Promoting merchandise on-line utilizing conventional manufacturing strategies takes loads of effort. Managing stock and cupboard space, crafting compelling product descriptions and advertising methods, balancing delivery prices and revenue margins . . . the checklist goes on. Don’t you’re feeling like taking a nap already?
The excellent news is that there’s a technique to get rid of bodily stock. Sure, it received’t robotically make working a Shopify retailer a stroll within the park, however it will make your life a lot simpler.
There are a lot of methods to keep away from holding your personal stock, however in the present day, we’ll deal with the 4 hottest choices. By the top of this text, you’ll know find out how to promote on Shopify with out stock.
Methods to promote on Shopify with out stock: 4 strategies defined
Shopify provides a number of strategies that let you construct a web-based enterprise and generate income with out the trouble of managing any bodily product. We’ll cowl 4 common strategies to promote on Shopify with out holding stock: print-on-demand, provider dropshipping, digital merchandise, and affiliate merchandise. You’ll get a short overview, professionals, cons, and tricks to choose one of the best match for your small business wants.
1. Print-on-demand (POD) dropshipping
What’s it, and the way does it work?
POD dropshipping is a enterprise mannequin the place you personalize merchandise together with your design, and a print-on-demand service like Printful creates and ships your merchandise to your clients.
Constructing an ecommerce enterprise with POD dropshipping means selecting a good print-on-demand service, constructing a web-based retailer on an ecommerce platform or marketplace, and connecting it to your POD supplier. You’re answerable for creating the designs, advertising merchandise, and constructing a model. Your POD supplier handles the manufacturing and delivery logistics—when clients buy one thing out of your retailer, the merchandise are shipped on to them.
When you choose a print-on-demand dropshipping (additionally known as private-label dropshipping) firm like Printful, you promote white-label products. Which means every thing occurs underneath your model—Printful’s title doesn’t seem anyplace. You set your emblem on labels, packaging, and even your order monitoring web page.
You could find the Printful app on the Shopify app store. You can even examine all of the accessible third-party apps: see what number of critiques every firm has and what’s their ranking.
Supply: Shopify app retailer
Helpful learn: Connecting Your Shopify Store to Printful in 4 Simple Steps
Execs and cons
Execs |
Cons |
No stock prices |
Larger per-unit price |
Customizable merchandise |
Restricted product sorts |
Simple to begin and scale |
Longer success occasions |
Low upfront funding |
High quality management can differ |
Versatile product choices |
Dependence on POD supplier |

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Select POD dropshipping if
You take pleasure in creating designs and constructing a model and need to outsource product creation and delivery to a good POD firm like Printful. This technique is good for these in search of a low upfront funding and the flexibleness to supply customizable merchandise.

