Common Dropshipping Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Starting a dropshipping or print-on-demand store sounds easy.

The idea of selling products without holding inventory is appealing, especially when platforms like Shopify, Printify, and Spocket make the setup process look simple.

But here’s what no one tells you: most dropshipping stores fail. Not because the model doesn’t work, but because people make the same mistakes over and over.

Let me walk you through the most common dropshipping mistakes I’ve seen (and made myself), along with practical tips to avoid them.

1. Selling the Wrong Products

Choosing the wrong products is one of the quickest ways to burn through your budget.

Many new sellers go straight for what’s trending on TikTok or Instagram without doing proper research.

That doesn’t work. Here’s why:

• Trends shift quickly, and what’s viral this week might not sell next month.
• If everyone’s selling the same thing, there’s no competitive edge.
• Some products look cool online but are a nightmare to ship or return.

How to avoid it:

Start by doing structured product research.

Use tools like:

• Sell The Trend: Helps identify products already generating revenue across stores.
• Ecomhunt: Curates hot products with real engagement metrics.
• Google Trends: Validates long-term interest in your niche or product.
• AliExpress Order Volume: Shows what’s selling at scale.

For print on demand, it’s not just about the product, but the design. Selling a shirt or mug with a generic design won’t cut it. Instead:

• Focus on niche audiences (dog moms, nurses, mechanics).
• Use humor, pride, or emotion in your messaging.
• Validate design ideas using subreddits, Etsy bestsellers, and Pinterest.

Product validation checklist:

2. Choosing Bad Suppliers

A supplier can make or break your business. Many dropshippers default to AliExpress because it’s cheap, but that comes with issues.

Common supplier problems:

• Shipping takes 15 to 45 days or more.
• Product quality is inconsistent.
• Communication is slow or nonexistent.
• Tracking numbers are unreliable.

If your customer waits 4 weeks for a product that breaks or arrives late, you’ll end up with chargebacks, refund requests, and negative reviews.

How to avoid it:

Vet your suppliers thoroughly. Don’t just choose based on price.

For general dropshipping:

• Spocket: Curated list of fast-shipping US/EU suppliers.
• Zendrop: Fulfillment with faster delivery times and private labeling.
• CJ Dropshipping: Offers bulk shipping, private warehouses, and better QC.

For print on demand:

• Printful: High-quality products, good mockups, fast fulfillment.
• Printify: Offers more variety and multiple print providers.
• Gelato: Focuses on eco-friendly printing and global shipping.

Before you commit to a supplier:

• Order a sample yourself.
• Check Trustpilot and Reddit reviews.
• Communicate with them and gauge their responsiveness.
• Ask if they offer branded packaging or faster shipping options.

3. Weak Branding and Store Design

If your store looks like a cheap copy of everyone else’s, you’ll lose trust instantly. This is especially important with print on demand because your brand is the product.

What weak branding looks like:

• Generic Shopify theme with no customization
• No logo or a basic Canva design
• No real brand story or personality
• Stock images that don’t match your niche

How to avoid it:

Think of your store as a real brand, not just a product page.

Here’s how to improve your store’s trust and appeal:

• Brand Story: Add a personal message about why you started the store.
• Custom Logo: Hire someone on Fiverr or use Looka to get a clean logo.
• Professional Images: Use lifestyle mockups, not just product-on-white.
• Consistent Color Scheme: Stick to 2-3 main colors throughout your site.
• Social Proof: Add reviews, testimonials, or customer photos.

Essential trust elements:

In POD, your store should feel like a community hub. Whether it’s sarcastic T-shirts or pet-themed mugs, the message and vibe should match your customer’s personality.

4. Relying Only on Paid Ads

Most new sellers run Facebook or TikTok ads and expect instant profit. They spend $200, get no sales, and give up.

Paid ads aren’t a magic switch. They require testing, optimization, and budget. If you only rely on ads, you’re playing an expensive game.

Why this is risky:

• CPMs and CPCs are rising.
• Without retargeting, most visitors bounce.
• Algorithms need data to optimize, which takes money and time.

