Do you believe you have a marketable product idea but lack the capital to launch a dropshipping operation?
So, what if I told you that you could dropship for zero dollars using the free dropshipping model? You read that correctly. Dropshipping is based on the premise that the retailer never actually handles the goods being sold.
Unsurprisingly, modern drop shippers invest in a wide variety of high-tech resources. Despite these caveats, the free dropshipping model is doable and practical.
However, I have no capital; how do I dropship? What is it?
What Is Free Dropshipping?
Dropshipping is a distribution model in which goods are sent directly from manufacturers to consumers without the middleman intervening in the distribution chain.
Some dropshipping models call for a larger initial investment than others (for example, if you buy in bulk and sell private label products). However, it is possible to get started in dropshipping as a beginner with zero capital.
Here are the three rules you must abide by if you want to drop ship on a shoestring budget:
When placing an order, always do so individually;
Make use of a free dropshipping platform like AliExpress;
Create your online shop, import products, handle fulfillment, etc. using free services, platforms, tools, and plugins;
Now, let’s look at the steps you need to take to launch your dropshipping business without spending a dime.
How to Dropship with No Money?
To get started with free dropshipping, you need only set your price, create a free online store, and locate a free supplier who is willing to ship the product for you.
As soon as you receive an order and payment, you can place an order with your supplier and have the product shipped directly to the buyer. That’s the most cost-effective strategy for newcomers to enter the dropshipping market.
Don’t discount the importance of advertising to the success of your online shop’s bottom line. Because of this, you may have to spend money attracting new customers to your online store.
Now we’ll look at one way you can put your dropshipping skills to the test for (almost) no outlay of cash:
Choose a Hosting
Head over to Bluehost and choose their WordPress Hosting Basic Plan for $3.95/mo.
Choose a Domain
The above-mentioned hosting plan comes with a free 1-year domain and a free SSL Certificate to make your store secure.
Install WordPress
The latest version of WordPress can be easily installed with one click with Bluehost’s WordPress Hosting.
Install the WooCommerce Plugin
Now that you have a functional WordPress site, you can begin transforming it into an online shop. Fortunately, there is a free plugin called WooCommerce that can help you do exactly that.
Choose a Free Theme
Those looking to open an online store using WordPress and WooCommerce will find a plethora of free templates to use. Pick a free template that works best with your product, and you’re all set.
Install Other Supporting Plugins and Apps
Yoast SEO can help you make Google happy with your website’s content. Dropshipping apps like Zendesk Chat and Checkout Manager for WooCommerce are great examples of additional free apps to install.
Live chat, shopping cart, payment gateway, search engine optimization, customer testimonials, and much more are just some of the many services that can be enhanced with the help of free plugins for WordPress and WooCommerce.
Import Product Listings
Start by selecting an item to resell on AliExpress, and then using DSM Tool or another free dropshipping tool, import the product’s listing into your WooCommerce store.
Start Marketing and Advertising
This is where most dropshippers lose money without making a sale.
You have everything in place to perform free dropshipping, but you still need a strategy for generating revenue.
If you want people to visit your online store right away, the quickest and simplest strategy is to use paid advertising. Now imagine a scenario in which you have no money and want to engage in drop shipping. In this case, you’ll need to focus on driving natural foot traffic to your shop.
Place an Order to Your Seller
You can place an order with your supplier and have them ship directly to your customer’s address as soon as you receive your first order and payment.
Follow Up and Stay Available
Customer satisfaction can be difficult to sustain when dropshipping products you have never handled or seen in person. That’s because variables like shipping times, product quality, and so on are completely outside of your control.
This means you (or your dropshipping agent) need to keep tabs on orders and maintain regular contact with buyers.
What Are the Best Free Dropshipping Suppliers?
Free dropshipping platforms like AliExpress, CJDropshipping, Modalyst (completely free for up to 25 products), Banggood, Chinabrands, DHgate, Made-in-China, etc., are where you’ll find the best dropshipping suppliers.
Alternatively, you can source products from the free dropshipping websites 1688.com or Taobao, both of which offer a wide variety of goods at low prices. These sites are unfortunately only available in Chinese, so you’ll need the assistance of a dropshipping agent in the area.
How to Create a Free Dropshipping Store?
You can open a dropshipping store on some shopping cart software for free, including Square Online and Weebly. There is a 2.9% fee on all transactions, though.
If you want to create a site without spending any money, WordPress and the WooCommerce plugin are great options. You could, in theory, open a dropshipping store like this for nothing.
Website hosting and domain registration costs, however, will be your responsibility. A combination of Bluehost or a similar hosting service and GoDaddy to acquire a domain name should be the least expensive option.
In sum, you can launch operations for less than $5 monthly!
Shopify offers a free 14-day trial, so you can get started dropshipping risk-free even if you just want to try out a product for a few days.
How to Drop Ship for Free with AliExpress?
There is a reason why AliExpress has quickly become the most popular online wholesale market for new drop shippers. Because it is a business-to-consumer marketplace, AliExpress does not require large minimum order quantities, so you can fulfill single orders.
When shipping to your customer, most AliExpress sellers and suppliers will have no problem omitting their invoice (or even place your own instead).
Shopping on AliExpress, signing up for an account, and making purchases are all free of charge for buyers. Some items will be shipped at no cost to the customer, while others won’t.
