Start a Dropshipping business in Cameroon and Africa

Dropshipping is a sales technique that consists of offering products online that will be delivered directly by suppliers to end customers. Online shopping sites act as intermediaries in the process. Creating an e-commerce becomes much easier, faster and less risky: you do not have to deal with stock, unsold goods, shipments …

If you want to create an online store in Cameroon or Africa, but you only have a short time and means, dropshipping is the ideal solution to get started anyway. We show you below the steps to follow to start your dropshipping business.

CHOOSE THE PRODUCT

First, you will need to determine which products you want to sell on the internet. Choose a niche that you know well and of which you have personally tested different models. Even if you do not need to build up inventory, you will still need to educate your customers at best!

Preferably select unbranded products to avoid counterfeiting. You may find the opinions of customers who have already tested the products in question very useful.

It goes without saying that the articles that you will offer for sale must be of quality and that their operation or their solidity must have been tested.

You can also find out about the categories of items that sell best on the Internet in Cameroon or in your country.

CHOOSE YOUR SUPPLIERS

The choice of supplier (s) for your dropshipping business is absolutely crucial, because you will depend on them first for products and deliveries. Your goal is to find a reliable wholesaler and with whom you can negotiate advantageous terms of sale in dropshipping.

It would also be ideal to be able to meet directly with your potential supplier if you have the possibility, so you will be better able to assess the seriousness of the latter. Do not hesitate to test suppliers by placing small orders to see how things are going and what the actual delivery times are.

It may be tempting to choose a supplier in China, where the products are cheaper, but due to the large number of players in this field, a partnership with a local supplier is considered less risky. In any case, find out very well about the company in question: satisfaction rate, responsiveness …

A LIRE AUSSI COMMENT CRÉER UN SITE DE VENTE EN LIGNE ET FAIRE DU E-COMMERCE EN 2020?

You should be sure that you can communicate quickly and properly with her in the event of a problem. Obviously, the supplier must be able to offer attractive prices that leave you sufficient margin on each sale (the latter, to be comfortable, should amount to around 50%).

To reduce your dependence on a particular supplier, you can consider having more than one. So you’ll be ready to deal with one of them who changes their conditions in a way that is unfavorable to you.

CRÉATE YOUR E-COMMERCE WEBSITE

In terms of dropshipping, you have the choice of creating your online sales site or using a turnkey site. There are even online services that include both suppliers and online stores. You can also use an e-commerce solution like Durrell Market. Ideally, the system should be able to pass orders to your wholesaler without much manual intervention on your part.

The online sales site is the showcase that you will need to pay particular attention to, make sure that your customers are attracted by the design, that it is free of spelling errors and perfectly secure.

MARKETING: A STEP NOT TO BE NEGLECTED

You will have understood that a large part of the business model based on dropshipping is based on your ability to stand out from your competitors by being faster and more present on the Internet. To do this, you will have to invest significantly in advertising and natural referencing on the Internet. It is essential to be at the top of the search engine results because many prospects do not look any further.

Be very present on social networks, many potential customers are there. Do not hesitate to launch marketing campaigns to your target audience.
Treat the description of your products. The more precise and interesting your product sheets are, the more your chances of being given priority in the results will increase.

Also offer other “extras” to your customers: coupons, small gifts, etc. Customers are always sensitive to these attentions.

In terms of shipping costs, offer free delivery if you can. This is a strong argument that can significantly set you apart from your competitors.

THE CUSTOMER CARE

Remember that when it comes to dropshipping, it is you as the e-trader who is responsible for sales. Thus, you will have to establish general conditions for returns and refunds, wholesalers generally not taking care of this aspect. You must ensure that your customer service is impeccable and that your customers have a guarantee of satisfaction.

A LIRE AUSSI COMMENT CRÉER UN SITE DE VENTE EN LIGNE ET FAIRE DU E-COMMERCE EN 2020?

Be sure to respond promptly and commercially to your customers when they ask for information or if there is a problem with their orders. Since you do not manage the shipments and your supplier may be established in a distant country, it often happens that the times for receipt of the goods by your customers are quite long. It may be appropriate to install a package tracking system on your site in the personal account of customers.

Dropshipping is an opportunity for traders wishing to launch their online sales sites without having to invest a large starting sum and it frees them from all the logistics related to orders.

However, suppliers also find their way there because they benefit from showcases allowing them to sell their goods without having to manage the marketing or the sales process. Executed with the right partners, dropshipping allows you to launch your e-commerce quickly and limiting the risks.

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