How to sell on Shopify without inventory

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Wondering how to sell on Shopify without inventory? It may sound like a riddle, but many businesses are doing it successfully. 

By adopting business models like dropshipping, print-on-demand, or third-party fulfillment, you can easily launch your online store in a couple of days without buying products upfront. 

Suppliers handle inventory and shipping, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business, such as branding and marketing. Adopting this strategy means lower upfront costs and minimal risk, making it a great way to start an online business.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to sell online without inventory. You’ll learn the best strategies, step-by-step setup, and essential marketing tips to successfully launch your Shopify store.

Can you sell on Shopify without inventory?

Absolutely! New entrepreneurs and experienced sellers looking to cut costs can use Shopify to sell products without managing inventory.

Instead of purchasing, storing, and shipping products yourself, you can partner with third-party suppliers who will handle everything. 

When a customer places an order, the supplier receives the details, packs the product, and ships it directly to the buyer. This means you never have to worry about stock management, warehouse costs, or logistics.

This approach allows you to start a Shopify store with minimal investment while focusing on growing your business.

Shopify gives you various ways to sell your products without ever touching them. Some of the popular ones include: 

• Dropshipping: You list products from suppliers in your Shopify store. When a customer buys something, the supplier ships it directly to them. 
• Print-on-demand (POD): With POD, items are printed and shipped only after an order is placed. This means there’s no risk of unsold stock.
• Third-party fulfillment: If you’d rather buy products in bulk, third-party fulfillment centers can store your inventory. Then, as orders come in, they can ship them directly. 

Pros and cons of selling without inventory on Shopify

Selling on Shopify without inventory comes with both opportunities and challenges. It empowers you to make money on Shopify with minimal investment, but it also means relying on third-party suppliers for fulfillment. Here’s a breakdown of the key pros and cons:

Pros	Cons
Minimal logistics management: Suppliers handle storage, packing, and shipping	Less control over fulfillment: Shipping times and product quality rely on third-party suppliers
Location flexibility: Run your store from anywhere with an internet connection	Highly competitive: Many sellers use the same suppliers and business model
Wide product variety: Sell products from multiple niches without holding inventory	Limited branding options: Less control over packaging and product customization
Low startup costs: No upfront investment in inventory needed	Lower profit margins: A share of earnings goes to suppliers
Scalability: Expand your product offerings without added risk	Potential supplier issues: Stock shortages or delays can impact the customer experience

Best ways to sell on Shopify without inventory

Below, we’ll explore how to sell on Shopify without inventory through three of the best business models. Each has its own advantages and challenges, so understanding their differences will help you decide upon the best strategy for your store.

1. Dropshipping

One of the most popular ways to learn how to start an online store without inventory is through dropshipping. 

This model allows you to sell products directly from suppliers without purchasing stock upfront. When a customer places an order, the supplier handles packaging and shipping, eliminating the need for storage or fulfillment on your end.

Shopify seamlessly integrates with several dropshipping apps, such as AliExpress, CJdropshipping, and Spocket, making it easy to source and add products to your store with just a few clicks.

Since you don’t have to invest in inventory upfront, dropshipping is a low-risk option for beginners and those looking to test new products.

Pros

• Low startup costs with no need to buy inventory upfront
• Wide variety of products available from global suppliers
• Flexible and scalable business model

Cons

• Lower profit margins due to supplier fees and competition
• Delivery times can vary, especially for overseas suppliers
• Less control over product quality and fulfillment

2. Print-on-demand

Print-on-demand (POD) is another excellent way to sell products online without inventory. Unlike traditional dropshipping, POD allows you to create and sell custom-designed items such as t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and phone cases. 

With this model, when a customer places an order, products are printed and shipped by a third-party provider. This makes it a great option for building a brand around unique designs.

With Shopify’s print-on-demand apps like Printful, Printify, and Gelato, you can upload your designs, choose products, and integrate them with your store. These third-party providers handle printing, packaging, and shipping, allowing you to focus on marketing and growing your store.

One of the major advantages of POD is its low financial risk, since you don’t need to buy stock in advance. However, production costs per item can be higher, which may impact profit margins.

Pros

• No need to hold inventory or invest in bulk production
• Easy to create custom-branded products
• Automated fulfillment with Shopify integration

Cons

• Limited product customization beyond prints
• Profit margins can be lower due to production costs
• Longer production times compared to traditional retail

3. Third-party fulfillment

Third-party fulfillment is a hybrid model that allows you to stock inventory with a fulfillment service, which then handles storage, packaging, and shipping. While this option does require purchasing inventory upfront, it offers better control over branding and delivery speeds than dropshipping.

Many Shopify sellers use fulfillment services like Amazon FBA, ShipBob, and Deliverr to store and manage their inventory. These providers receive bulk shipments from your suppliers, store the products, and ship them directly to customers when orders are placed. 

The third-party fulfillment model is ideal if you want to gain more control over branding and fulfillment without handling the logistics yourself.

