The Ultimate Guide To Instagram Dropshipping

Instagram is a key platform for selling online, offering great potential for boosting sales. Building a store on Instagram is essential for any eCommerce venture.

Dropshipping on Instagram eliminates the need for inventory, making it an easy way to start a business. Many successful online stores use Instagram to grow their brand and sales.

In this article, we’ll explore how the top 10 Instagram stores run their dropshipping businesses and provide steps to start your own. Let’s get started

What Is Instagram Dropshipping?

Instagram dropshipping leverages the popular social media platform Instagram for selling products without holding inventory. Instagram boasts over 1.2 billion users worldwide and has evolved into an online shopping hub.

In this model, sellers promote their dropshipping store and products through Instagram business accounts, tapping into the platform’s vast user base to generate organic traffic.

Owned by Facebook, Instagram allows integration with FB Shops, enabling sellers to create their dropshipping store and utilize it seamlessly through their Instagram accounts. This integration facilitates direct purchases from Instagram stores, enhancing the convenience for customers.

Moreover, Instagram offers various marketing opportunities, including shoutouts and influencer collaborations, which can further promote products and brands.

Learn more: What is Dropshipping?

Top 10 Instagram Dropshipping Account Examples

Let’s check out the top ten Instagram dropshipping accounts to learn from their successful strategies before starting our own business.

1. Notebook Therapy

• Niche: Notebooks/Stationery

Notebook Therapy stands out in the dropshipping market for its unique notebooks and stationery. With a diverse range of designs and appealing covers, they cater to customers looking for something special. Alongside notebooks, they offer bullet journals, stencils, and decorative tapes.

Their Instagram page boasts a massive 1.6 million followers, where they showcase their products through themed designs. Using reels, they feature people decorating notebook pages, creating visually captivating content that often goes viral, driving significant organic traffic to their page.

2. Kawaii Pen Shop

• Niche: Stationery Products

Kawaii Pen Shop is a standout Instagram dropshipping store specializing in stationery items like pens, notebooks, decorative tapes, and keyrings. With over 397K followers, they’ve found success in this niche.

Their Instagram page caters to their target audience of young children, featuring visually appealing content. They utilize highlights to showcase reviews, new arrivals, and discount offers. Apart from that, they promote free international shipping in their bio, enhancing their appeal to customers worldwide.

3. Kenzzi

• Niche: Electronic Products

Kenzzi taps into the rising popularity of body care products with its range of offerings. From hair removal handsets to ultrasonic exfoliating devices and microdermabrasion tools, they cater to this growing demand.

Their Instagram page is well-curated, featuring highlights showcasing product features. Kenzzi leverages influencer marketing, collaborating with prominent figures like Paris Hilton to promote their products effectively.

They also use reels to demonstrate the effectiveness of their products, maximizing their reach on Instagram.

4. Meowingtons

• Niche: Pet Supplies

Meowingtons is a cat product dropshipping store featured on Instagram. They offer a wide range of cat-related items like beds, toys, and clothes.

With over 721K followers and 12,775 posts, they’re highly active on the platform. Their profile includes a link to their dropshipping website with a promotional offer. They use Highlights for giveaways and store info, and post funny cat videos in reels to drive organic traffic.

5. Inspire Uplift

• Niche: General Store

Inspire Uplift operates as a successful general dropshipping store, offering a diverse range of products spanning home decor, tech, beauty, jewelry and clothing. Their success can be attributed to their strategic use of Instagram reels to showcase product features.

By predominantly featuring product videos in their posts, Inspire Uplift effectively demonstrates product uses and benefits. Leveraging Instagram reels enhances the credibility of their dropshipping store and significantly boosts sales potential, especially for products requiring demonstration.

6. Pet Boutique

• Niche: Pet Products

Pet Boutique Shop thrives in the pet product market, focusing primarily on pet beds. Despite a limited selection, their products boast positive reviews, and they offer worldwide shipping, enhancing their appeal to a broader audience. Their Instagram profile features a Call To Action link, optimizing conversion rates and driving orders and profits.

Using engaging content like memes and cute pet photos, Pet Boutique Shop maintains high levels of audience interaction. They also leverage customer perks, such as Black Friday discounts and Christmas giveaways, to incentivize purchases and foster customer loyalty.

7. Until Gone

• Niche: General Store

Until Gone is an emerging dropshipping store offering excellent deals across various product categories like electronics, fashion, and office supplies. Their focus on affordability and quality attracts customers seeking innovative products.

With a clean and attractive design, Until Gone’s Instagram page maintains consistency, enhancing its aesthetic appeal. The store employs marketing tactics like labeling products as ‘soon going out of stock’ to create a sense of scarcity, prompting customers to make quick purchases and significantly improving conversion rates.

