Stand Out and Profit With Branded Dropshipping
Whether you’re a seasoned online business owner or just looking to open your first-ever eCommerce store, branded dropshipping can help build a loyal customer base and bring in steady profits.
As global eCommerce sales keep growing with no end in sight, more and more people are turning to dropshipping, and with good reason. The global dropshipping market value accounted for $155.6 billion in 2021, and it’s expected to reach a whopping $1,670.1 billion by 2031.
While the industry outlook is solid, rapid growth also brings more competition, and it’s necessary to think about ways to make your online store and products stand out. Luckily, branded dropshipping can help do just that.
Keep on reading to learn why it’s worth selling branded products, what are the best practices for doing so, and how you can start your own branded dropshipping store with Printify.
What Is Branded Dropshipping?
Before we look into branded dropshipping and how it can boost your eCommerce business, let’s define the dropshipping business model.
Dropshipping lets online store owners sell various products without storing any inventory. All products are shipped directly from the supplier to the end customer, and there’s no need to handle any of the items you’re offering. It’s easy to start, there’s little to no risk, and the costs are small.
As for branded dropshipping, it’s all about incorporating your unique brand identity and brand values into the products and store. This can be done in many ways, for example, by adding a label to the products, using brand colors and logos on the listings, and ensuring unique communication with loyal customers.
But is branded dropshipping profitable? Well, let’s find out.
Why Dropship Branded Products?
The numbers speak for themselves. The dropshipping market is expected to grow by an average of 24.39% annually from 2020 to 2026 – from $128.6 billion to $476.1 billion. That’s a value increase of more than 3.5 times in only six years.
With dropshipping becoming one of the most popular eCommerce order fulfillment methods, finding new ways to stand out from the competition is crucial. One sure way to do that is by dropshipping branded products.
Let’s review some of the pros and cons of branded dropshipping to determine if it’s a good fit for your business.
Pros of Branded Dropshipping
- Better customer experience. People love showcasing their one-of-a-kind personalities, and unique products attract more buyers. Branding your products and telling a story will help increase customer loyalty and facilitate repeat purchases. A personalized approach is essential to Millennials and Gen Z.
- Competitive advantage. When looking for a specific product, most customers prefer buying from online stores with a strong brand identity rather than generic dropshipping stores.
- Potential for higher profits. If you’re selling something unique, you can place a higher price on the products, allowing for bigger profit margins.
- Marketing advantage. Having your brand displayed on the products can give a strong boost to your marketing efforts. Whenever someone wears or uses your products, there’s a chance for new customers to find out about your store.
Cons of Branded Dropshipping
- More expensive than regular dropshipping. Creating and selling products with your unique branding costs more than selling generic dropshipping products, but it’s also possible to offer them for more.
- Brand-building takes time. None of the most popular global brands became a success overnight. It takes time to build a strong brand and create a loyal customer base, but it’s well worth the effort.
- Little control over product quality. Since the products are sent directly to the end customers, you don’t have a chance to check the quality of every item sold. That said, most dropshipping suppliers ensure replacement orders in case of quality issues.
While branded dropshipping products cost more than regular ones, and it can take quite some time to build a successful branded dropshipping business, there’s huge potential in the long run. Higher profit margins, a loyal target audience, and unique products are three important factors that will set you on the right path.
Plenty of big brands have made a name for themselves thanks to dropshipping. Here are some examples for inspiration:
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Dropshipping Branded Products With Print on Demand
Branded dropshipping goes hand in hand with Print on Demand. Unlike regular dropshipping service providers that offer the same products to all online sellers, print-on-demand companies provide white-label products that you can customize with your own designs.
For example, it’s possible to design clothes (t-shirts, hoodies, socks, joggers, etc.), home and living decor, accessories, and more. Once you’ve listed your unique product online and someone’s purchased it, the print-on-demand supplier will print the product for you and send it directly to the end customer.
