Currently I am living in Ethiopia and trying to start DropShipping on platforms like Shopify, WordPress, Etsy, and others but all of them has been challenging. One major obstacle was the lack of access to MasterCards in Ethiopia, which is needed to pay for Shopify services. However, I eventually discovered a source for MasterCards in Ethiopia, and I’ll share that information in this article.
But that wasn’t the only challenge. Payment gateways for Shopify do not support Ethiopia, even if you have a MasterCard. This is because they require identity verification, and if identified as Ethiopian, they reject the request for a payment gateway. Similar issues occur when trying to create accounts on platforms like Skrill – they also ask for identity verification and don’t support Ethiopia.
So, the main challenge for DropShipping in Ethiopia is the lack of accessible payment gateways. However, internationally, there are additional challenges such as advertising and marketing. Promoting products becomes difficult due to high competition. Many drop shippers on YouTube offer tutorials on starting DropShipping, but these might not address the specific challenges faced by Ethiopians.
In this blog post, I will share solutions on how to start DropShipping in Ethiopia without these challenges, addressing both the payment gateway issue and international marketing obstacles.
What is dropshipping
Dropshipping is like running an online store without dealing with the hassle of storing or shipping products yourself. Instead of keeping a physical inventory, you partner with suppliers who handle the storage and shipping directly. So, you can set up your online shop, sell various products, and let others take care of the nitty-gritty details like inventory management and order fulfillment. It’s a hands-off approach to selling things online!
Why Dropshipping is a great business model in Ethiopia.
Dropshipping is great for Ethiopians because you can do it from the comfort of your home. It’s super easy – the shipping part is handled by the supplier. Your job is just to take orders, pass them on to the supplier, and they take care of sending the products. All you need to do is focus on marketing, like getting people interested through social media or other networks. Once you build an audience, your main task is simply accepting orders and forwarding them to the supplier. The suppliers handle the rest, delivering the orders on time. That’s why Dropshipping is the best business model in Ethiopia – it’s hassle-free and can be done from home.
Steps to start DropShipping in Ethiopia
You can start dropshipping in Ethiopia by two ways: International methods and National methods.
A. Shopify DropShipping(International method)
Shopify is a well-known global platform for DropShipping. The main challenge in Ethiopia is not getting a MasterCard; it’s the payment gateway that causes issues. Many YouTubers highlight MasterCard as the main challenge, but the real hurdle is finding a payment gateway that works. Despite these challenges, Shopify can still be used, and I’ll guide you step by step.
1. Find your niche
finding your specific niche. Your niche is like the special area where you focus your business. Knowing your niche is super important because it helps you sell things better. When you know your niche, you also know the people who really want your products.
Think of finding your dropshipping niche like discovering a treasure! Go deep into communities, understand what people love and what challenges they face. Your goal is to find unique products that make their lives better. Be a bit like a detective – look into trends, subcultures, and problems. That’s where you find the hidden gems that make your dropshipping business stand out. It’s not just about what people already know they need; it’s about finding that special thing they didn’t even realize they were missing until you show it to them.
So, focus on your niche, dig deep, and watch your dropshipping business become something amazing instead of just another ordinary one!
2.Make Product Research
The next step is researching and choosing products for your niche. This part is really important for your business to succeed. When you’re doing product research, make sure the products solve problems, fulfill desires, or are trendy. It’s like picking things that people really want.
Also, consider a few other things. First, think about the profit margins – that’s how much money you make after all the costs. Make sure it’s worth it. Second, check if you can easily make your business bigger, or in fancy words, if it’s scalable. And lastly, see if there’s a lot of other businesses selling the same thing, because too much competition can make it hard for you.
Let’s say you want to sell bags. To do this right, think about two important things. First, check if it’s the right time to sell. For instance, if school is starting soon, lots of students will need new bags. You want to catch the trend when people are really looking for what you’re selling. Second, think about if you can make your bag business bigger – like, can you sell more bags to more people?
So, when you’re researching products, make sure they’re what people want, can make you money, and don’t have too much competition. That way, your business will have a better chance to shine!
3. find the best suppliers
When running a dropshipping business, finding the best suppliers is super important. Imagine them as the backbone of your business. If they’re reliable, deliver things on time, and offer good quality products at good prices, your business will thrive. Your audience will trust you more if the suppliers are trustworthy.
So, how do you find the right supplier? Look into their ratings, chat with them, and read what other people say about them in reviews. Your main job is to pass on orders to the supplier, and if they are good, a high percentage of your work is done. Make sure to do thorough research on suppliers – it’s the third important step in making your dropshipping business a success!
