Will Verum Ecom help you build a dropshipping empire??
If you're looking for an unbiased review of Verum Ecom, you've come to the right place.
I am not affiliated with Verum Ecom in any way, but I have gone through the top dropshipping courses while building my own successful dropshipping business, including this one.
Is Verum Ecom legit?
And if you're trying to start your own business, is dropshipping the best business model to get going with in 2021?
Let's find out.
Project Verum: Ecom Foundations Course Overview
Ranked #15 out of 30 dropship courses (See full list
here)
Great starter pack for new dropshippers.
Introduction to Verum Ecom
If you've done any digging into Verum Ecom's course, you probably recognize this face.
This is John Yoon. And although he might be the face of Verum Ecom, it really seems that the course content is very much a group effort. From what I can tell, there are four people on the team.
If you take a look at the pic below, the gang's all here. I did try and find a bit more information about who these guys are, but their YouTube channel and actual website remains surprisingly mum about their personal lives...which is a rather pleasant change.
I'm pretty used to the antics of the usual dropshipping crowd, who all seem to think that the entire world wants to know exactly what they're doing at every second of the day. And I gotta say…I kinda like the change of pace…
Verum Ecom’s YouTube channel boasts over 117K subscribers and close to 3 million views. You can see why it's a well-liked channel - because the free videos offer a lot of value.
Here's a fun fact about them – they started in 2019 after seeing most of the dropshipping content that was being put out by gurus on YouTube was merely regurgitated information, most of which wasn't even relevant anymore. They set out to add new and TRUE content… ("verum" means "true" in Latin.)
Let's see if they managed to make good on their promises.
Let me start off by saying that I am in no way affiliated with Verum Ecom in any way. I don't get any money from this review. It is my honest, unbiased opinion.
What is Project Verum: Ecom Foundations all about?
The course is hosted on Kajabi, and it’s easy to view the course content on the go via mobile.
Upon purchasing this course, you receive 12+ hours of content in seven modules, private Verum Ecom Facebook group access, and ongoing updates.
There are no hidden fees, upsells, or other recurring expenses - which was refreshing to see. Most courses have an upsell or at least some hidden costs somewhere...
According to John, Project Verum: Ecom Foundations is a complete dropshipping blueprint based on over $10M+ of Facebook Ad spend, 3 years of experience in eCommerce, and methods tested across 50+ stores.
It's a course that provides you with an A-Z approach of building a successful one-product dropshipping store, while scaling it to the moon. It's also packed with information and topics that usually aren't covered in other dropshipping courses I've taken, like customer support and systems development.
Course Curriculum for Project Verum: Ecom Foundations
Below is just an overview of what to expect in each module. I'll do a more detailed breakdown of each one after this. So if there's anything that catches your eye in this brief overview, you can feel free to skip down to the more detailed info in the next section.
Module 1 - Welcome
A pretty typical introduction module.
You'll get a little training on mindset and an overview of the course. You'll also get information about the Private Verum Ecom Facebook group and affiliate program.
Module 2 - Product Selection
This section only has three videos and goes over how to pick the product you're going to dropship.
You get a video on free product research strategies and paid product research strategies.
Module 3 - Store Design & Set Up
This is the longest section in the course and it's basically broken up into two parts.
Part 1: Making your Shopify store look good and getting it presentable for your future customers.This includes setting up your store, connecting Oberlo, installing themes and stuff like that.
Part 2: Email marketing training. The information given here about email marketing here is very extensive and actually more thorough than I was expecting.
Module 4 - Facebook Ads Theory & Mechanics
This module is just a primer on Facebook ads. You learn why Facebook ads are the best option, how they work, an overview of Facebook ads manager, and more.
Module 5 - Facebook Ads Strategy
The fifth module goes over the actual strategies used on Facebook.
Additionally, you'll learn about scaling, retargeting, and other tips to make sure your ad campaigns are successful.
Module 6 - Backend
This module is all about the backend of your Shopify store.
You'd think this section would be before the module that covers Facebook ads, but the people at Verum decided to put it after.
You'll get training on fulfilling orders, working with private suppliers, customer service, and how to outsource work.
Module 7 - Instagram Influencer Marketing
Finally, module 7 will teach you about Instagram and influencer marketing.
