Are you interested in creating an online business and discovering how to sell on Shopify? Shopify is a top e-commerce platform, used by millions of businesses to sell products online. But how can we make our store stand out from the crowd and attract customers?

The key lies in selling trending items to the appropriate audience and diversifying our store offerings. That’s why we’ll provide some tips and strategies on how to sell on Shopify effectively. From optimizing our product listings to creating a compelling brand, we’ll cover everything we need to succeed on this platform.

Key Takeaways

Shopify dropshipping lets us sell online without managing inventory—suppliers handle fulfillment while we focus on marketing and growth.

Winning product research is key! Use AutoDS Ads Spy, Winning Products Hub, Google Trends, and social media to find trending items.

Setting up a Shopify store involves choosing a theme, adding products, optimizing listings, and automating tasks with AutoDS for efficiency.

Marketing is crucial—use PPC ads, influencer collaborations, email marketing, and SEO to drive traffic and boost sales.

Dropshipping automation with AutoDS simplifies product imports, order fulfillment, and pricing adjustments, making scaling a Shopify business easier.

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What Is Dropshipping & How Does It Work On Shopify?

Ok, but what is Shopify dropshipping? It’s the ultimate shortcut to e-commerce success. Imagine running an online store without the headaches of managing inventory or shipping orders. That’s the power of dropshipping. You simply partner with suppliers who handle all the behind-the-scenes work, leaving you free to focus on growing your business and maximizing your profits.

Shopify provides the perfect platform for your dropshipping venture. It’s user-friendly, allowing you to customize your store and list unlimited products effortlessly. Plus, with tools like AutoDS, you can automate tasks like product importing and order fulfillment, giving you a serious competitive edge.

With low start-up costs and massive profit potential, Shopify dropshipping is your ticket to e-commerce success. Ready to dive in and discover how it can transform your business dreams into reality?

How To Sell On Shopify With No Inventory

Let’s pave the way for e-commerce success by learning how to sell on Shopify without inventory. Here are the proven steps toward a successful Shopify dropshipping business:

  1. Research Winning Products To Sell On Shopify
  2. Setting Up On Shopify: Create Your Dropshipping Store
  3. Promote Your Shopify Store
  4. Fulfill Customer Orders On Shopify
  5. Provide Exceptional Customer Service

Without further ado, let’s cover each step.

1. Research Winning Products To Sell On Shopify

The first step in selling on Shopify is finding winning products. Remember that Shopify has no organic traffic, so we need to offer products that customers are searching for. Conducting product research provides valuable insights into market demand, customer preferences, and competition.

Here are tested and proven ways to find best-selling items: 

In the following sections, we’ll discuss how to utilize these product-finding methods.

Spy On Your Competition

How to sell on shopify without inventory

Understanding what works for other sellers can give us a serious edge in dropshipping. With AutoDS Ads Spy, we can uncover winning products and analyze the advertising strategies of top-performing sellers.

This powerful tool lets us track trending ads, see which products are getting the most engagement, and analyze successful marketing campaigns. By studying what works, we can refine our own approach, discover high-converting products, and optimize our store’s strategy for better sales. With these insights, we stay ahead of the competition and build a unique, profitable Shopify store.

AutoDS Winning Products Hub

AutoDS Winning Products Hub

The AutoDS Winning Products Hub provides diverse top-sellers from supported suppliers. In addition to finding trending items, the Hub gives us insights into the products’ popularity and profitability. The platform uncovers an item’s cost, retail price, and profit margin to help us set competitive rates when dropshipping on Shopify.

how to start selling on shopify

The Hub also provides information on a product’s variations and shipping arrangements. It also helps us analyze the Facebook Ad of another seller that is getting a lot of traction from a broad audience.

Additionally, the platform offers a sample target audience, identifying the individuals to whom we should promote and sell our products. On top of that, the platform uncovers the successes of a product’s current seller, so we can adopt good practices and identify room for improvement. 

Product-Finding Blog & Best Sellers YouTube Playlist

AutoDS Product-Finding Blog

Another way to discover what to sell on Shopify is by checking out the AutoDS Product-Finding Blog. Also, the AutoDS Best Sellers YouTube Playlist is an excellent source of the latest trends in the market. On these platforms, we can explore up-to-date blog articles and videos about top product ideas we can dropship on Shopify. 

