ECOM BEAST 2.0:
KING OF THE DROPSHIPPING COURSE JUNGLE?
Today we’re having a look at Harry Coleman’s Ecom Beast 2.0. This course claims to help you create a “Profitable Ecommerce Business & Generate Your First 200 Sales & Beyond”. …& all of that even if you have ZERO technical skills or previous business experience… That’s quite a claim, right?
And the good news?
Harry is a LEGIT dropshipper!
Ok, so first who am I? My name is Kyle & I’m an entrepreneur who’s been involved in the online biz world now for a couple of years.
I’ve worked hard in all the big online models, incl. dropshipping over the years. So you can say I’ve got a unique perspective on the industry because I've tried so many biz models. Why do I have a blog & do reviews? Well, because I like it… & it’s fun.
First off, my disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Harry Coleman or any other course I mentioned in this article… I'm not getting paid to say anything good or bad about this, or any other course. So, you can rest assured that this is my opinion based on my experience of both the industry & the course.
My #1 Biz model recommendation for 2021 is hands down Lead Generation.Local Lead Gen It’s more cost effective, less continual upkeep & creates a true passive income source.
More on this later… For now, let’s see if the Ecom Beast Roars!
1. What is Ecom Beast 2.0?
Ecom Beast 2.0 contains 7 main Modules, a Bonus Module on Google Ads, and a Resources section.
The course contains 90 different video lessons, with a total of 17 hours and 26 minutes viewing time. It also contains 16 PDF documents.
It's aimed at anyone looking to enter the world of dropshipping and getting some help from a pro.
Students also get access to an exclusive Facebook group created and moderated by Harry Coleman himself. They are also backed by some of Harry’s top students and co-teachers.
Module 1: Mindset (54min)
Mindset Modules have become very popular as part of a course curriculum over the last couple of years & Ecom Beast is no exception.
Harry will break down some common social myths while teaching you how to cope when the chips are down.
The Beast will also explain how customer psychology works when it comes to buying.
Module 2: Building Your Store (2:45min)
This section covers how to build your store from scratch, what pages are required to start running your Shopify stores, product pages, homepage setup, theme set up, apps that are required, and more!
You'll also learn how to crush the competition and how to write product descriptions that get visitors instantly to buy from you.
Great little touches in this module are things like the importance of colors and great tips on how to brand your store.
Module 3: Product Research Academy (1:59min)
You’ll learn the following in this section:
- Criteria’s of a winning products.
- Finding high quality suppliers on AliExpress.
- Product finding hacks for Facebook, Google, Instagram, AliExpress.
This is a great module on product research. You’ll even be shown one of the little ‘trade tricks’ - an app that notifies you when competitors upload a new product. This takes away all the time and effort of finding your own winning products - I'm not sure how I feel about that, since you'll always be one step behind, instead of leading the pack...
Module 4: Taking Your Store To The Next Level (56min)
This is section here is where we start separating the amateurs from the real top 7-figure Ecom earners…. So, take notes…
Harry uncovers the top conversion rate hacks so your store will turn visitors into buyers & how then to maximize sales off each of those customers.
Harry goes over things like upselling your customers, increasing your customer’s LTV (life-time value), optimizing your conversion rate, bundling your products, and more.
You also learn about the advantages of using a tool like GemPages. This can be used to improve your web pages and conversion rate.
Overall, this module contains some really useful information.
What stood out in Module 4:
Module 5 is split into 5 sub-sections: Fundamentals, Retargeting, Scaling, Targeting and Testing.
This is my favorite section. You’ll be given proven strategies for everything from targeting customers, to testing products.
Being a lifelong member, you also have access to any updates and new methods and strategies as they are tested and become available.
Harry claims that you will be able to scale your ads and drive sales to 6-figures per month and then re-target them to make even more profit.Harry shows you the basics of how to automate your email marketing systems to save you time & effort.
You also get some interesting templates, however truth be told, you can automate most of that stuff with apps anyway…
Learn how to effectively manage your business. Grow your Ecommerce Empire and outsource the work so you can spend more of your time doing the things you love.
Once you have a bulletproof system in place, the sky is the limit. Harry's system includes managing and fulfilling orders, hiring employees, brand building, and more.
Harry teaches you how to set up, run and optimize Google Ads shopping and search campaigns. You will learn the exact strategies used to generate $100,000 with just $6,000 in ad spend. That's an incredible ROI...
Resources Section
The resources section contains 16 PDF documents that Harry refers to during the course. They range from Email Templates to documents that contain Links to Top Viral Ads.
2. Who is Harry Coleman?
Harry Coleman, also known as the Beast of Ecom, is a well-known YouTube Dropshipper who has also been featured in several Oberlo training and Oberlo YouTube Channel videos.