This training teaches you how to reach out to various Instagram accounts to promote your products.
What to Expect from the Course--An In-Depth Breakdown of Project Verum: Ecom Foundations
This course claims to show you how to create a successful Shopify store using Facebook Ads, Instagram Influencers and finding the right products.
On the surface, that doesn't really make it unique - just about EVERY dropshipping course offers this "recipe for success."
The lectures are primarily delivered by John Yoon, the main face of Verum Ecom, who claims to have done $552,751 in revenue within two months, selling a mosquito trap during early 2019 (MosquitoTrapX).
If you check out the video linked above, you’ll see that John doesn’t flaunt revenue numbers only, and breaks down the expenses so you understand how much of it he takes home as net profit. In my opinion, this is something that even the best dropshipping courses don't cover enough. Despite what other “gurus” say, revenue means nothing if you’ve spent big on expenses like advertising and COGS.
- It's great to see a dropshipping course finally talk about PROFIT and not just revenue. Kudos to John & the team!
John covers the first five modules, while Richard Yancey delivers the last two.
Welcome
The introductory module gives you a quick four-minute overview of what to expect from the course.
It also provides information about the private Facebook group and how to become a course affiliate.
MODULE 2: PRODUCT SELECTION
Product Selection
The product selection module shows free and paid methods of product research.
The FREE method focuses on using AliExpress’s dropshipping center to find winning products, and PAID methods utilizes Seller Pulse, and AdSpy.
There’s also a bonus third video showing you the best niches to sell in during the COVID-19 quarantine period…The relevance of it depends on when you do the course, I guess. (Hopefully 2021 is better, cuz 2020 was a mess.)
MODULE 3: Store Setup, Design, & Email Marketing
Store Design and Setup
Store design and setup has an abundance of videos, which include domain purchase + integration, product copywriting, setting up third-party apps, and seven separate email marketing videos (delivered by Joshua Chin of Chronos Agency.)
There are already a lot of videos here to go through, so I haven’t mentioned them all.
This module is more geared towards newcomers who are unaccustomed to setting up a new store on Shopify; if you already know how to set up a store, you can safely skip a large portion of this module.
The last two bonus videos recap John’s comments on ad creatives and successful products during an interview with Sean Kelly in a past
Digital Growth Summit (DGS) event.
MODULE 4: FACEBOOK ADS THEORY & MECHANICS
Facebook Ads Theory & Mechanics
This module includes some boring, but necessary theoretical stuff of Facebook advertising. It consists of a series of nine videos.
You learn how and why the machine-learning algorithm works, as well as the ins and outs of ads hierarchy, ads management, campaign budget optimization (CBO), auction mechanics, ad inconsistencies, and compliance with ad policy.
MODULE 5: FACEBOOK ADS STRATEGY
Facebook Ads Strategy
Here comes the fun part, kids: Executing Facebook ads!
John lays out his strategy for testing and scaling ads into the following four phases:
John has separate videos for low and high budget interest testing.
You also learn how to troubleshoot your funnel--complemented by the FunnelShoot app created by the Verum Ecom team--and set up retargeting campaigns.
The module also comes with two bonus strategies dubbed the Ultra Method and Infinity Scale Method.
These are only for advanced dropshippers though, so you shouldn’t try them out if you’re just getting started or don’t have the cash flow to risk.
MODULE 6: Systems & Backend
Backend
In eleven videos, Richard covers order fulfillment, looking for a private supplier, cash flow management, customer support management, and appealing chargebacks.
MODULE 7: Instagram Influencer Marketing
Instagram Influencer Marketing
Although this course focuses mainly on Facebook ads traffic, Instagram is a suitable alternative for those without the budget to spend on Facebook ads. In eight the videos included in this module, Richard shows you how to set up and market your store using Instagram influencers.
NOTE: Dealing with Instagram influencers isn’t without its own challenges, so do your research - don’t get screwed…
Private Facebook Group
The course has its own private Facebook group, distinct from Verum Ecom’s main Facebook group (composed of tens of thousands of members.) Granted, it doesn’t have as many members, but from my personal experience, I find private Facebook groups for paid courses to be more helpful than groups with tens of thousands of members, which are often poorly moderated.
