There are dozens of reasons why you would want to learn eCommerce. It’s comfortable and versatile. You can work on your own schedule, and it’s one of the most profitable ventures today.
eCommerce has become one of the most popular industries today, with hundreds joining each month. With this popularity, many experts and “gurus” have launched their own training programmes and case studies to help beginners understand eCommerce and dropshipping specifically.
However, the two aren’t the same. Each fits a different purpose, so what should you get if you want to start?
In this guide, we’ll analyse the pros and cons of each so that you don’t throw away your money on something you don’t need.
Case studies
A caste study doesn’t focus on explaining eCommerce. It provides an overview and less videos, but that isn’t its goal.
A case study shows you how an entrepreneur (often the author of the class) succeeded with their business; others study how and why a venture failed. You get to see the results and how they got to them.
Usually, case studies aim to show you all of the steps taken by an individual: from starting their business to scaling it. The idea is that you can replicate their methods and achieve similar merits.
Pros of case studies
Case studies often provide comfort: you know that the creator (or the person studied) already succeeded, that the methods shown worked already. If you study a failed case, you already know you’ll learn what to avoid.
Creators often launch their case studies as promotion for courses or coaching; it provides proof of their knowledge.
In any case, you already know what to expect from a case study: it worked or it didn’t.
An additional advantage is that you skip a lot of videos. The majority of case studies are straightforward, and many opt to keep quality above quantity.
Lastly, case studies tend to be cheaper than a course, but that’s not a constant.
Cons of case studies
Case studies have a suspicious context around them: why would a successful businessman, allegedly making thousands every week, share their secrets for a couple hundred Dollars?
Additionally, many entrepreneurs see case studies as a blueprint to follow and find success. They forget that at least a dozen more students thought the same, and they end up covering a saturated market that’s no longer profitable.
That’s an issue even with case studies with methods that really work: they eventually breed hundreds of stores, and demand moves somewhere else.
Anyone can come up with a marketing campaign, run traffic towards their listings, and profit from it. It’s rare for a case study to show you how much they spend against their rewards. You never really know if your investment will yield significant profits or cost you.
Courses
Courses are complete guides focusing on showing you how to start your business. Courses tend to cover everything: from the basics, to the more advanced topics, depending on their target audience.
They usually offer at least double the content and length presented by case studies. Courses don’t show you how someone else set up their Facebook Ads; they teach you different approaches for setting up your own or scaling them, depending on whether it’s a beginner or intermediate course.
Online courses don’t get promoted as a way to see how someone else succeeded. Advertising focuses on their foundation: learning how to start a business from scratch, learning how to set up a marketing strategy, etc.
Pros of courses
Most people go to courses because of the content and detail they offer. Creators usually spend a long time structuring and creating the classes and modules, and most courses receive updates for adding new content or updating what’s already there.
You also get more value from courses; it’s often more for value for your money than case studies. Most courses cost more than case studies, but they offer more resources, so your content-to-investment ratio is tighter.
It’s common for communities to form around courses, so you’re likely to find fellow students that can share their insights and opinions with you. Private Facebook groups are a usual addition for online training.
Finally, many courses have long refund windows in case you’re not satisfied. They usually have little qualms about refunding unhappy customers since they aren’t sharing their business secrets.
Cons of courses
Courses share a concern with case studies: why would a successful business expert dedicate so much time (and launch) a course instead of focusing on growing their ventures?
Many users also fear that the course they’re taking is outdated; others are afraid of the course not receiving newer updates to include any changes to the market since the online industry is quick to change.
Which one should you buy?
Product trends change often, but the business model itself adapts to changes. If you know the overall structure and methods, you can start your own business or teach someone else how to do it.
In that regard, a course would be better: you receive the foundations of eCommerce, and that depth level is very rare in case studies.
Case studies give you a winning strategy one step at a time. It worked for someone, but the market shifts, and nothing works the same for everyone. The result is all those who failed and now think dropshipping is a fraud.
Yes, you can find scammers with both courses and case studies, but they’re easy to find. They usually charge thousands for a course that’s shallow and a rehash of other courses. These people take advantage of their influence and their public’s hype, and they often disappear after selling their first memberships.
Luckily, Shopify now asks authors promoting their platform to verify everything their stores and claims. That’s why so many “gurus” disappeared after launching ridiculous courses.
Similarly, don’t trust someone who offers you their case study for thousands of Dollars, showing you their expensive cars as proof. They probably asked for a loan, and they’ll pay it off with the first members and pocket the rest.
If you have the money to invest in those courses, you’re off to a good start, but you need to think about everything.
Study cheap courses and studies and compare them to premium products; remember you still need to pay for your marketing, platforms, and tools. My favourite courses online cost less than $1,000, and you can keep the difference to pay for your store and scaling it.
Tips for newcomers
If want to start with dropshipping or eCommerce in general, then you should get a course before setting up your store. I always recommend the most affordable and value packed courses. You can check out my review on eCom Elites course which is one of the best eCommerce courses on the market.
It’s easy to think of cheap courses as scam, but it’s often the opposite when it comes to these types of courses.
There are dozens of review sites for you to verify what I’m saying, and it’s always best to save as much as you can for advertisement and tools.
If you feel there’s anything lacking, Facebook and YouTube are goldmines of free educational content, so make sure to exploit them as much as possible. There’s no reason to throw your money at the first guru offering you their million-Dollar case study.
