikTok is better than dropshipping through Facebook Marketplace, as it ultimately depends on a variety of factors including the nature of the products being sold, the target audience, and the marketing strategy of the business. That being said, here are some potential pros and cons of each platform:
Dropshipping on TikTok:
Pros of dropshipping on TikTok:
- Large and growing user base
- Visual and interactive platform
- Easy to link to an online store
- Cost-effective paid promotion options
Cons of dropshipping on Tiktok:
- Competition can be fierce
- Algorithms for showing content to users can be unpredictable
- Dependence on third parties for product sourcing and fulfillment
- Limited control over products and customer experience
- Limited ability to customize products
Dropshipping through Facebook Marketplace:
Pros of dropshipping through Facebook Marketplace:
- Large user base
- Integrates with existing Facebook account and user base
- Easy to link to an online store
- Ability to target specific audiences through paid promotion options
Cons of dropshipping through Facebook Marketplace:
- Competition can be fierce
- Dependence on third parties for product sourcing and fulfillment
- Limited control over products and customer experience
- Limited ability to customize products
Is dropshipping on TikTok better than dropshipping through Shopify?
Again, it’s difficult to say definitively whether dropshipping on TikTok is better than dropshipping through Shopify, as it depends on many factors, take into account that the best platform for your dropshipping business will depend on your specific goals and resources.
If you’re just starting out and want a platform that offers a wide range of features and tools to help you set up and manage your store, Shopify may be the better choice. If you’re more focused on building an audience and creating viral content, TikTok could be worth exploring.That being said, here are some potential pros and cons of each Shopify:
Pros and Cons of dropshipping through Shopify
Dropshipping through Shopify:
Pros of dropshipping through Shopify:
- Wide range of customizable store templates and features
- Ability to integrate with various sales channels, including social media and marketplaces
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting tools
- Wide range of payment gateways and shipping options
Cons of dropshipping through Shopify:
- Dependence on third parties for product sourcing and fulfillment
- Limited control over products and customer experience
- Limited ability to customize products
In conclusion, TikTok, Facebook Marketplace and Shopify can be effective platforms for dropshipping, but it’s important to carefully consider the pros and cons of each and choose the one that best fits the needs of your business.
So, after reading and understanding all of the points mentioned above, you’re interested in starting a dropshipping business through TikTok, we have concluded some steps on how to get started.
How to start dropshipping on TikTok?
- Choose your niche: The first step is to choose a niche or category of products that you want to sell. This could be anything from clothing and accessories to home goods or electronics. It’s important to choose a niche that you’re passionate about and have some knowledge of, as this will make it easier to market and sell the products. Ecom Pilot is here to help you find the right product to sell, saving you hundreds of hours on research, providing you with real demand data and giving you thousands of products to choose from.
- Find a supplier: Once you’ve chosen your niche, you’ll need to find a supplier who can provide the products you want to sell. There are several ways to find suppliers, including wholesale directories, trade shows, and online platforms like AliExpress. It’s important to thoroughly research and vet potential suppliers to ensure that they are reliable and offer good quality products. Ecom Pilot also offers features to help you compare AliExpress and Alibaba suppliers by reliability, as well as find EU and US based suppliers if you want to get faster shipping times for your products.
- Set up your store: Next, you’ll need to set up an online store where you can sell your products. There are several options for creating an online store, including using an e-commerce platform like Shopify or setting up a store on an existing marketplace like Amazon or Etsy.
- Create TikTok content: Once your store is set up, it’s time to start creating content for TikTok. This can include product demonstrations, hauls, and other types of videos that showcase your products. Don’t forget to include a link to your store in the bio or as a swipe-up link in your videos so that users can easily purchase your products.
- Promote your TikTok content: In addition to creating content, it’s important to promote your TikTok account and videos to reach a wider audience. This can be done through hashtags, collaborating with other users, and using TikTok’s paid promotion options.
With these steps in mind, you can start your dropshipping journey through TikTok and begin selling products to a wide audience. Remember to always stay up to date with trends in your niche and continuously work on marketing and promoting your business to achieve success.
Ecom Pilot
