Do you need to begin a Shopify retailer however don’t need to cope with having a list?
Don’t fear; there are a few methods to start out promoting utilizing Shopify with out investing in a inventory of your merchandise.
This text offers you a crash course on the accessible enterprise fashions and how one can get began with them.
So, when you’re able to dive into entrepreneurship, learn on for some surefire recommendation about creating your individual Shopify retailer without having stock!
4 Methods to promote on Shopify with out stock

You should use numerous methods to promote on Shopify with out protecting merchandise in inventory.
Contemplating there is no such thing as a one-fits-all answer, we’ve determined to debate the most well-liked strategies and information you on one of the best choose for you!
Listed here are 4 methods to promote merchandise on Shopify with out stock:
- Dropshipping
- Print on demand
- Digital merchandise
- Internet online affiliate marketing
Let’s examine them out one after the other, beginning with dropshipping!
1. Dropshipping

If there’s one enterprise mannequin that matches finest with promoting merchandise on Shopify with out a list, it’s dropshipping.
That’s as a result of it actually suits within the definition of dropshipping:
Dropshipping is a achievement technique the place a retailer doesn’t preserve the merchandise it sells in inventory. As a substitute, when a retailer sells a product, it purchases the merchandise from a dropshipping provider and has it shipped on to the shopper.
If this sounds complicated, don’t fear, it’s truly fairly easy!
Right here’s how the dropshipping mannequin works on Shopify:
And for visible learners, right here’s an infographic that explains it:

Some dropshipping suppliers are the producer of the merchandise, however others aren’t.
Nevertheless, there’s one factor all dropshipping suppliers have in widespread; they will retailer and pack your merchandise and ship them on to your buyer’s door.
Furthermore, they ship out the product in clean packaging, which means your clients gained’t know {that a} third celebration is concerned.
There are even dropshipping apps like Spocket or DSers designed to combine with Shopify and ship any new orders to your provider routinely. Which means they utterly automate your order achievement course of!
You should use Shopify to start out a low-, medium-, or high-ticket dropshipping retailer and a one-product, area of interest, or normal retailer.

One of many key advantages of dropshipping is you can begin promoting a variety of merchandise on Shopify with out having to put money into stock.
It means that you can take a look at many product concepts with none upfront prices!
And for that reason, dropshipping is a well-liked possibility for folks beginning to promote merchandise on Shopify. It’s merely a comparatively low-risk and low-cost method to launch a brand new ecommerce enterprise!
Let’s try the professionals and cons of dropshipping:
Professionals | Cons |
Low startup prices. | The dropshipping mindset. |
Shortly take a look at merchandise with out a list. | Excessive competitors. |
Your provider handles transport and logistics. | Much less management over transport and product high quality. |
Beginning a brand new Shopify retailer doesn’t take lengthy. | Revenue margins might be slim. |
It’s attainable to start out incomes income within the quick time period. | Refunds might be difficult. |
Troublesome to construct a model identification. |
General, dropshipping is a wonderful possibility for these searching for a straightforward option to get began in ecommerce.
Sure, dropshipping, typically, has extra cons than professionals. Nevertheless, there are at all times strategies to cope with these cons and make them much less obvious! (You’ll be able to discover extra about these strategies right here.)
For instance, by beginning a non-public label dropshipping retailer, you’ll be able to model your merchandise to distinguish your self from the competitors!

If you’re concerned with beginning a Shopify dropshipping retailer, it’s possible you’ll need to join our free 7-day problem. It’s a step-by-step information that may show you how to create a dropshipping retailer in simply seven days.
Alternatively, you too can try our dropshipping guidelines right here!
Dropshipping with native suppliers
You could know that many dropshippers use Chinese language dropshipping suppliers like AliExpress.
Sure, merchandise from China are very low-cost, which is nice in your revenue margin. Nevertheless, there are additionally many cons related to dropshipping from China, the primary one being lengthy supply occasions.
That’s why native dropshipping suppliers have turn into extremely popular recently.
Native dropshipping suppliers handle warehouses in the nation of your clients so to provide them a lot quicker transport occasions!
A number of the hottest native dropshipping suppliers are Spocket and Syncee.