Project Verum: Ecom Foundations Refund Policy
The course comes with a 30 day money-back guarantee; if you have any issues regarding the course, you can email the support team about a full refund.
PS: They will not accept your refund request just because you said so, or changed your mind. That ain't gonna cut it – you’ll have to send them a detailed response on why you want a refund…totally fair.
(2020 might be behind us, but we're still in uncertain economic times in 2021. Dropshipping is increasingly under-performing as the months go by, so they might end up with a lot of refund requests from people who just aren't able to make a success of this business model...)
Nothing is guaranteed in life, but my Number One Business Model is still going strong in 2021 without ANY problems.
Just something to consider.
Review Conclusion
For a course costing only $99 with 12+ hours of quality content,
Project Verum: Ecom Foundations is definitely a steal. This is evidence that you don’t need over-hyped, overpriced courses which cost you an arm and a leg and don’t offer much more than what their creators’ free content already offers.
It’s clear from these videos that John Yoon and his crew know their stuff. They may look young, but looks can be deceiving. Their combined experience in eCommerce shows.
You might not be able to get this particular Project Verum course for free, but if you're still not convinced you should buy the course, why not try their FREE YouTube courses first? If you find value there, that might give you the push you need to fork out the $99 for more in-depth dropshipping tips.
What I like:
- Great bang for your buck!
- Easy to understand & follow.
- Good YouTube channel.
- Course is based on actual personal experiences of the course creators.
What I didn't like:
- Not comprehensive by any means - for beginners only.
- Will not provide you with a passive income - lots of ongoing maintenance & tweaking.
- Not the best business model for 2021.
Project Verum on Reddit
I searched for Verum Ecom's course on Reddit and wasn't able to find much. You have the usual people looking for the Verum Ecom course download for free, but I wasn't able to find any feedback by someone who has personally taken the course.
And this, my friends, is why I do these reviews! So that you can have a reliable, unaffiliated source to turn to when you're trying to decide whether or not you want to purchase a course.
But I'll be on the lookout. If anyone has anything to say about Verum Ecom on Reddit, I'll definitely update this section.
Dropshipping is easy to get into. BUT...
The guys from Verum Ecom are not trying to force anything down our throats. They don't go on & on about how much supposed cash they are making. They also don't try to sell you on the idea that they know everything & dropshipping is the bomb…
They are just sharing information.Just sharing information for the sake of sharing information…For real…That’s pretty cool… There aren't that many gurus that do that.
Side Bar: Look, I really, really like what these guys are doing with their content and especially with their YouTube channel…
It's just a pity that the dropshipping business model is flawed...
But if dropshipping is really your thing and you can't be convinced otherwise, definitely go check them out. You can also check out my
Ecom Elites review if you're interested in another relatively inexpensive alternative that offers a ton of value.
There's not a ton of videos as of yet, BUT what they have put out so far is top quality.
Just to prove my point...The video below is about Facebook Ads, and honestly the value in this video is crazy:
After watching that, it should be pretty clear that John and his team know what they’re talking about.
Their YT Channel and website provide a ton of fantastic free content containing tons of value.
They even created a FREE Guide to their FB Ads Strategy in 2020 - it's almost 10,000 words... yeah, that definitely took them a while to put together.
In conclusion, the Project Verum team is putting in the hours, and definitely giving great advice to those who are keen on dropshipping.
However, I still don’t believe that dropshipping is the way to go… I have too many issues with it. As an ex-dropshipper who had 5-figure stores, I speak from experience.
Here are some of the issues that I have with dropshipping:
1. Less Control Over Order Fulfillment and Lead Times
Even though you don't carry the burden of warehousing stock, you will pay for dissatisfied customers.
The manufacturers and wholesalers you do business with are responsible for managing and shipping your stock. If they screw up, the customer complains to you or buys from your competitor.
So, if you start a dropshipping business, make sure you work with high-quality partners. Know that you don't have complete control over your business.
2. Reliance on Other People’s Stock
Being able to offer new products immediately or stop selling slow-moving products is a major benefit of dropshipping.
The drawback to this perk is that you don't control your supplier's inventory. If THEY run out of stock, YOU run out of stock.
This will result in longer lead times and lost customers.
