Online shopping continues to rise in popularity—43% of US consumers would rather shop online than in-store. This shift creates new opportunities for dropshipping businesses to meet demand with convenience and variety.
The convenience of shopping from home, combined with the vast selection of products available through dropshipping stores, has made online shopping more appealing than ever.
Social media platforms and influencer marketing have also greatly contributed to the popularity of ecommerce. Millennials and Gen Z prefer to discover products on social media, with Gen X and Boomers also becoming more interested in online retail.
Source: Unsplash
6. Over 27% of retailers use dropshipping for fulfillment
Selling products on ecommerce platforms or your own ecommerce store without needing inventory is one of the main reasons many online retailers choose the dropshipping fulfillment model.
Since you don’t have to worry about delivering customer orders, there’s more time to focus on creating new products and marketing strategies to increase online sales.
Source: Pexels
7. 84% of ecommerce retailers struggle to find a good supplier
Choosing the right dropshipping services to trust with your entire fulfillment operation requires research. Here’s what to look out for:
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Check the company’s history and market experience
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Check pricing, shipping rates, and delivery times
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Read customer reviews on dropshipping websites
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Get sample orders to see the quality of the products you want to sell
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Ensure the supplier offers customization services—it’ll help you stand out from competitors
Printful is the leading print-on-demand dropshipping provider in the ecommerce industry. We offer 300+ premium products, including apparel, accessories, and home & living items.
8. Dropshipping can increase an online store’s profitability by around 18%
The dropshipping business model dramatically reduces overhead costs such as storage, unsold inventory, and upfront purchases.
Because there’s no physical inventory, dropshipping stores can offer various products and switch up their catalog without financial risk. Each product is fulfilled only after a customer makes a purchase.
While the dropshipping model is profitable, success depends on strong supplier relationships, smart pricing, and effective marketing strategies. Maximizing profits involves selecting high-margin products and optimizing the sales process to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Valuable read: How Profitable Is Dropshipping?
9. Dropshipping businesses have a 15–20% average profit margin
To calculate the profit margin for your dropshipping business, consider all the involved costs. This includes the dropshipping services you use, shipping, taxes, ecommerce platform, marketplace, website hosting fees, and marketing investments.
Keep this in mind when pricing the products on your online store.
Source: Unsplash
Since a third party does part of the work for you—fulfillment, packing, shipping, etc.—you’re also paying for that service, not just the product.
Pro tip: Not sure how to price products? Read our Beginner’s Guide to Product Pricing. Your price point will depend on your dropshipping niche, product type, and what your target audience is willing to pay.
Since launching TikTok Shop in 2023, TikTok has become the fastest-growing online shopping platform—especially among young digital buyers worldwide.
Source: eMarketer
The app is the most popular among younger audiences. In 2024, people aged 18–24 spent 76 minutes a day on TikTok. Compare that to 50 and 47 minutes in the 25–34 and 35–44 age groups.
The younger generations are also more likely to shop on TikTok. With hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, the social network strongly influences online consumption habits.
Source: Earnest Analytics
If you’re aiming to make money on TikTok, using TikTok dropshipping is a powerful way to sell merch directly on the platform.
11. Ecommerce sales exceeded $7T in 2024
Online sales generated over $7T in revenue in 2024. By 2028, global ecommerce sales will likely reach $10.4T.
In 2024, digital buyers worldwide were responsible for 17% of all retail sales, which is expected to reach nearly 21% by 2029.
Major online marketplaces like Amazon let small business owners use dropshipping—tap into this massive market and reach a growing wave of online shoppers.
4 dropshipping lessons from those who are doing it right
With the main stats covered, let’s look into some valuable insights from top-performing online businesses.
Choose your niche wisely
When choosing a dropshipping niche, a good approach is finding an intersection between personal interests and market demand. If you’re passionate about something, someone else will probably be too.
Learn more:
Check out Dogecore, a top-selling brand that makes money with internet meme designs. The brand attracts digital buyers by using humor and authenticity.
Source: Printful
Create value for your business
To stand out, your customers need you to create unique value. Think about what you can provide that goes beyond products.
Women Who Code is an excellent example. Their brand connects with a purpose-driven audience, using dropshipping to sell merchandise that supports and reflects their values—turning their store into a community, not just a shop.
Source: Printful
Take time to build your audience
Making your first sale and establishing a loyal customer base will take time. Building an audience and customer engagement on social media is a good starting point.
Look at Inspire Uplift—the brand started as a social media community before becoming a custom-built marketplace with 15K monthly orders.
Source: Printful
Explore how different businesses approach dropshipping
Not every business uses dropshipping for the same goal. For Match Kicks, it was a way to diversify their business. For itsjusta6, dropshipping was the solution for scaling the brand.
Take your time to think about how dropshipping can benefit your business.