Pro Tip: Install the AutoDS all-in-one Shopify app to make Shopify dropshipping even more simple and successful!

Optimize Google Trends & Google Lens

Search Volumes On Google Trends

Google Trends and Google Lens are helpful ways to explore winning products to sell on Shopify. Google Trends informs us about the popularity of relevant keywords according to customer web activities. Meanwhile, Google Lens is an image recognition technology that helps us discover item sources and other insights by scanning product images.

To utilize Google Lens, we’ll find an image of a product we want to uncover. Then, right-click on the image and choose ‘Search image with Google.’ In the right-side panel of the screen, Google Lens will appear, offering various options, such as search, text, or translate.

Search Product Source Through Google Lens

Once we click the ‘Find image source,’ Google Lens shows different sites containing the same image. We can explore these options and uncover insights about the product. For instance, we can uncover the suppliers that source the same product.

Analyze Supplier Best-Seller Sections

Amazon best-sellers page

We can also analyze suppliers’ best-seller sections to learn about popular products. These sections showcase products with recent purchases and high-volume sales. Hence, we’ll know what items customers frequently buy and offer the same on Shopify.

For instance, we can search trending products to sell on Shopify from Amazon. On the platform, go to Amazon’s Best Sellers section and find top-selling items to dropship. With the popularity and profitability of these trending products, we can surely expand our Shopify dropshipping business.

Keep Track Of Social Media Trends

Keep Track Of Social Media Trends

Keeping track of social media trends is an excellent way of exploring in-demand products. We can check social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, for the latest product hashtags or relevant keywords. Then, we can offer similar products on Shopify with enormous sales potential.

Pro Tip: When dropshipping on Shopify, we can take advantage of TikTok marketing to promote our business on social media. By creating engaging content and leveraging TikTok’s algorithm to reach a wider audience, we can drive more traffic to our store.

2. Setting Up On Shopify: Create Your Dropshipping Store

When learning how to sell products on Shopify, setting up an optimized online store is crucial. Here are the steps to create an enticing Shopify store:

  1. Sign Up For A Shopify Account
  2. Name Your Business
  3. Connect Your Domain
  4. Create A Store Logo
  5. Choose A Shopify Theme
  6. Connect To AutoDS 
  7. Import Products 
  8. Optimize Your Product Page 
  9. Customize Your Homepage 
  10. Select Your Store Currency
  11. Set Up Checkout Settings & Shipping Zones
  12. Generate Store Policies & Legal Pages 
  13. Create A Blog Page For Organic Traffic 
  14. Edit The Navigation Menu
  15. Configure Payment Providers

Want a Shopify store set up instantly? The AutoDS AI-built Shopify Store takes care of everything for you—from designing your store to adding winning products automatically. This feature helps new dropshippers launch a professional, optimized store in no time, making it easier to start selling without technical headaches.

A new AutoDS feature lets users switch to a .store domain, which is great for brand image and customer trust. The first year is free, allowing you to explore the benefits of a professional domain while third-party services handle ongoing costs.

Since the quality of our items determines our sales potential, let’s dive into product imports and product page optimization.

Importing Products To Shopify

Once we have a great selection of items, we must learn how to add products to Shopify. There are two ways to add products to Shopify: manually and automatically.

Manual Product Importing Method

Let’s review the manual importing of products on Shopify. Manual product imports require us to provide a product’s information individually.

To get started, we must access our Shopify account by clicking the ‘Login’ button. On the Shopify Dashboard, locate the ‘Products’ tab on the left-hand sidebar. To begin creating a new product page, click ‘Add Product’ and enter the necessary details for the item.

Manual Product Importing Method Add Products To Shopify

To begin creating the product page, we’ll set the title, description, and product type. After defining the product, we must include images to showcase it.

To do so, navigate to the ‘Add Product’ tab on the ‘Media’ page. From there, we can choose to ‘Add File’ and upload an image directly from our computer. Alternatively, we can click ‘Add from URL’ and provide a link to the image.

The next step is to set up pricing, shipping, and inventory details. Besides these aspects, we also need to add product tags and collections. Go to the ‘Product organization’ section to include product tags and collections.

