Earn up to $10K a Month With These 6 Dropshipping Side Hustles (Despite Tariffs)
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Tobi Opeyemi Amure
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Amber Barkley
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The dropshipping market has shown remarkable resilience in 2025, reaching $459.6 billion with projections to exceed $500 billion by 2026, per Shopify analysis. Despite President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on imports and increasing competition, entrepreneurs continue finding lucrative opportunities in this space.
According to a recent study by The Kaplan Group, dropshipping ranks as the most searched-for side hustle, generating 5,000 monthly searches. GOBankingRates interviewed Brian Lim, founder of iHeartRaves and Into The AM, two e-commerce brands generating $30 million annually, for insights into six tariff-resilient models to make $10,000 monthly.
Subscription Box Dropshipping
Subscription boxes offer consistent monthly revenue while building customer loyalty.
“The first thing one needs to do to scale is focus on creating dependable revenue streams,” Lim explained. “Subscription-based models are key, particularly for products that consumers regularly buy or items that motivate frequent purchases, like grooming supplies or hobby kits.”
With profit margins between 60% and 80%, subscription boxes yield substantial returns. For example, say a dropshipper has tiered options of boxes in small ($45), medium ($75) and large ($100) sizes, and they’re making $15, $25 and $30 per member, respectively. At these rates, just 400 subscribers could generate a $10,000 monthly income.
Eco-Friendly Product Dropshipping
To earn $10,000 despite tariffs, drop shippers must focus on product categories with high earning potential.
“Niches that maximize profit margins typically cater to passionate, underserved audiences,” said Lim. “Customers in these categories are ready to pay premiums due to limited options and a sense of exclusivity or passion.”
Eco-conscious consumers willingly pay premium prices for sustainable products, mainly because they care for the environment. Dropshippers may offer plant-based food, vegan cosmetics and eco-friendly shoes to consumers seeking cruelty-free and environmentally friendly alternatives. With typical dropshipping profit margins between 15% and 40%, eco-friendly products push dropshippers toward the higher end of this spectrum.
Home Service Drop Servicing
The Kaplan Group study revealed home services make up 60% of the top five most-searched side hustles, including landscaping, lawn care and pet sitting. Drop serving is like dropshipping but for services. It lets dropshippers market and sell services while companies handle delivery.
This model operates by charging clients more for services than the service providers receive. Dropshippers can make their profit off the spreads.
Fitness and Wellness Dropshipping
The fitness and wellness industry remains a lucrative market for dropshippers, driven by ongoing consumer interest in health products. Popular product categories include home gym equipment, wearable fitness tech and recovery tools, catering to diverse consumer needs. Furthermore, growing interest in personalized workouts and eco-friendly fitness gear presents new avenues for dropshippers to explore.
With profit margins ranging from 30% to 70% on select items, fitness dropshipping has the potential to reach the $10,000 monthly income goal for dedicated side hustlers.
Print On-Demand Manufacturing
Local print on-demand (POD) manufacturing offers a tariff-resistant dropshipping opportunity by producing customized products like phone cases and laptop sleeves in the U.S. This approach avoids international tariffs, shipping delays and import fees. Lim noted that AI tools can enhance demand forecasting and marketing strategies, helping POD dropshippers identify design trends and target specific customer segments.
All a dropshipper needs is 410 sales per month averaging $30 for their revenue to hit $12,300 with $10,000 profit after, say, a $2,300 ad spend. By focusing on high-margin custom items, side hustlers can achieve profit margins of 30% to 70% per sale, making it feasible to reach the $10,000 monthly income goal.
Regional Fashion Dropshipping
Recent tariffs — and planned tariffs — have significantly impacted traditional dropshipping.
“Despite challenges like tariffs and competition, leveraging regional suppliers can reduce shipping times and costs while avoiding certain tariff issues,” Lim said.
Leveraging regional suppliers can help avoid tariffs and reduce shipping times.
Dropshippers can focus on fashion items that are in high demand locally and then create a profitable dropshipping business. For example, dropshippers can offer faster shipping and avoid tariffs by partnering with suppliers in countries with favorable trade agreements or using domestic suppliers.
Targeting specific fashion trends and using social media to market the products can help reach a monthly income of $10,000.
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