How Much Do Dropshippers Make In 2024? How Soon Will You Make Money From Dropshipping?
How much do dropshippers make? When to expect the first sale to happen? How long will it take for the dropshipping business owner to have a stable income? Let’s try to figure it out.
Money-related queries always top the list of the most frequently asked dropshipping questions. There is nothing surprising about it. None of us wants to engage in a demanding activity that ends up being unprofitable, right? We are all dreaming of lazy self-indulgent workless days on a warm calm seashore, and can’t wait for it to finally happen.
Still, questions like ‘how much money can I make dropshipping” are somewhat similar to ‘what’s the size of the Universe’… I mean, there is no way to answer them with a 100% accuracy.
Instead, in order not to make some disorienting assumptions (I really wouldn’t like to make any misleading promises), let’s consider real-life experience of the people who have already achieved some important business milestones. Everyone’s experience is precious, and there are lots of tiny tips and lifehacks we can learn from others.
How much do dropshippers make with a newly launched store?
First of all, let’s speak about your possible income in case of starting a dropshipping business.
You should understand that there are lots of factors which can influence your dropshipping journey. For example, a significant role is played by your location, the chosen niche, suppliers, products, and so on. It means that it’s difficult for us to talk about an average income of newly launched store owners.
For this very reason I suggest you to pay your attention to some success stories of our latest clients, and you’ll have an opportunity to draw conclusions by yourself.
Strory #1: How Alex made $1,000 from one sale
Meet Alex, a 29-year-old devoted mother, project manager, and martial arts enthusiast from sunny Florida. Her venture into high-ticket dropshipping is not just a career shift – it’s a leap towards achieving her dreams. Initially dabbling in low-cost items, Alex found her true calling in selling high-ticket products, like a couch that earned her an impressive $1,000 from a single sale. Supported by Sellvia and AliDropship, Alex transitioned from a tech-savvy project manager to an ecommerce entrepreneur, making significant strides in just a few months. With aspirations of financial independence and a passion for charity, she’s not just building a business – she’s crafting a legacy. Alex’s story is a testament to the power of ambition, support, and the right strategy, proving that anyone can make their ecommerce dreams a reality.
Strory #2: Kate’s $70K in 30 days with TikTok
Meet Kate Amanda. Imagine never selling anything online before and then, bam, making $70,000 in just one month. Sounds like a fairy tale, right? But for Kate, it was all real, thanks to TikTok. Yes, that app where people post funny dances and videos. Kate found out it’s also a fantastic place to sell things and make a pretty penny.
Kate had zero experience in selling online but saw a golden opportunity in TikTok to reach out to heaps of people. She had to figure out what kinds of videos worked best and how to get her products out there without being too pushy.
Kate got creative with her videos, showing off her products in a fun and natural way that TikTok users just loved. And before she knew it, she hit a massive win – $70,000 in sales in just 30 days.
Kate’s story shows that anyone with a bit of creativity and a love for TikTok can dive into ecommerce and do really well. And now, Kate’s all geared up for more. She’s got her eyes set on bigger goals and can’t wait to see where her TikTok adventure takes her next.
Strory #3: Sam’s Vacuum Store’s Breakthrough ($2K+ with no investments)
Meet Sam, a former automotive technician turned dropshipping entrepreneur. Once an auto tech, he found himself jobless and unsure what to do next. That’s when he stumbled upon dropshipping. Sam’s journey into ecommerce began with a one-product store specializing in vacuums. Initially skeptical, his venture took off when a single TikTok post generated five sales in the first week, eventually accumulating $2,346. Those sales were a big deal for him and his family. With 34 sales by the end of the second month and a growing confidence, Sam is now focused on expanding his store. Inspired by his family’s support and driven by newfound success, he’s all in, ready to see how far he can take his new venture.
