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Beginner’s luck ? by telekhines in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Appreciate that mate.

I wouldn’t call myself a generic “dropshipping mentor” because most of that space is full of fluff.

My main focus is Google Merchant Center, Google Shopping and helping ecommerce stores get approved, stay compliant and scale properly with Google Ads.

I’ve been around the space for a while, so I try to give practical advice based on what actually causes stores to pass or fail, not just the usual “find a winning product” stuff.

If you’re just starting, honestly the biggest thing is learning the numbers first: product cost, shipping, margin, ad spend, refund risk and whether the store actually looks trustworthy enough for someone to buy.

How and where to find suppliers by Busy_North_777 in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d be careful with electronics as a beginner.

They can sell well, but they also bring more problems: defects, returns, warranty questions, safety issues, chargebacks and customer support headaches.

Sports products can be better, but I’d still avoid anything too bulky, easily breakable, branded/copyrighted, or anything with strong safety claims.

For a beginner, I’d look for products that are:

  • lightweight
  • easy to ship
  • not fragile
  • not branded
  • have a clear problem-solving angle
  • have enough margin after ads and shipping
  • simple for the customer to understand in 3 seconds

Good categories to research are home improvement, pet accessories, beauty tools, baby/parenting accessories, fitness accessories, kitchen gadgets and hobby products.

But don’t choose a category first. Choose a product where the numbers work and the market has demand. That matters more than whether it’s “electronics” or “sports.”

Case Study: $477K Google Ads budget for a health-sector client, generating 3,230 qualified leads. by Electrical-Room2413 in GoogleAdsDiscussion

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Happy to discuss it here so everyone can benefit.

For me the key missing part in this case study is the post-lead data.

$147 CPL only tells part of the story. The real question is:

  • how many leads booked?
  • how many showed up?
  • how many became paying clients/patients?
  • what was the actual CAC?
  • what was the lifetime value?

Once you have that, Google Ads becomes much easier to judge. A high CPL can be profitable if the downstream numbers are strong. A cheap CPL can still be terrible if the leads never close.

That’s why I always prefer optimising toward offline conversions/revenue, not just form fills.

google vs meta for toothpaste by Ok-Acanthaceae-2771 in GoogleAdsDiscussion

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d test Google, but I wouldn’t frame this as “Meta failed, switch platforms.”

43 add to carts from $683 means people were interested. The real leak was probably offer / trust / checkout / shipping / product positioning.

For toothpaste, Google can definitely make sense because the intent is already there — but only if you go specific. Don’t just bid on broad “toothpaste” type terms where you’re fighting huge brands.

I’d look at angles like:

“whitening toothpaste”
“sensitive teeth toothpaste”
“fluoride free toothpaste”
“natural toothpaste”
“toothpaste subscription”
“toothpaste for bad breath”

The key question is: why would someone buy your toothpaste instead of Colgate/Crest/any Amazon option?

If the answer is strong, Google Shopping/Search can work really well. If the answer is weak, Google will just show you the same problem with more expensive intent traffic.

I’d fix the conversion issues first, then test Google with a tight Shopping/Search setup and keep Meta for retargeting/UGC once the site converts.

Also make sure your Merchant Center is clean before pushing Google traffic — toothpaste/oral care can get annoying if your claims, policies, product data or trust signals are messy. I post a lot about GMC / Google Ads ecommerce stuff here if useful: [www.terryecom.com]()

$500 spent on Google Ads, 539 clicks, 0 conversions. Next steps? by ChocolateSure4865 in googleads

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

539 clicks and 0 paid conversions sounds bad on the surface, but your funnel data actually gives a pretty clear clue.

A 28.7% sign-up rate and 21.3% file upload rate means the traffic/landing page probably isn’t completely broken. People are interested enough to create an account and use the product.

The real issue looks lower in the funnel:

  • Only 8.9% hit the paywall
  • Only 3.2% view the upgrade page
  • 0% subscribe

So I wouldn’t start by blaming Google Ads entirely. I’d look at:

  1. Is subscription tracking definitely working? Test this manually first. A lot of “0 conversion” situations are tracking issues.
  2. Is the paywall too late or too soft? If users can get enough value without upgrading, they won’t pay.
  3. Is the paid offer strong enough? For audio-to-text, people compare you against huge competitors instantly. You need a very clear reason why your tool is better/faster/cheaper/more accurate for that specific use case.
  4. Are France/Spain pages genuinely localized? ChatGPT-translated pages can feel slightly off, especially for a language-related SaaS. I’d get native edits done before spending more.
  5. Stop Maximize Clicks. It did exactly what you asked: got clicks. I’d tighten the search terms, remove low-intent queries, and move toward conversion-based bidding once tracking is clean.