3. Less Profit
The "hidden cost" of dropshipping is the lack of bulk pricing.
You will likely pay more for each item you sell compared to paying less for a large inventory of items–ultimately leading to less profit.
If you want to earn a lot of money using dropshipping, then you’ll have to sell more products than you otherwise would have if you owned and warehoused them yourself.
4. Poorer Customer Service
If your supplier delivers products late, damages them, delivers the wrong item(s) or otherwise screws up your customer's order, the customer will take it out on YOU...not the supplier.
You see, retailers manager their own inventory, which is a huge advantage when it comes to customer service because it enables them to maintain the personal touch that leads to high levels of customer satisfaction and retention.
You won’t have the ability to quickly solve customer issues. Instead, you’ll have to deal with your suppliers to solve problems for your customers.
(And since when is being the middleman any fun?)
Dropshipping drops the ball, but Lead Generation leads the way. Here's why...
For me, the MOST important difference between dropshipping and my number one choice for the best business model in 2021 is...
- Freedom from stress, knowing I have a monthly recurring PASSIVE income.
- Freedom from trading my time for money.
- Freedom to work WHERE & WHEN I want.
- Freedom to set my own limits on what I earn.
- Freedom to travel the world & experience unknown things.
- Freedom to spend quality time with those that matter most.
Thanks to lead gen, I have every last one of these freedoms.
I’ve found that the
lead generation business model is more lucrative & much more stable in terms of growth and recurring income than all the other online biz models.
Knowing how to generate leads, is one of the most sought after skills on the internet and it’s one of the best high-income skills you can learn in 2021.
Lead gen also allows you to build a business empire.
I’ve managed to build an ethical business that’s here to stay & that makes me love what I do.
The skills you learn are YOUR skills, and no one can ever take them away from you. Even if you were to go bankrupt and lose all of your assets, if you have valuable skills, you can move forward with the confidence of knowing that you have the knowledge to build it all back up again.
Here's a quick comparison between Local Lead Gen and Dropshipping:
- You need high sales volumes to make up for the low profits.
- Chasing trending products doesn't work. You have to build a BRAND & that takes time...
- Low barrier to entry means a lot of competition.
- No Control - you have no control over the supply-chain & Shopify, FB Ads accounts can get frozen at any time.
- Unhappy customers due to things out of your control, such as slow shipping, poor quality products, etc.
- High profit margins of 90%
- Passive income!
- Skills needed to rank to Number One = high barrier to entry.
- Complete Control - You own your digital real estate sites.
- Happy and loyal clients for life!
The best thing about Lead Gen is that you own ALL the lead generation sites that you build. They're your own little pieces of digital real estate. You can become a virtual real estate mogul!
Take a look at this tree service site I built in 2014. The calls it’s generating for this company is paying me $2k per month… every month, since 2014…
That’s $24,000 a year, and $120,000 in total from this little site’s lifetime over the last 5 years up to 2021…how’s that for a passive residual income?
And this is just one example of the many sites I own.
Here's another example, from 2014 that also still pays me monthly. With no maintenance... All my sites virtually run on auto-pilot. That's why I earn a PASSIVE INCOME!
Imagine building an empire of these lead gen properties THAT YOU OWN..?
Unlike dropshipping, NO ONE can steal your lead gen site or your number and advertise or market it as their own. They can't copy, paste and clone your site.
Lead gen also has several other advantages:
- Local lead Gen offers attraction marketing, rather than interruption marketing such as Facebook ads. Your search results reach the intended audience - people who are actively searching for our service. You're not interrupting them on social media.
- Lead gen requires less effort to get going. You don't have to focus (constantly) on advertising mediums to generate leads. Lead gen runs on autopilot once you're ranking.
- Local Lead Gen supports local business. You can make a difference to businesses and the community. There's no job satisfaction from running ad campaigns and sitting behind a desk all day.
- Most businesses you are competing with do not have a clue about digital marketing. That makes it easy to rank your site and then in turn, help your client.
- Once the site is up and ranking, you rinse and repeat the process. This allows you to create an empire of lead gen sites.
The truth is, as long as there are local businesses & this thing called the Internet - I'll always be in business.
If you would like to learn more about how I generate 52K per month while helping local business owners, then
click here or the button below.