Strory #4: Sotirios’ $0 to $18K+ in sales
Let’s dive into Sotirios’ story, a 61-year-old who swapped his IT consultant hat for an ecommerce entrepreneur’s in sunny Greece. After dabbling in dropshipping on eBay, Sotirios wasn’t new to ecommerce, but he craved more. That’s when he found AliDropship and decided to replicate a successful car accessories store.
Five months in, and Sotirios is already seeing the fruits of his labor, with $18K in sales from just 438 orders. His main strategy? Facebook ads that have not only increased engagement but also sales, especially with a boost from holiday-themed promotions.
Looking ahead, Sotirios plans to refine his ad strategies, broaden his product range, and dive into email marketing with the hopes of not just increasing profits but possibly launching another store.
Strory #5: How Jack made 3,600 in sales and became a successful business owner
Check out Jack’s story — a single dad from Melbourne who turned his side hustle into a booming business. Without any prior ecommerce know-how, Jack dived into the online business world, hoping for the best. He picked a store from AliDropship, betting on a market he knew was already hot: automotive accessories.
Just a few months in, Jack’s store hit over $3,600 in sales from 66 orders. Starting with a mere $1,000 and a handful of products, he’s now expanded to a diverse range that’s bringing in more customers. Jack and his small team are all about testing what works, from paid ads to organic social media buzz.
Jack’s first sale felt like hitting a jackpot, proving his leap into ecommerce wasn’t just a dream. With patience, smart investments, and a bit of creativity in marketing, he believes anyone can turn a side project into.
Strory #6: Jeff’s path to $26K with just a few clicks
Meet Jeff, a guy who decided the regular 9-5 life wasn’t for him. With zero experience in online selling, Jeff took a leap into high-ticket dropshipping and guess what? He nailed it! In his first month, he made a whopping $26,000, thanks to selling high-ticket products online. The coolest part? One of those sales was a massive $14,995 order. Jeff’s journey from a corporate job to being his own boss in ecommerce is nothing short of inspiring. It shows that with the right approach, anyone can turn their dream of financial freedom into reality. Jeff’s future looks bright, and he’s just getting started.
Strory #7: Trevor’s $30K dropshipping journey
Trevor’s journey into the dropshipping world is nothing short of inspirational. Starting without much ecommerce experience, Trevor ventured into high-ticket dropshipping, seeking a more manageable approach to online sales. His breakthrough came from selling five high-end grills in a single order, netting him a cool $30,000. This success sprang from his clever use of Bing ads and a keen eye for profitable niches, proving you don’t need hundreds of sales to make big earnings. Now, Trevor eyes the future with optimism, planning to expand his product range and explore new markets, showing us all the power of high-ticket items in transforming dropshipping ventures.
Strory #8: At just 18 y.o. Ben made $100K/week
At just 18, Ben shattered expectations, raking in over $100K in a single week from his dropshipping store. With no prior experience but armed with a keen sense for market demands, Ben embarked on a digital adventure. By choosing high-ticket items that resonated with buyers and harnessing the power of TikTok ads, he saw his sales soar to $175,500.44. Ben’s story is not just about making money, it’s about the power of innovative marketing and finding the right product-market fit. As he looks to the future, Ben plans to diversify his marketing strategies and explore new product lines, proving age is just a number in the entrepreneurial journey.
Strory #9: How Kelly went from college to making $28K
Kelly’s journey from a busy college student to a high-ticket dropshipping success is nothing short of inspiring. Juggling studies and part-time work, she dared to dream big. With a keen eye for market demands and a leap of faith into high-ticket items, Kelly transformed her ecommerce venture, raking in $28,000 in just 30 days. Her secret? A strategic blend of choosing the right products and mastering digital marketing, proving that age and experience are no barriers to online business success. Now, balancing her day job and her thriving online store, Kelly’s story is a blueprint for aspiring entrepreneurs aiming for financial freedom and business growth.
If you want to know how these entrepreneurs operate right now, do not stop reading this article! The most exciting things are ahead!
How long should I wait until the first dropshipping sale?
