Ecom Empires Review (2026): Nick Peroni's Free Dropshipping Course and Its Upsells

Ecom Empires in One Minute

Ecom Empires is a free dropshipping course from Nick Peroni, a YouTuber and ecommerce entrepreneur. It covers building a Shopify store, finding products, optimizing for sales and running Facebook and Google ads. Because it's free, it's also a gateway to paid products: Dropship Academy, reported at $497, and Ecom Empires coaching, reported at about $5,000.

Here's what the free course covers, what the upsells cost and what to consider.

What the Free Course Covers

1. Ecommerce basics and foundations.
2. Building a Shopify store.
3. Starting dropshipping and finding products.
4. Optimizing the store for sales.
5. Selling with Facebook and Google ads.
6. Using Google Analytics.

The Upsells

Free course$0

Dropship Academy$497

Coaching$5,000

The Real Costs of Dropshipping

• Shopify plan and apps: from $39 a month plus apps.
• Ads: testing products usually takes hundreds to thousands of dollars.
• Customer service: long shipping times cause complaints and refunds.
• Rules: US stores must follow the FTC's Mail Order Rule.

Facebook Ads vs Google Ads for Dropshipping

Facebook and Instagram ads are good at creating demand: showing an eye-catching product to people who weren't searching for it. That suits impulse-buy products with strong visual appeal. Google Shopping and search ads capture existing demand: people already searching for a product type. That often suits more practical products and can convert well, but popular categories can be expensive.

Many dropshippers test products on one channel first and add the other once they have a winner. Either way, success depends on the product, the offer and the store's trustworthiness. Fast shipping, clear policies and genuine product photos make a big difference to conversion rates, whichever ad platform you use.

Picking Products to Test

Product choice is the biggest factor in dropshipping. Sellers usually look for products that solve a clear problem or have a strong "wow" factor, can't easily be found in local stores, and sell at a price that leaves room for ad costs and shipping. Products that are fragile, heavily regulated or prone to sizing issues tend to cause more returns and complaints.

It's common to test several products with small ad budgets and quickly drop those that don't show promise. Keeping a simple record of ad spend, sales and refunds for each test helps you make decisions based on numbers rather than hope, and stops a promising-looking product from quietly losing money.

Is Ecom Empires a Scam?

No. The free course is real and gives a useful overview. Just be aware it's designed to lead to paid programs, and paid-ad dropshipping is costly to test.

Pros and Cons

Who It Might Suit

Beginners curious about dropshipping who want a free starting point.

Our #1 Recommendation for Making Money Online in 2026

If Ecom Empires 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

• Wholesale Ted review.
• Ecom Profit Masterclass review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Verdict on Ecom Empires

Ecom Empires is a solid free introduction to dropshipping. Think carefully before buying the expensive coaching.