8. Materiol

• Niche: Electronic Gadgets

Materiol specializes in dropshipping electronic gadgets, with a distinctive logo that enhances brand recognition. To establish our business, it’s crucial to design a unique logo that reflects our brand identity.

Materiol offers various advantages, including international shipping, competitive pricing, and tracking number updates. They utilize product videos to demonstrate product usage, showcased in Instagram highlights. Similarly, we should highlight all our services to showcase the benefits of shopping with us to potential customers.

9. Astronord

• Niche: Niche Digital Products

Astronord stands out as an Instagram dropshipping store specializing in CD players, projectors, and digital LED clocks. They cleverly leverage images and albums of popular Korean music bands like BTS to attract fans of these bands, resulting in significant traffic to their page.

Their focus on promoting the Astronord CD player indicates its status as their flagship product. With a store link in their bio and worldwide shipping, Astronord effectively reaches customers globally, contributing to their success in the niche digital products market.

10. Aesthentials

• Niche: Clothing & Accessories

Aesthentials is a standout Instagram account for anyone interested in dropshipping fashion products. Known for its unique fashion apparel and K-pop-style accessories, the store has amassed 255K followers, establishing itself as a distinctive fashion brand.

Aesthentials enhances its reach through a brand ambassador program while also offering enticing perks such as free worldwide shipping and a clear Call To Action link in their Instagram profile bio. These strategies contribute to their success in attracting and retaining customers.

How To Start Dropshipping On Instagram

Starting dropshipping on Instagram is simple. Here are 8 easy steps to get you started:

Step 1: Set Up Your Dropshipping Store

To begin, establish a dropshipping store as the foundation for your business. Consider the following platforms for listing your products:

1. Shopify
2. Wix
3. Facebook Marketplace
4. Facebook Shops
5. eBay

If Instagram is your primary selling channel, it’s essential to set up a Facebook Shop first. This integration allows for seamless shopping experiences and enables Instagram Checkout. Once your store is set up, you can leverage Instagram to scale your business further.

Step 2: Create Your Instagram Account

First, head to Instagram.com to sign up. Simply enter your email address and phone number to get started.

Initially, create a personal account. It’s the simplest option, but later, you’ll want to switch to a business account for valuable insights.

To make the switch:

1. Tap your profile icon in the top right.
2. Go to “Settings.”
3. Choose “Switch to a Professional Account.”
4. Opt for “Business.”
5. Fill in your business details.
6. Click “Continue” to finish.

Now, your Instagram business account is all set for your dropshipping venture.

Step 3: Find Top-Selling Products for Your Store

When dropshipping on Instagram or any platform, product research is key. Focus on top-rated products to drive sales and profits. Here’s how:

1. Check out your competition.
2. Explore supplier best-seller sections.
3. Utilize Google Trends & Google Lens.
4. Analyze Instagram accounts, ads, and hashtags.

You can try using AutoDS Winning Products Hub. It offers diverse dropshipping products and features like product insights and competitor analysis. You can also get info on costs, retail prices, and profit potential.

Apart from that, it allows you to check out Facebook ads to understand your target audience better.

With AutoDS, you can save time by automating product research and focus on growing your business.

Step 4: Collaborate With Reliable Dropshipping Suppliers

To launch a successful Instagram dropshipping business, you need to work with reliable suppliers. Here’s what to look for in a good supplier:

1. International Warehouses: Make sure they have warehouses in different countries for efficient shipping.

2. Fast Shipping Times: Customers expect timely delivery, so choose suppliers with quick shipping options.

3. Practical Policies: Look for reasonable return, shipping, and payment policies that align with your business needs.

4. Excellent Customer Support: A responsive support team can help resolve issues swiftly and maintain customer satisfaction.

5. Wide Product Range: Opt for suppliers offering a diverse and affordable range of products to meet customer demands.

6. Positive Reviews: Check for feedback from other businesses to gauge the supplier’s reliability and service quality.

7. Multiple Payment Options: Suppliers offering various payment methods can facilitate smoother transactions.

8. Support for Automation Software: Choose suppliers compatible with dropshipping automation tools like AutoDS for streamlined operations.

Automation software such as AutoDS significantly saves time by automating tasks like product importing, stock monitoring, and order fulfillment. With support from over 25 global suppliers like AliExpress, Walmart, and eBay, AutoDS enables efficient management across multiple suppliers.

This integration allows us to focus on growing our Instagram business while ensuring seamless operations with reliable dropshipping partners.