Next, access the product page to modify and preview the search engine listing. Review the ‘Search engine listing’ section and improve the appearance of the product listing by selecting ‘Edit.’ At this point, we can establish SEO-related page titles, meta descriptions, and URL handles.

Once all adjustments have been made, click ‘Save’ to implement the changes. Now we are prepared to present our products to our intended audience.

Automatic Product Importing Method

The manual importing method takes much time and effort. Since we need to explore and add diversified product choices on Shopify, we must utilize a faster and easier way of listing several items. That’s why, the automatic product importing method is a more efficient method to establish comprehensive product listings in the shortest time possible.

AutoDS manages the import process for automatic product imports on our behalf. Thus, it minimizes input errors and takes only a few minutes to finish.

As our partner in Shopify dropshipping, AutoDS offers these easy-to-use automatic product-importing methods:

  • Single Product Uploader
  • Multiple Product IDs/URLs
  • Bulk Importer

Among these methods, let’s highlight the bulk importer. This method allows us to add multiple products under a specific category simultaneously. As a result, we can save time while enjoying a wide range of products to dropship on Shopify.

Bulk Importer

audods bulk import feature

Head to the AutoDS platform and select ‘Add Products’ from the left-hand menu. Then, choose the ‘Multiple Products/Stores’ option.

In the dialog box, select ‘URLs or IDs’ and copy/paste the product links from your suppliers. Alternatively, we can drag and drop a CSV file into the dialog box and automatically import everything in that file.

Next, click ‘Add As Drafts‘ to upload all product URLs. Once the products are on the ‘Drafts’ page, the optimization process can begin.

After optimizing the products, click the ‘Save’ button to update the items. Then, click the ‘Import’ button to publish the products on our Shopify store.

Now, our products will appear on the ‘Products’ page. Likewise, the products are now available on our Shopify store, and customers can begin checking them out.

For an easier way to add best-selling products automatically, we can directly import items from the AutoDS Winning Products Hub. Undeniably, automatic product importing methods save us from the tedious task of manually adding products to Shopify. In just a few clicks, we can offer customers a wide range of products on our Shopify dropshipping stores.

Optimizing The Product Page 

Creating a winning product list is not enough to attract customers. That’s why, we need to optimize the product page to ensure high conversion rates.

Product page optimization refers to enhancing various product listing aspects, such as the title, description, images, pricing, and more. The objective of the optimization is to improve the product’s visibility and search engine ranking. 

To achieve an attractive product page, we can set search engine-optimized titles, descriptions, tags, and collections. We can utilize AutoDS AI Title & Description Generator, an AI writing tool, to generate relevant texts that will improve our product information and conversions.

Optimizing Dropshipping Product Variants

Another product aspect that we need to optimize is the variations. We have to choose what product options we want to sell on our Shopify stores. In addition, we have to set appropriate fees, profit margins, and other relevant costs to the product variants. 

Optimizing Dropshipping Product Images

Moreover, adding high-quality images will help highlight a product’s value and features. We can utilize supplier images and add suitable alternative (ALT) texts for better visibility on customer searches. Furthermore, we can check and revise product specifications according to the product needs.

Optimizing Dropshipping Product Specifications

On top of that, we can also improve our Shopify store’s appearance by adding customer-friendly layouts and themes. Plus, we need to arrange navigation links in such a way that they’re accessible to customers. Above all, ensure that policy pages are available on our Shopify stores, as these guidelines help us extend quality business to customers.

Optimizing the product page can make our products more appealing and informative to customers. Doing so can increase the likelihood of our products being purchased by potential customers.

All the above-mentioned optimization processes were achieved with the help of the AutoDS platform. This means all changes are immediately reflected on our Shopify dropshipping stores. 

3. Promote Your Shopify Store

Promoting Your Shopify Dropshipping Store

Promoting our business is essential in learning how to sell on Shopify. Marketing our Shopify products is crucial because it is how we build brand awareness and generate demand for our products.

Similarly, it helps us attract new customers, differentiate our products from competitors’, and increase sales. Therefore, marketing our Shopify products is vital for the growth of our e-commerce venture.

