How To Find Winning Dropshipping Products: 7 Proven Methods
Discover 7 proven methods to find profitable dropshipping products. Learn how to spot winning products before your competition using data-driven techniques.
Nov 23rd, 2024
Finding winning products for dropshipping doesn't have to be hard. In this guide, we'll show you exactly how successful dropshippers find products that actually sell. Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand your store, these proven methods will help you find good dropshipping products that customers want to buy. Ready to start? Create your Shopify store for just $1/month.
73%
of successful dropshippers use research tools
2-3
winning products needed per month
14d
max shipping time for good products
Understanding Product Research Basics
Many new dropshippers struggle to find good products because they make simple mistakes. The most common error is copying what everyone else is selling. When too many stores sell the same item, prices drop and profits disappear. Another big mistake is not looking at real data before spending money on products. Smart dropshippers always check numbers like search volume and competition before testing new items.
Shipping times and costs also matter more than most people think. Even the best product won't sell well if customers have to wait too long to receive it. That's why successful dropshippers always check shipping options before choosing products.
1
Research Tools
Find trending products fast
2
Watch TikTok Videos
Find products people love
3
Look at Facebook Ads
See what other stores are selling
4
Check What's Popular on Amazon
Learn what people want to buy
5
Use Google Trends Data
Spot rising products early
6
Join Dropshipping Communities
Learn from other sellers
7
Smart Testing Strategies
Test products properly
Method 1: Product Research Tools - The Easy Way to Find Good Products
Tools that help you find products are like having a smart friend who knows what sells well. These tools look at thousands of stores and tell you which items make money right now.
Let's say you use a tool like ProductLair. When you open it, you'll see new products every day. Each product shows you how many people want it, how many other stores sell it, and how much money you could make. Look for products that lots of people want, but not many stores sell. These are often the best ones to try.
These tools save you lots of time. Instead of spending hours looking through stores yourself, you can find good products in just a few minutes. The tools also tell you where to buy the products and how long shipping takes. Once you find a good product, you can start your Shopify store for just $1/month and begin selling right away.
Research Tools Overview
Method 2: Watch TikTok Videos for Product Ideas
TikTok is one of the best places to find products that people love. When you scroll through TikTok, look for videos where:
People get really excited about a product. If you see lots of comments like "Where can I buy this?" or "I need this!", that's a good sign.
The same product shows up in many different videos. This means people really like it.
The video shows the product fixing a problem. Maybe it helps clean something faster or makes a task easier.
You should also read the comments. When people ask about the price or where to buy something, it means they really want it. This is exactly what you want for your store.
TikTok Ad Library
Method 3: Look at Facebook Ads
Facebook shows all the ads that stores run. This is super helpful because you can see what other stores are selling. Here's how to use it:
Go to Facebook's Ad Library. Type in names of stores you know sell similar things to what you want to sell.
Look for ads that have been running for more than a month. If a store keeps paying for the same ad, it probably means they're making money from it.
Read the comments on these ads. Good comments usually mean people like the product.
Facebook Ad Library
Method 4: Check What's Popular on Amazon
Amazon can teach us a lot about what people want to buy. Every day, millions of people shop on Amazon. When you look at Amazon:
Look at what's selling well in your category. These are products people already want to buy.
Read what customers say in their reviews. This helps you understand what people like and don't like.
See how much these products cost. Good products for your store usually cost between $15 and $50.
Method 5: Use Google Trends Data
Google Trends helps you spot rising products early:
Enter product keywords
Check last 12 months data
Look for upward trends
Compare related terms
Google Trends
Method 6: Join Dropshipping Communities
Learn from other sellers:
Join Facebook groups
Follow dropshipping subreddits
Participate in Discord channels
Network with successful sellers
Dropshipping Communities
Method 7: Smart Testing Strategies for New Products
Finding good dropshipping products is only half the battle - you also need to test them properly. Start by choosing 3-5 products that match these criteria:
Solve a clear problem for customers
Have profit margins of 50% or higher
Can ship within 2 weeks
Show steady or growing demand
For each product, set aside $50-100 for initial testing. This might seem like a small budget, but it's enough to learn if customers are interested. Start your Shopify store for just $1/month, create simple ads that show the product solving problems, and track how many people click and buy.
The key to successful testing is watching the numbers carefully. Look for products where your ad costs are less than half of your profit on each sale. These are the winners you can scale up with bigger budgets.
