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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

7 proven methods for finding winning dropshipping products

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.

Product research tool illustration

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 illustration

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 illustration

Facebook Ad Library

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.

Google Trends helps you spot rising products early:

  1. Enter product keywords
  2. Check last 12 months data
  3. Look for upward trends
  4. Compare related terms
Google Trends analysis illustration

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 community illustration

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.

Common Product Research Mistakes

Avoid these costly errors:

  • Ignoring shipping times
  • Not checking competition
  • Skipping product testing
  • Following outdated trends

Tools You Need

Here's what successful dropshippers use:

  1. Product research tools

  2. Analytics tools

    • Facebook Ads Manager
    • Google Analytics
    • Shopify Analytics
  3. Supplier research

    • AliExpress
    • Alibaba
    • CJDropshipping
🔍

Product Research

  • ProductLair
  • Google Trends
  • TikTok Creative Center
📊

Analytics

  • Facebook Ads Manager
  • Google Analytics
  • Shopify Analytics
📦

Suppliers

  • AliExpress
  • Alibaba
  • CJDropshipping

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Both can work. Trending products can bring quick profits but have shorter lifecycles. Evergreen products provide steady income but may have more competition.

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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