If you want to get into the world of ecommerce id ditch drop shipping as a business model. I think it's too long of a delivery time from China to whoever it's going to be better:
1. If you start out by finding local distributors and take a smaller %. A smaller % is better than nothing..
2. Use local distributors and re-shoot photos, do descriptions and swing the premium angle.
Once you have something proven in place then look to buy 10-20 units in advance and test the water and expand your business that way.
There are other ways to find out what's going to work for you without spending 100s on stock as well:
1. Auction / Liquidation / Out of Business stock you would be surprised what you can pick up or a box of random cables and sell them on.
2. Look at eBay for wholesale or job lots GRANTED some of the stuff on there is going to be tat the current seller can't sell. Example: A pile of fishing floats. BUT if you buy a bunch of hooks and some line and package it together then you have a different product all together..
3. Look in the discount stores or the £/$ stores. There was one locally to me that used to sell dog toys for £1 THE same toy was being sold on eBay for 6.99!
You don't have to look far or rely on aliexpress to find products and you can start some of the ones I outlined above for little investment, at least you have the stock!!
Ideally if you get into drop shipping moving out with your own stock should be your goal unless you can keep getting traffic and covert it to sales BUT your margin will always be squeezed every year with new drop shippers undercutting you buy another £1/$1