4. Build Your Store
Choosing an e-commerce platform and creating your online store is the exciting part of starting your DropShipping business. In Ethiopia, making a DropShipping website can be tricky, but the best choice is Shopify. With Shopify, you can build your own online store. However, to use Shopify, you need dollar access. It costs $1 for the first three months, and after that, it’s about $20 per month.
Now, here’s a question for Ethiopians living in Ethiopia: How can you get a MasterCard? Here are two ways using Ethiopian currency:
1. Habesha Coin
They offer MasterCards at different prices. You can watch a video (linked below) that I made, explaining how MasterCard works with Habesha Coin. I used this MasterCard to create my Shopify store. It offers different options and works in various ways. Check out the video for more details.
2. Sheger Card
Similar to Habesha Coin, Sheger Card provides MasterCards. They accept payments in USDT currency and can also take birrs to give you your MasterCard. I’ll share a video guide (linked below) for Sheger Card to help you understand the process.
So, for Ethiopians looking to start a DropShipping business, Shopify is the go-to platform, and you can get a MasterCard through providers like Habesha Coin or Sheger Card. Once we find a MasterCard the final and the the main step is that creating all the building DropShipping Shopify websites For that I’ll provide videos below for a detailed guide on both options.
5. Legalities and Finances
For Ethiopians, this part can be a bit tricky. While getting a MasterCard for your Shopify store is simple (as I explained earlier with Sheger Card and Habesha Coin), using it as a payment gateway is a bit different. You need a foreign country bank account, like in the USA, United Kingdom, or another European country.
Here are two options to make this happen:
1. Use a Family Member’s Bank Account:
If you have family in a foreign or European country, you can use their bank account as your payment gateway.
2. Order a Bank Account and MasterCard:
Even if you’re in Ethiopia, you can get a bank account and a MasterCard through services like Payoneer and Wise. These organizations require your original ID documents like a passport, driver’s license, or national ID. Once you register with them, they’ll provide both virtual and physical MasterCards and can even set up a United States bank account. This way, you can link it to Shopify as your payment gateway.
I personally got my MasterCard from Payoneer, and it’s working well for me. So, if you can handle the ID document part, you’re good to go with these options for your payment gateway.
6. Marketing Strategy
When it comes to marketing your products, it’s all about getting the word out to people. There are two main ways to do it:
1. Free Method
The free way is using social media. If you have followers on social platforms like TikTok, Facebook, or YouTube, it’s easy to promote your products. You can also start from scratch and build your audience without spending money. Many dropshippers use social media for their business, and it doesn’t cost anything.
2. Paid Method
The paid way involves spending money on advertisements. You can do this on different platforms like Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram. By paying for ads, you can reach a wider audience. But here’s the catch – it’s important to research your marketing strategy. For instance, if your product is popular and in demand, using the free method can help you sell a lot. On the other hand, if you pay for ads and people aren’t interested in your product, it might not work out as well.
So, marketing is all about understanding what people want. You need to do some research – know the popular products, follow trends, and keep an eye on events like holidays. For example, if you notice that students need bags for school, you can use that information to market your products. In a nutshell, marketing is about knowing what people are looking for and figuring out how you can offer it to them.
7. Customer Service
Ensuring excellent customer service is a crucial step to meet the needs of your audience. Prioritizing top-notch customer service builds trust and is key to success in dropshipping.
When you handle returns and inquiries efficiently, customers will trust your business. Satisfied customers are likely to recommend your website to their friends, saying, “This website is great; they provide excellent support.” So, if you want to be a successful dropshipper, focusing on customer service is a top priority.
If you’re short on time, consider hiring people who can assist with customer questions. This support is crucial, especially when customers face issues like shipping problems or need information about products. Providing good support during such times is essential.
In summary, customer service is a cornerstone of successful dropshipping. It’s not just about solving problems; it’s about building trust and creating a positive experience for your customers. If you can manage this well, you can scale your dropshipping business into a big e-commerce venture.
B. Traditional DropShipping in Ethiopia(National method)
This method involves using different platforms like Facebook, jiji Gebeya and, etc. I’ll provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to do traditional DropShipping in Ethiopia. Even if you don’t have MasterCard access, I’ll share videos that show you how to start dropshipping successfully.
