How to Start Dropshipping in 2026

If you want to start a dropshipping business in 2026, this is not about AI-built Shopify stores, TikTok “winning products,” or $20 shortcuts that promise sales tomorrow.

That stuff didn’t work five years ago. It didn’t work last year. And it won’t work in 2026.

What does work is the same proven model that’s been working for decades—the same model companies like Wayfair were built on, and the exact model we’ve been using, teaching, and refining for over 12 years.

This post breaks down the actionable steps, founder advice, and real-world strategy from the episode—without watering it down or changing the intent.

First, Let’s Kill the Dropshipping Myths

Before we talk about what works, here’s what absolutely does not work:

• “AI will build the whole store for you”

• “Buy my $20 Shopify store”

• “Steal winning products from TikTok”

• “AliExpress hot products”

• “Run ads today, make money tomorrow”

That model has never created long-term businesses.
No one is buying or exiting those stores.

What is being bought, sold, and exited are real high-ticket eCommerce businesses built on fundamentals.

Step 1: Stop Thinking About Products, Start With Who

This is where we do things differently than almost everyone else.

Most people start with:

“What product should I sell?”

That’s backwards.

You should start with:

Who do I want to sell to?

You are not selling to a screen.
You’re selling to a real person with:

• problems

• goals

• frustrations

• a story

• money they’re willing to spend to solve something

A niche is not a product.

A niche is a group of people who share something in common.

Good “who” examples:

• People who play golf

• People building tiny houses

• Salon owners

• Metalworkers

• Woodworkers

• Contractors

• Business owners in a specific industry

Once you understand who, the products become obvious.

How to Find Your “Who” (Using AI or Google)

You don’t need AI but it can speed things up.

You can:

• Ask ChatGPT for a list of passions or hobbies in your country

• Ask for a list of business types or industries

• Ask what products those people need

You’re not looking for the perfect idea.

You’re looking for something that feels:

• mildly interesting

• not awful

• something you can build around

If you already have experience in a hobby or industry, start there.

If not, that’s fine, we didn’t either when we started.

Step 2: Map the Products That Person Needs

Once you know who you’re serving, ask:

“What products do these people need to live the life they want or run the business they’re running?”

Example: Tiny House Owners

They need:

• Composting toilets

• Climate control

• Water systems

• Solar & power solutions

• Appliances

• Storage

• Off-grid equipment

That’s not one product.

That’s an ecosystem.

This is why serving the person is so powerful, you’re not trapped selling a single product forever.

Step 3: Make Sure It’s Truly High-Ticket

If you’re building a high-ticket dropshipping business, the prices need to support it.

Our minimum guidelines:

• Core products should average $1,000+

• Ideally $2,000–$5,000+

• Accessories can be cheaper (that’s fine)

Why this matters:

• Fewer sales needed

• Less traffic required

• More margin per order

• Way more room for mistakes (especially as a beginner)

Selling $3,000 products with $700–$2,000 margins is much easier than trying to profit $5 at a time.

People absolutely buy expensive products online, every single day.

Step 4: Check for Real Brands & Suppliers

You need multiple real brands in your niche.

What you’re looking for:

• Products warehoused in your country

• Fast, normal shipping times

• At least 5+ brands per core product category

• Not household-name mega brands

If there are only 1–2 brands, the market usually isn’t mature enough.

You can find brands by:

• Googling “ manufacturers”

• Googling “ suppliers”

• Cross-checking AI results (AI often confuses retailers with manufacturers)

Always verify by visiting the actual brand website.

Step 5: Sanity-Check Competition (The Right Way)

You want competition but not too much.

Here’s how to check it properly:

1. Search for a specific product

2. Click the Google Shopping tab

3. Count how many stores sell that exact product

Guidelines:

• 5–10 sellers = healthy

• 20–40 sellers = very competitive

• 0 sellers = usually bad (no demand)

Ignore random blogs or SEO pages.

Google Shopping is where you’ll compete first.

Step 6: Build the Website Before Contacting Suppliers

This is critical.

Suppliers take you far more seriously when:

• Your website already exists

• It looks professional

• You’ve clearly invested time and effort

You don’t need perfection, just legitimacy.

Our stack:

• Shopify

• A solid theme (we use Superstore)

• Basic branding

• Demo products

• Domain, email, phone number

Shopify removes the technical barrier.

If you can drag, drop, and type, you can do this.

Step 7: Contact Suppliers (Yes, Call Them)

This is where most people freeze and where the real businesses separate themselves.

Key mindset shift:

You are not begging.

You are offering a mutually beneficial opportunity.

It costs suppliers nothing to let you sell their products.

Best case: they make more money…

Worst case: nothing changes for them.

Best practices:

• Call when possible (email response rates are terrible)

• Be direct and confident

• Don’t lead with “I’m a dropshipper”

• Position yourself as a retailer

Simple opener:

“Hi, I’m calling from [Your Store]. We sell

• 

  3 Call Coaching Package – Special

  $449.00
  Add to cart

and I think your brand would be a great fit. Who can I speak to about becoming a retailer?”

Expect:

• Yeses

• Nos

• Maybes

• “Call me later”

All normal.

Follow up. Ask why. Solve objections. Build relationships.

This is not a one-call game.

Step 8: Launch With Google Shopping Ads

This is where sales start.

Google Shopping works because:

• It’s keyword-driven

• You’re stepping into existing demand

• Buyers are already searching for the product

We start here because:

• High-ticket buyers don’t search TikTok

• They don’t browse Facebook for $5,000 items

• They go to Google

You bid:

• Low on broad terms

• Higher on specific product names

• Highest on exact match searches

Google Shopping alone has taken:

• Many stores to 5 figures

• Many to 6 figures

• Some to 7 figures+

It’s stable. It’s proven.

It hasn’t changed much in 10+ years.

Here’s some final advice if you’d love to start in 2026:

• There are no hacks

• There are no shortcuts

• AI is a tool, not a business

• High-ticket gives you margin for mistakes

• Serving a person beats chasing products

• Real businesses get bought and sold

• Fake stores don’t

This model works because it’s boring, proven, and scalable.

And it still works in 2026.