Harry is one of those “gurus” who still actively runs dropshipping stores. I don't have figures for 2019, but in 2018, Harry's stores had sales of over $5 million.
That is no mean feat.
He enjoys a relatively healthy following of almost 49k YouTube subscribers, a total of over 1,47 million views. On average, he posts three new dropshipping related videos on his YT Channel, every month.
3. How does Dropshipping Work?
Dropshipping is an order fulfillment method that lets store owners sell directly to consumers without stocking any inventory.
When a customer purchases a product from a dropshipping store, a third-party supplier ships it directly to them. The customer pays the retail price you set, you pay the suppliers’ wholesale price, and the rest is profit.
What makes dropshipping so alluring? - You never have to handle products or invest in inventory.
In order to sell the best dropshipping products, you just need to register an account with a supplier.
Two common ways to find a supplier for your dropshipping store are:
• Through a supplier database, like Dropship Direct, Alibaba, or AliExpress.
• Using an integrated supplier directory in your store’s backend, like Oberlo.
The easiest dropshipping process for Shopify stores is through Oberlo. You can source millions of products from the Oberlo marketplace through AliExpress & import them directly to your store with the click of a button.
When a customer buys something in your store, Oberlo fulfills the order automatically.
All you have to do is double check that the order details are correct & click the Order button.
The product then ships from the AliExpress dropshipping supplier to the customer, no matter where they are in the world.
Easy, right?
Not quite...
4. Is Dropshipping Legit, or a Scam?
Lots of people have found great success in the e-commerce industry. Some of them even earning well over 6 to 7 figures within a year.
This makes dropshipping super enticing for new entrepreneurs.
But, beware though, dropshipping is riddled with misconceptions & myths. This is mainly thanks to the countless YouTube Guru's out there... flashing money & telling people how easy it is to earn thousands by doing minimal work...
For those whose who's read some of my reviews, you'll know it’s actually the complete opposite.
You need solid foundations & hard work to build any business the right way. More than that, you need to have the right mindset for getting into the industry.
What I mean by that is that you can’t go in thinking it’s gonna be easy money, laptop lifestyle & minimal work…
The only way you can make money from Dropshipping is by approaching it as a legitimate business: This means investing capital, putting in the hours - & boy oh boy do those hours quickly rack up…
But by doing a quick Google & YouTube search, you can see why people would believe dropshipping is a scam…
But in truth, the short answer is Dropshipping is legit…
Honestly, for me it’s too much hard work for very little reward. That’s why I find Local Lead Gen a far more appealing business model for 2021 & going forward.
5. How much does Harry Coleman's Course Cost? Any Specials?
This course is normally marketed at $997, however at the time of this review Harry was running a special offer which brought the price down to $547.
Just keep an eye on the website as Harry will often run specials.
They also have a 24hr cancelation policy for those who bought it & had instant buyer's regret…
Once you hit 25hr you have a 100% refund policy… (subject to T’s & C’s)
Pros of Ecom Beast 2.0
6. Lifetime Access to the Program
You also get lifetime access to the entire program even if you’re finished with the course. You can always go back to the modules to refresh your knowledge.
The videos, audio files, and text files can also be downloaded to your phone, PC, or tablet.
7. Bonus Content
On top of the modules and other features, there’s also access to the Google Ads Academy that teaches you how to market using Google Ads to boost your store’s presence.
Many courses only focus on FB Ads, but with Ecom Beast 2.0, you at least get two marketing options.
8. Harry Talks From Personal Experience
Harry definitely is the teacher to go to if you want to start your e-commerce business from scratch. He’s tried every online business venture, from Forex Trading to Affiliate Marketing, and found the most success in e-commerce.
He is LEGIT.
The modules are designed on the systems & processes that he uses… so you know they’ve worked at least once…
Plus, he gives some really nice tips & advice for beginners.
9. Access to Coaching Group
Apart from the support, the group also features bi-weekly coaching sessions.
Cons of Ecom Beast 2.0
10. Lacking in Marketing Strategies
Granted Ecom Beast 2.0 does cover a lot of ground for a dropshipping course, but it’s not exactly as comprehensive as it claims to be.
It doesn’t cover Internet marketing strategies outside of Facebook Ads…
11. Over Priced & Nothing New
For the regular price of $997, it's a little expensive for what you’re getting. Plus most of the information in this course you can find on YouTube – for FREE...
Don't get me wrong: there are definite highlights - they're just few and far between...
12. Refund Policy
This course comes with an action based 30 day money back guarantee, provided that you do the following:
• Watch 85% of the course
• Create a “fully functioning live store with at least 5 products following directions in the course”. You must also “provide proof that [your] store is live and functional”.
