Starting dropshipping? Here's a brutally honest checklist to avoid wasting 3 months and 3 paychecks.

It’s not just about launching a store, it’s about launching the *right* way, or you’ll just end up confused, broke, and thinking the business model doesn’t work. Here’s what I’d check off before launching: **✅ 1. Pick your battlefield.** * Are you doing general, branded, niche, or fashion? * Each one has different rules. If you're lost, start with branded or niche → less competition, easier angles. Also this is what basic suppliers master the most. **✅ 2. Know your budget per product.** * Don’t just look at “ad budget.” * Set a limit: “I’ll test each product with $150 max.” * If you don’t, you’ll burn $500 chasing a ‘maybe’. **✅ 3. Learn these before you spend $1 on ads:** * How to build a clean, fast store * How to write a product page that doesn’t look scammy * How to research products (not just spy tools) * Meta ad metrics: What does a good CPM, CTR, ROAS look like? * Creatives that sell (not just UGC, but offer-based stuff) **✅ 4. Your first supplier ≠ your forever supplier.** * Start with CJ Dropshipping, Zendrop, Aliexpress, etc. Decent for testing * Once you hit 10-20 orders/day → find a serious 3PL (someone who handles stock, shipping, returns, so you can just focus on ads) **✅ 5. Don’t do it alone if you can avoid it.** * If you know anyone (friend, cousin, Discord buddy) who's scaled a store, ask them to guide you through the BS. * Mentors cut your learning curve in half. I’m not selling anything. Just tired of seeing people burn out and quit before even running 10 orders. Add your own checklist items below. What would YOU make every beginner write on their whiteboard before they launch? Let's all help each others 🤝