Thinking of starting dropshipping to the UK

[INCC]

I am thinking of pushing a new Shopify up and starting a new dropshipping venture in the UK.

The tariffs for China-US sit at 30% even for low-cost products, and with the Orange Man, you'll never know what could happen tomorrow... might be 100% again because he wakes up with a bad mood.

Looking for some ideas here... I have a whole list of different niches that I researched for the US market a while ago.. this can be implemented for the UK market too, but you will have 10 times fewer customers while spending the same amount of money on SEO/Links.

I had a client back in the day who dropshipped Pergolas from China to the UK - they banked like $800-$1000 per sale easily... unfortunately I don't have a reliable supplier for such high ticket items and the paperwork at the border + long waiting times create a lot of unhappy customers...

Wanted to ask maybe someone here can advise what are the hot niches in the UK right now... ? Perferrably not high ticket items... I know @t2van is from there, maybe someone else too.

Let me know!

Thanks

 

[t2van]

I can't help you with hot niches I don't tend to follow anything that's on trend. I tend to stick to my own little garden world but anything in and around that topic for yourself or anyone else I'm happy to share thought as I could maybe help you out, and you me and so on.

I'm not that big as in a market leader but I'm big enough that a new start up isn't going to effect me.

Pergolas for example you just missed a mini heat wave and although one is due again our Summer will be over in 4-5 weeks and that's if it's not a wash out like last year. Your also entering summer holiday time now so kids off school and going away on holidays if they can.

Big ticket stuff although there is always buyer, your average person now is a lot more poorer than you would think, money is an on going concern for a lot of people so keep that in mind, our costs here are always going up* BUT people do spend money.

I know people who used to import containers of sewing machines and clear 5 figures a month to someone running a rattan company. Its mad what will sell and can do well.

Drop shipping has its own stigma here as well at the moment, lots of people are starting to pick up on the "china crap" element of a product as well as delivery time frames as you mentioned.

UK marketplace online has evolved (I've not really gone down that road as I like my own platform) but marketplaces all the big retailers are opening up to offer other sellers. So if you did do the pergola for example you want to register with B&Q, The Range, OneBuy (but I hate them so I don't really approve them), Wowcher and plenty more there are 100s more like that.

But those places are quickly filling up with a range of sellers and there are premium prices to be had and paid because of the type of reputation it has meaning you can sell one thing for £50 and the same on another marketplace for £75 and you will still sell it. It's mad!

The UK as well (I assume every where) but our sales / advertising windows are ALWAYS jumping ahead and that trend started in supermarkets selling say Easter eggs in March before Easter and now this happens almost in January straight after Christmas. This is a shit trend that is happening more and more often and is spreading to every sector.

Gardening events have been replaced with back to school sales and summer holidays not even started yet. Time that normal selling time comes in people are pushing halloween and then Christmas it's becoming brutal and lots do it to aid in cash flow because competition and people not spending money is tough.

*something to keep in mind in the UK postal costs are ever increasing Royal Mail has increased prices 9 times in 2 years and the end of this month they no longer have to delivery 2nd class post every day it will be every other day and no longer on the weekends (this is already happening some places) SO keep in mind sending economy here with standard postal service things can take 2x longer!

But the cost is almost 3x the price for a shitty service. It's a joke.




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I'm not really sure what you can sell to be honest.

Id like the idea of 3d printing parts or fixture and fittings but you have the delivery issue.

I always suggest buying in bulk and splitting things up to smaller bundles.

I think with AI and that doing pre made learning sheets for children, pub quiz packs etc, something you can do once and sell as a print off for a few £ marketed correctly could be a winner. Even bundling up and offering a pre printed and bespoke version and just getting a UK printer to print and post for you.



If you want to share any product ideas or things you might want to sell if it's in garden industry I got 3 warehouses full of stock I can possibly help or even drop ship, so that might be something. I also have contacts who I could connect you with depending on what you want to do buy and sell. DM for any of that sort of thing.