The Truth about using TikTok to drive Shopify Sales

The Truth about using TikTok to drive Shopify Sales

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These days, the internet is full of videos and blogs claiming that making thousands, if not tens of thousands, from Shopify dropshipping is as easy as starting a TikTok account, posting a few videos, and linking your Shopify store. With the rise of social media as a business tool, I couldn't help but get intrigued. I wondered: Is this for real? Are people genuinely making bank, or is this another clever marketing gimmick where the only one getting rich is the guy selling the course?

As a natural skeptic, I decided to dive in, experiment, and document my own experience.

The Strategy

Firstly, I knew that relying on a single TikTok account wouldn't give me a comprehensive understanding. So, I decided to create multiple theme pages around niche topics that I believed had the potential to go viral. I set up five in total. For each of these niche audiences, I chose a product on Shopify, which I would then link to in my TikTok bio.

While my main focus was TikTok, I didn't stop there. I created YouTube channels and Instagram pages for these "brands," posting the same videos as shorts and reels, hoping to get more views without creating additional content.

The Bio Link Hurdle

TikTok has two ways to add a bio link: either have 1,000 followers or register your account as a business. So, to speed up the process, I bought 1,000 followers for three accounts. For the other two, I applied using my business EIN. This way each new account had a bio link and was ready for business.

The Results

The outcome was a mixed bag. Most posts didn't gain traction, as I had anticipated. But a few did go semi-viral, garnering tens of thousands of views on TikTok. Instagram was a different story; it was a complete dud for me. Even after posting almost as many reels as TikToks, the best I got was a little over 1,000 views. YouTube showed some promise, but then I got a channel banned for unspecified violations. That scared me off, so I decided to stop posting there altogether.

After hundreds of videos across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, I had just under 2,000 sessions of organic traffic on my shopify store, leading to a grand total of three sales—netting me only $120 in revenue.

The Costs

The products' costs were around $60. I spent another $45 on TikTok followers, $1 for Shopify post-trial, and $40 on Shopify apps. All said and done, I was actually in the negative—sitting at a loss of $19.

The Verdict

So, is the TikTok-Shopify formula as easy as it's made out to be? The short answer is no. While I did make some sales, proving the concept isn't entirely flawed, the effort needed to make this a significant income source is immense. Moreover, for someone like me (and I'm sure you too) who could be making more money doing other things, the opportunity cost is too high.

However, for those new to the online business world or for established Shopify store owners, this route has some merits. You could use it to test different niches and products organically before you fire up your ad budget, thereby saving thousands of dollars.

Final Thoughts

Dropshipping is still a viable business model that I love and focus on. However, I believe there are more efficient ways to drive traffic and sales than TikTok or any social media-based method. If you're considering going down the dropshipping path, make sure you weigh the pros and cons carefully. And always remember, there's no such thing as easy money, no matter what those TikTok videos claim.

So, whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, be wary of the shiny new object promising easy riches and understand what it truly takes to be successful.