4. Choosing the Right Products
74
Product availability
Availability is actually a pretty big factor in deciding which
products to offer. When it comes to dropshipping products, it’s
important not to choose items which are too easily available.
What do I mean by that? Well, why do most people buy items online? Because they
can’t get those items anywhere else. If you’re dropshipping
products that are only
available online, you’re going to optimize your store to get the most possible sales.
On the other hand, if you’re dropshipping products that are widely available,
people
have little incentive to buy from your store. This is especially true if customers can
get something from a nearby store. This is the idea of scarcity in action, and it’s
important for driving sales.
For example, if a customer needs products
like paper towels or hand soap, they’ll
likely head down to their local big box store. But if they’re looking for a good deal
on, say, a high-capacity SD card or a custom phone case, they’ll probably look
online instead. This basically
boils down to convenience; if it’s more convenient for
customers to order online, they will.
When
you sell products online, offering items like USB chargers or cutlery isn’t
always profitable. These are items you can easily obtain at most brick-and-mortar
stores, so it’s more convenient to purchase them in real life instead of online. This
doesn’t mean you can’t sell any items that are easily available, but you definitely
shouldn’t rely only on such products.