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I Tried Dropshipping On TikTok With Only $500 (INSANE RESULTS)

Introduction

Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to start a successful dropshipping business from scratch in 2023? Well, I certainly did! That’s why I embarked on a new challenge to see if I could create a profitable dropshipping business starting from just $ 500. In this article, I’m going to walk you through each step of the process, including choosing a winning product, setting up a website, driving traffic using TikTok ads, and hopefully ending up with a profitable store.

Finding a Winning Product

The first and most crucial step is finding a winning product to sell. Picking the wrong product can derail the entire plan. To search for trending products, I opened TikTok and explored the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, filtering my search to see the top-liked posts from the last seven days. After some scrolling and research, I stumbled upon an exciting product: a heated blanket that can be worn like a sweater. This product is perfect for the upcoming fall and winter seasons.

I checked Google Trends and noticed that interest in heated blankets tends to spike around October. This solidified my decision to market this product, as it has strong seasonal appeal.

Setting Up the Shopify Website

Next, it was time to create the Shopify website. I took advantage of a special link that provided a free trial for Shopify, allowing me to set up my store for only $ 1 a month for three months. After about four hours, I completed the website and spent an additional $ 15 on a domain name. I chose the brand name "Toasty Knit," which was available and reflects the cozy appeal of the product.

Website Features

The website includes an engaging homepage and an optimized product page. Key elements include:

  • Product Images: I created custom images using Canva.
  • Pricing: I set the selling price at $ 79.99, well above the $ 24 cost from the supplier.
  • Apps: I utilized apps like "Looks" to display reviews and "Estimated Delivery Time" to inform customers about shipping.
  • FAQ Section: I used ChatGPT to curate helpful information about the product.

Creating TikTok Video Ads

With the website ready, it was time to focus on advertising. I had $ 484 left from my original budget and decided to invest in professional TikTok video ads. The platform I chose to create these ads was Dropify Ads, which specializes in high-converting TikTok content. I spent $ 160 for five video ads and an additional $ 70 to ship the heated blanket sample to the creator.

This left me with a budget of $ 254. However, I was optimistic as I planned to utilize free TikTok advertising credits—an exciting opportunity that TikTok offers, where they match your spending up to $ 1,500 on ads.

Launching the TikTok Ad Campaign

After receiving the video ads, I set up my TikTok ad campaign. I registered a new ad account and utilized a surf scaling strategy to maximize visibility and engagement. This involved:

  1. Creating a custom campaign for conversions.
  2. Setting a daily budget and targeting the right audience.
  3. Using smart creative ads to allow TikTok to optimize performance based on engagement.

Campaign Results

With all ads in place and a clear plan, I eagerly awaited the results. On the first day, the store generated $ 1,500 in sales with 17 orders! The TikTok ads proved to be effective, with a low cost per click (CPC) and impressive engagement rates.

Profit Calculation

After spending $ 348.57 on TikTok ads, $ 47.25 on product costs, and $ 16 for the Shopify subscription and domain, I calculated my profit at $ 96.99, resulting in a 45% profit margin. This experience confirmed that you don’t need tons of money to start a dropshipping business—just a solid plan and determination.

If this article hits 500 likes, I’ll continue to push the store to the next level and share my journey every step of the way!

Keyword

These extracted keywords are crucial to understanding the core elements of this dropshipping journey:

  • Dropshipping
  • TikTok ads
  • Shopify
  • Heated blanket
  • Surf scaling
  • E-commerce
  • Profit margin
  • Online business

FAQ

Q1: What is the main product you focused on in this challenge?
A1: The main product was a heated blanket that can be worn like a sweater, perfect for the colder months.

Q2: How much budget did you start with?
A2: I started the challenge with a budget of $ 500.

Q3: What strategy did you use for advertising?
A3: I utilized TikTok ads and surf scaling strategy to effectively test and optimize ad performance.

Q4: How much profit did you make from this challenge?
A4: I made a profit of $ 96.99, which results in a 45% profit margin from my sales.

Q5: Can you start a dropshipping business without a lot of money?
A5: Yes, this challenge demonstrated that it is possible to start a successful dropshipping business with limited funds.

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