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Is Dropshipping Saturated In 2024? | 4 Ways To Make It Work Despite Product Saturation

January 19, 2024

No, dropshipping is not saturated. Dropshipping is an inventory management method used by ecommerce sites. However, product and market saturation can happen, depending on your dropshipping niche. 

Over the years, the rules have changed in dropshipping and it has become more competitive. Research shows that global dropshipping will continue to grow at 28.8% until 2025, so it's definitely possible to make money with the business model. However, it takes advanced skills to stand out and earn from dropshipping. You'll need to stay up to date with the latest trends and viral products, plus you'll need to attract traffic to earn consistently from dropshipping. Considering there are millions of dropshippers worldwide, getting your piece of the pie can be difficult overtime. Meanwhile, Jacob Collins, owner of the Collins Ecom program, claims beginners can make as much as 3 to 4 figures daily with a budget of less than $100.

In this feature, we discuss what makes dropshipping, as a business model, get more saturated and what you can do to overcome them. Towards the end, we also introduce you to local lead generation and why it's my #1 recommendation for online business.

Is Dropshipping Saturated? 3 Reasons Why The

Dropshipping Market Is More Challenging Now

1. More dropshippers each year

More dropshippers are trying the business model each year. According to the DropShipping Helps website, there are now over 1 million active dropshippers across the world. We also see an increasing worldwide interest value on the search word "dropshipping" on Google Trend. In fact, it reaches a peak popularity of 100 in January 2023.

Meanwhile, numerous YouTube gurus are also sharing their dropshipping experiences and promoting the business model as one of the easiest ways to make money online. This further entices more people to try their luck in the industry.

2. Low barrier to entry

Another reason why dropshipping is getting more saturated is because it has a low barrier to entry. Dropshipping only requires minimal initial investment and overhead expenses, which makes it an attractive business model for beginners. According to an Adobe blog, people can easily "start a dropshipping business" when they "don't have the funds necessary to run a traditional retailing operation."

Moreover, anyone can easily copy what other dropshipping companies are doing. For example, a new dropshipper may sell the same products on their Shopify store, post similar Facebook ads, and even use the same suppliers. So unfortunately, the reason that drop shipping business is so easy & fast to start is also causing the business model to become saturated the quickest.

3. Winning products are quickly tracked by competitors

Finding a winning product is an important factor of succeeding in dropshipping. However, it's only a matter of time before your competitors learn about it, too. For example, product research tools like EComHunt track successful campaigns in the dropshipping market.

Anyone can easily find top performing ecommerce products and what kind of FB ads they're running. Results will also display details about engagement, product cost, how much they're selling it and where you can find it online. This means you won't be the only one selling your unique product for too long.

4 Ways To Make Dropshipping Work Despite Product Saturation

1. Enhance your product page

In a survey conducted among 2,500 individuals, Stanford University reports that 46.1% of participants say that website design helps them determine a company's credibility. In dropshipping, you want to create an effective product page to gain sales. So use professional product images and write engaging product descriptions. Create urgency and highlight positive customer reviews.

AI can likewise play a fundamental role in your business. Tools like chatbots, AR/VR enhancements, and product recommendations can help with user engagement and expand your customer base.

2. Observe your competitors' marketing strategies

You and your competition are all selling viral products. Product saturation is inevitable in dropshipping, However, your marketing approach can make or break your business. So observe what other brands are doing and try to make yourself stand out from them. 

In a recent YouTube video, professional dropshipper Jacob Collins of Collins Ecom says that to succeed in dropshipping, "10% of the equation is setting up the fundamentals (establishing a Shopify store, finding the product, creating ads, etc). He also adds that "the other 90% of the equation is actually selling and marketing the product."

So learn from what others are doing. Check out what works and what doesn't, improve it, and use your creativity. Use both free (social media) and paid marketing tools (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc) to maximize your online presence.   

3. Offer competitive pricing

Buyers want to get the best deals for their money, so take time to research and find the most affordable product options out there. That way, you can offer competitive pricing compared with your competition. Experiment with things like creating bundles and offering customer loyalty discounts.