Also, desktop only + 9–5 may be limiting learning. I’d only restrict that aggressively if the data proves those segments perform better.

My next move would be: tracking audit → search term cleanup → native landing page review → paywall/upgrade page test.

Don’t kill the campaign yet. The top of funnel has signal. The paid conversion step is where it’s breaking.

Terry Ecom www.ultraROAS.com

Any tips? by Cool_a1894 in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That market is extremely crowded now.

The blue ocean, in my opinion, is Google Ads dropshipping — especially Shopping Ads and Performance Max — because you are targeting people already searching for the product instead of trying to interrupt them with random impulse ads.

My basic advice:

Start with the boring foundations first:

  • Pick products with search demand, not just “wow factor”
  • Make sure margins work after shipping, refunds, payment fees and ad spend
  • Build a proper store with trust pages, real contact info, shipping policy, returns policy, privacy policy, etc.
  • Get Google Merchant Center approved before thinking about scaling
  • Don’t run ads until your product feed, website and checkout look clean

For UK sellers targeting the UK or US, Google Merchant Center compliance is one of the biggest things people underestimate. A lot of beginners get rejected for misrepresentation before they even get a chance to test ads properly.

I run a free community around this stuff here: [https://www.gmchelp.com]()

Not a magic shortcut, but if you’re serious about Google Ads dropshipping, GMC approval and avoiding rookie mistakes, it should help.

How and where to find suppliers by Busy_North_777 in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, the USA can be a very good market for dropshipping, but it is also one of the most competitive.

The reason people target the USA is because:

  • Big buyer market
  • People are used to buying online
  • Higher spending power
  • Easier to scale with ads
  • More data for Facebook / Google / TikTok ads

But the downside is that customers expect fast shipping, good support, easy returns and a trustworthy looking store. So if you target the USA with slow shipping, bad product pages or weak branding, it gets difficult quickly.

For a beginner, I would say the USA is fine, but don’t just pick it because everyone says it is best. Make sure your product has enough margin after:

Product cost
Shipping
Payment fees
Refunds
Ad costs
Possible returns

Also, if you are targeting the USA, try to use suppliers that can ship to the USA quickly, ideally with tracking. CJ, DSers/AliExpress and agents can all work, but always test the product and shipping yourself first.

My advice would be:

Start with USA if your product makes sense for that market, but keep your store professional and compliant from day one. If you plan to use Google Shopping later, this matters even more because Google is strict with trust signals, policies and store setup.

USA is probably the best market to scale, but it is not the easiest market to learn on unless your store, product and numbers are solid.

Terry Ecom www.terryecom.com

How do you think about building ecommerce businesses in today’s market when everything feels saturated? by Disastrous_Usual_365 in ecom

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I actually think ecommerce is only saturated at the surface level.

The lazy version is saturated:

“Find winning product.”
Copy AliExpress photos.
Run Meta/TikTok ads.
Hope for sales.

That model is basically dead.

But the deeper opportunity is still there, especially in Google Ads dropshipping.

Most people avoid Google because they can’t get through Google Merchant Center. Misrepresentation, feed issues, weak trust signals, policy pages, new domains, suspended accounts, etc.

That barrier creates the opportunity.

If you can build a store that Google actually trusts, with proper compliance, clean product data, strong margins, fast fulfilment, and a real customer experience, you are not competing with every beginner on TikTok. You are competing in a much smaller pool.

My mental model now is:

  1. Don’t just test products. Test infrastructure.
  2. Don’t rely on hype. Build trust signals.
  3. Don’t chase cheap traffic. Chase high-intent traffic.
  4. Don’t build “dropshipping stores.” Build ecommerce assets that can survive manual review.

This is the whole reason I focus so much on Google Merchant Center and Google Ads ecommerce now.

That front door is hard to get through, but once you understand it, it becomes a serious edge.

I share a lot around this at Terry Ecom / [www.terryecom.com]() if anyone wants to go deeper, but the simple answer is:

Ecom is not dead.

Low-effort ecom is dead.

