Just got into dropshipping? Read these 5 quick website tips!

This is partner content for White Peak Digital.

Lots of people are intimidated by starting an online shop because of the high startup costs and the hassle of it all. But, what if someone paid all of the inventory costs on your items and sorted out the fulfilment operations?

It would be super easy to get started and your online store could be run from wherever you are. It sounds too good to be true but it isn't, these are just some of the benefits that dropshipping offers. Scroll down to find out some great tips to get started!

Essentially, dropshipping is a business model that allows you to set up an online store and sell products without physically having them in stock.

Instead, when you sell a product from your dropshipping store, the item will be purchased from a third party company and shipped directly to the buyer.

Dropshipping is very popular with Shopify developers because it offers a lower-risk option for independent businesses. It means you can test out new products and lines without having to spend money on the items upfront.

Dropshipping allows more people to get started in entrepreneurship when they normally wouldn't have the funds to do so.

To keep your customers' credit card details safe it's best not to store that data. Instead, offer payment options such as PayPal which can speed up the checkout process and help reduce shopping cart abandonment.

Implementing these options means you can focus on customer service and marketing rather than security audits.

Before you create your return policy, make sure you understand how your suppliers' returns policies work. If they are pretty relaxed with returns, such as 45 days, then you can afford to be more generous with your policy.

However, if just one of the suppliers has a strict policy, you'll need to re-think the terms you can offer.

Working out shipping rates can be a bit messy for those with dropshipping businesses. With lots of different items being shipped from various locations, accurately calculating shipping rates can be tricky.

The best solution is to give an estimated average shipping cost and set that as the flat rate. You may lose money on some purchases but you'll get it back on other orders.

Customer service is everything when it comes to your online store. As your business grows, trying to manage customer support through one email inbox will lead to problems, as it just won't be enough.

Creating an FAQ section and a help desk is one of the best ways of providing good quality customer service to your buyers.

How many sales you make ultimately depends on how easily customers can find your store. To ensure this happens, you need to create a consistent stream of traffic to your store.

To boost your website traffic, focus on marketing techniques such as Google and Facebook ads, and search engine optimisation (SEO).

Ultimately, dropshipping offers budding entrepreneurs a fast and convenient way to get their online stores up and running.

But, a successful business also requires hard work and consistency to ensure you have happy, and returning, customers.