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How To Spot Fake Shopify Dropshipping Sales?

May 03, 2024
Written and researched by experts at AvadaLearn more about our methodology

By Sam Nguyen

CEO Avada Commerce

Have you ever wondered about the authenticity of Shopify dropshipping sales? In this guide, let’s learn how some business owners fake their Shopify dropshipping results and how to spot them.

What Are Fake Shopify Dropshipping Sale Results?

Fake Shopify dropshipping sales are tactics used by some Shopify dropshippers or gurus to modify sales figures to make their business appear more profitable than it actually is. This is usually done by altering the website’s code or creating fake orders directly in the Shopify Dashboard.

What Are Fake Shopify Dropshipping Sale Results

Why Some Shopify Gurus Fake Their Sales?

Gurus often showcase fake high sales figures to appear more successful and knowledgeable, establishing authority in the e-commerce space, which is vital for attracting followers or customers who believe they can achieve similar success.

By enhancing their credibility, these gurus can “lure” people into buying their educational courses, consulting services, or software tools that promise quick wealth through dropshipping. In short, their primary goal is to profit from being seen as successful e-commerce experts.

Why Some Shopify Gurus Fake Their Sales

How To Identify Fake Shopify Sales

They might not have statistics to support their claims

You might see a screenshot used as “proof” of someone’s success but let’s get this straight: capturing a single screenshot is easy.

For someone’s success to be credible, they need to demonstrate sustained growth and sales over the years. They should be able to show that they’ve consistently developed their expertise over time.

Just showing a screenshot or two of short-term success is like showing you a single good grade instead of a comprehensive resume. You wouldn’t hire someone based on that, right?

They often show off their luxury life

These individuals are sometimes referred to as “digital nomads.” They’ll show you appealing snapshots of their lives—beaches, tropical locales, sports cars—and then tell you that you can have it all, too, if you just follow their steps. It sounds easy, tempting you to buy into what they’re selling, hoping to achieve the same.

We’re not saying that everyone who displays their wealth is faking it. However, truly successful individuals don’t need to constantly flaunt their lifestyle to prove their success.

They have a lot of advertising

Excessive reliance on paid advertising is another red flag. If someone favors large paid campaigns over more organic strategies like SEO and content marketing (such as blogging), it’s a cause for concern.

While incorporating paid strategies can be a part of a successful Shopify sales process, they shouldn’t be the sole focus. Overemphasis on paid ads suggests that the person may be more interested in quick profits rather than genuinely providing value to customers.

Bottom Line

By understanding the methods used to fake Shopify dropshipping results, you can safeguard against misleading claims and make wiser business choices. Don’t let fake sales numbers cloud your judgment—stay informed and trust your instincts.


Sam Nguyen is the CEO and founder of Avada Commerce, an e-commerce solution provider headquartered in Singapore. He is an expert on the Shopify e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems. Sam loves talking about e-commerce and he aims to help over a million online businesses grow and thrive.