Hi, I’m Kayla. I ran an organic drop shipping shop for 14 months. I sold things like face wash, tea, and pantry staples. No warehouse. No big stash in my garage. Just me, a laptop, and suppliers who ship for you.
Was it hands-off? Nope. It was lighter, though. And it was weirdly fun.
Want even more detail? I broke down the full story in a step-by-step case study on the CandyPress blog—read it here.
So, what did I sell?
I called the shop Sprout & Parcel. Cute, right? I used Shopify. My main suppliers were GreenDropShip and Spocket. Both had US-based suppliers with organic lines. In case you’re starting fresh, you can browse GreenDropShip for a catalog of organic brands or explore Spocket to source from independent U.S. suppliers.
A few real items I sold a lot:
- Dr. Bronner’s Citrus Castile Soap, 32 oz
- Nutiva MCT Oil, 32 oz
- Yogi Tea, Sweet Tangerine Positive Energy
- Andalou Naturals Argan Stem Cell Shampoo
- Organic cotton reusable produce bags (no brand, but steady seller)
I tested products at home, too. I used the Andalou shampoo on my thick hair. It smelled bright and clean. No heavy residue. My husband used the Dr. Bronner’s on camping trips. A little goes far.
The good stuff (the wins I felt in my bones)
- Shipping was fast when the item was in stock. Two to five days to most US places. People loved that.
- The brands had trust. Folks knew names like Dr. Bronner’s and Yogi. That saved me ad dollars.
- I didn’t buy big boxes of things. No huge risk. My apartment actually stayed livable.
- Customers cared about the labels. USDA Organic, cruelty-free, non-GMO. I leaned into that. Clear photos. Simple notes.
One sweet story: Maya in Denver bought the Yogi tea for her night shift. She left a review that said, “This tea kept me kind.” I smiled all day.
The messy bits (the parts I wish I could gloss over)
Here’s the thing. Drop shipping has rough edges.
- Stock outs. Nutiva MCT Oil vanished for 10 days last January. I had 18 orders in limbo. I swapped a few to Carrington Farms after checking labels and sent sorry notes.
- Margins were tight. Most items sat in the 25% to 35% range. If I ran a sale, I felt it.
- MAP rules. Some brands set a minimum price. So, no deep discounts. That’s fine, but you need to plan.
- Leaks and melts. One July heat wave wrecked six cocoa butters. Another time a Dr. Bronner’s bottle leaked. I replaced them all and ate the cost.
- Packaging guilt. I asked for paper fill. Some boxes still had plastic. I added a note in my store: we’re working on better packing with partners. Small, honest steps.
If you want to avoid the nastier pitfalls completely, it’s worth skimming a cautionary tale or two—this rundown of drop-ship scams will save you a headache.
Also, claims matter. I removed a line that said a balm “cures eczema.” Not okay. I stuck to “soothes dry skin.” It’s cleaner. And safer.
If you’re curious what happens when you never even see the product, this firsthand blind drop-shipping experiment is eye-opening.
Real orders that stuck with me
- The leak: A Dr. Bronner’s 32 oz broke its seal. Customer sent a photo with suds in the box. I shipped a fresh one same day and refunded $5 for the wait. She stayed with me and later bought shampoo.
- The melt: Six jars of organic cocoa butter turned to soup in July 2023. I changed my rules. From June to August, no heat-sensitive items to AZ, NV, or TX after Wednesday noon. Simple, but it worked. (Spoiler: candle sellers have the same summer sweat issue—see how one handled it.)
- The switch: MCT Oil out of stock, so I offered a swap. I listed the ingredients side by side so the customer could see the match. Most said yes. One asked for a refund. Fair.
Numbers you probably want
- Average order value: $42
- Average shipping cost paid to suppliers: $7 to $12
- Gross margin: 25% to 35% on most items
- Refund/return rate: about 3%
- First month sales: $2,480 revenue, about $520 profit
- Peak month (January “reset” season): $7,900 revenue, about $1,780 profit
Not into skincare or pantry goods? I know sellers who’ve done the same math with car parts—their one-year auto-parts drop-shipping review is right here.
Speaking of alternative income streams that don’t revolve around stocking shelves, some readers look for ways to turn their social savvy into cash flow. If you’re based around the UK’s famous university city and curious about setting up mutually beneficial arrangements, the in-depth local guide at Sugar Baby Cambridge lays out how the scene works, shares safety best practices, and walks you through real expectations—handy research before you decide whether that route beats running an e-commerce store for your lifestyle goals.
I used Instagram Reels and simple how-to posts. CAC was low when I showed myself using the items. A quick clip of me filling a glass jar with castile soap? Weirdly strong.
Tools that kept me steady
- Shopify for the store. Clean and simple.
- GreenDropShip and Spocket for suppliers. Syncee helped me find a few niche items.
- Judge.me for product reviews.
- Re:amaze for support.
- EcoCart for carbon offset at checkout. It didn’t fix everything, but it helped.
If you’d rather host the cart yourself and skip monthly SaaS fees, consider CandyPress—it’s a lean, .NET-based storefront that can still integrate with drop-ship workflows.
You know what? A plain photo on a wood table beat fancy mockups. Folks want real.
What I wish I knew earlier
- Sample every product. My face did not love one rose toner. I pulled it fast.
- Keep a tiny emergency fund. I used $400 one month for surprise reships.
- Set heat rules for summer and freeze rules for winter. Shea butter and glass bottles need care.
- Fewer SKUs, better pages. I trimmed from 180 to 64 products. Sales went up.
- Map out swaps. Keep two “backup twins” for top sellers.
Who is this good for?
- You care about clean goods, and you can explain labels in simple words.
- You’re okay with thin margins and steady work.
- You like talking to customers like they’re neighbors.
Who might struggle? If you want huge markups or no customer service at all. This model won’t like you back.
Little touches that helped
I added “Kayla’s Notes” on product pages. Stuff like:
- “Smells like fresh citrus. Strong at first, then soft.”
- “Foams less than drugstore shampoo. That’s normal.”
- “Try a patch test if your skin gets fussy.”
People thanked me for that. It felt human.
A quick community-building tip: when I traveled to France last summer, I wanted real-time feedback on sustainable shopping habits in a single city. Chatting with locals was gold for product ideas. If you ever need that kind of on-the-ground insight for Rennes specifically, check out Plancul Rennes—you’ll find an active local network that makes it easy to connect with residents and gauge what lifestyle trends resonate before you commit marketing dollars.
Final take (short and plain)
Organic drop shipping can work. It’s not magic. It needs care, patience, and clear words. My shop paid me, taught me a lot, and let me stick with brands I believe in.
Would I do it again? Yes—just with fewer SKUs, tighter rules, and better summer plans. And maybe more tea. Always more tea.