With that said, here are effective strategies we can adopt to market our Shopify dropshipping business:

  • PPC Ads
  • Influencer Marketing 
  • Email Marketing
  • SEO Optimized Blog
  • Social Media Strategies

With more target markets reached and increased brand visibility, we can set apart our Shopify dropshipping business from the competition. Then, we will reap the rewards of substantial dropshipping sales.

4. Fulfill Customer Orders On Shopify

Fulfill Customer Orders On Shopify Quickly

When we begin getting sales, we must learn how to fulfill orders on a Shopify dropshipping store. Generally, there are three ways to fulfill customer demands on Shopify:

  • Manual Order Fulfillment
  • Automatic Orders
  • Fulfilled By AutoDS

Manually fulfilling orders on Shopify can be time-consuming and error-prone. This process involves purchasing products from suppliers and entering customer details individually. Moreover, this method is tedious, especially when dealing with numerous daily orders.

To address this issue, automating the order fulfillment process is a more efficient approach to serving customer demands. With AutoDS, we can enjoy the benefits of automatic order fulfillment features: Automatic Orders and Fulfilled by AutoDS.

With Automatic Orders, the system utilizes your buyer accounts to meet customer demands. Buyer accounts are the payment methods we set on the suppliers’ websites. Additionally, this method provides updated tracking information to monitor customer orders properly.

On the other hand, Fulfilled by AutoDS (FBA) allows us to fulfill customer demands using auto-order credits, eliminating the need to worry about purchase limits. Additionally, for FBA the buyer accounts used are the AutoDS buyer accounts. Plus, the tool offers real-time order tracking updates. Besides that, it has managed shipping fees and cashback for supported suppliers.

Automating the order fulfillment process helps us serve customer demands efficiently and run our Shopify stores smoothly. All in all, fulfilling orders promptly leads to customer satisfaction and business growth.

Pro Tip: AutoDS now offers a customizable Product Page template for Shopify! This AI-powered feature helps you import products with a high-converting design, making your store look more professional and boosting sales.

5. Provide Exceptional Customer Service

Extend Excellent Customer Support

Besides product research and marketing, customer service is integral to business success. Providing exceptional customer service is the act of going above and beyond to exceed our customers’ expectations. We can extend a positive shopping experience by offering timely assistance, resolving issues promptly, and maintaining open communication.

With that in mind, here are proven ways to achieve maximum customer satisfaction with our Shopify dropshipping business:

  • FAQ page
  • Ticket submission
  • Live chat
  • Email
  • Phone

Outstanding customer service is essential for building customer loyalty, fostering positive relationships, and driving repeat business. Providing excellent customer support can create a favorable impression of our business, increasing brand awareness.

What Products To Avoid Selling On Shopify

When mastering how to sell on Shopify, we must remember the restrictions on some product categories. As such, Shopify has strict policies regarding selling certain products on the platform.

The following are examples of product categories that are prohibited from being sold on Shopify:

  • Branded products
  • Copyrighted items
  • Dangerous products
  • Supplements
  • Illegal products
  • Tobacco and related products
  • Age-restricted goods
  • Adult content

Offering these products can lead to store suspensions or legal sanctions. It is vital to review Shopify’s policies regarding prohibited products before setting up an online store on the platform.

In line with that, AutoDS has a VeRO system, which is also applicable to our Shopify dropshipping stores. The system is designed to immediately detect when a product falls into a category that is not dropshipping-friendly. Then, the system gives us a warning so that we can avoid adding prohibited items to our Shopify stores.

How To Scale Selling On Shopify With Automation

Yay! After learning how to sell on Shopify, it’s time to take our online business to greater heights. To scale our Shopify business, we need these helpful tools and tips:

  • Dropshipping Automation With AutoDS
  • Product Variations
  • Advanced Image Editor
  • ChatGPT
  • Shopify Apps

Let’s find out how these factors can help us manage our online stores efficiently.

Dropshipping Automation

Scale Your Shopify Business By Dropshipping Automation

Above all, dropshipping automation is the key to success when selling on Shopify. With dropshipping automation, we can efficiently run our Shopify business. Integrating with a top dropshipping software like AutoDS is essential to fully automate our business processes.

With AutoDS, here are the features we can automate:

  • Quick Product Imports
  • Advanced Product Research Marketplace 
  • Complete Order Fulfillment
  • Price/Stock Monitoring
  • Automatic Price Optimization
  • Inventory Management
  • and much more!

