The Dropship Unlocked Podcast

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep194-the-10000-ecommerce-ads-mistake

Get the ClickMagick Extended Free Trial → https://dropshipunlocked.com/click

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley are joined by Troy Egri from ClickMagick to uncover one of the most expensive mistakes ecommerce entrepreneurs make when running paid ads.
Most store owners trust the numbers they see inside Google Ads and Meta Ads Manager. But what if those numbers aren't telling the full story?
Troy explains why inaccurate attribution can lead to poor scaling decisions, wasted ad spend, and missed opportunities — even for businesses already generating significant revenue. He also breaks down how proper tracking and attribution can help ecommerce brands make better decisions, improve profitability, and unlock more growth from their existing advertising budget.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/b-XVRaXYRkM

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ The Hidden Attribution Problem — Why the numbers inside Google and Meta may not be as accurate as most advertisers believe.
★ Why Ecommerce Brands Leave Money On The Table — How incomplete data can lead to scaling the wrong campaigns and turning off winning ads.
★ Server-Side Tracking Explained Simply — What it is, how it works, and why it has become essential for modern ecommerce businesses.
★ The Real Cost Of Poor Data — How inaccurate tracking can feed bad information back into advertising algorithms.
★ Cross-Device & Long Sales Cycle Tracking — Why many high-ticket ecommerce sales happen long after the initial click.
★ Using Attribution To Scale With Confidence — How better data leads to better decisions and more profitable growth.
🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
ClickMagick Extended Free Trial → https://dropshipunlocked.com/click
Shopify £1-for-3-months Offer → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
Free Trial of a Professional Phone Line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle

💡 Key Takeaways
★ The Data In Ad Platforms Isn't The Full Picture — Google and Meta often rely on sampled and modelled data rather than complete attribution.
★ Better Decisions Come From Better Data — Accurate attribution helps you identify your true winning campaigns and scale them confidently.
★ Tracking Is An Investment, Not An Expense — Even a small improvement in attribution can generate a significant return through increased profitability.

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com/

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep194-the-10000-ecommerce-ads-mistake

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep193-what-makes-someone-buy-from-a-complete-stranger-online

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley sit down with legendary copywriter and VSL pioneer Jon Benson, the creator of the Video Sales Letter and one of the few marketers in history to generate over $1 billion in sales through direct response marketing. 
Jon shares the psychology behind what really makes people buy, why most ecommerce businesses focus on the wrong things, and how AI can be used to create more persuasive marketing without sounding robotic.

🎁 Get Jon Benson's Free Buyer Alignment Profile → https://freebuyerprofile.com 

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/EmvNAywcrD0

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ Why Nobody Cares About Your Product — Jon explains why customers don't buy products, they buy the feelings and outcomes those products create.
★ The Hidden Gold Inside Reviews — How analysing one-star and five-star reviews reveals exactly what customers care about and what your marketing should focus on.
★ The Psychology Of Trust Online — What needs to happen before someone is willing to buy from a business they've never heard of before.
★ The Birth Of The Video Sales Letter (VSL) — How Jon accidentally created one of the most influential marketing formats of the last 20 years.
★ Why Perfect Marketing Can Hurt Conversions — The surprising reason why a perfect five-star rating can sometimes reduce trust.
★ Using AI To Improve Copywriting — How Jon's Buyer Alignment framework helps businesses create marketing that resonates with the right customers

🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
Buyer Alignment Profile → https://freebuyerprofile.com
UCloned AI → https://youcloned.ai
Jon's Website → https://bnsn.ai/ 
Jon's Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/itsjonbenson/ 
Jon's Twitter → https://x.com/itsjonbenson 
Jon's Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/itsjonbenson 
Jon's Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPDvmgurd-rym4pyPjviIuw?sub_confirmation=1 
Jon's LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonbenson 
Shopify £1-for-3-months Offer → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
Free Trial of a Professional Phone Line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle

💡 Key Takeaways
★ People Buy Feelings, Not Features — Customers care far more about how a product improves their life than the specifications of the product itself.
★ Reviews Are A Marketing Goldmine — The fastest way to understand your customers is to study what they love and hate in reviews.
★ Trust Beats Perfection — Authenticity, honesty, and even admitting weaknesses often outperform polished marketing claims.
★ Longer Sales Messages Often Win — Higher-priced products require more trust, more explanation, and more persuasion.
★ Alignment Creates Better Customers — The best marketing attracts people who already share your values rather than trying to convince everyone.