• Installed the essential apps that this course recommends
• “Tag Beast aka Harry in the course group and ask for help and ask for advice from the group members.”
• Spend at least $170 on Facebook ads and drive “at least 100 visitors to the store from the spend”.
• And show “consistent effort” … Ok but, how exactly do you prove this? My idea of consistent effort might be different from Harry's...
So, there is a money back guarantee, but it’s up to them & they basically have the upper hand because of this “consistent effort” requirement judged by them…
I think it makes it extremely difficult to get a refund.
13. Neglects important aspects
There’s nothing on SEO.
NOTHING...
And if you run an Ecom store, it is VITAL to your survival.
Concluding Thoughts
14. Do Harry Coleman's Students Actually Make Money?
If you go by the testimonials, then "yes", his students do seem to make money.
15. Who's a Good Fit for Ecom Beast 2.0?
Ecom Beast 2.0 is for people trying to get started with their Ecommerce business. As a starting point, this is a good course to introduce you to the basics of dropshipping and running a Shopify store.
Does it guarantee you a laptop lifestyle where you can quit the 9-5 grind and kick back on the beach?
Unfortunately not...
I think the following quote from Harry himself is important:
"Please understand my results are not typical, I’m not implying you’ll duplicate them (or do anything for that matter). I have the benefit of doing ecommerce for 4+ years, and have an established following as a result through hard work and dedication. The average person who follows any “how to” information gets little to no results. I’m using these references for example purposes only. Your results will vary and depend on many factors including but not limited to your background, experience, and work ethic. All business entails risk as well as a lot of consistent effort and action over a sustained period of time. If you're not willing to accept that, this is not for you."
16. What alternatives are there to Harry Coleman's Ecom Beast 2.0?
- Ecom Elites – $197 (beginners only)
- Ecom Blueprint 2.0 – $397 (Intermediates)
Franklin Hatchett’s Ecom Elites is the best value for money training on Dropshipping, in my opinion. If you’re looking for an alternative of Ecom Beast course then I would suggest you have a look at Ecom Elites.
Ecom Elites covers all the basic stuff and is 100% Beginner Friendly. Besides Google Ads & Facebook Ads training, you’ll also get access to FREE Traffic training, Instagram Influencer ads training, & much more!
You can check out my review for Ecom Elites by clicking here…
If you’re someone who’s already had some experience with dropshipping but you’re failing to make it profitable, then I would recommend Ecom Blueprint by Gabriel St Germain, which I think is the best course for the intermediates who are struggling to scale their dropshipping stores to the next level.
Pros and Cons of Ecom Beast 2.0
The Good and Bad of Harry Coleman's Course
At $997, there are better dropshipping courses out there than Ecom Beast 2.0... BUT, if you can pick it up for $547, it is well worth it (Harry peridocially has specials, so check).
At that price point, the course is well priced and offers TONS of value. You're also learning from an ACTUAL dropshipper who still owns and operates online stores.
That's a HUGE PLUS!
Many of the current 'gurus' had success years ago and try to rip you off by selling their OUTDATED methods. Not with Harry!
The only major issue I have, is with the biz model...
How Does Dropshipping Stand up to Others Like Affiliate Marketing, & Lead Generation?
As you’ve read through this article, I hope that you’ve kept in mind whether dropshipping fits your style. I want you to get multiple perspectives on this issue so make sure to always do your due diligence & never base your opinion off 1 source (This article is only my opinion & experience with dropshipping).
There are a number of reasons why I will always recommend Local Lead Gen as the #1 Biz model for 2021. One of them is because Lead Gen ticks all the boxes from MJ DeMarco.
If you're looking for a serious dose of millionaire mentoring from someone who's been there and done it, you should check out his book:
One of the secrets DeMarco shares in The Millionaire Fastlane is how to evaluate potential businesses to pick the winners and avoid the duds.
He created the C.E.N.T.S. model to make it simple to pick a winning biz model. It stands for:
18. Need
The business model of dropshipping consists of keeping secrets from your customers, bad ROI, leveraging an uncontrollable product, and more.
A business model, first of all, should be about the customer.
Dropshipping is the opposite of customer retention and typically consists of high bounce rates, high abandoned cart rates, low engagement, and the expectation of customers to not come back to your store because the experience was terrible.
The reason why people that dropship typically use Facebook ads is because they have to go after new customers rather than giving value to the ones they already have.
Dropshippers have to do this because growing a successful and engaged email list when dropshipping is practically impossible. The customer is usually left unsatisfied and put off by their experience in a dropshipping store.
What is my point? - Dropshipping does not fulfill any NEED.