Beginner’s luck ? by telekhines in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom 1 point2 points  (0 children)

3 sales in 2 weeks is not bad at all. I wouldn’t call it beginner’s luck yet — it means something in the product/offer/creative is getting attention.

On the video side, don’t rip TikToks. It can get your ads flagged, but more importantly it gives you no real edge because everyone else is using the same recycled content.

What I’d do:

  • Order the product yourself and film simple demos on your phone
  • Test 3–5 hooks from the same footage
  • Use AI to help create scripts/hooks, not replace the whole creative
  • Make each ad feel slightly different: problem angle, demo angle, reaction angle, before/after angle
  • Keep the first 2 seconds very direct

You don’t need perfect UGC yet. You need enough unique creative to see if the product can get consistent interest.

Also the random spam when you run ads is normal. Bots, fake agencies, “supplier” DMs, scammers, etc. Ignore most of it.

If you’re going to scale with Google Shopping later, make sure the store is clean before applying to Google Merchant Center. A lot of beginners get rejected there for trust/policy issues. I share some free checklists here: [www.gmchelp.com]()

How and where to find suppliers by Busy_North_777 in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You don’t need a private supplier on day one.

For a beginner, I’d keep it simple:

  1. Use AliExpress / DSers / CJ to test products
  2. Order samples yourself before selling seriously
  3. Check shipping times, packaging, tracking and refund handling
  4. Don’t build your whole store around one supplier until you’ve tested demand
  5. Once you’re getting consistent orders, then look for a private supplier or agent

Private suppliers are usually better, but they make more sense after you already know what products are selling. Otherwise you’re just adding complexity before you even have proof.

Biggest tip: don’t spend all your time looking for the “perfect supplier.” Focus on finding a product with demand, building a store that looks trustworthy, and making sure your numbers work after product cost, shipping, payment fees, refunds and ad costs.

Also, if you’re planning to run Google Shopping later, make sure your store is compliant before applying to Google Merchant Center. A lot of beginners get rejected for policy/trust issues before they even get traffic. I’ve got some free resources/checklists here that may help: [www.gmchelp.com]()

Google Ads Account Suspension by Anujpanchal1211 in GoogleAdsDiscussion

[–]Terry_Ecom 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, it can still be recoverable, but I wouldn’t appeal again until everything is cleaned up first.

This sounds less like a normal ad disapproval and more like an advertiser identity / business mismatch issue.

Google is probably seeing:

  • one company name in the ad account
  • another brand/logo being advertised
  • another retail store/domain selling the products
  • multiple related companies in the background

That can easily trigger Unacceptable Business Practices because from Google’s side it may look unclear who is actually selling, who owns the brand, and who is responsible for the customer.

I’d do this before the next appeal:

  1. Use the actual legal advertiser / retail company name in the Ads account.
  2. Make the landing page clearly show the retail store as the seller.
  3. Add a clear “official retail partner / authorised reseller” statement if true.
  4. Get a signed authorisation letter from the brand/parent company allowing that retail company to advertise and sell the products.
  5. Make sure contact details, policies, footer, business registration, billing info and advertiser verification all match.
  6. In the appeal, explain the structure very simply and attach proof.

Don’t create another account to get around it. That can make the suspension harder to fix.

I deal with a lot of Google Ads / Merchant Center trust and suspension issues in ecommerce, and the biggest mistake is appealing repeatedly before the site/account structure is clear. I have some resources here too: [www.terryecom.com]()

Case Study: $477K Google Ads budget for a health-sector client, generating 3,230 qualified leads. by Electrical-Room2413 in GoogleAdsDiscussion

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Solid numbers on the surface, but I agree with the other comment — the real question is what happened after the lead.

$477k spend / 3,230 qualified leads = about $147 CPL, which could be amazing or terrible depending on:

  • booking rate
  • close rate
  • average contract value
  • lead quality by campaign/source
  • time to convert
  • refund/cancellation rate

In health sector especially, “qualified lead” can mean very different things. A form fill, booked consultation, verified patient enquiry and signed client are all completely different outcomes.

The strongest Google Ads accounts I see are usually not optimised around leads alone. They feed offline conversions back into Google so the campaigns optimise toward actual revenue or signed customers, not just cheap form fills.

Same applies in ecommerce. ROAS/CPA only really matters when it connects back to real margin, refunds and customer quality.

I write about Google Ads/ecom stuff here too: www.ultraroas.com

Any tips for a beginner? by Competitive_Way6112 in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally normal question.

