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Automated Dropshipping In 2024: You Only Need 30 Minutes A Day To Run A Store!

By Denis K.

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In our super busy world, we’re all looking for shortcuts, right? So, a big question for everyone trying out online selling is: Can we make dropshipping even easier with automation? Imagine running a big online store and spending only 30 minutes a day on it. Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it? Is it possible in 2024? Well, now there’s something called automated dropshipping! Stick with us, and we’ll break it all down. Welcome to our easy-peasy automated dropshipping guide. Let’s dive in!

Dropshipping vs. Automated Dropshipping – What’s the difference?

Let’s tackle this step by step, shall we?

  • What’s dropshipping again?

At its core, dropshipping is a super cool business idea: you sell products online without storing them. You make a sale, and your supplier ships it.

  • Automated dropshipping

Now, imagine making that process even smoother with the magic of technology. That’s what automated dropshipping is all about. Instead of handling every little task manually, you use tech tools to breeze through them. This means you spend less time on the nitty-gritty stuff and more time growing your store.

  • Why should you care?

Here’s the thing: dropshipping has been around since the 70’s (yes, even before everyone was online!). But the game changed in the 2010’s when tech solutions made our dropshipping lives a whole lot easier.

  • The perks of dropshipping (and how automation makes it even better):

Budget-friendly: No need to buy stock up front, which means you can start with minimal cash. You mainly spend on the platform you choose.

Super easy to kick-off: All you need is a computer and Wi-Fi. No fancy storefront, no huge warehouse.

Freedom alert: Run your business from anywhere. Yep, even from a beach in Bali.

Choices, choices: Stock your shop with a variety of items since you don’t have to buy them first.

Low risk: Not selling? No problem. Just remove the item from your store – no cash lost on dusty shelves.

All about selling: Focus on attracting customers and marketing. Let someone else handle packing and shipping.

  • A bit of reality

Now, it might all sound peachy, but there are still tasks in dropshipping that can be, well, a drag. That’s where automation comes into play. Why bother with those tiny tasks when there’s tech to do it for you?

Throughout this article, we’ll dive deeper into how to make the most of automated dropshipping. Whether you’ve seen terms like “woocommerce dropshipping automated fulfillment” or “wordpress full automated US dropshipping”, hang tight. It might seem confusing, but trust us, it’s simpler than you think.

And a heads up: while everyone loves freebies, there’s no real “free automated dropshipping” out there. Platforms need to make their money too!

In short? Your main goal: get customers, make them smile, and keep them coming back. And with automated dropshipping, that job just got a whole lot easier. Stick around to learn more!

Why you’ll want automated dropshipping in 2024 and beyond

Think of everything you have to handle daily.

Now, imagine adding the huge task of promotion to that list. Getting people to notice your store isn’t a walk in the park. It takes effort, a bit of marketing, and patience. And if you don’t promote? Well, no customers for you.

Then, let’s say you do get those customers. Great! But then you’re suddenly juggling store management, customer queries, and more. It’s like trying to keep a dozen balls in the air at once. Newbies to dropshipping can feel overwhelmed, and some even throw in the towel.

Here’s a scenario for you: One day, you wake up to 100 new customers (not impossible, by the way – take a look at stores like The Auto Merch or Best Bargains!). You’ve just amped up your promotions, and it worked. But wait, now you have to process all those orders by hand, trying not to mess up addresses or order details. Slip-ups here can lead to undelivered packages, wasted money, and unhappy customers.

Sounds like a nightmare, right? Plus, mistakes like these can ruin your store’s rep. No one wants that.

Feeling a tad stressed thinking about running a dropshipping business now? Hang on, it’s not all that bad. Here where automation comes in handy. It’s the solution carved from the experience of seasoned dropshippers. With automation, not only do you get to make a profit, but you can also truly savor the joy of being an entrepreneur.

Simply put, automation helps preserve your time, cash, energy, and the overall health of your business.

Before diving into how it works, it’s important to get a grip on what manual dropshipping. You see, to truly value the wonders of automation, you need to know the nitty-gritty of the dropshipping grind.

A day in the life of a dropshipper: Why automation is the game-changer

Alright, let’s step into the shoes of a dropshipper for a moment. Whether you’re a newbie or already have experience, some tasks just don’t change. Here’s a bird’s-eye view of a bustling day of someone raking in consistent profit from dropshipping:

  • The early bird special

Emails: Dive into the sea of customer queries, supplier chats, and those pesky platform notifications.

