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When it comes to starting an online store, some might be wondering if they should start a General Store Dropshipping or Niche Store Dropshipping business.
In this article, I will share what General Store Dropshipping is and if you should go for it, its benefits, and also I will share general dropshipping store examples and we will look deeper into those stores.
You will be able to identify opportunities with general stores and make better decisions.
What is a General Dropshipping Store
A general dropshipping store sells products from a variety of different niches. It is like a departmental store that sells products from any and every niche. It sells products ranging from clothes to stationery to beauty products – almost anything and everything.
Beginners may prefer general stores because it looks lucrative, more profitable as one buyer may need more than one product if all products are available in the same store.
Is General Store Dropshipping a Winning Idea
General dropshipping stores may be successful and there are many such stores thriving. However, Niche stores cater to specific groups, and drop shippers are more likely to succeed with them.
In General Store Dropshipping, your competitors are big like Amazon, Walmart and it is not easy to beat them in terms of the services they deliver. Their same-day or next-day delivery, extremely competitive price, above and high customer-centric approach can beat any small drop shipper easily.
Moreover, these big stores have built trust over years among buyers and the buyers would prefer buying from them rather than a small seller that they have hardly bought from before.
However, when you start a Niche store, your products may be unique that are not easily available in big stores. Buyers have a little option and they would want to buy it from you even if they have never bought from your store earlier. They would want to wait for delivery for 7-10 days tool because the product you are selling may not be available elsewhere.
One such sample product is Shoes for women who are 6 feet plus or Clothes for Plus size women. These products are not easy to find.
My recommendation is to go with Niche-specific stores. However, if you do not find a specific niche for you, you can start a general dropshipping store.
General Store Benefits
General dropshipping stores have some benefits.
No In-depth Research Needed
In the general store, you can list anything and everything from any and every category. You need not do much research. So, it is easy to start with.
Trending Products
Unlike Niche stores, you can sell trending products that are in high demand. While the products are trending, you can benefit from them.
Larger Customer Base
If you are selling general products, your stores will see visits from all kinds of buyers. It may bring in more sales.
Drawbacks
General stores have certain drawbacks as well.
Keyword Difficulty
It is difficult to make your Keywords rank higher in search results because big competitors like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay are there.
Competitive Price
To succeed as a general store drop shipper, you need to keep the price competitive which will not be easy as your competitors are far bigger than you and they can beat you in terms of pricing which may leave you with no or little profit.
Multi-supplier Agreement
As you will be selling all kinds of products, you need to partner up with several dropshipping suppliers.
General Dropshipping Store Example
I am adding a general dropshipping store example for you.
InspireUplift
InspireUplift is a good example of a successful general dropshipping store. It is a US-based big store with thousands of products from different niches. When you shop at their store, their dispatch time is 3 working days, typical of China dropshipping. The delivery time of 7-10 working days which is in addition to the dispatch time.
This long delivery time gives me a feeling, it is a dropshipping store.
They have a US address and if you look at the above conversation with their customer support, you can see that they have warehouses in Asia. It is a clear sign of a general dropshipping store.
Conclusion
By now, you must have understood that a general dropshipping store is more competitive and requires a lot more work than a niche store. This is the reason, why beginners now prefer niche stores and they are more successful than those who have general stores.
My suggestion is to start a niche products store and expand the product range from the same nice which will be easier to operate and also more beneficial as a small online seller with the limit they have.