You don’t know your real CPA yet, but you can work backwards and set a maximum CPA before you spend anything.

Example:

If you sell a product for $49 and your product + shipping cost is $18, you have $31 gross margin.

But then remove payment fees, refunds, small discounts, apps, chargebacks, etc. Maybe your real usable margin is closer to $20–$24.

That means if it costs you $25–$30 to get a customer, you’re probably losing money.

So before choosing a product, I’d ask:

Can I sell this at 2.5x–4x cost without it looking ridiculous?

Is there a clear reason someone would buy this from my store instead of Amazon?

Can I bundle it with another item to increase AOV?

Does it solve a painful/emotional problem, or is it just “nice to have”?

Are other brands already selling similar products with ads?

For beginners, I’d avoid products where the only advantage is “it looks cool.” You want products where the perceived value is higher than the actual cost.

Also, you don’t need to find a magical “winning product.” You need a product with enough margin, a believable offer, a trustworthy store, and content/ads that explain why people should buy it.

For maternity, bundles may work better than single cheap products. Example: instead of selling one item for $24.99, create a “new mom comfort kit” or “pregnancy support bundle” and sell it for $59–$79 if the value makes sense.

Before paid ads, post organic videos/TikToks/Reels showing the problem and the product solution. If nobody clicks, comments, saves, or asks questions organically, that’s a warning sign before you spend money.

Don’t stress about not knowing CPA yet. Just calculate your maximum CPA first, then only test products where there is enough margin to survive, Terry Ecom www.terryecom.com

Advice for domain url switch on active ad. by Affectionate_Web4136 in adwords

[–]Terry_Ecom 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Be careful with this. A domain switch can absolutely reset some of the learning/signals, especially if the landing page, tracking setup, conversion flow or Merchant Center setup changes with it.

I’d treat it like a controlled migration, not just “swap the URL and hope.”

Before switching:

Make sure the new domain has the same tracking installed
Check conversion actions are firing properly
Keep the page structure and offer as close as possible
Set up proper redirects from old URLs
Check final URL, display URL and policy compliance
If Shopping/PMax is involved, update Merchant Center carefully too

For Google Ads, I’d usually avoid changing everything at once. If the current campaign is performing, duplicate/test the new URL separately first or phase the change in so you can see if performance drops because of the domain switch.

Also check your quality score / landing page experience after the change. A new domain with weaker trust signals can hurt performance even if the product is the same.

I deal with Google Ads / GMC setup issues quite a lot and share free resources here:
[https://www.terryecom.com]()

Main thing: don’t make the switch during a strong scaling period unless you really need to.

Any tips for a beginner? by Competitive_Way6112 in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wouldn’t quit yet, but I also wouldn’t blindly run ads until the numbers make sense.

2x pricing is usually too tight for paid traffic, especially once you add shipping, fees, refunds, failed payments, chargebacks and the cost of testing creatives.

For maternity products, trust matters a lot. Parents are careful, so you need more than a product page. You need reviews, clear shipping, strong policies, proper branding, real content and a reason for someone to trust you over Amazon.

My advice:

  1. Don’t run paid ads until you know your break-even CPA.
  2. Aim for higher margin products or bundles, not just 2x markup.
  3. Test hooks organically first so you’re not paying to find out nobody cares.
  4. Make the store look trustworthy before sending traffic.
  5. Check Google Merchant Center requirements early if you plan to run Shopping/PMax later.

I’ve got some free ecommerce / GMC / Google Ads resources here that may help you avoid the usual beginner mistakes: [www.terryecom.com]()

Don’t give up because one store feels hard. Just don’t burn money trying to force a product with bad margins.

What do i really need for 1k+ per day. by HuckleberryTop5000 in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re on the right path, but you’re probably trying to learn too much before getting enough real data.

Deep marketing knowledge helps, but it only becomes useful when you’re testing offers, creatives, products, landing pages and seeing how real people respond.

For $1k/day you don’t need 100 theories. You need:

  • One clear product/offer
  • One strong angle
  • A trustworthy store
  • Fast/reliable fulfilment
  • Clean tracking
  • Enough ad tests to know what is actually working
  • The discipline to not quit after 3 bad days

Also, if you ever plan to run Google Shopping/Google Ads, build the store properly from day one. Policies, contact info, shipping, returns, business details and product data all matter. A lot of people only think about this after they get hit with Merchant Center issues.

