Dropshipping is a multi-million-dollar industry. It started way back in the 50s when orders came via mailing catalogs. Time changed, technology changed, and software applications came into the picture and revolutionized the dropshipping game altogether. Today, you expect dropshipping websites to automate your orders and payments so that you can buy stuff with just a few taps on your mobile phone.
Louis Cooke, a dropshipping genius, believes that the dropshipping industry will continue to grow as technology progresses. When Cooke started his dropshipping journey, he didn’t want to invest in social media ads. He used his marketing strategies to help his business grow. This shows that dropshipping has to room for innovation. As a result, the industry evolved from mailing catalogs to automated ordering processes within a few decades.
Mail orders and JIT
In a recent interview, Cooke was reflecting on the history of dropshipping. He said, “I feel so privileged because of the tons of applications that I have around me. All I need to do is think out-of-the-box to promote my dropshipping store. But imagine the lengthy process of sending mailing catalogs to different parts of the country, receiving orders via mail, and then fulfilling them one by one. I can’t even think how the entire process took place since everything is automated now.”
Since mailing catalogs and receiving orders was a time-consuming process, sellers started a new dropshipping concept called just-in-time manufacturing. Cooke compares this system as a pre-ordering facility that many people opt for these days. It involved retailers taking pre-orders and accepting payments, and passing the orders to respective manufacturers. They would later deliver the products once the manufacturing and testing team finished working. While this was a step forward from mailing orders, it took a long time to give each order.
The rise of the internet and eCommerce
The advent of the internet changed the way dropshipping worked. It connected people from all corners of the globe, allowing everyone to share information within a few seconds. In one of his interviews, Cooke said, “The internet opened doors for the drop shipping industry to grow exponentially. I was still doing my 9 to 5 job when many dropshipping sites made it big. I came into this industry because I loved its concept. Since I didn’t have to rent a warehouse or manufacture anything, I knew that all I had to focus on was marketing.
I think new drop shippers should also look at the industry this way. And secondly, you must evolve as technology improves. I now have everything automated on my website. From order placements to payment confirmations, it hardly takes a couple of minutes to finalize everything.”
Cooke is confident that dropshipping will continue to attract people because of its convenience and income potential. He knew next to nothing about the dropshipping industry, but thousands of drop shippers consider him their guru today. You can achieve that level of success if you work hard to improve your marketing skills and keep up with the changing technology industry.
