Dropshipping Courses: Scam or Goldmine? The Shocking Truth !

🔥 With the growing number of people getting ripped off by so-called “dropshipping courses,” I thought it was time to set the record straight and expose some of the biggest myths surrounding dropshipping.

In the rising outbreak of people being ripped off buying dropshipping course, I thought it would be a good idea to write this article to set the record straight and highlight some myths about Dropshipping.

I have absolutely nothing against the Dropshipping business model, as long as it's done properly.

The opinion in this article simply reflects my experiences over the last 20 years in e-commerce.

Enjoy your reading!

📈 The Dropshipping ''Trend'' is still rising strongly for 2025, just check Google Trends to see that the Dropshipping ''buzz'' is still very real.

The Internet has radically changed the way we shop. Every day we are bombarded by ads from Dropshippers who launch their products via Facebook advertising, Instagram, Tic Tok, Snapchat, Youtube etc....

❓ But what exactly is Dropshipping?

In a nutshell, a Dropshipping merchant is simply an intermediary. You place an order with this merchant, and another company, manufacturer, retailer or wholesaler ships the product to you.

No need to keep inventory or manufacture anything because someone else is making, storing and shipping it for you. It's that simple.

Dropshipping is a business model that has been around for decades and will continue to flourish for a long time to come.

The real problem is Dropshipping gurus who con you into believing that dropshipping is a direct path to El Dorado!

These gurus make you believe that with a $50 Shopify store, a “winning” product found on AdSpy, and a few ad sets launched on Facebook, you’ll crush it and find yourself six months later living in the Caribbean sipping mojitos...

All this, while working 2-3 hours a day. An idyllic life under the palm trees... 🌴

📉 Dropshipping: An Alarming Failure Rate!

If you see Dropshipping as a quick and easy route to prosperity, let's look at the numbers first, because numbers never lie!

95.5% of beginner dropshippers shut down their stores within their first 6 months of operation! That’s not just my opinion, those are real, verifiable statistics.

It's a stark observation, and we're not even talking about the people who continue to struggle for 8-10 months or even a whole year before stopping the $$$ hemorrhage.

As a consultant, I've heard so many horror stories about Dropshipping that it’s exactly what motivated me to write this article.

But what touches me most are the people... People who lost big... People who put their trust in Dropshipping gurus, who were in fact unscrupulous con artists.

People who start Dropshipping are convinced they're going to make something. But the only ones who really make money are intermediaries like Shopify, Facebook Ads, Stripe, Aliexpress, and people who sell Dropshipping courses!

Of course, the gurus will rush to the stands and exclaim "no, it works, that's because you don't know anything about it, you don't have the right method".

But every time we try to ask them for solid proof of their success, it's either radio silence or a shower of fake screenshots.

The paradox is that I have colleagues in Dropshipping who are making big money. But let's be quite clear: their business model has nothing to do with the one described by these gurus.

These are branded companies with websites worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, not to mention huge advertising budgets.

Nothing to do with the little 50-bucks Shopify store and a few winning products found on Allie Express...

🔍 Dropshipping: The 3 Biggest Myths That Lead You astray

Let's take a look at what I consider to be the 3 biggest lies or myths about Dropshipping.

Are you ready? It's going to hurt!

• ❌ #1: ''Facebook advertising is the essential tool to explode your Dropshipping sales!''

Every time I hear these words, it makes me laugh... Let's be a little rational. How many products have you bought this year via Facebook advertising?

How many people do you know who buy products via Facebook advertising?

I spend an average of 3 to 4 thousand dollars every year shopping online and you know what? I've never bought anything via Facebook!

The same goes for my family and friends. I don't know anyone who regularly shop on facebook.

But why? The answer is very simple. 95% of people who shop online do so on trusted and well-known sites such as Amazon, ebay, walmart, Target, Wish or well-known brand sites such as Nike, Under Armour, Reebok etc...

Why would you buy a product from a sketchy-looking store you've never heard of in your life? Just asking the question is already answering it.

What you need to know is that Facebook advertising brings you "cold traffic". Facebook is a social network, and the people who use it are in no way in "buying mode".

They're there to check their news feeds, comment or chat on messenger. Voila!

Now you're going to tell me: "Yes, but it's possible to make sales on Facebook, isn't it?''

Absolutely. But know this: 90% of the people who see your Facebook ad won't buy anything right away. The majority of sales on Facebook ads are made via retargeting.