Nevertheless, in case you are concerned with suppliers from a selected area, yow will discover them right here:
Dropshipping with non-public brokers
If you happen to don’t thoughts your supply occasions being a bit longer and you continue to need entry to low-cost merchandise, then there’s additionally a 3rd possibility which may be suited to you; dropshipping with non-public brokers.
A personal dropshipping agent is a intermediary between you and your dropshipping provider. They’ll supply, retailer, pack, and ship your dropshipping merchandise. Moreover, they make sure you get one of the best worth, high quality, and supply occasions in your product.

For instance, a dropshipping agent can
Sounds fairly good, proper?
Right here’s an infographic of six causes to make use of a non-public dropshipping agent:

A few of one of the best dropshipping brokers in 2023 are Eprolo, HyperSKU, and Wiio. Verify them out when you’re !
2. Print on demand
Have you ever at all times dreamed of promoting merchandise that you simply’ve designed your self?
In that case, you are able to do it with print on demand (POD). And the nice half is, you don’t must preserve a list for it!
Print on demand is a enterprise mannequin the place you design graphics printed on merchandise like T-shirts, hoodies, or mugs. When you obtain an order in your POD retailer, you ahead it to your POD provider, who prints your graphics on the product and ships it on to the shopper.
Right here is an infographic on the way it works:

As you’ll be able to see, print on demand is without doubt one of the closest alternate options to dropshipping!
Merchandise bought in POD shops are sometimes attire equivalent to shirts and hoodies. However you too can promote merchandise like mugs, towels, artwork prints, cellphone instances, and even notebooks or mousepads!

Listed here are the professionals and cons of the print on demand enterprise mannequin:
Professionals | Cons |
A POD retailer is as simple and low-risk to arrange as a dropshipping retailer. | POD companies usually battle with tight revenue margins. |
Capacity to (partly) design merchandise your self. | It may be more difficult to cope with returns because the product is custom-made. (Extra information right here) |
You’ll by no means need to cope with any leftover stock. | Your retailer is simply pretty much as good as your designs. |
Usually, you don’t have full management over the product’s look. |
When evaluating print on demand to dropshipping, we see the next:
The primary distinction between dropshipping and print on demand is that with dropshipping, your provider doesn’t make any modifications to the product, and the transport time might be quicker. In distinction, with print on demand, your provider creates the product in response to your {custom} design, and the transport time might be longer.
Right here’s an infographic that summarizes all variations:

If you’re an artist or graphic designer and want to be taught extra concerning the print on demand enterprise mannequin, check out the next articles:
3. Digital merchandise
This one could also be very apparent to you, or it could come as a complete shock!
When most individuals consider promoting merchandise by way of Shopify, they sometimes envision a bodily product like a cellphone case or clothes merchandise.
Nevertheless, an more and more widespread sort of on-line product is digital content material.
When promoting digital content material, your merchandise are saved in your pc or within the cloud and might be copied with out extra prices. In different phrases, you’ll be able to promote digital merchandise on Shopify with out a list!
Digital merchandise might be downloaded or accessed on-line, equivalent to ebooks, software program, or on-line programs.
For instance, Shopify’s Enterprise Title Generator is an instance of a digital product within the type of software program:

Nevertheless, this book about getting nice concepts can be a digital product:

And there are numerous extra sorts of digital merchandise! Simply take into consideration issues like Shopify themes, inventory photographs, or music.
The perfect factor about promoting digital merchandise is that there aren’t any manufacturing or transport prices – when you create the product, you’ll be able to promote it an infinite variety of occasions.
Listed here are the professionals and cons of promoting digital merchandise:
Professionals | Cons |
It doesn’t price you something additional to promote a further digital product (as soon as it’s developed). | Somebody can simply copy and promote your digital merchandise with out your permission. |
You’re in full management of the pricing. | Digital merchandise might require ongoing assist and upkeep. |
Digital merchandise can immediately be bought and delivered to anybody with an web connection. | Advertising and marketing digital merchandise might be harder. |
4. Internet online affiliate marketing
Internet online affiliate marketing is one other wonderful option to promote merchandise on Shopify with out stock.
Have you ever ever clicked on a hyperlink for a services or products from a weblog, social community, or somebody’s web site?
Properly, it might’ve been an affiliate hyperlink!
Internet online affiliate marketing is a enterprise mannequin you should utilize to generate income by way of affiliate hyperlinks. These are your individual {custom} hyperlinks that hyperlink to another person’s services or products. When somebody clicks in your hyperlink and buys that services or products, you obtain part of that income.