But you can still attract buyers by charging them for shipping but adding that cost to the price of the product itself. The price of the product will, of course, rise as a result.
Having a Shopify store does, of course, require some financial investment. It is important to note, however, that if you already have a Shopify store, you can use the free version of Oberlo to import up to 500 product listings from AliExpress and begin dropshipping for free.
AliExpress product sourcing will always be free, no matter what eCommerce platform you use for your online store.
How to Offer Free Shipping If You Dropship with No Money?
So, what if you want to get into dropshipping for free but can’t find a product that offers free shipping? How to provide free shipping without charging customers anything in advance?
To get around this problem and still provide their customers with free shipping, many drop shippers incorporate the cost of shipping into the product’s retail price.
Because of this, you’ll need to charge a little more for your product in order to make up for the money you’ll have to spend on shipping.
Offering free shipping is a great way to boost interest in your product.
Can I Dropship Private Label or White Label Products for Free?
In order to dropship a private label product, you must first have it manufactured with your label. You can expect a higher minimum order quantity (MOQ) whether you’re working with a drop shipper or a manufacturer who can assist you in private labeling the product.
For private label goods, a large minimum order quantity (MOQ) is necessary to ensure that your order is manufactured on schedule and according to your specifications.
White labeling, in which your brand’s name appears on the product but not the packaging, invoices, or tags, may have a lower MOQ but still requires a minimum order quantity.
It’s easy to see why it’s so difficult to dropship private label or white label products without charging a fee, when you take into account all of the aforementioned factors.
Furthermore, if you want to private-label a product and run a one-product store, you need to make sure that the product is marketable. Otherwise, you run the risk of losing your initial investment in manufacturing and sourcing the products.
Bulk orders mean you’ll have to pay to keep extra stock on hand, which is the last thing a new business needs.
In order to get your feet wet in the dropshipping industry, it’s best to start with free dropshipping from AliExpress or similar free websites and save private labeling for when you’re ready to expand.
What’s the Difference Between Wholesale and Free Dropshipping?
The initial capital required to launch a wholesale business is fixed. The key distinction is that wholesalers must find a way to store their massive quantities of inventory.
The order will be stored in a warehouse, and then resold. This can be done by the wholesaler themselves or with the assistance of a dropshipping agent that has a fulfillment center in every country.
However, a drop shipper can use the free dropshipping model because they aren’t placing large orders or requiring storage space.
Are There Free Dropshipping Suppliers in the USA?
CJdropshipping (with warehouses in the US), Modalyst (free up to 25 products), Syncee (free up to 25 products), Crov (1 store, up to 500 products), Merchmixer, etc. are just a few of the best free dropshipping suppliers in the USA.
You can also find free dropshipping suppliers in the United States on marketplaces like AliExpress and Banggood.
In all likelihood, the majority of the suppliers there are Chinese. A growing number of vendors, however, are realizing the importance of setting up shop in the United States. Don’t forget to take a look at them!
What Are the Best Free Dropshipping Suppliers for a Shopify Store?
AliExpress, Oberlo, CJdropshipping, Made-in-China, Modalyst, Globalsources, etc. are great places to find reliable, low-cost dropshipping suppliers for your Shopify store.
What Are the Best Free Dropshipping Apps for Shopify?
CJdropshipping, Oberlo, Spocket, etc. are just some of the excellent dropshipping apps that will let you import products to your Shopify store.
Good alternatives that don’t cost anything include AliDropship, AliExpress Dropshipping, and Ecomdash.
How to Create a Free Dropshipping Store Using WordPress?
Free WooCommerce themes can help you get around the need for technical expertise when setting up your WordPress-based dropshipping store.
The drag-and-drop editor on Shopify may sound ideal, but it comes at a price. Next best thing: setting up shop with WordPress and WooCommerce, two popular e-commerce platforms that cost nothing to set up.
Visit WordPress.org to create a free WordPress site, or select the Basic WordPress Hosting plan from Bluehost to have WordPress set up for you with one click.
Select a free domain name from those offered as part of the Bluehost + WordPress bundle, then set up the WooCommerce plugin and a free theme.
With your online store up and running, you can begin importing goods from AliExpress and other free dropshipping websites.
Are There Some Free Dropshipping Plugins for WordPress?
The best free dropshipping plugins for WordPress and WooCommerce are DropshipMe, Spocket, WooDropship (limited), and Ezusy (limited). All of these are examples of apps that drop shippers frequently use for product sourcing.
A CSV file can be uploaded to your online shop as another free option for importing product listings.
The following are some additional free WordPress plugins that may improve the features of, or the overall look and feel of, your online store:
WooCommerce Customer Reviews, WooCommerce Image Zoom, WooCommerce Checkout Manager, WooCommerce Wishlist Plugin, WP Amazon Shop for Dropshippers, TI WooCommerce, etc.
Final Thoughts
Overall, free dropshipping is a great way for new dropshippers to try out their marketing and sales strategies and experiment with a variety of products.
Dropshipping without any initial investment should allow you to launch your own online store and begin the hunt for a best-seller.
We hope that our comprehensive FAQ guide on no-risk drop shipping has answered all of your questions and paves the way for you to get started. The time to scale up and put money into growth is immediately following the discovery of a best-seller. In the meantime, you can get started dropshipping for free!
