Dropshipping has become one of the most popular e-commerce business models globally; many entrepreneurs are flocking to the sector because of how easy it is to manage.
If you want to get into dropshipping and don't know where to start, then feel free to contact us here at DropshipUSA or check out our FREE webinar. We're more than happy to answer all of your questions.
So why is it so popular? When did it all start? Many people working in the dropshipping industry don't even know its history and how the modern dropshipping model came to be.
Today, we will take a look into dropshipping history and how long it has been around. We will help you understand how this modern business developed into one of the best career options out there.
So let's take a look into the dropshipping history that most of us don't know about!
Dropshipping Explained: Dropshipping Through The decades!
Dropshipping has been around for some time now. It's not a new invention, but because of the widespread use of the internet worldwide, it has become one of the most widespread career options for entrepreneurs. So let's take a look at the dropshipping history through the decades.
Dropshipping In The 60s-70s
Dropshipping started way before the internet came around. It was first started by mail companies who took advantage of mail-order catalogs in the 60s and 70s.
Mail-order catalogs were small booklets you would receive back in the day in your mailbox. These booklets would have a wide range of product advertisements that you could buy simply by placing the order by calling the catalogs' number.
Companies like JCPenney & Sears were the first ones to do dropshipping on a large scale. When scaling up, these businesses faced a problem where they couldn't keep up with customer demands. That's when they created specialized warehouses to house the products on offer.
These warehouses were similar to those that Amazon has now, which we know as fulfillment by Amazon or FBA. The purpose of these warehouses was to store in bulk, and it made it easy to locate and ship out individual items according to orders.
At that point, companies like CompuCard realized that they could list the items in their own mail-order catalogs and have the products ship to customers from the warehouses.
That was the first 'major-scale' drop shipping operation globally, and it took another 20 years for the business to evolve.
Dropshipping started way before the internet came around. It was first started by mail companies who took advantage of mail-order catalogs in the 60s and 70s.
Mail-order catalogs were small booklets you would receive back in the day in your mailbox. These booklets would have a wide range of product advertisements that you could buy simply by placing the order by calling the catalogs' number.
Companies like JCPenney & Sears were the first ones to do dropshipping on a large scale. When scaling up, these businesses faced a problem where they couldn't keep up with customer demands. That's when they created specialized warehouses to house the products on offer.
These warehouses were similar to those that Amazon has now, which we know as fulfillment by Amazon or FBA. The purpose of these warehouses was to store in bulk, and it made it easy to locate and ship out individual items according to orders.
At that point, companies like CompuCard realized that they could list the items in their own mail-order catalogs and have the products ship to customers from the warehouses.
That was the first 'major-scale' drop shipping operation globally, and it took another 20 years for the business to evolve.
The 90s Dot Com Bubble Dropshipping Explained
With the dot com bubble hitting in the 90s, the dropshipping model started evolving. More and more dropshipping companies started becoming e-commerce stores.
Now, it took customers sometime before they warmed up to the concept of trusting the internet, but when they did, the entire sector exploded.
During the bubble, plenty of companies started raising capital because they could convince many investors about the e-commerce model. However, the dropshipping sector suffered during the end of the bubble.
In 2001, dropshipping businesses suffered a significant setback when shipping prices within the US soared due to an increase in demand, and that's when the "dot com" bubble burst.
With the dot com bubble hitting in the 90s, the dropshipping model started evolving. More and more dropshipping companies started becoming e-commerce stores.
Now, it took customers sometime before they warmed up to the concept of trusting the internet, but when they did, the entire sector exploded.
During the bubble, plenty of companies started raising capital because they could convince many investors about the e-commerce model. However, the dropshipping sector suffered during the end of the bubble.
In 2001, dropshipping businesses suffered a significant setback when shipping prices within the US soared due to an increase in demand, and that's when the "dot com" bubble burst.
Dropshipping Of The 2000s Explained
Most e-commerce stores suffered, and many shut down when the bubble burst. However, two survivors would redefine e-commerce forever and leave a mark in the world, unlike anything before on the internet.
Those two companies were Amazon and eBay. These companies created what is called a digital marketplace. Now, you, as a seller, wouldn't need to go through the painstakingly complex process of building websites.
You could list your product in the marketplace and have these sites drive traffic to your website. Now that gave dropshipping businesses hope.
They could now get by with most expenses like store development and advertising phases, with Google Ads being the only online ads option, which was expensive back then. Companies like Amazon and eBay helped advertise products you listed on their website.
2010s Dropshipping Explained: The Chinese Revolution
The last decade is when dropshipping became the behemoth it is. Before, working with Chinese suppliers was expensive and time-consuming.
However, in 2010 Alibaba entered the fray with Aliexpress that broke the cultural and language barrier. It made buying from Chinese manufacturers and dropshippers easy.
It made things more accessible for people in the States to buy from Chinese manufacturers, and it was also cheaper than the US alternative.
During this time, Shopify rose to prominence. Shopify made e-commerce sites affordable and easy to create and maintain. In 2015 Oberlo came out.
Oberlo is an app that turns Shopify stores into semi-automated Aliexpress dropshipping stores, making things much easier for dropshippers. Shopify bought Oberlo in 2017, and that made creating and integrating drop shipping stores much easier.
Ever since then, growth has been exponential. Driving traffic nowadays to your dropshipping site has become more accessible as well. With the advent of social media and Facebook Ads service, you can set up high-value campaigns that drive customers to your site.
Nowadays, creating a successful dropshipping site is easy, with Chinese suppliers working in tandem with US ones, helping you deliver products worldwide.
Dropshipping Through The Decades Explained
If you'd like to find out our SECRET new dropship model that absolutely destroys the china soucing Aliexpress model, you should check out our webinar at https://learn.dropshipusa.io/webclass.
Dropshipping is now a viable business opportunity for anyone who wants to sell products with the minimum fuss and achieve financial freedom.
If you want to get into dropshipping and don't know where to start, then feel free to contact us here at DropshipUSA or check out our FREE webinar. We're more than happy to answer all of your questions.
Feel free to send in any questions you have in the comments below or hit us up on our socials.
Originally posted in: https://dropshipusa.io/blogs/news/dropshipping-history-how-did-it-all-start
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