How to avoid it:

Start with organic marketing while testing ads in the background.

Organic traffic sources:

• TikTok: Post viral-style videos, memes, and product demos.
• Pinterest: Great for POD and visual niches.
• Instagram Reels: Similar to TikTok, but better for older demographics.
• Reddit + Niche Forums: Drop links where your audience hangs out.

If you run paid ads:

• Start with $50 to $100 per product test.
• Use custom creatives, not just supplier videos.
• Use email capture to build a list before scaling.
• Always retarget website visitors, cart abandoners, and video viewers.

Diversify your marketing mix:

5. Ignoring Profit Margins

A lot of new store owners think $1,000 in revenue means they made $1,000 in profit. That’s far from true.

Hidden costs can kill your profit if you’re not tracking everything.

Common margin killers:

• High shipping fees
• Refunds and chargebacks
• Ad spend overruns
• Currency conversion fees
• Print design fees or POD base costs

How to avoid it:

Know your numbers cold. Before you price a product, calculate your total cost including:

• Product base cost
• Shipping fees
• Transaction fees (Shopify, Stripe, PayPal)
• Ad costs (cost per sale)
• Packaging and branding

Use tools like BeProfit or TrueProfit to get real-time breakdowns of your margins.

Example profit breakdown (for a print-on-demand T-shirt):

If your profit is less than $5 per item, you need to raise prices or cut costs before scaling.

6. Skipping Email Marketing

Ignoring email is leaving money on the table. It’s one of the cheapest ways to drive repeat sales and increase average order value.

You don’t need a huge list to get started. Even a few hundred subscribers can bring consistent revenue with the right automations.

Why email matters:

• Captures lost carts and visitors
• Turns one-time buyers into loyal customers
• Allows you to sell new designs or collections without ad spend

How to avoid missing this channel:

Use Klaviyo or Omnisend to set up these flows:

• Welcome Series: 3-4 emails introducing your brand and products
• Abandoned Cart: Remind people who left items in their cart
• Thank You + Upsell: Cross-sell after purchase
• Winback Campaign: Re-engage cold customers

You can also run weekly newsletters with:

• New product drops
• Seasonal promos
• UGC or customer stories
• Behind-the-scenes updates

Strong subject lines, clean design, and one clear CTA per email will go a long way.

7. Poor Product Pages

Your product page is your sales pitch. If it’s boring, cluttered, or missing info, people will bounce.

Most people throw up a product image and a short description, thinking that’s enough. But your product page needs to build trust, overcome objections, and close the sale.

How to avoid this mistake:

Use high-quality images and mockups. Avoid supplier photos when possible.

What every product page should have:

• Compelling product title (not “Funny Coffee Mug”)
• Benefits-focused bullet points
• Lifestyle images or UGC
• Clear shipping and return policy
• Trust badges (SSL, payment icons)
• Reviews with photos

Example structure:

Use urgency and scarcity tactics carefully. Countdown timers and “only X left” messages work, but only if they’re real.

8. Not Collecting Reviews or UGC

Reviews are one of the biggest conversion factors. Without them, your store feels new and unproven.

UGC (user-generated content) helps people visualize owning your product, and builds trust quickly.

How to avoid it:

Set up apps like Loox, Judge.me, or Ali Reviews to collect reviews after purchase.

Encourage buyers to:

• Leave a written review
• Upload a photo or video
• Share on Instagram or TikTok (with a branded hashtag)

Offer discounts or small giveaways for people who send photos or videos.

Make sure reviews show:

• Customer name
• Star rating
• Real experience or feedback
• A visual element (photo/video)

Over time, this content becomes the best marketing material you’ll ever have.

Final Thoughts

Dropshipping and print on demand aren’t dead. But the game has changed.

The stores that succeed today are the ones that treat it like a real business.

That means doing product research, building a real brand, investing in customer experience, and tracking your numbers.

Avoiding the mistakes above won’t guarantee success — but it’ll definitely give you a much better shot.