Here are some of the main differences between print on demand and regular dropshipping:
| Print on Demand | Dropshipping | |
|---|---|---|
| Product Customization Options | All products are customizable with various printing methods | Sparse, with select dropshippers and private label suppliers |
| Product Selection | Limited to products that are easy to print on (apparel, accessories, stationery, etc.) | Larger product variety from various categories (electronics, furniture, etc.) |
| Brand Awareness | Possibility to use brand colors, fonts, logos, etc. in designs | Impossible to brand the majority of products |
| Product Uniqueness | All products you create are unique to your store | All products are sourced and likely sold on multiple stores |
| Product Validation | Harder to figure out if your products will sell well because they're completely new | Possible to see which products have sold the best in the past |
| Product Customization Options | |
|---|---|
| Print on Demand | All products are customizable with various printing methods |
| Dropshipping | Sparse, with select dropshippers and private label suppliers |
| Product Selection | |
| Print on Demand | Limited to products that are easy to print on (apparel, accessories, stationery, etc.) |
| Dropshipping | Larger product variety from various categories (electronics, furniture, etc.) |
| Brand Awareness | |
| Print on Demand | Possibility to use brand colors, fonts, logos, etc. in designs |
| Dropshipping | Impossible to brand the majority of products |
| Product Uniqueness | |
| Print on Demand | All products you create are unique to your store |
| Dropshipping | All products are sourced and likely sold on multiple stores |
| Product Validation | |
| Print on Demand | Harder to figure out if your products will sell well because they're completely new |
| Dropshipping | Possible to see which products have sold the best in the past |
While print-on-demand dropshipping services offer fewer products than any regular dropshipping supplier, POD allows you to stand out with unique designs and build brand awareness.
Let’s dive deeper and see what are the best practices for running your own branded dropshipping store.
Branded Dropshipping Best Practices
So you’re thinking about doing branded dropshipping, but aren’t sure how to make your business a success? While there are no guarantees in eCommerce, we’ve prepared a set of best practices to follow to stay ahead of the competition. Let’s have a closer look.
Find Your Niche and Stick to It
A strong niche is one of the key factors that can make or break an online business.
Let’s be real – it’s impossible to please everyone. You’ll always have a better chance of succeeding by focusing your products around a clear target audience. Build your niche around a hobby, social cause, profession, art genre, or anything else that has a following.
Remember to do proper research to make sure that there’s a demand for what you’re offering. There are plenty of underserved niche markets to target. Use free tools like Google Trends and Glimpse to see what’s trending, and go on online marketplaces such as Etsy to see what people are looking for.
Learn more in our in-depth article about print-on-demand niches.
Pick a Great Brand Name
Probably easier said than done, but picking the right name is crucial for your brand image and brand recognition. A brand name is one of the first things people associate with a business.
Try to create a name that’s simple, distinctive, memorable, timeless, and relevant to your target market. Learn more about naming your eCommerce business in our five-step guide to coming up with a business name.
Show Your Brand Identity on Your Online Store
Brand colors and fonts, a thorough About Us page, and product images shot in the same style – these components can help build brand awareness and turn potential customers into repeat buyers.
Think of your branded store as a business card. In addition to showcasing your brand’s unique identity, make sure there are no grammatical errors in the product descriptions and that there are no other loose ends in the store.
Reward Customer Loyalty
Another good practice is to show gratitude to your most loyal target customers. People want to feel taken care of and valued by brands. After all, they’re spending their well-earned bucks on your products, and it’s only fair for them to expect good customer service.
The rewards can come in many different forms. For example, provide special offers and discounts to repeat customers, give away free items with larger purchases, and offer discounts for referrals to your business.
Whatever you decide to do, remember that it’s crucial to build a strong relationship with customers for your branded dropshipping store to succeed.
Use Your Brand Voice
Decide on a brand voice depending on what you’re selling and who the target audience is. Is humor a good choice for your messaging? Maybe you want to sound more serious and professional?
Start by inspecting what other brands and eCommerce stores are doing. Experiment with different styles to see what works best and what feels the most organic for your business.
Once you have the brand values nailed and decide on a specific style for your brand voice, use it everywhere. Use it in your online store, social media accounts, and email marketing campaigns. Consistency is key for customers to recognize your brand just from the message they read.
These are only some of the best practices that will help your branded dropshipping store have a strong start. Learn more about branding and brand identity in our article on building a strong and unique brand identity for your business.
Now, let’s see how to make your product listings shine with Printify’s branding options.
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Branded Dropshipping Options For Your Online Store With Printify
Printify is a print-on-demand service provider with more than 800 unique and customizable products. You can apply unique designs and visuals to all items from the product catalog, and several branding options are available for apparel products. Let’s check them out.
Inner Neck Labels
This is a subtle and very popular option to add your own brand logo and name to apparel. An inner neck label does not interfere with the product’s main design and helps build brand awareness.
