How to Use Spocket for Dropshipping Effectively (Detailed Guide)

Spocket makes dropshipping a breeze! But are you getting the most out of it?

This guide covers it all, from signing up to researching and importing products like a pro.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

What is Spocket?

Spocket is a leading dropshipping platform that connects entrepreneurs with a wide range of suppliers from around the world. This platform is designed to simplify the dropshipping process, allowing users to focus on marketing and sales without the need for inventory management.

How Does Spocket Work?

Here is basically how Spocket works:

The dropshipping model involves three main parties: the customer, the dropshipper, and the supplier.

When a customer places an order on the dropshipper’s e-commerce store, the order automatically syncs with Spocket.

The dropshipper then places the order with a Spocket supplier, who ships the product directly to the customer.

This model eliminates the need for the dropshipper to purchase inventory upfront, freeing up time and resources for marketing and sales efforts.

Why Should You Choose Spocket?

After reviewing this platform, here’s what we think why Spocket stands out.

• High-Quality Suppliers: Spocket thoroughly vets its suppliers, ensuring they offer a margin of at least 25% and fast U.S. shipping.
• Global Reach: Spocket provides access to a wide range of suppliers based in the U.S., the EU, and other parts of the world.

Spocket Dashboard: A Quick Look

Before we discuss selling products, let’s take a quick tour of the Spocket dashboard:

• Discover New Products: On the search page, click on “Find Products.”
  • AliExpress Integration: Install our Ali Scraper tool to easily find and sell AliExpress products using Spocket.
  • Image Search Technology: Use our image search technology to find products that are similar to an existing product or any image. This is a great way to find replacements or complementary products.
  • Winning Products Section: Check out the winning products section to find best-selling products with high margins. Skip the research and get easy access to the best of the best.
• Import List: This is where you can shortlist and edit products before pushing them to your store.
• Products Page: View all the products that have been pushed to your store.
• Orders Page: This is where you can find and manage all your orders.
• Notifications Page: Find all important notifications such as supplier updates, price changes, account activity, etc.
• Messages Tab: Use the messages tab to communicate with your Spocket supplier for order inquiries and so on.
• Settings Page: This is your one-stop shop for everything related to your Spocket account.

How to Use Spocket for Dropshipping: A Detailed Tutorial

Alright, let’s get to the main topic of the day: how to kick off dropshipping with Spocket and make it a success!

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Get Spocket 

Access to Spocket here. Start by clicking the “Get Started” or “Start for free” button, which will take you to the app page. After that, select the categories you want to sell in and choose your suppliers, such as those from the US/EU, AliExpress, or White Label.

Next, choose the area where you want to sell, and in the following step, you’ll need to pick a plan.

There are 4 plans for you:

• Starter: $39.99 a month
• Pro: $59.99 a month
• Empire: $99.99 a month
• Unicorn: $299.99 a month

As a starter, I’d suggest checking out the Starter plan or trying a free trial for just $1.99 (with a credit card).

Step 2: Integrate Spocket with Your E-commerce Platform 

Now that you have your plan ready, the next step is to link Spocket to your store. Spocket supports many eCommerce platforms, and the connection process varies for each one.

For instance, if you’re using Shopify, you need to log in to your Shopify account and install the Spocket app. Another way to connect is by logging into your Spocket dashboard, selecting Shopify, and entering your store URL.

No matter which platform you’re using, whether it’s WooCommerce, Amazon, or another, connecting your store should be simple. The Spocket resources page offers plenty of guides to assist you.

Step 3: Research Products

Now that you have a Spocket account and your store is connected, it’s time to start researching products and suppliers. This is a crucial step in finding winning products and reliable suppliers to help you succeed in the dropshipping business.

Why is product research important?

Product research is essential in dropshipping because it helps you find products that are in demand, have a high profit margin, and are easy to sell. It also helps you avoid selling products that are over-saturated in the market or have low demand.

How to research products on Spocket?

Spocket has a vast catalog of products from various suppliers. To research products, follow these steps:

1: Navigate to Find Products:

• Once Spocket is installed, go to the Spocket dashboard.
• By default, you will be on the “Find Products” screen.

