My Honest Review of the Dropship Unlocked Course
Disclosure: This author was given complimentary access to the Dropship Unlocked Masterclass and compensated for their honest review of the contents.
Online courses are a mixed bag. Oftentimes, they are nothing more than poor duplicates of free courses found somewhere on the internet, sold at a premium price. This is especially true when it comes to classes that are supposed to help you run your own business or provide invaluable advice on how to get started.
Thankfully, the Lewis Smith Dropship Unlocked course is not one of them. It is not a free course, nor should it be. However, the service it provides goes beyond dropshipping business advice. One of the best aspects of this Masterclass is the massive, reliable support network built around it, from Dropship Unlocked’s YouTube channel and dedicated Facebook group to the option of directly connecting with Lewis Smith via the twice weekly coaching calls!
While not necessarily cheap, this paid course offers so much more than what most courses do at the same price tag. If you’re dreaming of starting your own dropshipping business, but aren’t sure where to start and are anxious about taking the first steps, then it’s worth considering the Lewis Smith Dropship Unlocked Masterclass.
What is Dropshipping?
If you’re looking into masterclasses that teach you how to successfully make money online, then you probably already know what dropshipping is. On the off-chance that you’re clueless about what it actually entails and got interested in the dropship lifestyle because you’ve heard rumours that it’s a way of making money quickly, without putting too much effort into it, we’ve got to clear some things up at the start.
Dropshipping is an approach to retail where the seller does not keep the goods they’re selling in stock and rather makes use of a supply chain network of wholesalers or manufacturers to get the order shipped from its point of origin directly to the customer. It takes plenty of understanding of supply chain management and is everything but a cheap and easy way to make money. One wrong move can set countless orders back for days, if not weeks. It became a major issue for many aspiring dropshippers, who are lured in by the promise of running a lucrative retail business without having to have the physical space to store their products. You’ve got to break some sweat to make a fortune (well, unless you inherit it), and dropshipping is no exception.
Who is Lewis Smith?
If you’ve Googled ‘dropshipping’ you’re likely to have come across ‘Lewis Smith’ but who is this guy and what has he actually achieved in e-commerce to become an authority on dropshipping and more importantly, sell an online course on this business model?
At face value, he’s a successful dropshipping entrepreneur who’s made a decent amount of money in e-commerce and is now sharing his expertise and experience – including the very, very negative ones – with aspiring businessmen and women via an internet course.
But there is much more to his story than meets the eye. As he outlines in the “About Lewis Smith” section of the Dropship Unlocked website, he’s been stuck in the same loop as many: climbing the corporate ladder for years without much personal gratification to show for it. Having dropped it all to chase the dream of starting his own e-commerce business, his next couple of years were a mix of living the dream (working remotely, living in exotic countries with his wife) and going through some serious pitfalls related to the financial side of being a dropship seller in the UK market, such as VAT complications, balancing the books, finding UK dropshipping suppliers and many others. Through trial and error, Lewis Smith developed what he claims to be an effective and manageable way to avoid most of the biggest problems entrepreneurs face when starting out in the dropship industry.
Sure, critics may write it off as a fake persona, deliberately created to sell more copies of his course, but to be completely honest, he comes across quite genuine. There were two things that struck me as I was watching his speeches from the Nomad Summit about e-commerce and becoming location independent. First of all, he was clearly incredibly knowledgeable about the UK dropshipping market. Secondly, and perhaps more important to someone who is considering paying him a hefty sum of money to join his mentorship program, Lewis was painfully candid about the trials and tribulations of the industry. Most people expect easy answers to life’s most difficult questions, and plenty of the scammers out there won’t even mention how difficult it may be to get things going. It was refreshing to hear him speak about the necessity of starting your business as a side hustle at first without cutting yourself off from the steady income stream of your main job, among other things that the “get-rich-quick” shills would never speak about.
Is Dropship Unlocked Legit?
Recently, many doubts have popped up online about the Lewis Smith Dropship Unlocked Masterclass.
First of all, I was staggered by the number of strangely similar negative reviews of the Dropship Unlocked Masterclass – especially those that seem to promote his direct competitors. If you look a bit closer, it’s apparent that after discrediting a course, the blog creator redirects the reader to alternative programs using an affiliate (or paid) link. So, ask yourself how valuable are these ‘reviews’ to you, and how valuable are they to the creator?
The vast majority of course reviews focus on the price of Dropship Unlocked or the degree of unnecessary content they’ve found in the program devised by Lewis.
However, looking around online for alternative courses, Lewis’s pricing appears to be relative to what he offers over and above his competitors. Some of the cheaper courses contain comparably limited content, without a Facebook group or any other kind of forum for conversations with other students, not to mention weekly coaching calls that would allow you to engage with the person who has created the course.
Complaints about there being “too much content” also seem odd since course reviewers are often disappointed with programs that don’t provide enough information to students. What’s even more perplexing is the fact that nearly all the reviews on the first two pages on Google mention something about the content being too “bloated”.
Main Features
The main selling point of Dropship Unlocked is, of course, the content, designed and regularly updated by Lewis Smith himself. With lengthy modules, it provides a step-by-step introduction to the world of e-commerce and dropshipping. The vast majority of the material is presented in the form of videos with voiceover, all of which have been uploaded in a crisp, 1080p resolution.
The Course
Lewis Smith’s teaching manner is fairly casual. He uses simple language and does all of the voiceovers in an upbeat tone. Whether it’s a good thing or not is a matter of preference. Personally, I prefer this kind of approach, but I understand why someone would expect a “professor persona” to guide them through the world of dropshipping, given the price.