Facebook retargeting ads are one of the platform's most powerful advertising features.

They enable you to reach users who are already familiar with your brand, whether via an established customer list or activity on your site that has been captured by a tracking pixel.

Because they allow you to connect with an audience that’s already “warmed up,” retargeting ads lead to higher conversion rates and lower average cost-per-click than other ad types.

Once you've successfully set up retargeting campaigns that attract high-value customers, you can further leverage them by creating similar audiences (lookalikes) from high-value personalized audiences.

Sounds great, but how much will it cost to promote your product on facebook ads?

Facebook advertising costs have actually skyrocketed since 2022. Expect to pay an average of $0.97 per click and $7.19 per 1,000 impressions.

Ad campaigns focused on getting likes or app downloads can expect to pay $1.07 per like and $5.47 per download, on average.

In short, if you're selling trinkets for $10–$20 or even $40 on your Dropshipping store, you'll need to factor in fixed costs like product sourcing, Facebook ads, shipping, Stripe transaction fees, not to mention returns and unhappy customers you’ll have to refund (and yes, there will be some!). Hello expenses, goodbye profits!

These are the main reasons why so many Dropshipping stores close their doors after only a few months in business.

You wouldn’t believe how many people have come to me bragging about the revenue their stores are generating, only to realize, after deducting all their expenses, that they’re working for scraps…

Always remember: Sales figures mean nothing! Only net profit counts!

• ❌ #2: ''You'll be working 2-3 hours a day as the store runs on ''automatic''.

I've been in the e-commerce business for twenty years and work an average of 7-8 hours a day. I'm supposed to work more, but I delegate a few tasks so that I can concentrate on the essentials.

Personally, I don't know any e-entrepreneur or Dropshipper who has achieved prosperity by working 2-3 hours a day, none!

I'd say it's quite the opposite. At the start of my adventure, I worked between 10 and 15 hours a day, and sometimes more. I wanted to succeed at all costs, so I didn't count the hours I spent in front of my PC.

Some gurus will tell you that Dropshipping only requires 2–3 hours of your time each day, and that you can travel the world while your store runs on autopilot...

It's the perfect argument to convince you to buy their training courses. But believe me, you won't succeed by working 3 hours a day. It's a beautiful utopia!

Here again, some so-called gurus will exclaim: "You don't know the miracles of delegation!''

Another empty argument. There are limits to what a Dropshipping entrepreneur can delegate.

You built your business with sweat and pain, and now you're ready to hand full control over to a complete stranger in China? Seriously?? Nonsense...

And if you think AliExpress is a reliable source to ship your products, think again, Dropshipping with AliExpress is practically dead due to the lack of control and the poor quality of its chain supply.

You should also know that the holiday season in China can be an absolute nightmare when it comes to delivering your best-selling items.

During this period, it's very difficult, or even worse, impossible to get your products delivered in a reasonable time frame. Hello refund requests!

• ❌ #3: ''Dropshipping only requires $200 to get started and make sales.''

While I must admit that it's possible to start your Dropshipping business for less than $200, it's crucial to understand that this low initial investment in no way guarantees your success.

Your store, no matter how well designed, will face overwhelming and increasingly fierce competition in this saturated sector.

Market leaders invest considerable sums in branding, marketing and process optimization to attract and retain customers.

As a result, you'll need to spend far more than the initial amount to generate regular sales, achieve profitability, and hope to stand out in this ultra-competitive field.

Creating an online store is just the beginning of the adventure. Shopify is undoubtedly the most popular platform, thanks to its user-friendly interface and numerous features suitable for beginners and experts alike.

However, there are other equally powerful options, such as BigCommerce, WooCommerce, PrestaShop or Magento. The choice of platform will depend on your specific needs, budget and technical knowledge.

For example, WooCommerce integrates perfectly with WordPress and offers great flexibility, but requires a certain technical mastery to get the most out of it.

Most of these solutions have relatively similar pricing models. Shopify offers a 14-day free trial, ideal for testing its features and evaluating whether this platform meets your expectations.

After that, you'll need to pay between US$29 and US$35 per month for a basic subscription. However, don't forget to factor in additional costs, such as the purchase of a domain name, paid applications to customize your store, and transaction fees.

These elements can quickly add to your expenses, but they are essential for creating a quality user experience and maximizing your chances of success.