Undercutting competitor prices is a common practice in the dropshipping industry. Some dropshippers lower the sales price but try to make up for it by increasing the shipping cost, so see what works best for your business. Besides, a research shared by Symson tells us that 80% of consumers "compare pricing and offers of the same/similar product by other brands before buying."

4. Use third party service providers

Third party service providers can take your dropshipping game to the next level. For example, Viral Ecom Adz and DropshipMedia provide dropshippers with high-converting ad packages. Meanwhile, dropshippers can use AdSpy's "largest searchable database of Facebook and Instagram ads" to come up with the best ad strategies.

Through these tools, your dropshipping business can move dynamically and chase opportunities quickly despite product saturation.  

Does Product Saturation Exist in Dropshipping?

Yes, product saturation exists in dropshipping because most dropshippers are selling on the same platforms and are running similar social media ad campaigns. Potential profits heavily rely on selling trending products and the quantity of sales per month.

As an industry, ecommerce market revenue is expected to hit US$3,567.00 billion in 2024, according to Statista. Experts also anticipate that the compound annual growth rate will be at 8.95% from 2024 to 2028. 

Despite the growing market, product saturation can happen when too many dropshipping are selling the same items. Meanwhile, dropshipping cannot technically reach market saturation. This is because it's simply a method of marketing & delivering products to consumers. There's always room for new players, although this makes the market really challenging and competitive.

When others catch on to your trending dropshipping product & effective ad campaigns, some will start using the same selling and marketing strategies. This may eventually result to ad fatigue, which means your potential customer base may lose interest in your products after seeing too many similar ads online.  

It doesn't mean that the product doesn't have anymore buyers. However, it can get to a point where the product doesn't convert high enough for it to be profitable. This can directly affect your dropshipping revenue since you're mostly targeting impulsive purchases from social media sites.

That said, you need to stay ahead and take quick action before a trending item becomes a saturated product niche. Unfortunately, dropshipping isn't the most long-term, passive business because you constantly need to find and sell winning products that immediately grab people's attention.

Is Dropshipping Still Worth It in 2024?

Yes, dropshipping is still worth it in 2024. You can still make money with the business model, although it has become much harder. Dealing with product saturation is part of the game. Your goal as a dropshipper is to generate profit from products that go viral online. However, a winning product will not stay profitable for a long time. There's always so much competition tapping into the same audience with the same product. So once it reaches saturation and stops converting, you should immediately move on to find the next profitable niche.

Moreover, your business success also depends on attracting continuous traffic stream, working with a reliable supplier, and ensuring customer satisfaction. If you can meet these factors, you can look forward to making money despite the saturated market.

3 Reasons Why Dropshipping Is Still A Profitable Business Model

1. Increasing number of social media users worldwide

A Statista report tells us that the number of social media users worldwide is expected to reach 5.17 billion before 2024 ends. This is a 5.7% increase in comparison to 2023. The website also expects that the total of social media users will reach 5.85 billion by 2027. Moreover, Oberlo reports that the total number of online shoppers worldwide has reached 2.64 billion in 2023 - which makes 33.3% of the global population.

People spend an average of 3 hours and 51 minutes a day on their phones. Increased online accessibility and rising disposable incomes also mean more people tend to shop online, which provides opportunities for dropshipping business owners. 

As you leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, you can use their highly specific ad targeting features to get interesting products in front of your intended audience. Doing so will allow you to increase sales as you bank on attracting impulsive purchases through social media browsing. 

Being a dropshipper is about being able to capitalize on that behavior. By following the trend and observing which types of content are driving the most engagement, you can come up with the right plan for your dropshipping brand.

2. Increasing presence of foreign suppliers

The increasing presence of foreign suppliers creates more product options for dropshipping businesses. With this, dropshippers can shop around and compare price ranges from several manufacturers and find which ones allow them to earn bigger profits.

According to a Fundera report, manufacturers that use dropshipping business model are 18.33% more profitable than those that use traditional channels. Moreover, platforms like Amazon FBA provide foreign suppliers with the channels they need to sell more products and reach more buyers on a global scale.

