Dropshipping for Beginners: How to Start & Succeed in 2026

You keep hearing ‘dropshipping ’, dropshipping for beginners and don’t know the meaning.
You have a vague idea of what is dropshipping and want to know exactly how it works.
You’re wondering about the pros and cons of dropshipping.
If any of these sound like you, SeekhoBecho has something you might like.

Quick Summation

Dropshipping Global Revenue

There is a reason behind all the recent talk related to dropshipping. The dropshipping global market revenue is projected to reach $476.1 billion in 2026. Hence, dropshipping ranks high among the most profitable ecommerce business models in 2026.

This complete guide to dropshipping has all the dropshipping details you need to know, whether you want to start a dropshipping business or just like to learn new things.

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What is Dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a type of “remote shipping”. basically, you find someone who has things you want to sell. You display these products and handle the marketing so that customers can see and buy them online.

When the customer buys a product, the supplier directly sends it to them. You earn money because of the difference between what the customer pays you and what you pay to the supplier.

Knowing how dropshipping works is important. While a lot of people and businesses today are aware of its basics, not everyone is well versed with its details. The right information puts you ahead of the online business curve. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is get the dropshipping meaning right. So what is dropshipping, exactly?

Before you learn how to start dropshipping as a beginner, you need to know some other facts.

Indian Dropshipping Statistics 2026

1. In the financial year 2025-26, the Indian dropshipping market is worth $6.61 billion.
2. By 2033, it is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.53%.
3. The Indian dropshipping market will be worth approximately $17 billion in 2033.

Entering the dropshipping market in 2026 ensures that you don’t miss out on your share of the profits. There is nothing but growth ahead.

Two Dropshipping Methods

Method 1: Storefront on Existing E-commerce Platform

One way of having a dropshipping business is to use a seller account on an existing e-commerce platform such as Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho. This dropshipping method requires some understanding of platform-specific compliance requirements that keep your dropshipping business legal and safe.

Pros of Dropshipping on Existing Platform

• Since existing e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho have established brand names and extensive customer bases, they are often trusted more by customers.
• These platforms get a large number of visitors and customers, increasing the chances of your storefront being visited.
• There is an established process to dropship on these platforms, which can make it easier to start dropshipping as a beginner.

Cons of Dropshipping on Existing Platform

1. Compliance policies can become difficult to understand for beginner dropshippers.
2. These platforms will take a percentage of your profits, and their various pricing structures can get complex to understand.

E-Commerce Platforms for Dropshipping

The top e-commerce platforms for dropshipping are Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho.

1.   Amazon Dropshipping

Before to start dropshipping first you need to about what is amazon dropshipping and how it works? Dropshipping on Amazon gives you the option to tap into Indian and international markets. Being an Amazon India or Amazon International dropshipper gives you access to a huge customer base because it is the largest e-commerce platform in the world as of 2025. For example, here are some numbers relating to Amazon visits:

• 8 billion monthly visits on Amazon in the US (2025).
• 6 million monthly Amazon visits in India (2025).
• India has the 4th highest number of monthly Amazon visits in the world (as of 2025).

In order to sell on Amazon, it is compulsory to have a seller account and GST number (for Amazon India). Identity verification and financial documentation are necessary for starting a seller account.

Further, Amazon has a fee structure for sellers that involves a referral fee, closing fee and weight handling (shipping fee). The last fee only applies if you choose Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), where Amazon stores and ships your products.

Whether you want to start dropshipping on Amazon India or be an Amazon International dropshipper, we are here to make your seller account, list your products, optimize your listings and account, and handle order fulfillment.

2.   Flipkart Dropshipping

Dropshipping on Flipkart is for those who want to specifically target an Indian market. Flipkart is a highly trusted Indian online marketplace with 500 million + users. This platform also requires you to have a seller account, and a GST number for a majority of categories. Further, you also need to do identity verification and address proof.

Flipkart charges sellers three fees: fixed fee, commission fee and shipping fee. The shipping fee is only applicable if you choose to get your order fulfilled via Flipkart.

Need help with setting up your Flipkart store while you avoid shipping fees entirely? Our Flipkart dropshipping services are starting soon.

3.   Meesho Dropshipping

What is meesho? Meesho is a popular Indian online marketplace known for affordability. Meesho’s revenues have grown tremendously: from $700,000 in 2018 to $689 million in 2023.