You’re not building a better mouse trap people – you’re providing an overpriced & often inferior one…
This goes against the principals of business.
- With Local Lead Generation you are helping small businesses to grow & sustain themselves. This in turn helps the community become stronger & more economically viable.
19. Entry
Competition is the least of your worries when dropshipping. I truly believe that no matter how competitive a niche may be, you can excel if you create unprecedented value. Dropshipping is becoming over saturated because lots of people love the idea of “get rich quick”. Be careful becoming a part of a fad like this. If you truly want to become rich, help the world and create a positive impact providing value through Need. The barrier of entry into dropshipping is increasing. In 2017 you could start creating a dropshipping store with less than $200. Now, the barrier of entry for beginners is at least $800 to compensate for your ad spend & website costs. It's still dirt cheap though, which makes it so attractive. However, that is just an increase in the startup cost, there is still nothing that stops anyone with a laptop & WIFI to open their own store, exactly like yours. |
Why is this a problem?
If a business model can be started by simple signing up on the internet then you know it’s stinks to the hills of short cuts.
If anyone can recreate your business without any skills, then you’re not guaranteed to have that business be profitable for very long.
Local Lead Generation is different because learning to rank your websites using Free Organic Traffic in Google, is a valuable skill set that has to be learned.
Once you’ve acquired this skill no one can take it away from you & you will always be able to provide value to businesses.
Harry Coleman's Course is Good, but Dropshipping is Not so Good... Generating Leads is Better! Here's Why:
In contrast, dropshipping has a lot of shortcomings:
1. LIMITED NICHES:
Most dropshippers only chase trending products to maximize their sales.
This is crazy! Why?
Imagine the time spent EVERY day searching for new trending products.
I've tried it for two years, and it was EXHAUSTING.
2. MARKETING COSTS & COMPLEXITY:
In order to get traffic to your Ecom store, you need to advertise.
Which means: you need to become a master at social media marketing. (And not just Facebook, or Google. You also need mad marketing skills for Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, etc. etc.)
Oh, and Ads are expensive with no guarantee of profit. And the costs keep going up...
3. BARRIER TO ENTRY:
Dropshipping is infamous for its Low Barrier to Entry.
Why do I say INFAMOUS?
A low barrier to entry is BAD for business. Why? Well, just about anyone and their granny can duplicate your biz model within a few hours.
That sucks big time. Trust me...
4. RETURN ON INVESTMENT:
ROI doesn't just refer to money you put in, but also the TIME you put in.
Don't believe the hype: dropshipping is NOT all automated. Product research and ordering products on behalf of your customers can NOT be automated...
The worst part?
Low Profit Margins: We're talking of between 5% and 15%. Typically it's only 10%. For all that time & effort, that's NOT worth the sweat...
5. CONTROL:
With dropshipping, you don't own much...
Sure, you have a website, BUT anyone can copy it and every single product you have. Suppliers don't care who buy from them, so anyone can undercut your prices at any time. - That sucks, trust me...
You have no control over Shopify - they can freeze your store at a whim.
You have no control over advertising platforms - Facebook for example, is notorious for closing accounts and rejecting ads by the hundreds...
FINAL PARTING THOUGHTS
I can go on & on about the pitfalls of dropshipping, but I think you get the gist of it.
Make the smart move and find out more about other business models before committing...
They all have pros & cons and in the end you need to decide what works best for you. (For me it was local lead gen and I can unreservedly recommend it. Thanks for reading! - Kyle)
Literally anyone can get into dropshipping with hardly any effort or upfront cash. Regardless of what you're selling, you'll likely be competing with millions of other sellers in an extremely saturated market.
Plagiarism is rampant in dropshipping. It's far too easy for your competitors to copy your ads, your sales funnels, and even your Shopify store. Be assured that if you find a successful product, you will be copied and then undercut by your competition.
Advertisements have no guarantee of being profitable - and one should expect to occasionally have campaigns that fall short of expectations (which can cost thousands of dollars).
Facebook's ad prices have doubled this last year. Successful dropshippers can expect to profit roughly 8-15%, which only really works if you're selling major volumes of product.
The key to long term wealth is in building and owning valuable assets, but with dropshipping, you own nothing. You're an enslaved middleman to Shopify, Facebook, and Google. Their ad and metrics systems are unreliable and ever changing - and account deactivations are a way of life in eCommerce.
Ads must be developed and then monitored - and failing to do so could mean unprofitable ads or, even worse, ad account suspension.
Trending items are most often the only products that have a profitable ROI. Many businesses meet their ends on the fall of whatever trend they were capitalizing on.
Shipping from China takes six weeks, so expect lots of customer complaints and chargebacks (which are deducted from your bank account).
Local Lead Generation
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