3. Growing number of third party service providers

The growing number of third party service providers are also helping dropshipping business owners boost their revenue. For example, Ecom Hunt & AdSpy are tools that allow you to track competitors ads while Viral Ecom Adz and Dropship Media can be useful for creating video ads. These resources are huge time savers which can greatly improve your marketing strategies and lead to greater profits.

3 Factors That Make Dropshipping Challenging Today

1. Dropshippers constantly need to find new products to sell.

A constant challenge among from dropshipping store owners is that they always need to discover new products to sell.

In a Forbes article, Council Member Mohamed Elhawary said that research and firsthand insight that a popular product in dropshipping has "a lifespan" of about 60 months. Once it reaches saturation, dropshippers must then look for the next winning product. "This necessitates consistent research to identify trending products to stay ahead of competitors and adapt their offerings to meet the changing demands of their customers," explains Mohamed.

2. Dropshippers have to choose the best suppliers. 

Gone are the days when dropshippers can simply pick any supplier from AliExpress, have the product ship from China with long shipping times, and expect their drop shipping business to do well. Today, customers steer clear from sellers that do cannot deliver excellent customer service.

As such, you need to be more selective with suppliers. Long shipping times can negatively impact your business. According to Korber's 2023 State of Shipping & Returns Report, 58% of customers have "relayed their shipping delay difficulties to someone else or left a negative online review." 40% also said they would be "less likely to buy" when they experience delays from certain sellers.

On top of having a smooth order fulfillment process, dropshippers also need to work with suppliers that can guarantee product quality.

3. Dropshippers need to be creative with their ads. 

Today, not only are we inundated with social media ads promoting products. We also see high production ads that quickly capture the attention of buyers everywhere. For example, the Birddogs company produced a whole comical skit for their khaki pants.

According to Mega Digital, "high-quality images, engaging videos, and immersive story ads" can help "grab attention, spark curiosity, and drive higher engagement than just text-based ads." As a dropshipper, you want to be creative and resourceful enough to come up with catchy ads that stand out and serve their purpose but do not break the bank. That way, you can attract traffic, get more sales, and earn more profit. 

Conclusion: Why Local Lead Generation Is Better Than Dropshipping

While dropshipping is still a profitable online business, product saturation has made it challenging for dropshippers to continue earning over the years. 

According to Shopify, experts estimate that only 10% to 20% of dropshipping businesses succeed these days. To put this in perspective, you're going up against 12 to 24 million e-commerce sites worldwide. However, less than 1 million of those sites see more than $1000/year in sales. So while there are a lot of players, very few are making real money with their dropshipping business. 

I say this from experience because I ran several Shopify dropshipping businesses back in 2017. I sold shark onesies in one of my stores and made $45,000 in sales. Ultimately, I found out that local lead generation is a more profitable and sustainable business model. Besides, successful dropshipping businesses can be easily duplicated overnight and so you can expect tough competition within 2 to 3 months. This can negatively affect your potential revenue and profit margin. It's a different story when you're doing lead generation. 

With lead gen, you own digital assets that bring you closer to achieving passive income. All you have to do is to build keyword-based service business websites, rank them on search engines, offer them for rent to local business owners, and then collect your earnings per month. For example, I make $2,000/month from my Grand Rapids tree care website. Overall, I make $52,000 monthly from providing the same service to multiple businesses. Competition is also not as difficult as dropshipping because I'm targeting specific geographic locations. That way, I'm only competing for the same keyword with 5 to 10 local businesses.   

If you're serious about making money online in 2024, I can show you how you can establish your own lead generation business. I teach a course where we provide coaching for students of different levels. Our repeatable 3-step process can bring you $500 to $3,000 per month without having to sell physical products, run paid ads, or join affiliate marketing programs. Contact us and let's get you started in your lead gen journey.  

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Ippei Kanehara
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$52K per month providing lead generation services to small businesses

Ippei.com is for digital hustlers, industry leaders and online business owners.

His #1 online business recommendation in 2024, is to build your own lead generation business.

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