Expanding a product catalog is a common strategy for growing an online store, but increasing inventory isn’t always practical for many merchants. Limited storage space, cash flow constraints, or the uncertainty of untested products can all make traditional expansion risky.
Fortunately, there are alternative approaches that allow store owners to grow more sustainably. Below are a few inventory-free strategies that have become increasingly popular among e-commerce businesses.
1. Use Dropshipping from Trusted Suppliers
Dropshipping is one of the most accessible ways to run an online store without managing inventory. You don’t manufacture, store, or ship anything yourself. Instead, you partner with third-party suppliers—often found on platforms like DSers, Spocket, or Zendrop—and list their products directly in your Shopify store. When a customer places an order, the supplier fulfills it and ships it directly to them. This model works because it drastically lowers your startup costs and removes the risks of unsold stock. It also allows you to test new niches or product types with minimal investment.
Example: Subtle Asian Treats – Tze Hing Chan
- Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tze Hing Chan launched his first Shopify store without any upfront inventory or large capital. He chose the dropshipping model to test product-market fit with minimal financial risk. His niche is bubble tea-themed products aimed at Gen Z and young millennials.
- Execution:
- Tze researched trending, viral products within the Asian food and kawaii (cute) culture niche. He focused on plushies, enamel pins, and accessories shaped like boba tea.
- Using AliExpress and Oberlo, he sourced high-rated suppliers with good shipping history. All product listings, images, and descriptions were imported and optimized directly from the dropshipping catalog.
- He never held any physical inventory. Each order was automatically fulfilled by the supplier, who handled packaging and shipping directly to customers worldwide.
- Results: Within just two months, Subtle Asian Treats generated $19,000 in pre-tax profit purely from dropshipping. There were no warehousing fees, no storage issues — just efficient product-market matching powered by automation.
- Takeaway: This case proves that dropshipping can be a profitable, low-risk way to start an eCommerce business. With the right niche, compelling product selection, and reliable suppliers, it’s possible to scale quickly without ever managing inventory. Subtle Asian Treats is a textbook example of how to grow a lean, digital-first Shopify store.
2. Sell Print-on-Demand (POD) Products
Print-on-demand (POD) is a branch of dropshipping where products are only produced once an order is placed. Sellers can offer custom-designed items—such as T-shirts, mugs, or phone cases—without having to keep stock on hand. This approach is particularly appealing to creators, small businesses, and niche brands because it allows them to test designs and seasonal ideas with minimal financial risk. By removing the need for upfront inventory, POD offers a fast, flexible, and low-barrier way to build and scale an online store.
Example: Legendary Rootz – A Successful POD Brand Empowered by Shopify
- Background: Legendary Rootz began as a POD project when its founder was still a student. The brand was created to celebrate Black culture through apparel and lifestyle products. By leveraging POD, they minimized capital risks—producing only when orders came in—which allowed them to cut startup costs and experiment flexibly with new products.
- Execution:
- They designed apparel like hoodies and t-shirts featuring bold messages such as “I am Black history”, which created strong emotional resonance.
- Shopify describes POD as an excellent way to start a business with low upfront investment, without the need to stockpile products.
- Legendary Rootz used POD suppliers fully integrated with Shopify—designs were printed and shipped to customers on demand, eliminating the need for warehousing.
- Results:
- The brand rose to prominence, gaining recognition in its community and the media thanks to its iconic designs and authentic storytelling.
- Their POD model allowed them to maintain profit margins in the 20–40% range, consistent with many successful POD brands.
- With minimal upfront costs and lean operations, they could reinvest more into marketing and brand-building.
- Takeaway: Legendary Rootz clearly demonstrates that POD is a low-risk yet profitable eCommerce model. Shopify estimates POD profit margins to average between 20–40%, but as Legendary Rootz shows, businesses can exceed this when they foster deep emotional connections with their customers.
3. Launch Digital Products or Memberships
Selling digital products is one of the most profitable inventory-free business models available. These include eBooks, templates, courses, presets, or music—anything that can be downloaded or accessed online. With Shopify, you can use apps like Easy Digital Products or SendOwl to automate delivery once a purchase is made, turning your store into a 24/7 sales machine. Since
there’s no manufacturing or shipping involved, margins are incredibly high, and the entire sales process can be hands-off. This model is perfect for knowledge-based entrepreneurs, educators, or creatives looking to scale their income with minimal overhead.
Example: The Futur – Selling Digital Products at Scale
- Background: The Futur is an education-focused brand serving creative professionals, offering digital tools that help freelancers and agencies grow their businesses. With an audience-first strategy via YouTube, they needed a scalable, low-overhead way to monetize their expertise.
- Execution:
- Using Shopify paired with apps like SendOwl and Digital Downloads, The Futur sells design templates, pricing kits, business guides, and video courses—all fully digital.
- The entire purchase-to-delivery process is automated, eliminating the need for warehousing or logistics.
- Their value-driven product design, paired with deep content marketing, builds trust and drives traffic from organic channels like YouTube.
- Results: The Futur has generated over $5 million in revenue from digital products, all while operating with zero physical inventory and minimal fixed costs. Their products scale infinitely, require no restocking, and sell globally 24/7.