Don’t let the tone of the sessions distract you from the actual value they provide, though! Dropship Unlocked delivers an exhaustive approach to planning for up-and-coming entrepreneurs, which is a process that should not be overlooked. The first two modules are all about getting ready for the challenge and how to leave less room for unpleasant surprises once you start to invest real money into your newly founded company.
As for the latter parts of the course, the program heavily focuses on preparing its students for the difficulties they may face and the steps they need to take to successfully establish their online store, carry out marketing efforts and get in touch with their first suppliers. This kind of content should prove extremely helpful, especially for those who have no experience devising marketing or sales strategies.
Facebook Group
Alongside the comprehensive course, Dropship Unlocked provides you with access to a private, members only Facebook group where you can get in touch with your peers who are aspiring business people, just like you! Honestly, this is one of the most appealing aspects of this course and one of the things that I couldn’t find in some of the many online courses related to dropshipping. Obviously, Lewis didn’t reinvent the wheel with the Dropship Unlocked group, as creating such spaces is a common practice among course creators committed to delivering education of the highest quality, however, the community atmosphere Lewis encourages here is a very energetic, welcoming and inspiring one.
Asking questions, interacting with other members, or even just browsing around such a group can help you expand your knowledge alongside people who are interested in the same things. Moreover, it serves as a great supplement to the course videos you’re supposed to watch as part of the paid course, as people often share materials, such as YouTube videos or articles that are not part of the Dropship Unlocked offer.
Weekly Coaching Calls
As far as engaging with students is concerned, the live coaching sessions with Lewis that are part of the Dropship Unlocked package should become the new standard in the online course industry. Members are invited to twice weekly live coaching sessions with the creator of the course, where they can ask about anything and everything that was not part of the course but pertains to their dropshipping business.
The lifetime access that members get to these sessions is a great way for you to check back with your mentor and ask for specific advice even months or years after you’ve launched your company! That way, the price of Dropship Unlocked turns into a long-term investment into the future of your business, as you’ll be able to partake in twice weekly conversations with an advisor who’s already cut his teeth in the dropshipping industry.
YouTube Channel
In all honesty, I was not too interested in the Dropship Unlocked YouTube channel when I started out with the course. My opinion didn’t change, either. It isn’t because the videos lack quality or professional production. The reason is simply the fact that they don’t bring too much into the training and lack helpful business-running tips. Instead, the channel features videos with reviews and testimonials of Lewis’s students who have completed the course. It’s purely promotional, which is a perfectly valid way to run a YouTube channel and offer reassurance about your investment, yet it does feel like it could use some more variety in its content.
On the other hand, watching the Dropship Unlocked channel is completely free and not part of the main course, so I can understand why Lewis decided not to include too much of his advice in these clips.
Course Outline
The full Dropship Unlocked course is a six-week program, by the end of which students will be acquainted with the ins and outs of running a dropshipping enterprise and get ready for the challenges it presents. Of course, the six-week timeline is merely a suggestion. The course doesn’t expire, so if you don’t have the time to complete it in six weeks, you’re free to study at whatever pace suits you best. You have lifetime access to the content and the coaching calls.
The six parts of the course are as follows:
- Planting the Seed.
- Product Niche and Selection.
- Building Your MVS.
- Signing Your First Suppliers.
- PPC Mastery.
- Unlock Your Freedom.
The first “week,” called “Planting the Seed,” is related to the very basics of dropshipping, as well as the initial stages of planning your online business. It is a good way to become familiar with how Lewis teaches, as well as whether or not you’re cut out to become a dropshipper. The second module is all about selecting a winning niche and choosing the products you’re going to be selling, analysing the markets, and preparing the perfect business plan. These two intense preparatory weeks are designed to ensure your business strategy is truly bulletproof.
Weeks 3 through 5 are filled with valuable advice and strategies regarding the practical side of things. Lewis has clearly tried to leave no stone unturned when it comes to dropshipping, from managing the relationships with providers, building an online store, as well as handling Google Ads and the marketing side of things. Of course, there is a lengthy lesson in the sixth and final module regarding day-to-day business operations. Each week, you can also expect to learn a little more about running the numbers of your online store and staying on top of things that can get you into financial trouble, such as taxes or balancing the books.
Final Verdict
In my view, Lewis Smith’s Dropship Unlocked paid course is among the best courses of its kind that you can find online, right now. From masterfully realised video presentations to plenty of additional tools, like Facebook groups and bi-weekly consultations with the author, it provides students essential lessons for succeeding in the world of e-commerce.
Pros
- Bi-weekly coaching sessions with Lewis Smith, the course creator,
- Lifetime access,
- FB group to connect with peers,
- Up-front about what you pay for,
- Informative introductory modules,
- Prepares you for the things other courses don’t tell you about (UK+EU tax issues, accounting, suppliers contact scripts & agreements specific to the UK etc).
Cons
- The unfulfilled potential of the YouTube channel,
- Heavy focus on UK followers.
Dropship Unlocked Review Summary
Dropship Unlocked is a comprehensive dropshipping course that allows students to understand this industry from A to Z. The price may seem lofty, but if you’re looking to do this on the cheap, you’ll get what you pay for. For me, teaching quality and presented information felt on par with courses taught at major universities (while teaching you something you won’t learn at any school). Combined with the long-term tools like the FB group or regular coaching with Lewis, the price of the program doesn’t only include the course but also a life-long support structure for whenever you need aid with running your dropshipping company.