Step 5: Import Products to Your Store

Once you’ve secured a reliable source, it’s time to populate your dropshipping store with products. There are two primary methods for adding products: manual and automatic.

• Manual Importing: Manual importing involves copying product details, images, and variations into your store. This method can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes per product and may become overwhelming if you need to import multiple products daily.

• Automatic Importing: Automatic importing, especially with tools like AutoDS, offers a quicker and more efficient solution. With AutoDS, you can use its product importing tool to easily and accurately import products into your store. This method includes features like the one-click importer, single product importer, multiple product importer, and bulk upload via CSV file, streamlining the process significantly.

The AutoDS product importer streamlines the process, allowing for efficient product imports. With a single click, products can be imported, and the bulk importer feature enables the importation of hundreds of products simultaneously.

Here’s how to automate product imports into your Shopify store using the one-click importer:

1. Link your AutoDS account with Shopify and install the AutoDS Helper Extension.
2. Visit the supplier’s page and locate the desired product.
3. Click “Import to AutoDS” above the product title.
4. The importer tool collects product details, including titles, images, and descriptions, along with variations.

The product details are uploaded to the drafts page on the AutoDS platform. You can optimize product titles, images, and descriptions to stand out from competitors.

After editing the product draft, click “Import” to list the product in your Shopify store.

Step 6: Promote Your Dropshipping Products on Instagram

Now that your store is stocked with products, it’s time to promote them on Instagram. 

Marketing plays a crucial role in ensuring the long-term success of your business. There are two main strategies for marketing your dropshipping products:

• Organic marketing
• Paid marketing

Organic marketing

Organic marketing means creating content featuring products to show off their features and value. When this content gets popular, it draws a big audience to our Instagram profile. So, it’s smart to include our store link in the bio to guide them to our shop.

We can also make fun product posts to catch more attention. To do this, we need to use Call To Action links, relevant hashtags, catchy captions, and great visuals. Plus, on Instagram, we have various ways to post content like regular posts, reels, stories, user-generated content, and more.

Paid marketing

We can also use paid methods like Instagram ads. These work on a Pay Per Click (PPC) basis, where Instagram boosts our product’s post to our target audience’s feed.

To make the most of this, we need to research our target audience to find who’s most likely interested in our products. Each click on the ad costs a small fee, similar to Facebook ads.

Another helpful method is Instagram Shoutouts. This is when one user promotes another on their Instagram account. To succeed, we need to find accounts with large followings and similar interests to our products. For example, if we sell home decor, we’d look for pages sharing home decoration ideas. Getting a shoutout from popular Instagram accounts can drive a lot of traffic to our store and boost sales.

Learn more: How to Advertise on Instagram

Step 7: Fulfill Instagram Dropshipping Orders

To make customers trust us and keep them coming back, we need to quickly fulfill their orders, whether they come from Instagram/Facebook Shop or elsewhere. Here are the ways we can do it:

1. Manual order fulfillment
2. Automatic Orders
3. Fulfilled By AutoDS

When we manually fulfill orders, we have to visit our supplier’s website, enter customer details, and make the payment. It’s time-consuming and labor-intensive.

To streamline this process, we use tools like AutoDS for automation. AutoDS offers two key features for order fulfillment:

1. Automatic Orders: This feature uses our buyer accounts on supplier websites to fulfill orders. These accounts have integrated payment options like Paypal or credit cards. They also provide order status and tracking updates, reducing the need for customer inquiries.

2. Fulfilled By AutoDS: This method doesn’t use our buyer accounts. Instead, it utilizes AutoDS’ own buyer accounts, ensuring our accounts remain safe from suspensions. It also offers order status and tracking updates, along with one-click returns for easier handling.

Apart from that, Fulfilled By AutoDS supports various suppliers with different pricing and cashback offers, making it a comprehensive solution for swift and efficient order fulfillment.

Step 8: Provide Excellent Customer Service

To excel in customer service for our Instagram dropshipping business, we should:

1. Respond to all customer comments promptly.
2. Stay connected with customers via direct messages.
3. Keep them engaged with captivating posts, reels, and stories.
4. Address queries and complaints quickly.
5. Process returns and refunds without delay.
6. Feature a FAQ page on our dropshipping website.

By following these tips, we can retain current customers and attract new ones through referrals and positive reviews.

Should I Dropship on Instagram?

Thinking about dropshipping on Instagram? It can be great for selling because it’s easy for customers to discover and purchase your products. But it might not be the best choice for every dropshipper. Check out the pros and cons below to help you decide.

