Dropshipping is an e-commerce model in which the seller sells products online without buying and storing them in advance. When a customer places an order, the seller forwards it to the supplier; the supplier packs the product and ships it directly to the customer. The seller earns the difference between the price the customer pays and the price paid to the supplier.

How does dropshipping work?

  1. The seller lists the supplier’s products in their own store (marketplace, website, social media).
  2. The customer buys the product from the seller’s store and pays the seller.
  3. The seller forwards the order to the supplier and pays the supplier for the product.
  4. The supplier ships the product to the customer’s address.

Advantages

  • Low startup cost: You don’t tie up money in inventory.
  • No warehouse or packing: The supplier prepares the product.
  • Wide product range: You can sell every product in the supplier’s catalog.
  • Fast testing: You can see whether a model sells without buying stock.

Risks and challenges

  • Lower profit margins: The unit price is higher than when buying wholesale.
  • You don’t control the stock: If you sell an item that is out of stock at the supplier, you have to cancel the order.
  • The customer holds you responsible: Late shipping or a faulty product affects your store rating.
  • Competition is high: Other sellers may sell the same product; visuals, descriptions and service quality are key to standing out.

Steps to start dropshipping in Turkey

  1. Choose a category. Lightweight products with few size-related returns that sell on their looks (such as bags and accessories) are ideal for beginners.
  2. Find a local supplier. Domestic shipping shortens delivery times and makes returns easier. For what to look for when choosing a supplier, see our dropshipping supplier page.
  3. Decide on your sales channel. Marketplaces like Trendyol provide ready-made traffic, while Instagram and your own website let you build a brand.
  4. Set up the legal framework. Regular selling requires tax registration. Details: Is dropshipping legal in Turkey?
  5. Calculate your pricing. Factor in commission, shipping, returns and advertising costs. See dropshipping profit calculation.
  6. Start small. Begin with 10–20 products, track which models sell and scale up the winners.

How much capital do you need for dropshipping?

Since you don’t buy stock, the capital required is lower than for wholesale buying, but it isn’t zero. You need to budget for company setup and accounting, store or marketplace fees, advertising and a balance for paying the supplier. On marketplaces, the customer’s payment reaches you a few days later, while you pay the supplier when you place the order; plan for this cash-flow gap.

Starting dropshipping with bags

With the Çanta Bayim dealer model, you order products at dealer prices starting from a single unit; the product is shipped from our warehouse in Turkey directly to your customer. We explain how it works on our bag dropshipping page.