Dropshipping is a type of retail fulfillment method for online stores, where instead of warehousing inventory, merchants purchase products from third-party suppliers as customers make orders. The products are then shipped directly to the consumer. This way, the seller doesn’t have to handle the product directly. Sound familiar?
For the retail store manager, when it comes to shipping and order fulfillment, this is a mostly hands-off process. The merchant doesn’t have to stock products, order inventory in bulk, or physically fulfill the orders in any way. Instead, the third-party supplier will ship products on the merchant’s behalf.
Dropshipping is great for entrepreneurs because running a store doesn’t demand as much operational capital as the traditional retail model. You don’t have to open a brick-and-mortar store, hire employees, keep the lights on, pay overhead, or stock products. Instead, you open an online storefront and buy wholesale from suppliers who already have products and warehouse space.