With dropshipping automation, we can increase efficiency, save time, reduce errors, improve scalability, and streamline repetitive tasks. Ultimately, it can lead to optimized Shopify stores and massive profits.

Product Variations

Diversifying our Shopify product listings is crucial. Fortunately, when our suppliers offer multiple product variations, AutoDS automatically adds them for us. Additionally, it is possible to include products from various suppliers within the same variation. 

Add Product Variations

We can easily add a variant on the AutoDS product page by going to the variants tab, scrolling down to “add variant,” and pasting the supplier URL to the variation there. As a result, our product page becomes more unique, as no other dropshipper will offer the exact item variations.

Remember to explore more products and add over 20 variations. Also, we must add similar variations to best sellers and remove slow movers. By doing so, we can ensure the maximum sales potential of our products on Shopify.

Advanced Image Editor

AutoDS' Advanced Image Editor

By partnering with AutoDS, we can enjoy the benefits of a built-in image editor. Here, we can generate high-quality images to highlight our products’ features. Plus, we can add texts or icons to make images more distinctive.

Remember that product images showcase the value of our items visually. Hence, they must be unique and creative to attract customers to check out our products.

AutoDS AI Product Title & Description Generator

The AutoDS AI Product Title & Description Generator uses AI-powered algorithms to generate optimized titles and descriptions in seconds. You can choose the tone and feeling of your product listing and get enhanced AI-generated product titles and descriptions to boost conversions. 

It’s perfect for dropshipping beginners who struggle with copywriting and experienced sellers looking to scale faster. With this AI copy tool, you can skip the tedious manual writing for every product you sell. Instead, you can create high-converting product titles and descriptions optimized with relevant product info and tailored to your brand in just seconds.

Shopify Apps

The right Shopify apps can help us increase sales, improve conversions, and enhance the customer experience. From upsell boosters and cart recovery tools to AI-powered product recommendations, these apps optimize our store for maximum profitability.

For example, apps like Frequently Bought Together and ReConvert Upsell & Cross Sell increase average order value by suggesting relevant products and post-purchase offers. Meanwhile, tools like PushOwl Notifications help recover abandoned carts and keep customers engaged with personalized messages.

By integrating these powerful Shopify apps into our store, we can boost conversions, streamline marketing efforts, and drive more sales on autopilot.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Sell On Shopify? 

To sell on Shopify, you must conduct product research and set up your online store. Then, add items to your Shopify store and optimize your product pages. Also, you must remember to effectively market your business, fulfill customer orders quickly, and provide excellent customer support.

Is Selling On Shopify Free?

Shopify offers a free trial, and your first 3 months is $1/month (subject to change). After such, you can opt for paid subscriptions to continue selling on Shopify. The subscription plans include Basic at $39/month, Shopify at $105/month, and Advanced at $399/month.

Is It Hard For A Beginner To Sell On Shopify?

Shopify provides ample support, including email, chat, phone, a community forum, and an online Help Center to assist beginners in getting started. Despite a slight learning curve, Shopify’s resources make it accessible for beginners without technical knowledge. Plus, you can access the AutoDS Free Shopify Course for a comprehensive step-by-step guide on dropshipping on the platform.

How Do I Optimize My Product Listings To Increase Sales On Shopify?

You can utilize Shopify apps to enhance your product listings. Aside from that, you should explore different item variations, use an advanced image editor, and utilize ChatGPT to improve your product pages. 

What Is The Best Way To Drive Traffic And Sales To My Shopify Store? 

Above all, dropshipping automation can help optimize your product listings and drive huge sales. You can partner with AutoDS and enjoy automation features that streamline your Shopify store’s processes. Moreover, the right marketing tools can help expand your market reach, maximizing your Shopify dropshipping store’s sale potential.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, learning how to sell on Shopify is a breeze. With its user-friendly platform, beginners can confidently leverage Shopify’s abundant features.

Knowing what and how to sell on Shopify doesn’t end here. We must continuously alleviate our Shopify business through dropshipping automation. Then, we can drive more sales to our stores and achieve e-commerce success.

Start dropshipping on Shopify today and unlock a world of possibilities for successful online selling. To help us expand our know-how on Shopify, here are insightful articles to check out: