Best Guide on How to sell on Shopify without Inventory 2024 (2024)

Last Updated | September 4, 2024

Overview: How to sell on Shopify without inventory

Online businesses have recently become the buzzword in the corporate world, but just like any business model, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that online selling is the initial step in the entrepreneurial world.

That being said, Shopify has become the top choice, but it’s a common prerequisite to have the inventory. But hey, do you really need inventory to sell on Shopify? You will find out in this article, so keep reading!

Do You Need Inventory For Shopify?

No, you don’t always need an inventory to work on Shopify. With Shopify, the sellers don’t have to worry about the inventory.

This is because Shopify offers dropshipping with which sellers can order the necessary products for meeting the customers’ demand, so keeping the inventory is not essential. Dropshipping is a great model for sellers who want to set up a business without any investment.

How Can I Sell My Product Without Inventory?

One of the major challenges faced by new ecommerce businesses is managing inventory. It requires a significant investment and can be quite daunting for small businesses to handle. However, with platforms like Shopify, it is possible to sell products without having to worry about inventory management.

Here are some ways you can sell your product on Shopify without inventory:

1. Dropshipping on Shopify

Dropshipping is a popular method of selling products without maintaining inventory. In this model, you partner with a supplier who handles the storage, packaging, and shipping of the products.

You simply list the products on your Shopify store and when an order is placed, the supplier ships it directly to the customer.

With Shopify’s integrated dropshipping apps such as Oberlo or Printful, you can easily set up a dropshipping business and start selling products without having to worry about inventory.

2. Print-on-Demand Services

If you are selling customized or personalized products, print-on-demand services are a great option for fulfilling orders without inventory.

These services allow you to upload your designs on products like t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, etc. and when an order is placed, they print the product and ship it directly to the customer.

Shopify has several print-on-demand apps such as Printful, Gooten, and Printify that integrate with your store making it easy to start selling personalized products without inventory.

3. Digital Products

Selling digital products such as e-books, software, or digital art is another way to sell on Shopify without inventory. With digital products, there is no need for storage or shipping as the product can be downloaded by the customer after purchase.

Shopify has a built-in feature for selling digital products, making it easy to set up and manage your digital product business.

4. Pre-Orders

Another option for selling on Shopify without inventory is by offering pre-orders for your products. This means that customers can purchase a product before it is available for shipping. This is especially useful for new businesses or when launching a new product as it helps generate interest and allows you to gauge demand before investing in inventory.

With Shopify’s pre-order apps such as Pre-Order Manager, you can easily set up and manage pre-orders on your store.

5. Partnering with Suppliers

If you have a good relationship with your suppliers, you can also explore the option of partnering with them to sell their products on Shopify. This way, you don’t have to invest in inventory and can still earn a profit by acting as a reseller for their products.

Partnering with reliable and reputable suppliers is key to successfully selling products on Shopify without inventory.

Read Also “How To Sell Other People’s Products On Shopify“

How to Start an online store without Inventory – Dropshipping

Dropshipping is about choosing a company with a support system. The sellers can add the products on the website, customers will place the order, and the other company will fulfill the order while you earn the commission. As a result, you don’t have to keep the inventory and earn through commissions.

What Companies Do Dropship On Shopify?

Worldwide Brands

Worldwide Brands has been working since 1999 and is known to be the oldest company to do dropship on Shopify. This company can be used by worldwide retailers, which means the location and shipping costs will differ according to the location. It has more than 16 million wholesale products to choose from, and it is great for sellers who need one-time payments.

SaleHoo

SaleHoo is a suitable company if you need products in Australia, United States, and the United Kingdom. Their inventory source is AliExpress, and products can be directed to the Shopify SAP integration store. This company is suitable if sellers can opt for annual memberships.

Doba

Doba has a centralized system for offering convenience but has monthly fees. The membership includes the push-to-marketplace tool, which can be used for automating the process of listing the products and items. It has the global shipping standard and has more than two million products available.

AliExpress

For the most part, we don’t think that AliExpress needs an introduction. This is the dropping platform that also offers wholesale products. It can be used to connect the eCommerce stores to different products and suppliers. AliExpress is native to China and ship to over 254 countries.

Alibaba

This is the B2B marketplace which is suitable for connecting the sellers and buyers. Alibaba is perfect for wholesalers and can be used for bulk orders and items. It has around 2.8 million products and over 6,000 categories!

Read Also Dropship T-Shirts Shopify: How to Start

Can I Sell Other People’s Products On Shopify Without Maintaining Inventory?

Yes, you can surely sell other people’s and platforms’ products on Shopify even if you don’t maintain the inventory. For this purpose, the users can follow the dropshipping model. With this business model, the companies can sell the products online without any inventory or upfront payment. Even more, dropshipping doesn’t demand any capital investments.

On the contrary, dropshipping business requires time, effort, and dedication to create a sustainable platform and for maintaining the Shopify store. Generally, it could take around six months to start generating revenue (only if you use the right tools and strategies).

With a dropshipping business, the sellers need to decide the niche and business name, choose products, and create the website.

After website creation, the sellers need to promote their online stores. In particular, the website development and creation need services likeFolio3 Shopify app creationand promotion.

Why You Should Not Use Shopify?

For the most part, Shopify is a great store, but there are some downsides to it. For instance, the Shopify store development costs pricing can be extremely expensive.

This means that even if you don’t need to invest to maintain the inventory, you will need capital for the development of an online store. In addition, there are customization limitations as there are only 71 themes available.

What Can You Not Sell On Shopify Without Inventory?

It might sound surprising to you, but you can sell anything you want on Shopify without maintaining the inventory. However, you must choose the correct dropshipping supplier. Also, the suppliers must have a support system if they want to implement direct selling to the customers.

FAQs How to Start eCommerce Business without Inventory on Shopify

How do I sell stuff on Shopify for free?

Shopify is a subscription-based platform which means the sellers and online store owners need to pay a fee. However, Shopify does offer a 14-day free trial, so you can try selling the products for free for 14 days.

Do Shopify stores make money?

Yes, Shopify stores are profitable if sellers are following the correct strategies and selling techniques. On average, it takes an ordinary store around six months to start generating revenues.

How do you sell something without inventory?

If sellers don’t want to invest in the inventory, they can use multi-level marketing, third-party fulfillment centers, and dropshipping models. In addition, the sellers can also sell print-on-demand products if you don’t want to invest in an inventory.

Is there a fixed Folio3 Shopify store development cost?

No. There is no fixed cost for Shopify store development, rather the cost would depend on various factors including the target market, the size of the store, the features, & functionalities required, and the level of customization.

What’s the average Folio3 Shopify website design pricing?

The average cost of a basic Shopify website design starts as low as $500 and can go as high as $20,000 plus; depending on various factors like customization, shopify amazon integration services, features, size of the store, and others.

Does Folio3 offer Shopify migration services?

Yes.Folio3 Shopify migration expertscan help businesses with seamless and integrated migration solutions to ensure minimum disruption in routine operations and no loss of crucial data.

Does Folio3 offer Shopify integration services?

Yes.Folio3 Shopify Integration Servicesenable Shopify stores to easily integrate all required extensions, and app required to improve the functionality of their stores.

How to Sell T Shirts without Inventory on Shopify?

How to Sell T Shirts without Inventory: You can sell t-shirts without inventory by using a print-on-demand service. With a print-on-demand service, you create a design and upload it to the service. Then, when someone orders a shirt, the service prints the design and ships it to the customer. T

How to Sell Clothes without Inventory?

Print on Demand is the Best Method. You don’t need to carry any inventory or invest in any up-front costs. You simply create designs and then list them for sale on your website or marketplace. When someone orders a clothes, the manufacturer prints and ships it directly to the customer.