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You’re probably wondering how to start a dropshipping business with no money, and it’s a common thought. We had the same question when we started out, unsure if it was even possible.
Back then, we used free tools, leveraged social media to get traffic, and worked hard on building relationships with suppliers.
The key is to start small, use available resources wisely, and stay persistent. In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to follow this path and launch your dropshipping business without spending a single dollar.
The dropshipping business model is simple. You set up an online store and list products for sale. But instead of keeping the items in stock, you only buy them when a customer places an order.
Here’s how it works:
You don’t need to deal with inventory or shipping. We recommend finding reliable suppliers who can fulfill orders quickly, as this helps build trust with your customers. Your profit comes from the difference between what you charge and what you pay the supplier. It’s a great model to get started with minimal risk.
We can tell you from experience—it’s one of the easiest ways to begin selling online with little to no upfront costs. You don’t need to buy stock, rent space, or worry about shipping. Everything happens after a customer places an order.
We recommend starting this way because it lowers your risk. You can test different products and markets without investing money first. You can explore various niches, from fashion to tech gadgets, and find what works best for your audience.
Plus, many free tools and platforms allow you to get started without spending a dime. This means you can focus on growing your business without financial pressure.
Here are some of the advantages of starting your own dropshipping business:
Here’s how you can start a dropshipping store with no money and make it work:
The first step is finding a profitable niche—a specific category of products that people want to buy. You need to choose something that isn’t too crowded with competition but still has enough demand to make sales.
Start by using free tools like Google Trends to explore what’s popular. Go to Google Trends, enter a product idea (e.g., “LED dog collars”), and see how interest changes over time.
If the trend is going up or stable, it’s a good sign.
Take a look at the graph below for eco-friendly products.
You can see that while there are small dips, the overall interest has stayed strong over the last few years. This suggests there’s steady demand, making it a solid niche to explore further.
You can also use social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok to see what’s trending. Check popular hashtags related to your idea and note the level of engagement—likes, shares, comments. If people are excited about the topic, it means there’s an audience.
Now here’s a trick to save time: Instead of hunting all over the place, we like using Sell The Trend. This tool shows trending products across platforms like AliExpress, Amazon, and Shopify.
Here’s how we can use Sell The Trend to help find a profitable niche for dropshipping:
Start by opening the tool as shown below.
At the top, there’s a search bar where you can type in any product or category you’re curious about. Maybe you’re interested in something like “home decor” or “beauty products.”
Just enter it there, and you’ll instantly get results from a huge database of trending products—22 million options, to be exact.
Once you’ve hit search, you can filter the results to make things easier. For example, when we looked under the Beautycategory, we found items like a Shiatsu Foot Massager and Eyelash Lengthening Serum, both with great sales stats and profit potential.
To dig even deeper, we zoomed in on one product: the Shiatsu Foot Massager.
Here, we can see everything we need to make a decision—number of orders, total sales, product cost, and profit margin. It even has a handy graph that shows how the product’s sales have grown over time.
So, when choosing a niche, tools like Sell The Trend save you time and give you solid data to make smarter decisions. You can try it with a 14-day free trial and start exploring products right away.
What makes a good niche? When selecting your niche, think about:
The second step to starting dropshipping? Finding suppliers you can count on. You don’t want to deal with angry customers because of slow shipping or bad products, right?
How do you find these suppliers?
Start by heading to platforms like AliExpress or CJDropshipping. They’re free, easy to use, and give you access to thousands of suppliers. Let’s say you’re selling pet products. Just search “pet accessories” and filter by top-rated suppliers. Focus on suppliers with good ratings (4 stars or more) and fast shipping times.
Simple: Check customer reviews. If people complain about slow shipping or poor quality, move on. Also, message the supplier directly. Ask about shipping times and return policies. This tells you a lot about how responsive they are.
We always suggest ordering a sample product. It’s better to know what you’re selling upfront than get surprised later.
Here are some criteria for finding a reliable dropshipping supplier:
Ready to get your store up and running? You don’t need to spend a dime. There are plenty of platforms that let you build a free online store.
Big Cartel is a great option if you want something simple and free. You can list up to five products without paying anything. Sign up, pick a template that matches your brand, and start uploading your products. For example, if you’re selling eco-friendly gear, choose a clean, minimalist theme.
OR you can use Sell The Trend’s Sell Shop. It’s a free tool that helps you build a store without the fuss.
Here’s what you get:
Sell Shop makes it easy to get started, especially if you don’t want to deal with complicated setups.
Add high-quality images and clear product descriptions. Include the basics like shipping info, materials, and size options. Make sure the checkout process works smoothly—try it yourself to spot any issues before customers do.
We think using PayPal is a good idea. It’s free, secure, and familiar to most customers.
You don’t need a fat wallet to market your store. There are tons of ways to get the word out for free.
Social media is your best friend here. Create profiles on Instagram, Pinterest, or TikTok, depending on your audience. Post interesting content that shows your products in action.
Here’s how to do it:
Instagram:
Pinterest:
TikTok:
Another idea:
Write blog posts. Use a free platform like Medium or WordPress to create content that links back to your store.
We recommend connecting with micro-influencers in your niche. They often promote products in exchange for a sample or commission, which keeps your marketing costs at zero.
