Ecom Elites Review (2026): A Cheap Course for an Expensive Business?

Ecom Elites in One Minute

Ecom Elites is a Shopify dropshipping course created by Franklin Hatchett, a New Zealand marketer who also runs the Savage Affiliates course and the Online Dimes YouTube channel and blog. It launched in 2017 and teaches you how to set up a Shopify store, find products to sell, and advertise them, mostly with Facebook and Instagram ads.

The course is cheap compared with most ecommerce programs, with prices reported at about $197 for the standard version and $297 for the upgraded version, and sometimes less during promotions. The bigger cost is the business itself: testing products with paid ads can easily cost more than the course. This review explains what you get and what to budget for.

What Ecom Elites Teaches

The course is delivered as video modules, described as more than 30 hours in total. It covers:

1. Store setup: themes, product pages, payment gateways and apps.
2. Product research: how to find products and judge demand.
3. Facebook and Instagram ads: campaigns, budgets, audience testing and reading the numbers.
4. Email marketing, chatbots and simple sales funnels.
5. Google ads, SEO and organic traffic basics.

A central idea is what Franklin calls "laser-focused" marketing: picking one type of buyer for each product and matching the ads and product page to that person. The upgraded version adds more modules, a private community and Q&A sessions.

What It Really Costs

The course price is low, but dropshipping with paid ads is not. Most products don't sell, so you have to test several, and each test means paying for ads. A realistic starting budget includes:

Standard$197

Upgraded$297

Who Is Franklin Hatchett?

Franklin Hatchett is a marketer from New Zealand who started with affiliate websites and moved into dropshipping, first on eBay and later on Shopify. He has said one of his Shopify products, a solar phone charger, generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales. He also sells a Shopify theme and the Savage Affiliates affiliate marketing course, and he publishes free content on YouTube.

Some of his marketing uses big headline numbers, such as monthly sales figures. Sales are not profit, and his results are not typical of students.

The Refund Policy

Ecom Elites has advertised a 30-day money-back guarantee, but it is action-based: buyers have reported needing to complete a large share of the training to qualify. One buyer complained that a refund was refused. Read the terms before you buy and keep proof of your progress.

The Problem With Product-Testing Dropshipping

• Most tests lose money: you pay for ads on products that don't sell.
• Heavy competition: popular products get copied quickly by other stores.
• Shipping and quality issues: cheap products from overseas suppliers can lead to complaints and refunds.
• Ad platform risk: rising costs or account bans can cut off your traffic.
• Your obligations as a seller: you must ship on time or tell customers about delays, under the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule.

Is Ecom Elites a Scam?

No. It is a real, low-cost course from a visible creator, and it covers the basics of Shopify dropshipping in detail. But some of the material has been criticized as dated, much of it is available free, and the course price is small compared with the ad budget the method requires.

Pros and Cons

Who Ecom Elites Might Suit

It may suit someone set on trying Shopify dropshipping who wants a structured, inexpensive course and has a separate budget for ad testing. It is a poor fit for anyone who can't afford to lose that ad money.

Our #1 Recommendation for Making Money Online in 2026

If Ecom Elites isn't the right fit for you, here's what we suggest instead.

After comparing hundreds of programs over the years, we know what works and what doesn't. In fact, most of the business opportunities are either instant cash grab schemes or scams or they require experience. However, this beginner-friendly system stood out and is our #1 recommendation for 2026.

Other Programs Readers Compare

• Drop Ship Lifestyle review: a more expensive high-ticket dropshipping program.
• Savage Affiliates review: Franklin Hatchett's affiliate marketing course.
• Adrian Morrison review: another ecommerce course creator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Verdict on Ecom Elites

Ecom Elites is a reasonably priced course on a hard business. The training is real, but the ad budget and competition are the true cost. Go in with money you can afford to lose, or choose a cheaper way to start.