I Tried Dropshipping on Tiktok With $0…

Introduction

So we all know that drop shipping is a heck of a lot easier when you have money, access to top-quality suppliers, roadmaps and strategies for success, content creators for ads, and all those resources. But today, I'm not here to talk about all that because there's a new kid on the block, and that is TikTok. It has never been easier to launch a brand new store with a brand new product and start seeing profits in as little as 24 hours. I am going to walk you through my exact process on how to do so.

Step 1: Selecting the Product

The first thing we have to do for this challenge is to select our product. We need a product that's going to practically sell itself because for this challenge I don't want to spend any money. I want to show you guys the power of organic marketing and how you can take a brand new product from zero to profitable within just a matter of days. So where's the best place to look for that? Probably TikTok. We're going to start with the hashtag method, looking up hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, #AmazonFinds, #Unboxing, and find product reviews and testimonials of different products and see which ones have gone viral on the platform already.

Step 2: Sourcing the Product

For this challenge, I'm only going to be using three methods because I want to show you guys how to do this without spending any money. I'll also show a cheeky method to find the most viral videos for a product on TikTok using the "most liked" filter. Once I find a product, I'll verify its potential using my winning product checklist which includes factors like wow factor, price, exclusivity, and broad appeal.

Step 3: Building the Store

Now we need to find a way to source these products. Aliexpress isn't going to cut it due to high shipping costs and long delivery times. Instead, I'll use De-essers, a powerful tool that helps you find multiple suppliers, negotiate prices, and ensure fast shipping. Next, I'll acquire the product by messaging suppliers on Amazon to see if they can send me a product for free in exchange for a review or a testimonial video.

Step 4: Creating the Shopify Store

During the waiting period, I'll start creating the Shopify store. Normally, my team at Outright Ecom would do this but for the sake of this challenge, I'll be doing it myself. This involves setting up a professional-looking store ready to convert traffic into sales.

Step 5: Creating Ads

Fun part: creating ads. To do this, I'll use simple, raw, and authentic user-generated content (UGC) style videos that are native to the TikTok platform. These ads won't look like ads but like regular TikToks to blend into the platform seamlessly.

Step 6: Organic Posting Strategy

Here's the organic posting strategy I'll use for TikTok. If your account has less than 1,000 followers, you need to set up an Instagram account and drive traffic there. I'll be posting three times a day (reduced to two posts for this challenge) and using trending sounds, overlays, and hashtags. Engagement is crucial, so interacting with other creators in the niche and with my audience will help grow the account.

Step 7: Results and Reflection

A few days later, despite initial low views and engagement, the approach started getting traction. TikTok algorithms can be tricky, but warming up the account helped. I even tried buying a few followers to see if it would help with gaining traffic. Surprisingly, we managed to make sales. We had nine cart adds, seven checkouts, and two successful orders totaling $ 90 in sales.

Ultimately, the challenge taught me the importance of persistence and engagement, showing that even with minimal traffic, having a solid product and strategy can yield results.

Keywords

Dropshipping
TikTok
Organic Marketing
Aliexpress
Shopify
De-essers
User-Generated Content (UGC)
Organic Posting Strategy
TikTok Algorithm

FAQ

Q: What is the "hashtag method" for finding products on TikTok?

A: The hashtag method involves looking up popular hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, #AmazonFinds, and #Unboxing to find reviews and testimonials of various products. This helps identify which products have already gone viral.

Q: Why not use Aliexpress for sourcing?

A: Aliexpress often has high shipping prices and long delivery times. Therefore, tools like De-essers are used to find multiple suppliers, negotiate prices, and ensure faster shipping.

Q: What kind of ads work best on TikTok?

A: User-generated content (UGC) style ads work best on TikTok. These are raw, authentic, and vertical video styles shot on an iPhone, designed to look like native TikTok content instead of traditional ads.

Q: How do you drive traffic when you have fewer than 1,000 followers on TikTok?

A: If you have fewer than 1,000 followers, you cannot put a link in your TikTok bio. Instead, set up an Instagram account, place the link there, and drive traffic from your TikTok to your Instagram.

Q: What should you focus on when engaging the TikTok algorithm?

A: Spend time engaging with other creators in your niche, follow trending sounds and hashtags, and regularly interact with your followers. This interaction shows TikTok that your account is active and genuine.

Q: What were the final results of the challenge?

A: Despite initial challenges, the account managed to make $ 90 in sales, converting nine cart adds and seven checkouts, demonstrating the potential of organic marketing on TikTok.

This article represents a comprehensive guide to setting up a dropshipping store and leveraging TikTok for organic marketing—all with minimal expenses.