How My Friend Fixed His Dropshipping Mistake and Turned a Viral Reel into Profit

Starting an online business can be exciting, but it also comes with challenges. My friend recently faced one such challenge when his Instagram reel went viral but he had no product to sell. Let me share his story and the advice I gave him to turn this opportunity into a real business.

The Beginning: How It All Started

One day, my friend and I met for a casual chat. He knew I was already running a dropshipping business, so he asked me how to start one. I explained everything about dropshipping, from finding suppliers to setting up an online store. If you are reading this, you probably already know what dropshipping is!

The Viral Moment and a Big Problem

A few weeks after our conversation, one of his Instagram reels unexpectedly went viral. It reached 4 million views! People loved the product he showed in the video, and he received over 500+ messages from potential buyers asking for the product link.

But there was a problem—he didn’t have the product to sell! He had created content without actually stocking the item. Now, he was in a tough spot because customers wanted to buy, but he had no inventory.

My Advice: Smart Investment and Pre-Orders

When he came to me for advice, I told him that if he wanted his business to run smoothly, he had to invest wisely. Here’s what I suggested:

1. Talk to Customers – Instead of worrying about the large number of messages, focus on the ones who are genuinely interested. Find 10-15 customers who are ready to buy the product for sure.
2. Secure Advance Payments – Convince these 10-15 buyers to pay in advance. This will give him the money he needs to place the first order.
3. Order in Small Batches – The product he wanted to sell cost $275, and he planned to sell it for $500. If he didn’t have enough money for bulk orders, I suggested ordering just 5 products first.
4. Reinvest Profits – Once these first 5 orders were delivered successfully, he could use the profit to order more products and scale up his business.

The Lesson: Always Be Ready for Success

Many beginners in dropshipping focus only on making viral content but forget about stock and fulfillment. My friend learned that having a plan before going viral is crucial. If you don’t have a product, you can lose out on a golden opportunity.

What’s Your Opinion?

As a business owner, this was my advice to my friend. What do you think? Would you handle it differently? Share your thoughts below!