To become a Meesho dropshipper, or want to sell on meesho without GST you also need standard identification and verification documents, and either a GST number or Enrollment ID (latter if your products are exempt from GST).

The big advantage of Meesho dropshipping business is that there are zero registration or selling fees.

We’ll guide you through all formalities and launch your storefront on Meesho. Get started now!

Method 2: Dropshipping on Your Own Website

You can also choose to have your own online store on Shopify or any other platform. This will be an e-commerce website launched and operated by you. If you decide to take this dropshipping method, you will have to use different marketing techniques to drive traffic to your site and convert visitors into customers.

Pros of Dropshipping on Own Website

1. Your earnings are yours. There won’t be any deductions by third-party platforms if you choose to dropship through your own website.
2. You don’t have to worry about compliance policies when it’s your own website.
3. While you cannot do branding through your products, your website can become a crucial branding method.

Cons of Dropshipping on Own Website

1. At first, it can be difficult to make people aware of your site. This means that you will have to put more effort into marketing your store.
2. Website development takes a significant amount of effort. You have to put money into owning a website, and might also have to hire someone to create your website.

Platforms for E-commerce Website

1.   Shopify Website

You can start your own website on Shopify.

Source: Shopify

The numbers on Shopify sales show that it is a very lucrative platform where your dropshipping business can grow and earn profits.

2.   Website on Any Other Platform

You can also choose any other platform to launch your own website. Make your choice based on your business needs.

Regardless of what you choose, we love to help. Want the best experts to set up your e-commerce website? Take a look at e-commerce websites we have made for our clients and start today.

Dropshipping on Existing E-Commerce Platform vs Own Website

Decide which of the two dropshipping methods you want to use:

Dropshipping Pros and Cons

A lot of people consider dropshipping an easy and quick way to earn money with zero risk or issues. However, dropshipping has both pros and cons. The businesses that understand both are always more likely to succeed.

Top 10 Dropshipping Benefits

The advantages of dropshipping vs other ecommerce are primarily related to its ease, flexibility and growth opportunities.

1. No Inventory: Dropshipping does not require you to hold any product stock. This advantage significantly reduces your costs and difficulty. You do not have to pay warehouse costs and staff salaries, as well as a host of other charges that come with holding stock.
2. Pay After Earning: In a traditional business model, you’d have to pay for stock in advance. A dropshipping business only pays the supplier when the customer places an order, and collects the price difference as profit.
3. No Wasted Stock: A dropshipping business does not need to worry about unsold stock or wastage. Any stock-related concerns are managed by the supplier.
4. Easier to Start: You do not need prior business experience to start dropshipping. Since order fulfillment is not your domain, you can just focus on your storefront and marketing. Even business beginners can become a dropshipper.
5. Quicker to Start: There is very little setup required to start a dropshipping business. Therefore, you can start selling very quickly. You just need to choose your products and suppliers, launch your storefront/website, list the products, and start marketing.
6. Cheaper to Start: Being a beginner dropshipper is easier than traditional business models because you need very little money to begin with. Other business owners have to purchase stock, maintain warehouses, pay their staff, etc. You avoid all these costs as a dropshipper.
7. Work Anytime, Anywhere: You do not need to be in the same location as your customers or suppliers in order to dropship. You can work remotely with ease, as per your preferred timings. All you need is internet access.
8. Less Risk: A dropshipper undertakes less risk because they do not have to invest much starting capital in their business.
9. Easier Market Testing: Dropshipping makes it easier to use a trial-and-error business tactic. You can select certain products at first and then switch easily in case they are not selling in your chosen market. This gives dropshipping beginners greater flexibility with real-time market research.
10. Easier to Grow: Similarly, if your dropshipping business is doing well and you feel ready to scale, you can easily expand your listed product quantity/variety and start making more profits. Even dropshipping beginners can start seeing promising earnings and growth.

Negative Sides of Dropshipping

Any business model has both strengths and weaknesses. Dropshipping also has some drawbacks:

1. Difficult to do Branding: Since you are not manufacturing or holding the products, it is not possible to make them distinct to your brand. Rather, your customers should be drawn to your business because of factors like attractive marketing, trust, and reliability.
2. Less Control: Since you do not hold the inventory or warehouses, your orders might face issues because of factors you cannot control. The prices of the products might change as well.
3. Answerable to Customer: Since the dropshipping business is the customer-facing party, only you will be answerable to the customer. You will have to take care of customer support even if the issue is not from your side.
4. Managing Shipping Times: Your supplier is responsible for shipping. There might be a few delays and issues with order fulfillment, especially if you have many suppliers. Different suppliers take different times to ship products, making it difficult for the dropshipping business to maintain uniformity of delivery time.