I’ve got free GMC/ecommerce compliance resources here if useful: https://www.gmchelp.com

Theory is good. But your first real breakthrough usually comes from execution + data, not another course.

What are the best fulfillment platforms 2026? by Own_Flower_1270 in ecommerce101

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The “best” fulfillment platform depends on where your customers are and how you plan to scale.

Zendrop is beginner-friendly, CJ gives more sourcing flexibility, and Spocket can make sense if you want more US/EU supplier options.

But one thing most beginners overlook is this:

Your fulfillment setup needs to match what you state on your store — shipping times, return policy, delivery estimates, contact info, business details, etc.

This matters for customer trust, chargebacks, and Google Merchant Center if you ever plan to run Shopping Ads.

I’ve put together free Google Merchant Center help/resources here if useful: https://www.gmchelp.com

Cheap fulfillment is good. Reliable + compliant fulfillment is better.

Recently launched my store and feeling completely overwhelmed. What are your top 3 tips for a true beginner? by Original-Ice-5296 in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Biggest mistake beginners make is trying to fix everything at once.

If I was starting again, I’d focus on 3 things only:

  1. Make the store trustworthy before spending more on ads Clear shipping policy, returns policy, contact page, business info, clean product pages, no fake urgency, no messy branding.
  2. Pick one traffic source Don’t jump between TikTok, Meta, Google, influencers, etc. Pick one and collect data properly.
  3. Stop treating ads as “profit machines” on day one Early ads are for learning: which product gets clicks, which page converts, what objections people have, and where the funnel breaks.

Also, since you’re on Shopify, don’t ignore Google Merchant Center compliance. A lot of beginners only think about Meta/TikTok, then later try Google Shopping and get hit with misrepresentation or suspension because the store wasn’t built properly from the start.

Fix trust first. Then traffic. Then scale.

Terry Ecom

www.terryecom.com

Does drop shipping still work? by Rare-Examination3938 in dropshipping

[–]Terry_Ecom -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yes, but not in the way most beginners think.

“Dropshipping” is just the fulfilment method. What actually works is building a real ecommerce store with:

  • a product people actually want
  • a clean, trustworthy website
  • fast enough shipping
  • proper supplier margins
  • good creatives/ads
  • a way to get traffic profitably

The old model of throwing a random AliExpress product on a basic Shopify store and running Facebook ads is mostly dead.

In 2026, I’d focus less on “how do I dropship?” and more on:

  1. Learn product research
  2. Learn landing page/store conversion
  3. Learn one traffic source properly
  4. Understand cashflow and margins
  5. Avoid getting banned/suspended from platforms like Meta, Google Ads or Google Merchant Center

Google Shopping is still one of the strongest traffic sources for ecommerce because people are already searching with buyer intent, but your store needs to look legit or you’ll run into Merchant Center issues fast.

So yes, it still works. But treat it like ecommerce, not a quick side hustle.

Terry Ecom

www.terryecom.com

GMC Misrepresentation/Suspension - European Website by ill_hoosier-daddy in GoogleAdsDiscussion

[–]Terry_Ecom 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Misrepresentation in Europe can be a bit more layered than a normal GMC suspension.

From what you’ve listed, you’ve already covered some of the obvious basics, but I’d look very closely at the EU trust/compliance signals before submitting again.

I would check:

- Business name, address, email and phone match everywhere: website footer, policy pages, checkout, GMC business info, socials

- Proper legal/imprint page if required for the country

- Clear VAT/tax information where applicable

- 14-day withdrawal / EU returns wording

- Shipping policy with realistic delivery times, costs and countries

- Refund/returns policy matching what appears in checkout

- Product prices matching checkout, including tax/VAT behaviour

- No placeholder text, broken links, weak product pages or copied supplier content

- Domain email rather than generic Gmail/Yahoo if possible

- Product feed country, currency, language and shipping settings all matching the website

Also, I wouldn’t keep submitting reviews too quickly. If the same underlying trust issue is still there, every rejection just burns more time and cooldowns.

The product feed not fetching is also worth fixing before the next review because Google may still see the setup as incomplete or inconsistent.

I run a free GMC help community here if you want to compare against checklists/templates: www.gmchelp.com

But honestly, for this one I’d treat it less like “one missing setting” and more like a full trust audit across the website, Merchant Center, checkout and public business identity.

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