2: Search for Products:

• Use the search bar to type in keywords for the products you want to find. For example, type “necklace” if you are looking for necklaces.
• Spocket will show a list of products that match your search criteria.

3: Filter Products:

• On the left-hand side, you can filter products by categories, such as Women’s Clothing, Jewelry and Watches, Bath and Beauty, Pet Products, Home and Garden, Kids and Babies, Toys, Footwear, and more.
• You can also filter by shipping locations, such as Europe or the USA, to find products that ship from those regions.
• Use the “Fast USA Shipping” filter to find products with quick shipping times within the USA.
• Adjust inventory filters to show products with a certain amount of stock, ensuring you choose products with high availability.

4: View Product Details:

• Click on a product to view more details, including preview images, listing cost, retail price, shipping cost, and shipping duration.
• You can also see the return policy, product description, sizes, and dimensions. This detailed view helps you evaluate the product is suitability for your store.

Step 4: Research Suppliers

All Spocket suppliers have to go through a vetting process to join the platform. Once accepted, they’re rated based on processing times, shipping times, and product quality.

To research suppliers on Spocket, follow these steps:

• Use the filter options to narrow down suppliers by location (e.g., United States) and other criteria like shipping times.
• Click on suppliers to view their profiles, including information about their products, shipping, and return policies.
• Compare different suppliers based on their reliability, reviews, and the terms they offer, then select the ones that best meet your needs.

Recommendation: When it comes to suppliers, it really depends on where your customers are located. If your customers are in the US, choose US suppliers for quick shipping. For customers in the EU, EU suppliers are a good choice.

Step 5: Import Products 

Once you know a product is a good fit for your store, bringing it in is simple. Just move your mouse over the product you like, and a green bar that says “Add to import list” will show up.

Your import list holds all the items you’ve chosen this way, letting you check your picks before adding them to your website. You can also change product details at this stage, including:

• Product name
• Product type
• The collections the product(s) will be a part of
• Product tags
• Product images
• Variants (sizes, colors, etc.)
• Profit margin

Pro Tip: Think about how you’ll manage shipping costs. If you offer free shipping, you’ll probably need to increase your profit margins.

Spocket lets you set a percentage markup that applies to all your products. To create global pricing rules, go to “Settings” in the bottom-left corner of your dashboard and click on the “Global pricing rules” tab. Here, you can choose a default markup for any new products you add to your list. When you’re ready to make a product available in your store, just click the “Push to Store” button.

Note: If you can’t push more products to your store, you might have hit your limit, so think about upgrading to a higher plan.

Step 6: Create Branded Invoices

Just head to “Settings” > “Store”. Here, you can update your store’s email, phone number, and logo and even add a personal note. 

Note: 

• Spocket’s branded invoicing feature is only available for paid subscriptions, and not all suppliers support it.
• To change the store URL on your invoice, go to Spocket settings > Store > Branded Invoicing.
• To update the email address on your invoice, visit Spocket settings > Store > Branded Invoicing.
• For uploading your logo, ensure it’s 500×500 pixels for proper saving. Change it at Spocket settings > Store > Branded Invoicing.
• Personal Note has a limit of 240 characters.
• Remember to click the “save” button at the bottom of the page to apply your changes to future branded invoices.

Step 7: Fulfill Orders

Once you’ve added products to your store, you’ll need to focus on fulfilling orders, and the nice thing is that the supplier will take care of this. While you can automate order fulfillment with Spocket, it’s important to keep in touch with both the supplier and customers to make sure everything goes well.

4 Tips to Maximize Spocket’s Features

Sometimes, getting the most out of Spocket’s features requires some know-how. Here are four tips to help you maximize them, from basic to unique and advanced.

Tip 1: Optimize Product Importing

Spocket allows you to import products from various suppliers. To make the most of this feature:

• Research popular products: Use tools like Google Trends or Amazon Best Sellers to find in-demand products.
• Filter products by supplier: Choose suppliers with a good reputation, fast shipping, and competitive pricing.
• Import products in bulk: Save time by importing multiple products at once.

By optimizing product importing, you can quickly find and add profitable products to your store.

Tip 2: Make The Most of Brand Promotion

Spocket enables you to promote your brand through customized packaging and invoices. To maximize this feature:

• Create a strong brand identity: Develop a unique logo, color scheme, and tone of voice.
• Customize packaging: Add your logo and branding to packaging materials, such as boxes and stickers.
• Use branded invoices: Include your branding on invoices to reinforce your brand image.