How to Ensure You Earn Profits in Dropshipping

To avoid the cons of dropshipping and make your business profitable quickly, you have to use proven techniques which beginner dropshippers are not aware of:

1.   Select the Right Products

Conduct market research on which dropshipping products are most likely to sell. You have to understand the market you are trying to enter and select products accordingly.

2.   Select Dropshipping Suppliers Carefully

Aside from just product catalog, also focus on shipping time, reliability, location, quality and other important factors when choosing suppliers. They can make or break your dropshipping business.

3.   Understand Your Competitors

Any business has to understand its competitors in order to improve. As a dropshipping business, you will also need to have a sense of who you are competing against, how much competition there is, whether you should pick a market and product with less competition, etc.

4.   Get Dropshipping Services

Whether you’re a beginner or you have some experience, the right support can pave the way to profitability. SeekhoBecho will teach you everything there is to know about dropshipping while also taking care of the entire process for you.

Each of our plans comes with free dropshipping courses. With our most popular Platinum Plan, we will even provide digital marketing services for your business.

How Beginners Can Start Dropshipping in 2026

The dropshipping business model, while simple, is often misunderstood. We have broken down how it works so that you can grasp dropshipping in its entirety and know how to start a dropshipping business 2026.

Step 1: Choose Market Niche and Products

You, the dropshipping business, called the seller or retailer, have to start by choosing what exactly you want to sell. The online shopping market keeps growing.

Dropshipping beginners can find it hard to choose what they want to sell and to whom, especially with so many options. But the great variety of options can be your strength too.

Research properly and choose your market niche as well as product. Some factors to consider are demand, competition and supply. In case you feel that it is not working out, you can always change your products or target customer group, since you do not actually have to store the product.

Step 2: Choose Supplier

Once you’ve chosen your market and dropshipping products, it’s time to choose your suppliers. It goes without saying that the supplier should have the required stock of the product you have chosen. They should also be reliable so that your product is available when the customer places an order for it.

Step 3: Register Your Dropshipping Business

Now comes all the legal work required to register your business. You can choose from a few types of registration. To officially become a business, you must also have a separate bank account for business purposes.

There are various types of businesses, such as sole proprietorship, limited liability partnership (LLP), private limited company, etc. Each is registered differently. It is important to register correctly based on your goals.

Step 4: Choose Your Dropshipping Method

You broadly have two options here. Either you can make your own website where customers can see the products and place orders, or you can make a storefront on an existing e-commerce platform such as Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho.

Each choice requires its own set of legal processes and compliance. For example, it is compulsory for Amazon India dropshippers to have a GST number in order to start selling. Dropshipping beginners need to learn about these processes properly in order to get started. A good dropshipping support platform can explain all legalities and compliance policies properly.

Step 5: Create Your Online Store

The next part of the dropshipping process requires you to create your dropshipping store or storefront, that is, the online shop where all the products are shown to the customer. The online store is both a catalog of products as well as the forum where orders are placed.

Further, the customer should be able to get their queries and issues resolved through contact features or information available on this online storefront.

Your online store also displays the prices of your products. You have to price your products depending on what the supplier is charging you, market research, the spending power of your customer base, your target market, and your target profit margin.

SeekhoBecho ensures that you get a 100% profit margin in your dropshipping business. We have zero hidden fees or charges and offer various plans  that cater to different business needs.

Step 6: Customer Places Orders

Once your store is live, you have to start bringing customers to it. Use marketing techniques which are likely to bring people to your online store and convert them into customers. When a customer places an order, you are responsible for forwarding it to the supplier.

Step 7: Supplier Handles Order Shipping

On receiving the forwarded order, the dropshipping supplier processes and ships it to the customer. You have to handle customer queries and communication while the order is being processed.

Step 8: Product Reaches Customer

The customer receives their product. The order is now complete!

Step 9: Handle Returns, Exchanges or Issues

Similar to the order, you may receive return and exchange requests from the customer on your online store. You have to forward these to your supplier and make sure that they are carried out.

The customer’s satisfaction should be the priority of your dropshipping business. People expect ease and convenience from online shopping. So, always make sure that your customers have a good shopping experience.