So, with internet online affiliate marketing, you’ll be able to promote merchandise on-line with out protecting a list. You do the advertising half, and another person takes care of all the remainder!
Based on statistics, 38% of entrepreneurs assume internet online affiliate marketing is without doubt one of the high buyer acquisition strategies, and 81% of manufacturers use internet online affiliate marketing applications!
If you wish to get began with internet online affiliate marketing, there are a number of methods to advertise your affiliate hyperlinks and earn commissions.
A method is to start out a weblog round a distinct segment you have an interest in. For instance, you may create a tennis weblog, write an article like ‘The perfect tennis rackets to make use of in 2023,’ and add affiliate hyperlinks to Amazon product pages for every merchandise:

Or, if in case you have a major following on social media, you can begin doing influencer advertising campaigns to advertise merchandise for ecommerce manufacturers.
Professionals | Cons |
After the preliminary arduous work of establishing your internet online affiliate marketing channels, this enterprise mannequin can flip right into a passive earnings. | You could respect the phrases and situations of the internet online affiliate marketing program you cooperate with. |
You don’t have to consider buyer assist. | It could take some time to construct up a major earnings. |
Beginning an internet online affiliate marketing enterprise doesn’t require a major upfront (cash) funding. |
Tip: If you happen to doubt between this and dropshipping, you’ll be able to find out about the variations between internet online affiliate marketing and dropshipping right here!
The perfect suppliers for promoting on Shopify with out stock
Shopify has made it extremely simple for even the smallest entrepreneurs and established companies alike to start out an ecommerce enterprise with out stock.
However there’s one catch – you continue to want dependable suppliers that may deal with your orders rapidly and precisely, so that you don’t have any hiccups in gross sales.
Fortunate for you, we’ve taken the guesswork out of the equation by compiling a listing of a few of the finest suppliers who may help take your Shopify retailer to new heights – all with out ever having a single merchandise in inventory!
Try the desk under for our high picks and see which inserts into what you are promoting mannequin:
Provider | Area of interest | Location | Pricing | Learn Assessment |
Spocket | Normal | US, EU, CA | $25 / $50 / $100 per 30 days | Spocket Assessment |
Syncee | Normal | US, UK, EU, CA, AUS | $0 / $29 / $79 / $129 per 30 days | Syncee Assessment |
AppScenic | Normal | US, UK, EU, CA, AUS | $0 / $24 / $47 / $78 per 30 days | AppScenic Assessment |
Sellvia | Normal | US | $39 / $69 per 30 days | Sellvia Assessment |
Modalyst | Normal | US | $0 / $35 / $90 per 30 days | Modalyst Assessment |
DropCommerce | Normal | US, CA | $19 / $49 / $70 per 30 days | DropCommerce Assessment |
Avasam | Normal | UK | £20 / £50 / £100 / £150 per 30 days + VAT | Avasam Assessment |
iDropship | Normal | AUS | Free | iDropship Assessment |
CJdropshipping | Normal | China / Worldwide | Free | CJdropshipping Assessment |
AliExpress | Normal | China | Free | AliExpress Assessment |
Printful | POD | US, UK, EU, CA | Free | Printful Assessment |
Blanka | Magnificence | US, CA | $29 / $59 / $99 per 30 days | Blanka Assessment |
Dripshipper | Espresso | US | $30 / $99 / $197 per 30 days | Dripshipper Assessment |
My On-line Vogue Retailer | Vogue | US | $29 per 30 days | My On-line Vogue Retailer Assessment |
OGO | POD | AUS | Free | OGO Assessment |
You will discover our in-depth article masking all these Shopify suppliers right here!
How do you begin a Shopify retailer with out stock?