Promoting your brand can build customer loyalty and differentiate yourself from competitors.

Tip 3: Take Advantage of Affordable Super-fast Shipping

Spocket offers fast and affordable shipping options. To make the most of this feature:

• Choose the right shipping method: Select a method that balances speed and cost.
• Set up shipping rules: Automate shipping options based on product weight, destination, and other factors.
• Monitor shipping performance: Track shipping times and costs to optimize your strategy.

By using Spocket’s shipping features, you can provide fast and reliable shipping to your customers.

Tip 4: Automate Your Dropshipping Business

Spocket allows you to automate many tasks, freeing up time for marketing and growth. To maximize this feature:

• Set up order routing: Automatically route orders to the best supplier based on product availability and shipping costs.
• Use automated product listing: List products automatically, including product descriptions and images.
• Monitor and adjust: Regularly review automated tasks and adjust as needed to ensure smooth operations.

By automating your dropshipping business, you can focus on growth and customer satisfaction.

Common Challenges When Using Spocket 

Spocket is a great tool for dropshipping, but like any tool, it has its challenges. Here are some common ones and how to overcome them:

1. Limited Product Selection

Spocket’s product catalog might not have everything you need, especially niche items or trending products.

Solution:

• Utilize Spocket’s “Product Request” feature (Unicorn plan only): This is a good starting point. Be specific with your requests, providing clear product descriptions, images, and desired pricing.
• Don’t limit yourself to Spocket. Research and try out other platforms like SaleHoo, Doba, or even sourcing directly from suppliers on Alibaba.
• Consider offering customized or personalized products. This allows you to differentiate yourself from competitors and cater to specific customer needs.

2. Shipping Costs

Shipping costs can eat into your profit margins, especially for international orders.

Solution:

• Contact Spocket suppliers and inquire about discounted shipping rates, especially for bulk orders.
• Offer free shipping for orders over a certain amount. This is a common strategy to entice customers to spend more.
• Consider using a fulfillment service. Services like ShipBob or ShipStation can help you optimize shipping costs and provide faster delivery times.
• Be transparent about shipping times and potential delays, especially for international orders.

3. Monitoring and Analyzing Performance

While Spocket offers analytics, gaining a full understanding of your store’s performance requires more than just relying on its built-in tools.

Solution:

• Connect Spocket to Google Analytics. This provides a more comprehensive view of your store’s traffic, conversions, and customer behavior.
• Use a dedicated analytics platform. Tools like Google Data Studio or Tableau can help you visualize your data and gain deeper insights.
• Focus on metrics like conversion rate, average order value, customer lifetime value, and return on ad spend.
• Experiment with different product listings, pricing strategies, and marketing campaigns to see what works best.
• Don’t just collect data; analyze it and use it to make improvements to your store.

4. Customer Service

Providing excellent customer service can be challenging when you’re not directly handling the products.

Solution:

• Communicate shipping times, return policies, and any potential delays clearly on your website.
• Tools like Tidio or Intercom allow you to provide instant support and answer customer questions.
• Set up automated email responses for common inquiries, like order confirmations and shipping updates.
• Provide customers with options to contact you through email, phone, live chat, or social media.
• Monitor customer reviews and actively address any negative feedback.

5. Product Quality

Maintaining consistent product quality can be a challenge when working with multiple suppliers.

Solution:

• Look for suppliers with positive reviews and a history of providing high-quality products.
• Before placing large orders, request samples to assess the quality of the products firsthand.
• Communicate your expectations for product quality to your suppliers in writing.
• Provide customers with a clear and easy return process to ensure their satisfaction.
• Pay close attention to customer reviews and product ratings to identify any potential quality issues.

By understanding these common challenges and implementing the solutions, you can make the most of Spocket and build a successful dropshipping business.

FAQs: How To Use Spocket

Conclusion

I hope you find this tutorial about using Spocket useful and informative. By following these steps on how to use Spocket, you can streamline your dropshipping business, making it more efficient and profitable. Remember, success in dropshipping involves continuous learning and adapting to new strategies. Good luck!.