On social media, it’s billed as a lucrative side gig; an easy way to make obscene amounts of money.
Millions a month, according to “MissMargariita1” on TikTok, where her profile links to tips and resources to set up an online store. Enough to buy a private jet, assures TikToker “JoshCarterECom” in one of his many videos.
Enough to tell your parents they can retire forever, and all you need is a laptop, promises TikToker Adam Erhart in a video with 2.4 million views.
“I don’t understand why people don’t start dropshipping for a side hustle!” writes an account on X.
Dropshipping, a business model where people sell products to consumers directly from the manufacturer, isn’t new. You may know it as third-party selling, where dropshippers sell their wares on the web portals of established retailers like Walmart, Amazon or Best Buy.
Dropshippers never actually have the items they’re selling. Instead, they connect buyers with the …