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com/

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep193-what-makes-someone-buy-from-a-complete-stranger-online

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep192-restarting-high-ticket-ecommerce-today

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley break down exactly how they would rebuild a high-ticket ecommerce business from scratch if they had to start all over again today.
Drawing from over £8 million in combined ecommerce sales experience, they walk through the exact mindset, business model, systems, supplier strategy, and advertising approach they would use in today’s market — while avoiding the common traps that keep most beginners stuck.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/JxfVLAVkQh4

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ Starting With The End In Mind — Why building a leveraged, automated business from day one changes every decision you make
★ Choosing The Right Ecommerce Model — Why Lewis would still focus on UK suppliers, next-day delivery, and high-ticket products
★ How To Pick Winning Products — The exact criteria they would use today to validate profitable niches before launching
★ The First 90 Days Explained — A step-by-step breakdown of how to set up, build, and launch a high-ticket ecommerce store
★ Why Simplicity Wins — How avoiding unnecessary complexity allows founders to scale faster with less stress
★ Running Profitable Ads — Why Google Performance Max campaigns are still one of the best ways to generate sales quickly
★ Using AI & Virtual Assistants — How to automate customer support and order management as the business grows
★ Is There Too Much Competition? — Why competition is actually proof that money is being made in the market

🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
Shopify £1-for-3-months Offer → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
Free Trial of a Professional Phone Line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle
Supplier Outreach Episode (Episode 154) → Referenced in this episode for deeper supplier outreach training

💡 Key Takeaways
★ Build For Freedom From Day One — Don’t create a business that traps you in another job; build systems and leverage early
★ Margin Changes Everything — High-ticket products create the breathing room needed to run profitable ads and scale sustainably
★ Simplicity Scales Better — The fewer moving parts your business has, the easier it becomes to automate and grow
★ Competition Is A Good Sign — Existing competitors prove there is already demand and money flowing in the market

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com/

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep192-restarting-high-ticket-ecommerce-today

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep191-affiliate-marketing-beginners-guide

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley break down the realities of affiliate marketing and the truths that most beginners don’t hear before getting started.
With social media full of “easy passive income” claims, they explain why affiliate marketing is often much slower, harder, and less controllable than people expect — and why understanding the risks upfront could save you months or even years of frustration.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/zP4pxlC_zjM

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ Why Affiliate Marketing Takes Longer Than People Think — The truth about commission rates, traffic volume, and why most beginners underestimate how hard it is to generate meaningful income
★ The Problem With Building Someone Else’s Business — Why relying on another company’s affiliate programme leaves your income vulnerable to policy changes and platform decisions
★ The Hidden Risk of Platform Dependency — How algorithm updates, account bans, and changing commission structures can wipe out affiliate income overnight
★ Why Competition Is Harder Than Ever — How AI-generated content and increasing online noise make standing out much more difficult in 2026
★ The Control Problem With Affiliate Marketing — Why affiliates have almost no control over pricing, customer experience, refunds, or backend sales
★ Why Lewis & James Chose High-Ticket Ecommerce Instead — The advantages of owning your own customer list, margins, brand, and long-term business asset

🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
🛒 Get Shopify for £1 a month for 3 months → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
📞 Get a free trial with a professional phone line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle

💡 Key Takeaways
★ Affiliate Marketing Isn’t “Easy Money” — Success requires patience, consistency, traffic, and years of sustained effort
★ Control Matters More Than Most People Realise — Building a business on someone else’s platform or commission structure creates major long-term risk
★ Ownership Creates Long-Term Freedom — Owning your own brand, customers, and margins gives you leverage and stability that affiliate marketing often lacks

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com/

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep191-affiliate-marketing-beginners-guide

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep190-ambitious-but-trapped-in-your-9-5

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley unpack why so many ambitious people feel trapped in traditional jobs — despite working harder than ever before.
They break down the harsh reality of rising living costs, stagnant wages, automation, and why the old “work hard and retire comfortably” path no longer feels realistic for many people in 2026. More importantly, they explain the practical alternative that helped them regain control through high-ticket ecommerce and leveraged online income.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/jecQYo9EwjI

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ Feeling Trapped in the 9–5 Cycle — Lewis shares what daily life actually felt like before starting his online business
★ Why the Traditional Career Path Feels Broken — How rising costs and changing economic realities are making it harder to build freedom through employment alone
★ The Impact of AI & Automation — Why job security and career progression look very different in today’s economy
★ Why Ambitious People Need Leverage — The importance of owning income streams instead of relying solely on salaries
★ High-Ticket Ecommerce Explained — Why Lewis and James still believe UK high-ticket dropshipping is one of the best online business models available today
★ Building a Business Alongside Your Job — How members inside Dropship Unlocked start creating online income without quitting immediately

🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
🛒 Shopify £1-for-3-months Offer → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
📞 Free Trial of a Professional Phone Line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle

💡 Key Takeaways
★ The Old System Has Changed — Working harder in traditional careers no longer guarantees the same rewards previous generations experienced
★ Ownership Creates Freedom — Building your own leveraged income stream gives you more control over your future
★ Online Business Skills Compound — Ecommerce, advertising, and supplier relationship skills can create long-term opportunities for years to come

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com/

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep190-ambitious-but-trapped-in-your-9-5