Learn how to add an inner neck label to custom apparel in our article on creating a custom neck label.
Outer Neck Labels
If you want to make your brand more visible, create an outer neck label. It basically means free advertising for your business whenever customers wear your apparel. At the same time, it’s subtle enough for potential customers not to turn away from purchasing your products.
Main Print Areas
It’s also possible to place your brand assets front and center in the product designs. Use the main print areas – front and back – to display your unique brand visuals.
Many branded dropshipping stores and brand owners incorporate their brand logos and names in designs. In fact, for many big brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, The North Face, Timberland, etc., that is the main part of the entire design. For it to work well, you need to develop a logo and name that look great in print.
Sleeve Printing
Sleeve printing offers a unique way to showcase your own dropshipping brand. It’s possible to print brand assets on the sleeves of t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts. Make sure to preview all products before sending them to production to be sure of the final result.
Custom Packaging Label
Although branded packaging is not yet available, Printify lets you add your store name and a custom return address to the product packaging. While this might seem like a minor detail, having your brand name on the package instead of the dropshipping supplier’s will give your store more credibility.
To add your store’s address to the packaging label, go to your store settings to set up a custom return address for all orders.
Use the above-mentioned branding options and make your brand a household name. Printify is here to support you on your way to success.
How to Start a Branded Dropshipping Store With Printify
With more than 80 print providers and over 100 fulfillment locations worldwide, Printify is the perfect option for your branded dropshipping venture. Using Printify is very easy. Just follow the steps below.
Sign Up and Pick a Product
First, sign up with Printify. It’s free and takes only a few minutes.
Once you’ve created an account, it’s time to browse Printify’s product catalog. It offers over 800 customizable products in several categories: men’s, women’s, and kids’ clothing, accessories, and home and living decor.
When selecting a product, pay attention to the print provider ranking and location, as well as the production and shipping costs.
Add Your Design
After picking a product, add a design with our user-friendly Mockup Generator. Upload a PNG, JPG, or SVG file and adjust the image placement to your liking.
If you don’t have a ready-made design, try our Shutterstock integration to access thousands of high-quality images and illustrations. Pick one and apply it to the product.
You can also create text designs with the built-in text editor or use our free graphics library.
Connect a Store and Start Selling
When your products are good to go, connect your Printify account to an online store. We support all major sales channels, including Shopify, Etsy, eBay, Wix, and many more.
Once you start getting orders, Printify will take care of everything. We’ll produce the products and ship them directly to the end customers – there’s no minimum order quantity. All you need to do is spread the word about your brand.
With some of the most competitive prices in the print-on-demand industry, Printify’s main aim is to help you succeed in building a profitable dropshipping business. Design and sell products with ease, while Printify takes care of the rest.
FAQ About Branded Dropshipping
How do I start a branded dropshipping business?
To start your own branded dropshipping business, you’ll need branded products to sell and a service provider who’ll make them. You can get both by signing up with Printify.
Once you’ve created an account, use Printify to pick items from the product catalog, add your unique designs, and connect to an online marketplace or an eCommerce platform to start selling products. Printify will make all the branded products for you and ship them directly to your customers.
Do in-depth market research before working on any products and designs. Decide on a niche and audience to target, create a brand name and logo, and work on your brand identity.
Is branded dropshipping legal?
Branded dropshipping is perfectly legal as long as you don’t use copyrighted or otherwise protected elements and content in the designs.
Check out our article that outlines what content is prohibited from being used on print-on-demand products, and get more detailed information in our Intellectual Property Policy.
Do I need a business license to start a dropshipping business?
While it’s technically possible to dropship products without a business license, whether you need one depends on local government regulations and sales tax policies.
Having a business license will ensure that you’re operating under all local laws, it will let you gain the trust of new customers and help you keep all taxes in check.
We advise reaching out to a legal professional to find out whether it’s worth or necessary getting a business license for your online store.
How do I choose a dropshipping supplier?
There are several factors to consider when looking for reliable suppliers:
- Product offer and product diversity
- Product prices
- Fulfillment locations and order processing time
- Shipping costs
- Product customization options
- Customer service
A basic online search will give you an extensive list of dropshipping businesses. Do initial market research, inspect customer reviews, and order samples to check product quality.
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Written by
Jānis Bute
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