Pros of Dropshipping on Instagram

1. Brand Building: A business profile on Instagram helps build trust and recognition among potential customers.
2. Smooth Checkout: Customers in the US can buy through Instagram without setting up an account. Their payment info is saved, making checkout quick and boosting conversions.
3. Wide Reach: Instagram’s large user base exposes your products to many potential customers.
4. Convenient Shopping: Users can buy products directly from your images with a click, avoiding app-switching or browser openings. This ease can boost sales.
5. Easy Payouts: Instagram partners with trusted payment processors, simplifying payout procedures.

Cons of Dropshipping on Instagram

1. Complex Management: Unlike managing your own store where communication is mainly through email or help desks, selling on Instagram requires monitoring messages and comments, which can be time-consuming and risky if overlooked, potentially leading to shop disablement.
2. Additional Fees: While Instagram used to charge a 5% selling fee, now the fees align with your Shopify website, which varies based on transaction type, ranging from 2.9% to 3.49%.
3. Limited Availability: Instagram shops are not accessible worldwide, and checkout is only available in the US, restricting dropshipping opportunities for some regions.

Best Practices for Instagram Dropshipping

I’ve tried using Instagram to find new customers and boost my brand’s reputation, driving more traffic to my website and increasing sales. You can check out my guide on Instagram marketing. For now, let’s talk about some tips I picked up along the way:

1. Use Quality Images and Branding

Your Instagram posts should mirror your brand and business, captivating and intriguing users.

Always engage users with high-quality images and videos to build trust and professionalism.

Take inspiration from Chamberlain Coffee: they maintain a consistent color scheme, employ memorable brand characters, and use lowercase characters in captions and bios, all contributing to a strong brand identity.

2. Create a Great Instagram Bio

Your Instagram bio sits right below your profile details like followers and posts counts.

It’s the first thing visitors see, so make it count.

Include:

• Name
• Category
• Description
• External Link

Here’re some tips for your bio:

1. Keep it Short: Make your bio brief and clear. Visitors should instantly grasp what your brand offers.
2. Add Keywords: Include relevant keywords to help potential customers find your store.
3. Use a Call To Action (CTA): Prompt visitors to take action, like visiting your website or buying your product. For example, “Check out our latest products” or offer an exclusive discount.
4. Use a Link in Bio Tool: Instagram allows only one external link. Use tools like LinkTree to add multiple links, such as to your website, Amazon storefront, and promotion sign-up.

3. Include Testimonials

Share user experiences, either through images or text, on your Instagram page.

These testimonials display positive feedback from previous customers, building trust and encouraging potential buyers to make a purchase.

4. Post Consistently

Regularly sharing relatable and entertaining content on Instagram, like cute pets playing, can catch your audiences’ attention.

The more frequently you post, such as three times a week or even daily, the more opportunities users have to interact with your brand, fostering trust and potentially converting them into customers.

5. Use Stories and Reels

Stories and reels offer unique ways to share videos with your audience.

• Reels: Similar to TikTok, reels showcase professional videos representing your brand. With broader exposure on the Instagram feed and Explore page, they attract new followers and facilitate public comments, sparking conversations.
• Stories: A casual method to engage existing followers, stories are visible for 24 hours and ideal for brand updates, exclusive deals, or behind-the-scenes glimpses. Private replies and reactions help nurture audience relationships.

You can use Stories and Reels for messaging, brand promotion, updates, relationship-building, follower growth, and beyond.

6. Reply to Comments

It’s important to reply to comments on your posts to show you care about your audience.

By engaging and providing value in your responses, you can build trust and relationships with your users.

Even if someone shares negative feedback, you still have to respond respectfully and try to address their concerns.

In the long run, being active and responsive builds credibility and reassures customers that you’re there for them.

7. Add Shopping Tags to Your Images

You can add shopping tags to your photos on Instagram to sell products.

Customers can tag your products in their own photos after purchasing them.

This helps users easily find and buy your products on Instagram, boosting your brand’s visibility and sales.

FAQs 

1. Can I start dropshipping on Instagram?

Yes, many successful dropshipping stores use Instagram to boost sales.

2. Is dropshipping on Instagram worth it?

Absolutely! Instagram offers significant organic traffic, and engaging posts can drive sales.

3. How can I scale my Instagram dropshipping business?

You can use automation tools like AutoDS to streamline daily operations and grow your business. If you need more guidance, sign up for my online business coaching. 

4. Do I need followers for dropshipping?

No, you can run Facebook and Instagram ads to sell products even without a social media following.

5. Who are the top Instagram dropshippers?

Notable Instagram dropshippers include Notebook Therapy, Kawaii Pen Shop, Pet Boutique, Material, Hygo, and Until Gone.