When starting a business, there are so many aspects to consider. While the product is one of the most important, I would also argue that finding the right customer and determining what you can offer them is even more crucial. This week, as we were discussing the different options that the case study team could pursue, I found myself drawn to the idea of drop shipping over affiliate marketing because of the customer experience aspects involved.
Choosing a supplier can be very time-consuming, but I felt that looking at the reviews from past users can provide valuable insight. Comparing shipping times, costs, product quality, and many other factors plays a crucial role in deciding where to source your products.
I had no idea that affiliate marketing was so hands-off as passive income; now I can see what it is about compared to drop shipping. Drop shipping is more about customer relations and user experience due to the team's involvement. With affiliate marketing, you are promoting another company with links to their products. In drop shipping, the product is decided by the team, and a supplier is chosen to fill and ship the order. The hands-on experience also provides a much more reliable revenue stream, whereas affiliate marketing is based on a percentage of the sale. Therefore, you can build up earnings to the same level through many sales or multiple products, but it takes longer to generate significant revenue streams.
A team's overall marketing strategy plays a huge role in all sales with either of the two options.