Orders: What did the night bring? Check out the fresh orders. Are they on their way to suppliers?

Money matters: Glance over any payment hiccups, refunds, or disputes.

  • Product hustle

Trendspotting: Dedicate some time to unearth those golden products everyone’s after.

Listing: Jazz up your store with new products or refine existing listings.

Stock watch: No stockrooms here, but ensure those hot-selling products are still up for grabs from suppliers.

  • Marketing mania

Ads galore: Dive into the world of online ads – Facebook, Google Ads, you name it.

Social buzz: Mix it up on social platforms – post, engage, and promote.

Content corner: Got a blog? Maybe a video channel? Cook up some engaging content.

SEO drill: Fine-tune your content to please the search engine gods.

  • Sales & happy customers

Support: Address customer queries. Remember, a happy customer is a repeat customer.

Feedback: Eyeball customer feedback. Take notes. Improve.

Returns: Tackle returns or refunds and liaise with suppliers when needed.

  • Learning & the big picture

Knowledge dive: Keep learning. Ecommerce is a moving target.

Data crunch: Dive into the numbers. What’s hot and what’s not?

Network hub: Connect with fellow dropshippers. Swap stories and strategies.

  • Night owl routine

Tomorrow’s blueprint: Jot down what tomorrow looks like.

Last glance: Quick peek at emails and orders to ensure all’s well.

  • The weekly drill

Supplier sync: Keep that bond strong with suppliers. Discuss products, rates, and more.

Site check: Tweak your website. Fresh updates keep things smooth.

Strategy time: Reflect and adjust. The market’s always evolving.

Now, let’s be real for a moment. Do you think anyone’s got the energy to do ALL of that, every single day? Absolutely not!

Most savvy dropshippers are already shifting gears, leaning on automation or outsourcing for tasks like customer service, marketing, and order funnels. And guess what? This isn’t just a next-step move. It should be a first step.

The smart ones have already embraced full-blown automation, and those taking baby steps? Well, they’re watching the leaders race ahead.

Curious about what automated dropshipping looks like today? Stick around. We’ll break down how automation is reshaping the dropshipping realm.

Automation dropshipping: List of things you can automate

In the ever-evolving world of dropshipping, automation has completely transformed operations. But what can you automate today?

Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Order processing & fulfillment: With just a few clicks, your supplier is informed, the order is packed, shipped, and on its way to your customer.

Product sourcing & importing: Let automation tools scan and import products from suppliers directly into your store, cutting down manual listings.

Inventory management: Software solutions now automatically update product availability based on the supplier’s stock.

Price adjustments: Automation tools can re-adjust prices on your store or notify you of sudden price changes from the supplier.

Customer communications: Automated emails or SMS can keep your customers informed about order statuses and tracking details.

Refund & returns management: Streamline returns and refunds with automation, simplifying return label generation and refund processing.

Product reviews: Auto-import product reviews, enhancing your product pages.

Marketing & ad campaigns: Platforms like Social Rabbit and Aweber handle promotions. AI tools like ChatGPT or Midjourney can elevate your marketing without manual content creation.

Customer support: Chatbots manage basic customer queries, ensuring immediate responses.

Analytics & reporting: Automation tools provide insights on sales, traffic, and conversion metrics without manual effort.

Abandoned cart recovery: Automated reminders can re-engage customers who’ve shown interest but didn’t finalize their purchase.

Upselling & cross-selling: Leverage automation tools to recommend related products to shoppers.

SEO optimization: Tools offer real-time SEO recommendations, ensuring your store ranks higher on search engines.

Backup & security: We ensure data safety with automated backups and robust security protocols.

In essence, dropshipping in 2024 and beyond is not just about the traditional model. It’s about integrating automation tools that handle everything from marketing to customer support, ensuring competitiveness in this fast-paced ecommerce world.

The advantages of automated dropshipping

The integration of automation into dropshipping has been a game-changer, presenting a new-age way to handle ecommerce. While understanding what a fully automated dropshipping store is important, the real value becomes evident when one looks at its benefits.