If they enjoy shopping with you, they will return to your store.

Payment Gateways and CoD in India

Now that you know how to start dropshipping as a beginners, another important consideration is the payment gateway you want to use for orders, and whether you want to offer Cash on Delivery (CoD).

Here are some payment gateways you can use in India:

1. PhonePe
2. PayTM
3. RazorPay
4. PayPal
5. InstaMojo
6. Stripe

Each payment gateway has its own fee structure. Further, there are different kinds of payment gateways you can choose from.

When it comes to CoD, consider these factors:

1. Offering CoD expands your customer base because some customers may not have online payment platforms or accounts.
2. CoD can reduce the number of people who do not proceed to place the order after adding products to the cart.
3. CoD can lead to some risks such as refusal of the customer to accept the parcel.
4. Prices might increase due to CoD because fulfillment is usually pricier with CoD.

Dropshipping Business Chain

Aside from knowing how to start dropshipping in 2026, It is a good idea to know the role of each person (or business) involved in the business model:

1. Supplier: The dropshipping supplier stores the products and receives customer orders from the dropshipper. They also send the products to the customer.
2. Dropshipper (You): The dropshipper or dropshipping business displays or lists the products on their own website or a third-party platform. They also bring customers to an online store where they can purchase the products.
3. Customer: The customer visits the dropshipper’s website or storefront and places orders. They may also require support from time to time. Further, they get order updates or tracking information that states the expected delivery date.

Who is a Dropshipper?

A dropshipper is the person or business that links the supplier and the customer. They bring customers to a platform where the products are visible, and make sure that the customer is satisfied with the order. In other words, the dropshipper is customer-facing.

Responsibilities of the Dropshipper

Now that you know the dropshipping business model and process, you might be wondering what exactly you have to do if the supplier takes care of order fulfillment.

1. The dropshipper brings customers to suppliers. Due to the dropshipper, the customer is able to find products they want and the supplier gets customers they can sell to. The two do not deal directly with each other. You are the coordinating party between them.
2. As the bridge between the supplier and customer, you have to facilitate communication between them. For example, you have to forward the customer’s orders to the supplier, and inform the customer about shipping time and other order updates from the supplier.
3. You are in charge of marketing. Marketing is crucial so that users online become aware of the products being sold, and visit your website/storefront to place orders. If your marketing is done well, it can persuade people to become your customers.
4. As mentioned, the dropshipper is customer-facing. Therefore, you have to talk to the customer and clear their doubts and problems.

Dropshipping Responsibilities

Is Dropshipping Right for You?

Dropshipping is a profitable business model, but is it right for you? Make your decision based on the following factors:

1. Growth

Dropshipping is growth-centered. You have to ask yourself whether you are prepared to have a business that expands rapidly. If your business priority is to start and scale quickly, dropshipping is perfect for you.

2. Marketing

If you’re good at marketing and don’t mind focussing on it, dropshipping will suit you. A major part of successful dropshipping lies in marketing well and getting people to visit your online store/storefront. 

3. Branding

Dropshipping means that you will not be able to establish your brand identity through your products, as they come from the supplier. The same products might be sold by other dropshippers as well. Your brand identity has to be established through marketing, customer interaction and reliability. If these are your strong points, you will be able to create a dropshipping business.

4. Multitasking

Being a dropshipper means that you have to coordinate and multitask properly, especially if you have many different dropshipping suppliers. They may have varying shipping times and processes, and you have to coordinate between these variations because the customer only interacts with you, not the suppliers. If you’re a good multitasker, you can start dropshipping.

But wait. If you want all the coordination and marketing done for you while you focus on growth and branding, we are here to help.

Dropshipping vs Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a practice where you promote the products of another business and earn commission on their sales. At first, you might think that affiliate marketing sounds a lot like dropshipping. You have to do marketing for products that you do not manufacture or own.

But there are important differences between dropshipping and affiliate marketing. These are some key differences can help you decide which one is better for you:

1.   Customer Interaction

Dropshipping involves a lot of customer interaction. You have to communicate with your customers and inform them about the order fulfillment process since they only interact with you and not the supplier.

As an affiliate marketer, you do not need to do anything aside from recommending the products to your audience and providing them a way to place orders (mostly an affiliate link).