Pros

• Faster shipping times compared to dropshipping
• More control over product quality and branding
• Less hassle with logistics, since fulfillment centers handle storage and shipping

Cons

• Requires upfront investment in stock
• Additional storage and fulfillment fees
• Risk of unsold stock if demand is miscalculated

How to start a Shopify store without inventory

Want to go with dropshipping, POD, or third-party fulfillment? It all comes down to choosing the right model and setting your store up the right way. In this section, we’ll guide you through the essential steps to launch a profitable Shopify store without inventory.

Step 1: Choose a business model

The first step in how to open an online store without inventory is selecting a business model that aligns with your goals and budget. If you want to start dropshipping, launch a print-on-demand business, or use third-party fulfillment, choosing the right approach is essential for success.

Each model is ideal for a particular entrepreneur. For example:

• Dropshipping: Best for beginners, as suppliers handle storage and shipping
• Print-on-demand: Great for creatives looking to sell custom designs
• Third-party fulfillment: Best for those who want faster shipping with some upfront investment in inventory

Step 2: Set up your store

Once you’ve chosen a business model, the next step is setting up your Shopify store. Follow these steps to get started:

• Sign up for Shopify and choose a pricing plan
• Choose a domain name that reflects your brand identity
• Pick a theme that suits your niche and customize it
• Add branding elements like a logo, color scheme, and fonts

A professional and user-friendly store builds trust and encourages purchases. Shopify makes customization easy with drag-and-drop features and pre-designed templates.

Step 3: Find reliable suppliers and integrate apps

To ensure smooth operations, you’ll need reliable suppliers. Here are some trusted platforms tailored to your chosen business model:

• Dropshipping: Popular options include Oberlo, Spocket, and Zendrop
• Print-on-demand: Explore Printful, Printify, or Gelato
• Third-party fulfillment: Consider ShipBob, Amazon FBA, or Deliverr

Integrate these apps seamlessly with Shopify to automate product imports, order processing, and fulfillment. Make sure you carefully research each supplier to ensure quality products and reliable shipping times. 

Step 4: List your products 

With your store set up and suppliers integrated, the next step is creating product listings that capture attention and drive sales. Here’s how to do this effectively:

• Write compelling product descriptions that highlight key features and benefits
• Upload high-quality images to showcase products effectively
• Set competitive prices that balance profitability with market trends

Plus, optimizing your product pages for SEO is one of the best ways to drive more sales on Shopify. A well-optimized page improves your store’s visibility on search engines, making it easier for potential customers to discover and purchase your products. Be sure to incorporate relevant keywords and include clear calls to action (CTAs) to encourage conversions.

Step 5: Set up payment and shipping options

Before launching your store, it’s essential to configure your payment and shipping settings to ensure a smooth shopping experience. Shopify supports multiple payment gateways, allowing you to accept payments from customers worldwide. These include:

• Shopify Payments
• PayPal 
• Stripe

For shipping, set clear policies based on your suppliers’ locations. Be transparent about estimated delivery times and costs, and consider offering free shipping to encourage more conversions. Shopify allows you to enable real-time carrier rates, ensuring accurate shipping fees at checkout. 

How to market your online store without inventory

Marketing is essential when learning how to sell on Shopify without inventory because, without a physical product to set your brand apart, building trust and strong customer relationships becomes even more important.

To succeed, you need effective strategies that drive engagement and conversions. Here are some of the best Shopify marketing strategies to help you grow your store — even without holding inventory.

Automate your email marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool for converting visitors into buyers by nurturing leads and reinforcing brand credibility. 

A well-structured email strategy helps you engage potential customers at every stage of the buying journey. Omnisend offers powerful automation features designed to increase conversions. 

These include:

• Signup forms: Capture leads with popups and embedded forms
• Welcome series: Build trust with new subscribers through automated greetings and offers
• Abandoned cart recovery: Recover lost sales by reminding customers to complete their purchases
• Omnichannel workflows: Integrate email, SMS, and push notifications to create seamless customer experiences

Here’s a look at Omnisend on Shopify’s app store, where you can explore its features and integrations:

Leverage social proof

Customer reviews are one of the most powerful ways to increase credibility and conversions. When shoppers see genuine feedback from others, they feel more confident in your store, making them more likely to complete a purchase. 

Positive product reviews serve as word-of-mouth recommendations, helping to reduce hesitation and establish trust, especially for businesses without inventory.

With Omnisend’s Product Reviews feature, you can effortlessly collect and display authentic customer feedback, including star ratings and testimonials, directly on your product pages.

By highlighting real experiences, you can create a sense of reliability and drive more sales.

If you’d like to learn more about how to make more sales with product reviews, the video below provides valuable insights. It covers how leveraging customer feedback can increase trust, improve conversion rates, and ultimately elevate your Shopify store’s success:

Wrap up

Learning how to sell on Shopify without inventory opens up exciting opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. 

Dropshipping, print-on-demand, and third-party fulfillment are all strategies on Shopify to build a profitable store without managing stock. 

Focus on finding reliable suppliers, optimizing your store, and using strategic marketing to drive sales. 

To maximize conversions, start your Shopify store today and use Omnisend to automate your marketing efforts.

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