  • Pros:

Enhanced efficiency: Automation accelerates the workflow, reducing delays associated with manual tasks. By setting predefined rules, technology can carry out these tasks promptly.

Better accuracy: The risk of human error diminishes with less manual involvement. Reliable and precise data then becomes the backbone for well-informed business decisions.

Low initial investment: Dropshipping negates the necessity for bulk purchasing and warehousing inventory. Suppliers undertake the responsibility of product creation, storage, and shipment. Thus, you can initiate your selling journey without substantial initial expenses.

Reduced operational costs: The streamlined efficiency of automation not only curtails costs but also liberates resources, allowing them to be redirected to other significant business facets.

In contrast, when deliberating the disadvantages of automated dropshipping, new entrants commonly express concerns about potential pitfalls. However, it seems the perspective is:

  • Cons:

Well, there aren’t any significant drawbacks, provided one is not particularly inclined toward manual handling and doesn’t view tasks such as order processing as therapeutic.

Half an hour a day: Running an automated dropshipping store

Exact numbers matter. When we evaluated the time required for daily tasks on average-performing dropshipping stores, such as Best Bargains, we were not caught off guard. Thanks to technological integration, most tasks have become quite speedy, no longer requiring hours.

  • Routine tasks & their time allocation:

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Store reporting (1 minute)

Log into the admin panel, access the reporting section, and choose the relevant time period. Most commonly, this is the last 12 to 24 hours.

Data analysis (10 minutes)

Quickly assess store performance metrics like revenue, total sales, visitors, and conversion rates. Any significant deviations warrant further actions. Remember, you need at least a month’s worth of data for stable conclusions.

Order verification (1 minute)

The Orders section helps confirm if all recent orders are processed. Automated deposits ensure orders process smoothly. If orders remain unprocessed, it usually signals a need to replenish the deposit.

Manage deposits (3 minutes)

Refilling the deposit is straightforward. Knowing your sales trends helps anticipate deposit amounts. Always check to avoid leaving orders unprocessed.

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Product updates (7 minutes)

Refreshing your product catalog is vital. Adding a new product requires a few clicks, ensuring it has all necessary information, including images and descriptions.

Customer engagement (5 minutes)

Interaction is key. Even if there are no direct communications, engage customers via interactive posts, polls, or stories on social media to better understand their needs.

Review marketing (3 minutes+)

Periodically assess your marketing strategies and adjust if necessary.

Altogether, the tasks average out to 30 minutes.

It’s essential to recognize that this routine might not reflect everyone’s experience, as every business has its uniqueness. If you’re inclined to spend more time on your venture, by all means, do so.

Just remember the age-old wisdom: work smarter, not harder.

Most other dropshipping activities are automated or don’t require daily attention. Equipped with this knowledge of efficient 2024 dropshipping, you’re now ready to embrace the relaxed entrepreneur lifestyle.

Grow your automated dropshipping online shop

So, want to get all the benefits of an automated dropshipping business? Don’t miss the chance to start an online business and utilise all the benefits with your own store!

  • New to this? No problem!

Many people worry about the money needed to start a business. With AliDropship, you don’t need to fear any complicated setups, you can have a shop filled with products people want.

  • Help is always here

Setting up a shop can seem hard, but AliDropship’s team is always there to help you out. They want to make sure you start off right.

  • Your shop, your style

A good-looking online shop attracts customers. AliDropship helps make your shop look special with designs, logos, and banners.

  • Thinking of selling on big sites like Amazon?

If you dream of selling on big websites like Amazon, AliDropship has tools for that:

Easy product picks: AliDropship’s team can help pick products for you. This saves you time and stress.

Use your time well: Instead of looking for products, you can do other important things, like promoting your shop.

Experts by your side: You get a manager to help you out, and if you have tech problems, there’s always someone to call.

Wrapping it up

As the world embraces the advancements brought by artificial intelligence, those in the dropshipping business can’t afford to be left behind. Embracing automation today ensures your success tomorrow.

Lastly, if you’re looking for an easy and express entry into this automated world, consider our stores! Tailored for immediate deployment, these fully-automated stores put you on the fast track to success. 

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By Denis K.
Denis is a copywriter at AliDropship. Having graduated from the Faculty of International Business as a specialist in advertising, he explores the rapidly changing and evolving digital marketing industry and feels committed to sharing his findings with a wider reader’s audience.
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