The Ethiopian eCommerce market is growing slowly, but starting a dropshipping business in Ethiopia is not as easy as it is internationally.Unlike Internationally if you have a MasterCard and International Bank account you can do DropShipping business but the main challenges are marketing. When you come to Ethiopia The problem isn’t with having a MasterCard or a foreign bank account, but rather in how you can buy and sell products. In Ethiopia, there is limited access to the eCommerce market, making it difficult for dropshipping to thrive. Ethiopian dropshipping is a bit different from the familiar method, and the main challenge lies in figuring out how to effectively buy and sell products. However, if you have experience in marketing and communication, there are methods you can use, and I will provide more information on that in the next part. Here is 7 steps:
1.Making research on Market
If you’re Ethiopian and interested in starting a dropshipping business, the initial step is to conduct market research, particularly focusing on what products people are searching for and their interests. In business, the key is to solve people’s problems, and by understanding the needs of the market, you can establish a successful business. In the context of dropshipping, the first crucial step is conducting marketing research. This applies not only to dropshipping but to every business because marketing plays a vital role. The core aspect of marketing is understanding what people are looking for and addressing their needs. Now, let’s move on to Step 2.
2. Finding the best product and supplier
In Ethiopian DropShipping system finding supplier and product are different from International dropshipping System because when you see the International dropshipping System you find supplier and good product on online but when you come to Ethiopia it is completely different you come find suppliers either on online or physically both option are possible but the best way in Ethiopia to find a good supplier is physically physically you should find a good supplier we cannot say supplier but it’s apply it don’t apply for the customers but it’s supplies for you and you supply for your customer physically for this case we cannot say DropShipping as I said No way because of we are in Ethiopia so if you ask I’m just saying that the second step is finding the good supplier then if you find a good supplier the other thing is finding good product is that supplier handle a good products if so the product will ship directly into you and you will shift the product into your customer physically not online for that Ethiopian dropshipping system are little little harder to do that if you do it you will become a profitable and good dropshipper
3. Creating your own platform or social media account
Ethiopian dropshipping is about making your own platform or social media account. This is really important because many people in Ethiopia use social media a lot. So, the best way to reach your audience or customers is through social media. You can show your products, create interesting content, and find customers using social media platforms.
The cool thing is that if you do well, you might even start your own market platform. Sounds good, right? This step is key for Ethiopian dropshipping because using social media for marketing is a big deal, just like in regular dropshipping. It’s all about creating accounts on different social media platforms like Facebook, or if you’re into cosmetics, Instagram is great. TikTok is another option for free promotion. You can build your own group of followers and promote your products as much as you want.
4.Selling your products
Now, let’s talk about the final step – selling your products. This is the crucial part because everything in dropshipping revolves around supplying and selling. Once you’ve secured a good supplier, found quality products, and effectively promoted them on social media, it’s time to ship those products.
When making sales, ensure that:
- You ship the products within the promised timeframe.Timely delivery is important for customer satisfaction.
- Another key aspect is building trust. As an Ethiopian dropshipper, it’s essential to be trustworthy. Let your customers know that if they ever need another product, they can reach out to you. Provide your social media accounts and phone numbers to establish a direct connection. By building trust with your customers, you can scale your business and create a loyal customer base.
Starting dropshipping in Ethiopia may seem a bit challenging, but with some effort, you can definitely succeed. The good news is that with fewer e-commerce businesses around, you have a great opportunity to build your own business. You can even use Facebook to create your own marketplace. Facebook lets you do that. Plus, in the future, if you take action now, you can expand to having your own mobile applications and website platforms.
Here’s a golden tip: don’t forget to take action. If you need more guidance, I’ve got you covered. Check out the video below for more information on how to start dropshipping in Ethiopia.
Final words
Alright, let’s break it down! In this article, we talked a lot about dropshipping. There are two main ways to do it: internationally or within Ethiopia. The international way can be a bit tricky, needing things like a MasterCard and an international bank account. But don’t worry—I gave you tips on how to work around that.
For those who want to start dropshipping in Ethiopia, I shared strategies that fit the local scene. We focused on marketing and finding good suppliers. It might not be super easy, but with the right attitude, success is possible.
I also warned against trusting every YouTuber who says dropshipping is a piece of cake. It takes effort, especially for international dropshipping. However, I suggested alternatives, like getting a MasterCard from Payoneer or Wise if you have the right documents in Ethiopia.
In a nutshell, never give up in business. If you’re not good at staying on track, dropshipping might be tough. It takes time, effort, and sometimes money. But by following the steps and tips I shared, you can make dropshipping a profitable gig. Thanks for reading, and more articles are coming soon!