Want more traffic without paying for ads? That’s where SEO (Search Engine Optimization) comes in.
Start with keyword research. Use free tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to find out what people are searching for. We recommend focusing on keywords with high search volume and low competition. But what does that mean exactly?
High search volume means a lot of people are looking for that keyword each month. Generally, a keyword with 1,000 to 10,000 monthly searches is a good target. This range shows there’s demand without it being too broad or competitive.
Low competition means not too many websites are trying to rank for the same keyword. When using tools like Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner, look for keywords marked with low or medium competition. If you see a Keyword Difficulty (KD) score, aim for keywords with a KD of 30 or less. These are easier to rank for, especially when you’re starting out.
Sprinkle them into your product titles, descriptions, and blog posts. But don’t overdo it. Google loves helpful content, not keyword stuffing. Also, make sure your store loads quickly and looks good on mobile. Most people shop from their phones, so your site needs to be fast and easy to navigate.
We can’t stress this enough: Don’t forget about image alt text. Adding keywords to your image descriptions can boost your ranking in Google image search!
Email marketing is a great way to stay connected with your customers, and the best part? It’s free to start.
First, sign up for a free email marketing platform like Mailchimp. They offer free plans that let you manage a small list of subscribers. Next, add a sign-up form to your site. Offer a freebie or discount to get people to subscribe. For example, “Sign up and get 15% off your first order” is a good incentive.
Start with a welcome email. Introduce your brand, showcase popular products, and throw in a discount code to encourage a sale. Then, follow up with a weekly or monthly newsletter featuring new products, sales, or blog posts.
We suggest keeping your emails short and sweet. Most people won’t read long emails—especially on their phones.
Want to build trust with your customers? Start by getting reviews. And to do that, you need product samples. Luckily, many suppliers are happy to send samples for free.
Once you find a supplier, send them a message explaining that you’re planning to sell their product in your store. Mention that you’d like to review the item before listing it. Many suppliers will be happy to send a sample if it leads to more sales.
Take high-quality photos and write an honest review. Share it on your website, social media, and in your emails. Better yet, create a video unboxing or demo to show how the product works.
We recommend offering your customers a discount in exchange for a review. It’s a win-win—more sales for you, more trust for them!
Don’t have a website yet? No worries! You can start selling on free online marketplaces.
Sign up for a free seller account on platforms like Facebook Marketplace or eBay. Create listings with clear photos and descriptions. Be sure to highlight the benefits of your product—like durability, eco-friendliness, or affordability.
These marketplaces already have millions of users. You don’t need to drive traffic—buyers are already looking for products like yours. Plus, you only pay a small fee once you make a sale, so there’s no upfront cost.
We suggest joining Facebook selling groups related to your niche. It’s a great way to get your products in front of more people.
Customers love free shipping. But that doesn’t mean you have to absorb the cost. Many suppliers are open to offering free shipping if you ask.
Reach out to your supplier and explain that you want to offer free shipping to your customers. Ask if they can reduce or cover the shipping costs, especially if you plan to place regular or bulk orders. Suppliers often appreciate long-term partnerships and might be more flexible with shipping rates.
If they can’t provide free shipping for every order, ask if they can at least cover it for larger ones. You can offer free shipping to customers who spend over a certain amount, which can also boost your average order value.
We always recommend negotiating! It never hurts to ask, and it can save you a lot in the long run.
Looking for tips, tricks, or advice from experienced dropshippers? Join a dropshipping community! The best part? They’re free.
Look for Facebook groups, Reddit threads, or forums focused on dropshipping. Groups like “Shopify Entrepreneurs” on Facebook or r/dropshipping on Reddit are full of active members. Join in the discussions, ask questions, and share your experiences.
You can learn from others’ mistakes and successes. Plus, members often share valuable resources, like supplier recommendations, marketing tips, and free tools that can help you grow.
We think being active in these communities is key. You’ll get the most out of it by engaging, not just lurking.
Here are some common questions people ask when starting a dropshipping venture with little to no money.
Yes, you can start a successful dropshipping business without spending any money upfront.
Many platforms offer free trials, and you can find suppliers that don’t require fees to list their products. Marketing can also be done using free methods like social media, allowing you to build an audience without needing paid advertising.
It’s possible, but keep in mind that running a dropshipping venture with no money means you’ll need to rely heavily on organic traffic and free resources.
You won’t be able to use paid advertising at first, so your focus should be on providing excellent customer service and ensuring customer satisfaction to build customer loyalty. You can also do your own market research to find profitable niches without investing in expensive tools.
Absolutely. With $500, you can invest in things like dropshipping services that help automate your business, or you can use some of that budget for paid advertising to drive traffic faster. This gives you more flexibility to scale your dropshipping journey and test different marketing strategies.
Starting with $100 is possible, but it will be tight. You can still use free trials for tools like Shopify or marketing platforms and focus your budget on must-haves like a domain name or specific dropshipping services that help you manage orders. The key is to maximize your resources and stay focused on customer satisfaction.
Starting a dropshipping journey with no money or a small budget is definitely possible. You can rely on free trials, organic traffic, and market research to get your business off the ground.
As your business grows, focus on delivering excellent customer service to build customer loyalty. Whether you’re starting with $0 or $500, the most important thing is to keep improving your dropshipping venture and adapt as you go.