🔍
Research
Find potential winners using research tools
2-3 days
🛒
Sample Order
Order and verify product quality
7-14 days
📊
Test Ads
Run small ad campaigns to validate
5-7 days
📈
Scale Up
Increase budget for winning products
Ongoing
Advanced Tips for Finding Winning Products
Once you understand the basic methods, try these advanced strategies to stay ahead:
Cross-Reference Multiple Data Sources
Smart dropshippers never rely on just one source of information. If you find an interesting product on TikTok, check its performance on Google Trends and Facebook Ads. Products that show promise across multiple platforms are more likely to succeed.
Watch Your Competition (The Right Way)
Instead of copying your competitors, learn from their testing. When you see a store running the same ad for several months, study how they position the product and what benefits they highlight. Then find similar products with your own unique angle.
How much money do I need to start product research?
You can start with $500-1000. This covers store setup, samples, and initial ad testing.
How many products should I test at once?
Start with 3-5 products. This lets you test multiple items without spreading your budget too thin.
How do I know if a product will be profitable?
Look for these signs:
Solving clear problems
50%+ profit margins
Fast shipping available
Reasonable competition
What's better: trending or evergreen products?
Both can work. Trending products can bring quick profits but have shorter lifecycles. Evergreen products provide steady income but may have more competition. For proven evergreen sellers with consistent year-round demand, explore our evergreen products collection.
Making Your Product Research More Effective
Success in dropshipping comes from having a system. Here's a complete weekly plan for finding winning products:
🔍
Monday
Check research tools for new trending products
Morning
📱
Tuesday
Analyze social media and ad libraries
Morning
📊
Wednesday
Review Google Trends data for promising items
Morning
📦
Thursday
Order samples of top candidates
Afternoon
🚀
Friday
Set up test campaigns for verified products
Afternoon
Do this every week, and you'll find good products faster than most people.
Real Examples of Good Dropshipping Products
Let's look at some real examples so you can understand better. Last year, many stores made good money selling:
Pet grooming tools: These worked well because pet owners always need help keeping their pets clean.
Portable blenders: People liked these because they could make healthy drinks anywhere.
Car phone holders: These sold well because almost everyone has a phone and drives.
These products worked because they solved real problems and didn't cost too much to ship.
How to Test Products Without Spending Too Much
Testing products doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Here's a simple way to test:
First, buy the product yourself. This costs about $20-30 but helps you know if it's good quality.
Then, spend $5 per day on Facebook ads. Run these ads for five days.
If people buy the product, that's great! You can spend more money on ads.
If no one buys it, try a different product. Don't worry - this happens to everyone when they start.
🛒
Sample Order
Buy and test product quality
$20-30
7-14 days
📊
Small Test
Run minimal ad campaign
$5/day
5 days
📈
Evaluate
Check sales and metrics
$0
1 day
✨
Scale/Switch
Increase budget or try new product
Varies
Ongoing
Common Questions About Finding Products
How do I know if a product will sell well?
Look for these simple signs:
The product fixes a problem
You can sell it for twice what you pay
It ships in less than two weeks
Not too many other stores sell it
When should I stop selling a product?
Stop selling when:
You're not making money anymore
Too many other stores sell it
People stop buying it
Shipping takes too long
A Simple Weekly Plan to Find Products
Here's what you should do each week:
Monday: Look for new products using research tools
Tuesday: Watch TikTok videos about products
Wednesday: Check what's selling well on Amazon
Thursday: Order samples of products you like
Friday: Start small tests with ads
Do this every week, and you'll find good products faster than most people.
Tips to Remember
Finding good products takes time, but it gets easier. Here are the most important things to remember:
Don't copy exactly what other stores sell. Look for similar products that could work better.
Test products with small amounts of money first. This way, you won't lose too much if it doesn't work.
Keep track of what works and what doesn't. Write down why you think some products sold well and others didn't.
Ask your customers what they like and don't like. This helps you find better products next time.
Ready to Start Finding Products?
Finding good dropshipping products isn't as hard as many people think. Just follow the steps in this guide, and keep trying new things. Remember, every successful store started with just one good product.
Want to make finding products easier? Try ProductLair's product research. It shows you products that are already selling well.
Ready to start your journey? Create your Shopify store for just $1/month and begin testing products today. The sooner you start, the sooner you'll find products that make money for your store.
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