Here, the answer is pretty simple: you shouldn’t wait at all.
When you run a newly launched store, it doesn’t have an established brand yet. So, the best strategy is to try out different marketing instruments, and test everything to the best of your abilities.
Examples of dropshipping entrepreneurs achieving their first sale
For example, from this thread, we learn that it took the author about a week to achieve his first sale. Being an experienced Internet marketer with a solid background in building WordPress sites he did the following:
- Picked the preferred promotional methods (AdWords and social media marketing);
- Installed the Social Rabbit plugin to automatically manage social media marketing;
- Connected Social Rabbit to the store’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Facebook pages;
- Got several additional external plugins that, in his own personal experience, prove to be beneficial for website management;
- Added and edited 3 times more products than he initially had;
- Launched his first shoutout campaign;
- Made several sitemap updates;
- Launched his first AdWords campaign;
- Made a conclusion on his pricing strategy and discounts policy;
- Updated his product offer paying attention to their prices and SEO aspect
In this case, the store owner wasn’t making any marketing efforts for about a week. Then, advertising campaigns on Bing and Facebook were launched, and in a couple of weeks, the first dropshipping income appeared.
This forum contributor doesn’t specify how long the store has been in operation – still, it gets clear that one week of advertisements through Facebook fan page and Instagram account was enough to generate the first sale ever.
And from this story, we can learn that the store owner concentrated on SEO in order to secure good business performance in the long run (don’t forget to take a look at our SEO checklist for dropshipping stores). It took about 2 months for the first sale to happen, and the poster mostly attributes this achievement to the successful use of the Social Rabbit plugin.
This store owner had to wait only four days for the first purchase at his online store. Can you imagine? Only four days! It’s nuts, really.
How much money do dropshippers make in general? What average dropshipping income can I expect?
And now, let’s talk about the prospects regarding your income.
It would surely be interesting to learn the average monthly dropshipping income worldwide. But, it would only be possible if every country obliged these entrepreneurs to officially submit their revenues.
So, instead of the officially collected data, we can only base our profit estimates on the real-life stories.
This AliDropship forum contributor runs a general store aimed on buyers from the Philippines, the USA, and Brazil. His average daily amount of sales exceeds $3,000! And although his road to success was bumpy, he had the courage, confidence, and faith (and Google AdWords) to make it possible to achieve these incredible results.
Here is another story from, Rewall. He spent about a year learning as much about dropshipping as possible. In about 2 months, the income of his 2 stores reached $26,700! Facebook Ads did the magic!
Pirn from Estonia also used the AliDropship forum to share his success story, but our team got so impressed with his achievements that we asked him for a blog interview right away. It’s quite understandable: having no background experience, this EU dropshipper managed to achieve an average dropshipping income exceeding $10,000 per month!
Similar results can be seen in the store of Kitty who runs her business in New Zealand. Knowing nothing about dropsipping or eCommerce, she went from 0 to $45,800+ in 3 years of pursuing her passion!
The list goes on and on; if you’re curious, feel free to read the story of Rahul from India whose 4 stores went from 0 to $12,000 in 5 months, or the story of Martin from the Netherlands who made over €4,100 in 30 days, or the story of Yan from France who went from 0 to $1358.41 in 52 days despite zero experience – we’ve got plenty of such testimonials.
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With AliDropship, running your store is a piece of cake. Our platform simplifies everything from order management to product updates, connecting you with customers all over the globe. You’ll have a vast selection of top-notch products at your fingertips, each with comprehensive details to supercharge your marketing efforts. Plus, our speedy shipping ensures your customers keep coming back for more.
Picture running an online shop that’s not just profitable but also reduces the headache of returns thanks to the exceptional quality of what you’re selling. That’s what you get with AliDropship. You’re not just starting a business—you’re building a brand known for its excellence and reliability.
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How to calculate your dropshipping profit?