- Takeaway: This model is ideal for creators, educators, or niche experts. Digital products offer unmatched margins, infinite scalability, and remove traditional barriers like production or shipping—perfect for lean Shopify stores.
4. Pre-orders: Validate Products Before Production
Pre-orders offer a clever way to validate demand before committing to production. Rather than producing a product upfront and hoping it sells, you list it for sale in advance and only manufacture once enough orders come in. Shopify apps like PreProduct or Timesact make it easy to set up pre-order buttons and display expected delivery times. This strategy improves cash flow, eliminates overstocking, and builds anticipation around product drops. It’s especially useful for brands launching new SKUs or limited-edition items.
Example: Peak Design – Pre-Order as a Product Launch Strategy
- Background: Peak Design is a high-end outdoor and photography gear brand. When launching new products, they sought a way to validate demand before committing to large production runs.
- Execution:
- For their Travel Backpack, Peak Design used crowdfunding and Shopify pre-order apps like PreProduct to launch before manufacturing.
- They listed the product on Shopify with pre-order functionality, paired with a compelling campaign that included video demos and early-backer incentives.
- No inventory was held upfront—production only started once pre-sales crossed $12 million from 27,000+ customers.
- Results: This approach helped them minimize financial risk, generate hype, and fund production entirely through customer demand. The campaign created brand buzz and community excitement, positioning Peak Design as an innovator in sustainable product launches.
- Takeaway: Pre-orders can be a powerful tool for Shopify merchants—especially in hardware or premium markets. It’s a smart way to launch, test, and fund products without needing inventory upfront.
5. Using Affiliate Marketing to Scale Without Inventory
Affiliate marketing is a smart way to grow your Shopify store without holding any stock. Instead of selling your own products, you promote other brands and earn a commission for each sale made through your links. With apps like Refersion or UpPromote, you can add affiliate links to blog posts, product-style pages, or emails. When customers click and buy from the partner’s site, you get paid—no need to manage inventory or shipping. This model lets you monetize traffic with minimal risk, expand your product offering quickly, and build revenue streams without upfront costs.
Example: Gear Patrol – Affiliate Marketing Model
- Background: Gear Patrol is a content-driven lifestyle and product discovery site built on Shopify. Rather than selling physical products, they focus on publishing high-quality guides, reviews, and curated product roundups.
- Execution: They monetize their audience through affiliate links embedded in blog posts, product recommendations, and gear guides. Using platforms like Amazon Associates and partnerships with niche retailers like Huckberry, they earn commissions on referred sales.
- Results: Gear Patrol has grown into a trusted authority for premium product discovery, generating consistent affiliate revenue—especially during peak shopping seasons like Black Friday and Father’s Day.
- Takeaway: Their success proves that with strong content and audience alignment, affiliate marketing can be a powerful, inventory-free model to build revenue and brand trust.
6. Use Cross-Store Selling to Expand Product Range
One method gaining traction is cross-store selling, where merchants collaborate with each other to list and sell each other’s products. Instead of sourcing from manufacturers, you work directly with other brands. When a customer buys a product from your store, the original brand handles fulfillment. This model reduces overhead, eliminates warehousing needs, and allows you to test new product categories with minimal risk.
Example: Crate and Barrel – Increasing Revenue Through Cross-Selling
- Background: Crate and Barrel is a well-known American brand specializing in furniture and home décor. They aimed to increase their average order value (AOV) and overall revenue without adding more new products to their inventory.
- Execution: The brand implemented a cross-selling strategy by suggesting complementary or related products directly on product pages and in the shopping cart. They used e-commerce tools and apps to automatically display relevant cross-sell suggestions tailored to each customer.
- Result:
- Increased AOV: The average order value rose significantly as customers added more complementary products to their carts.
- Higher revenue: Overall sales increased due to the successful upselling of related items.
- Improved customer experience: Customers appreciated the relevant and convenient product recommendations.
- Takeaway: Applying cross-selling strategies not only boosts revenue but also enhances the shopping experience. Crate and Barrel successfully leveraged e-commerce tools and apps to optimize revenue from their existing customer base.
Conclusion
Growing your Shopify store doesn’t have to mean growing your inventory. Whether you’re launching with limited resources or scaling an existing brand, inventory-free models offer flexible, low-risk ways to drive revenue. From dropshipping and print-on-demand to digital products and pre-orders, these strategies enable merchants to test ideas, expand product lines, and reach new audiences—all while staying lean and agile.
By adopting the right model for your store, you can unlock sustainable growth without the complexity of holding physical stock. Focus on what you do best—branding, marketing, and creating value—while letting automation and fulfillment partners handle the rest.
FAQs
#1. Can I start a Shopify store without any products in stock?
Yes. With models like dropshipping, print-on-demand, and digital products, you can start selling without holding any inventory. These models allow you to test markets and generate sales while suppliers or platforms handle fulfillment.
#2. What’s the most beginner-friendly method for zero-inventory selling?
Dropshipping is usually the easiest entry point. You can quickly import products from suppliers using apps like DSers or Zendrop, and orders are automatically fulfilled when customers purchase.
#3. How profitable is selling without inventory?
While margins vary by model, selling digital products often has the highest profit margins due to zero production or shipping costs. However, success in any model depends on execution—finding a strong niche, reliable suppliers, and good marketing.