2.   Work Flow

Dropshipping and affiliate marketing have distinctly different processes. For dropshipping, you have to choose a supplier, start an online store, take care of marketing, and forward customer orders to the supplier while keeping the customer informed about the progress of their order.

For affiliate marketing, you have to apply to affiliate programs depending on who you’re marketing for. Then, you get approved and can start promoting the products on your social media page, website, blog, etc.

3.   Main Focus

Dropshipping makes you a business of your own, and you can create a brand by having your own website and building customer relationships.

However, with affiliate marketing, you are marketing the products of an existing business which also directly interacts with its own customers. Therefore, your only focus has to be marketing.

4.   Audience

While dropshippers build a customer base through marketing, affiliate marketers use their existing audience to promote products.

Therefore, affiliate marketing might be better for those who already have an audience while dropshipping would suit those who want to build a customer base from the ground up.

Special Features of the Dropshipping Business Model

The online dropshipping business model is a special one because it divides duties very efficiently. Despite being the seller, you do not have to make anything or keep any products with you. This is important because keeping products involves a lot of costs and effort. A dropshipper entirely evades these processes and simply works on marketing and selling.

A dropshipping business just needs to pick the products and the supplier, and communicate directly with the customer. All processes related to the order are done by the supplier.

Further, if your dropshipping business avails the services of a dropshipping platform, every part of the process becomes automated for you while you keep scaling your business.

5 Important Facts on Dropshipping

As here we are explaining a guide of dropshipping for beginners so, Once you have understood the entire dropshipping process, these are some things you should remember:

1. Dropshipping is profitable in 2026 in India. The market is growing constantly, with massive growth rates.
2. Dropshipping is legal in India in 2026. All you need to do is take care of the legal work and compliance steps specific to your type of business and selling platform.
3. You can choose to have your dropship store on an e-commerce platform or launch your own e-commerce website.
4. Dropshipping allows you to focus on growing your company. You have zero inventory concerns, unsold stock, warehouse maintenance and other issues that other businesses have to deal with.
5. The dropshipping business model works best for those who have proper knowledge and support. It is better to avail dropshipping services in 2026. Such services raise your chances of success in a market with rising competition and make sure that you understand dropshipping properly.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.   Is Dropshipping Legal?

Yes, dropshipping is entirely legal in India as long as you follow the rules specific to the region and platform on which you have your store. It is necessary to follow GST regulations, Indian tax laws, compliance policies on Amazon, Flipkart, etc., and other legal specifications. Like any other business model, dropshipping also has to be done in a legal and compliant manner.

If you pick SeekhBecho dropshipping services, we will tell you all about the legal and compliance frameworks that you have to abide by. We make sure that you don’t miss anything, giving your business a boost in the dropshipping market.

2.   How to Find Dropshipping Ideas 2026?

Market Research: To find dropshipping business ideas check what is selling a lot in the market you are targeting. Also, check what is expected to sell more in the future. For example, fashion is consistently a large portion of the dropshipping market revenue in India.

Social Media Trends: Instagram trends, Pinterest trends, X posts that get a lot of traction, Facebook content and other material on social media provides valuable information about which products are in demand. If you are able to find a trending dropshipping niche, your profits increase.

Competitor Research: Understand what other dropshipping businesses in your market are selling, and adapt your business strategies accordingly. Either you will get an idea of what you should sell as per market demand, or what is not being sold by them, so that you can fill a supply gap.

Choose Sure to Sell Products: As mentioned, fashion products are always in demand. However, you will need to find specific fashion products that are more likely to sell than others. Check out SeekhoBecho’s  of premium quality bags for women.

3. Is Dropshipping Profitable in India 2026?

Yes, dropshipping is profitable in India in 2026. Therefore, it’s the best time to become a dropshipper in India.

1. Dropshipping has unmatched profit scope because of its division of labour. The seller need not worry about manufacturing, inventory, or warehouse costs.
2. When you feel like it, you can start growing by selling more products. You can also spend more time, energy and effort on bringing customers to your website or storefront.
3. You can give more time to tasks such as interacting with the customers, making your business more buyer-friendly and reliable.

4.   What is a Dropshipping Supplier?

A dropshipping supplier is the source of all your products. The supplier holds all the products that you sell to customers. In other words, they are the party that keeps inventory, or keeps things in stock.  Additionally, the dropshipping supplier ships the products to the customer.

It is very important that you pick a good supplier because this determines the quality of the products and delivery. The right dropshipping supplier will have a high-quality product catalog.