Do you need to begin a Shopify retailer with out stock however don’t know the place to start?
Beginning a web based retailer on Shopify can appear difficult, however don’t stress!
In actuality, Shopify has made it quite simple so that you can rise up and working.
Listed here are the 9 steps of beginning a Shopify retailer with out stock:
- Provide you with your product concept
- Select one of many 4 enterprise fashions: dropshipping, POD, digital merchandise, or internet online affiliate marketing
- Decide a Shopify plan
- Discover a provider
- Outline your perfect audience
- Design and model your Shopify retailer
- Set up the best Shopify apps
- Arrange your fee gateways
- Select a advertising technique that matches you and begin promoting!
For an in depth description of every of those steps, check out this text right here!
FAQs about promoting on Shopify
When you’ve got extra questions on promoting on Shopify with out stock, try the FAQ part under:
Which Shopify plan is finest for promoting with out stock?
The Fundamental Shopify pricing plan is ideal for promoting with out stock. It’s an incredible foundation for forming a dropshipping or print on demand retailer. To be taught extra about one of the best Shopify pricing plans, check out this text!
Can I promote on Shopify with out merchandise?
Sure, it’s attainable to promote on Shopify with out merchandise. You’ll be able to promote on Shopify with out having merchandise in your stock, or you should utilize Shopify to create an internet online affiliate marketing web site or promote your companies.
Are you able to dropship with out stock?
Dropshipping is at all times with out stock, as promoting merchandise with out having them in inventory is a part of the definition of the dropshipping enterprise mannequin.
Is it higher to have stock or dropship?
Having stock provides you management over the product and permits for faster transport occasions, however it additionally requires funding and cupboard space. Dropshipping permits for decrease upfront funding and fewer cupboard space, however transport occasions could also be longer.
The best choice relies on what you are promoting targets, price range, and accessible assets!
Extra locations to promote on-line with out stock
Undecided but about utilizing Shopify to promote merchandise on-line? Or are you interested in what else is on the market?
We’ve received you lined! Try the lists under to search out extra locations to promote on-line with out holding any stock:
Plus, don’t neglect to take a look at our foremost methods to promote merchandise on-line with out stock information right here!
Abstract
Earlier than we go to the ultimate verdict, we’ve created a fast abstract of this text for you, so you’ll be able to simply keep in mind it:
- To promote on Shopify with out stock, you should utilize dropshipping, print on demand, promote digital merchandise, or use internet online affiliate marketing.
- Dropshipping is a enterprise mannequin the place you don’t preserve the merchandise it sells in inventory; as a substitute, when your retailer sells one thing, you buy it from a provider who then ships on to the shopper.
- Print on demand (POD) means that you can design graphics printed onto objects like T-shirts or mugs which are then shipped instantly from suppliers.
- Digital merchandise are saved on-line and might be copied infinitely with no extra price – examples embrace ebooks, software program, or on-line programs.
- Internet online affiliate marketing includes producing income by way of {custom} hyperlinks that hyperlink again to another person’s product – which means that as soon as clients click on on these hyperlinks, they are going to be taken immediately for buy, whereas entrepreneurs obtain commissions off of every sale made through their hyperlink!
- A number of the finest suppliers for Shopify to promote with out stock embrace Spocket, Syncee, and AppScenic.
Conclusion
Now that you know the way to promote on Shopify with out stock, it’s time to start out!
These 4 methods ought to show you how to begin promoting with out your individual stock.
You’ll be able to dropship merchandise, create print on demand merchandise, promote digital merchandise, or use internet online affiliate marketing to earn fee from gross sales.
As soon as you discover one of the best suppliers in your product, you’re prepared to start out constructing your store and making gross sales!
Are you able to get began promoting on Shopify with out stock?
Wish to be taught extra about Shopify?
Prepared to maneuver your Shopify retailer to the subsequent degree? Try the articles under:
Plus, don’t neglect to try our in-depth methods to begin a Shopify retailer information right here.