2. Provider dropshipping
What’s it, and the way does it work?
Provider dropshipping mannequin is what you might name “traditional dropshipping.” You discover a dropshipping provider, add their merchandise to your retailer with little to no customization, and the provider then takes care of packing and delivery the merchandise to your buyer.
The dropshipping enterprise typically will get a foul rep as a result of it typically entails sourcing merchandise via dropshipping suppliers like AliExpress or Alibaba, the place the product high quality is poor and inconsistent. You can even dropship merchandise from respected corporations that supply high-quality dropshipping companies.
The Shopify dropshipping enterprise mannequin can look vastly completely different based mostly on the kind you select:
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Print-on-demand dropshipping—designing merchandise like custom t-shirts, mugs, posters, and custom hoodies
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Branded dropshipping—signifies that suppliers manufacture merchandise however carry your model’s label and packaging
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Provider dropshipping—partnering with dropshipping suppliers who’ve ready-made merchandise and deal with the storage, packaging, and delivery course of
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Retail arbitrage dropshipping—sourcing merchandise from different on-line retail shops (as a substitute of producers or suppliers) at a lower cost and promoting them at a better value in your personal retailer
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Excessive-ticket dropshipping—promoting higher-priced, premium merchandise with greater revenue margins per sale
Helpful learn: How to Dropship on Shopify: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
Execs and cons
Execs |
Cons |
Low startup prices |
Decrease revenue margins |
Huge number of merchandise |
Much less management over product high quality |
No stock administration |
Longer delivery occasions |
Simple so as to add new merchandise |
Potential inventory availability points |
Scalable enterprise mannequin |
Reliance on provider reliability |
Select Shopify dropshipping if
You like all kinds of ready-made merchandise made by third-party success facilities and need an easy-to-scale enterprise. It fits those that prioritize fast setup and the power so as to add new merchandise simply regardless of having much less management over product high quality and delivery occasions.
3. Digital merchandise
What’s it, and the way does it work?
Promoting digital merchandise on Shopify means promoting non-physical objects that clients can obtain or entry on-line. This technique eliminates the dealing with of a bodily product. To promote digital merchandise on a Shopify retailer, you arrange your on-line retailer, checklist your digital merchandise, and use apps like Digital Downloads or Sky Pilot to handle the supply course of.
Digital obtain apps. Supply: Shopify app store
Some digital product sorts you may promote on Shopify:
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E-books
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On-line programs
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Printables (e.g., planners, calendars)
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Digital artwork or illustrations
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Web site themes and templates
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Graphic design templates (e.g., logos, enterprise playing cards)
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Digital advertising guides
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Health plans and exercise guides
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Recipes and meal plans
Earlier than promoting digital merchandise, you could go to Shopify’s help center to discover ways to take away delivery prices, create a obtain hyperlink, and extra.
Execs and cons
Execs |
Cons |
No stock or delivery prices |
Could be pirated or copied |
Excessive revenue margins |
Requires technical abilities to create |
On the spot supply |
Excessive competitors in digital marketplaces |
Create as soon as, promote limitless occasions |
Tougher to construct perceived worth |
Could be bought globally with out delivery |
Preliminary creation might be time-consuming |
Select digital merchandise if
You’ve got the abilities to create invaluable digital objects like e-books, on-line programs, or graphic templates. This technique permits for top revenue margins and international gross sales. It’s glorious for these trying to create as soon as and promote a number of occasions regardless of the challenges of piracy, excessive competitors, and preliminary time funding in product creation.

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4. Affiliate merchandise
What’s it, and the way does it work?
Promoting affiliate merchandise on Shopify means selling merchandise of different manufacturers or corporations and getting a fee for every sale made via your referral hyperlink. To do that, you place affiliate hyperlinks in your Shopify retailer, directing guests to your accomplice’s web site to finish the acquisition.
To search out affiliate merchandise, be a part of affiliate networks like Amazon Associates, Printful Affiliate Program, or Commission Junction. These networks let you select from 1000’s of merchandise throughout varied niches.
Supply: Printful
For one of the best outcomes, choose high-quality, trending products that align together with your area of interest. Promote these merchandise utilizing partaking content material and critiques, and guarantee your web site design is user-friendly to construct belief together with your viewers. Use search engine optimization methods and social media advertising to drive site visitors to your retailer and improve conversions.
Helpful learn: 10 Tips for Affiliate Marketers to Make More Money in 2024
Need some steerage on find out how to do affiliate internet marketing? Try Printful’s Affiliate Marketing Lessons.
Supply: Printful
Execs and cons
Execs |
Cons |
No must handle stock |
No management over product high quality |
Big selection of merchandise to select from |
Dependence on the affiliate accomplice |
Scalable with a number of affiliate applications |
Excessive competitors |
Passive earnings potential |
Potential delays in receiving commissions |
Simple so as to add and alter merchandise |
Fee buildings can differ broadly |
Select affiliate merchandise if
You need to promote merchandise via partaking content material and have a knack for advertising. It provides a variety of merchandise to advertise and has the potential for passive earnings, though it means relying on affiliate companions and going through excessive competitors.
Your time to shine
No matter what folks on the web and so-called “consultants” could say, promoting on Shopify (even with out the complications of stock) received’t be a golden ticket to freedom for those who don’t make investments time and vitality into constructing a model. So, choose one thing you truly need to go for.
Whether or not you design distinctive merchandise with print-on-demand, curate a variety from suppliers, craft digital masterpieces, or money in on affiliate internet marketing, choose a way tailor-made to your strengths and passions. We’re right here to assist you nevertheless we are able to: tell us within the feedback if there’s something you’d like us to cowl.
Incessantly requested questions