The simple way to calculate your profits is to find the difference between your selling price and the price you purchased the item for. Additionally, you have to account for any overhead costs such as shipping, returns, online store maintenance, etc.
A good idea for a dropshipping store is to stick to low price products with high margin potential. Such items usually cost around $1-$20 and can be listed on an online store for a price of $20-$50 or even more.
The most successful dropshipping websites have shown us that the profit margin range is optimal. From our own experience, we recommend setting a profit margin of 40%-70%.
Here is the formula that works great for our dropshipping stores and can potentially work great for your business.
If you need more help, you can use our Dropshipping Profit Calculator to estimate your potential profit numbers.
What do your dropshipping profits depend on?
Let’s go over the factors that can influence your earnings from dropshipping business!
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Niche choice
If you haven’t tried our free dropshipping niche tool yet, it’s time to give it a shot! This instrument tells you if the niche is a good choice in terms of the number of products available, buyers’ interest, and promotional potential. The more demanded and product-rich the niche is, the sooner the first sale will happen.
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Payment gateways
If you read the dropshipping journeys shared on our forum, you’ll quickly notice that the range and quantity of payment methods supported on your website have paramount importance. Quite often, people show interest in the product offers, but, due to the payment system’s inconvenience/unreliability, they leave the store before completing the order. Read this article to learn more about the best payment gateways you can use for your dropshipping store.
Moreover, no matter what payment processing service you are using, whether it’s PayPal, Stripe, etc., you need to pay processing fees. And each service has a different fee rate.
So, for example, Stripe obliges you to pay 2.9% of each transaction and a $0.30 surcharge.
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Shipping
In dropshipping, you have to factor in how the shipping fee affects your final product price, and therefore, your profit. We’re covering the shipping price aspects in this article in detail – you’re welcome to take a look! When you work with AliDropship, you don’t need to worry about shipping prices eating your profits. We’ve ensured swift AND affordable delivery that you and your customers will appreciate.
How much do dropshippers make: summing it up
What conclusion can we draw from all these numbers?
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Dropshipping puts no limits on your profits
As you can see, each and every particular dropshipping store owner has a dramatically different level of income. Still, there is a striking similarity: all the owners are not constrained by any specific terms or requirements. They saw no limits on the amount of conducted sales, pricing markup, overall revenue, etc. Whatever the income amount is, it’s all yours. That’s exactly the thing that makes you highly motivated to keep developing the store, and aim higher.
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It’s not necessary to have any experience in dropshipping or ecommerce
When talking about the people who decided to go in for dropshipping, you may have noted that the majority of them had no experience in dropshipping at all. And despite this fact they successfully operate in this kind of business. The experience in IT, digital marketing, or exactly in dropshipping, certainly, will greatly assist you when running this business. Nevertheless, let me assure you that using AliDropship solution for dropshipping you can successfully launch a store and make it profitable even without a background knowledge.
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No obstacles are significant enough to put your dropshipping income at risk
Life goes pretty fast, and lots of events can directly or indirectly influence your dropshipping business performance.
For example, Mousdog’s success story reveals that he has unknowingly launched his business during the Chinese New Year (the time when the majority of AliExpress sellers go on a vacation that can last for up to several weeks). Fortunately, he still managed to run his business with the maximum efficiency possible, thanks to the flexibility of dropshipping business model. With due preparation, your store will still make enough money no matter what the circumstances are: Chinese New Year, Black Friday, or your own vacation.
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There is more to dropshipping business than just money
This idea is expressed very clearly in Otto’s success story: on numerous occasions, he mentions that there is a huge difference between running your own store and working for somebody. In Otto’s opinion, the fear of having to work for someone else’s benefit is the most powerful motivator to run your own venture.
As you can see, the answer to the ‘how much do dropshippers make?’ question depends on multiple factors which you, fortunately, can control and regulate by your own efforts. The best part? However much you earn in your own turnkey store, it’s all yours! With AliDropship, you can maximize your profits with no fuss.
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