How to Choose the Right Products for Dropshipping

After more than a decade in eCommerce, one thing has become clear: the products you choose can make or break your dropshipping business.

I’ve seen people spend months building a beautiful store, only to fail because they chose the wrong products. And I’ve seen others hit six figures fast because they followed a proven framework for product selection.

In this post, I’ll walk you step by step through how to choose products for dropshipping based on what actually works in 2025. These are the same strategies I teach inside my coaching program, the Drop Ship Blueprint.

Let’s dive in.

Why Product Selection Matters More Than Anything Else

Think about it:

Product selection is the foundation of a profitable dropshipping store. Done right, it positions you for consistent sales, healthy margins, and long-term growth. Done wrong, you’ll be spinning your wheels.

Here’s how to avoid that.

5 Steps to Choosing Profitable Dropshipping Products

1. Focus on High-Ticket Products ($200+)

Low-ticket items might sound appealing because they sell faster, but here’s the truth: the work is the same, the profit isn’t.

• Sell a $20 product → maybe $6 profit.
• Sell a $1,000 product → $250+ profit.

Same effort. Very different results.

That’s why I recommend choosing products priced at $200 or more, with an average order value (AOV) around $1,000.

This way, even just a handful of sales per week can add up to thousands in profit.

✅ Examples: Standing desks, couches, patio heaters, fitness equipment.

2. Work With at Least 30 Suppliers

The days of relying on one or two suppliers are over. Not all suppliers will approve you immediately, and some may have restrictions (revenue requirements, traffic minimums, etc.).

By aiming for 30+ suppliers, you:

• Diversify your risk (if one runs out of stock, you have options).
• Gain access to more products.
• Increase the odds of finding U.S.-based, tariff-safe suppliers.

When possible, prioritize domestic suppliers especially ones with U.S.-made products. These are easier to ship, avoid long lead times, and help protect your margins.

3. Avoid Brand Loyalty Niches

Some niches are dominated by big-name brands that customers will never switch away from.

✅ Example of bad choice: Headphones → everyone wants Bose, Apple, or Sony.
✅ Example of good choice: Standing desks → people shop based on features, not logos.

When you avoid brand loyalty niches, you can compete on features, customer experience, and availability instead of trying to go head-to-head with billion-dollar companies.

4. Target the Upper Middle Class

Who you sell to matters as much as what you sell.

I recommend focusing on households earning $150,000+ per year.

Why?

• Lower-income shoppers = more returns, more support headaches, and tighter budgets.
• Ultra-wealthy shoppers = prefer custom-made, high-maintenance products.
• Upper middle class = comfortable shopping online, less price-sensitive, fewer returns.

✅ Perfect for high-ticket dropshipping.

5. Stick With Evergreen Niches

Trendy products (like fidget spinners or viral TikTok gadgets) may explode in popularity but they die just as quickly. Seasonal items (like snowboards) only sell part of the year.

Instead, focus on evergreen products—items that people buy year-round, year after year.

✅ Examples: Sofas, office furniture, grills, home gym equipment.

Evergreen products give your store long-term stability, allowing you to build authority, rank in Google, and enjoy recurring sales.

Quick Checklist: How to Choose Products for Dropshipping

Here’s a simple checklist you can use when evaluating a product idea:

If you can check yes on most (if not all) of these boxes, you’re looking at a strong product opportunity.