While other platforms leave you juggling multiple tools, Shopify hands you everything you need in one sleek package. It provides a user-friendly interface, a wide range of features, and the ability to create and customize an online store easily. Are you ready to discover how to dropship on Shopify that could generate $5,583 per month ($67,000 annually)?
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through 7 proven steps below:
- Step 1: Find a product dropshipping niche/products
- Step 2: Decide what products to sell
- Step 3: Create a Shopify account
- Step 4: Search for reliable dropshipping suppliers
- Step 5: Set up and customize the Shopify store
- Step 6: Import or list your products on Shopify
- Step 7: Market your Shopify dropshipping store
Let’s get the ball rolling!
What is Shopify dropshipping?
Shopify dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method where the seller (dropshipper) does not hold any stock of the items they sell. Instead, when a product is sold, the dropshipper purchases it from a third-party supplier, who then ships it directly to the customer.
This business model lets the seller focus on marketing and customer service while the supplier handles inventory management and order fulfillment. Dropshipping also offers several other benefits, such as low startup costs and the ability to test products and markets without significant risk.
Pros and Cons of Dropshipping on Shopify
Before finding out “How to dropship on Shopify for beginners,” It’s important to acknowledge all the pros and cons associated with dropshipping on Shopify. And therefore, you’ll be able to prepare for your dropshipping business efficiently. Let’s go over some of the most prominent pros and cons in the table below.
Pros | Cons |
Easy to set up and use with no coding experience required. | Limited customization options without coding knowledge or paid apps. |
Wide range of integrations and apps available for added functionality. | Transaction fees charged on top of payment processing fees. |
High level of security and reliability for online transactions. | Monthly subscription costs that can add up over time. |
User-friendly interface for managing products, orders, and customer data. | Slow and unhelpful customer service sometimes. |
Large and active community of Shopify users for support and advice. | Competitive market that is difficult to stand out among other dropshippers on the platform. |
How Much Does It Cost to Start Dropshipping?
After spending hours researching, the minimum cost to start selling is approximately $280 to $300 per month. However, we recommend starting with a budget of $500 to $1,000 for better flexibility and growth potential.
To be more clear, below is the breakdown of fee structures:
Expense | Cost Range (Minimum) |
Business Registration and Licensing Fees | $50 – $100 |
Domain name | $10 – $20/year |
Maintain store | $29 – $79/month |
Setup store | $0 - $200/month |
Marketing Costs | $200+/month |
Dropshipping Tools/Apps | $1 – $29/month |
Payment Transaction Fees | $0.30 per transaction |
This includes minimal costs for each essential component, focusing on budget-friendly options for hosting, ads, and tools. To better start dropshipping on Shopify, we recommend that you follow this budget structure:
- Allocate 70% to marketing
- Keep 20% for unexpected costs
- Save 10% for optimization
How to Start Dropshipping on Shopify in 7 Steps
Despite the challenges, dropshipping remains a model that yields great profit if you have a proper strategy. Without further ado, let’s look at the 7 steps that get you started on how to dropship on Shopify!
Step 1. Find a product dropshipping niche
If you don’t know how to dropship on Shopify, you can start by choosing a specific product niche to focus on. Selecting a niche that allows you to narrow your target audience and create a more specific marketing strategy.
You can use Google Trends or Amazon Best Sellers to research market trends and find products within a specific niche. Here’s how you can leverage these tools:
- Google Trends: Simply enter your keyword or topic in the search bar and view the data. You can also filter by location and time period for more specific information.
- Amazon Best Sellers: Go to the Best Sellers section of the Amazon website and navigate to the category or niche you are interested in. You can then view the top-selling products in that category.
- Additionally, social media channels like Tiktok are also worth referring to, as you can look for reviews and trending product ideas there.
💡 Pro Tips:
Step 2: Decide what products to sell
In this step, the goal is to choose items that not only appeal to customers but also make sense for your business operations. You can start looking for products that tick these boxes:
- It’s good customer reviews and ratings: Because customers often cannot physically inspect products before purchasing, making them reliant on the experiences of others. Positive reviews act as social proof, reassuring potential buyers that your products are reliable and worth their investment
- It’s not easily found in local stores: Because you’re relying on third-party suppliers for shipping, heavy or fragile products can result in higher shipping costs and more potential for damaged goods during transit, leading to unhappy customers and returns.
- It has room for decent profit margins: Since dropshipping involves smaller margins than other business models, you’ll want to ensure there’s enough room to make a worthwhile profit without raising prices too much and driving away customers.
Step 3: Create a Shopify account
On how to dropship on Shopify for beginners guide, once you’ve decided on the products to sell, the next step is to create your Shopify account. Follow these steps:
- First, On the welcome page, tap Sign up or tap Login > Get Started.
- Tap the I’m located in the menu to select your location.
- Choose Sign up with email, then enter your email and create a password.
- Next, choose your unique shopify store name, and you’ll be redirected to the admin panel where you can begin setting up your store.
Notes: Choosing the right name for your store can make it stand out and be memorable in this fierce dropshipping world. Here are some insightful tips to guide you in the naming process:
Step 4. Search for reliable dropshipping suppliers
With the dropshipping model, all you have to do is choose a reliable supplier to take care of your orders to pack and deliver orders to customers. If you’re lost in a pool of options, here’s our recommended list of reliable dropshipping suppliers!
Name | Introduction | Pricing plans |
Printify | - It’s a popular print-on-demand dropshipping supplier that offers a wide range of products, such as clothing, accessories, home decor, and more. - Has a network of quality manufacturers and offers competitive pricing, fast shipping, and excellent customer service. - Have over 250,000 active merchants. | Free Premium: $29/month Enterprise: contact us |
DSers | - Provides access to millions of products at competitive prices (with over 300,000 suppliers, including dropshipping with AliExpress) | Basic: Free Advanced: $19.9/month Pro: $49.9/month Enterprise: $499/month |
Spocket | - Offers a wide selection of products sourced from reliable suppliers located in the US and EU. | Starter: $24/month Pro: $49/month Empire: $99/month |
For proper budget planning, it’s best to be fully aware of all the costs associated with running a store on Shopify. To better understand all the potential fees, you can refer to our article on how much Shopify costs.
With a great number of suppliers to choose from, here are some criteria that you should consider:
- Evaluate the supplier’s reputation and credibility through reviews, ratings, and background research;
- Consider the supplier’s pricing, shipping times, and available inventory;
- Review the supplier’s policies on returns, refunds, and exchanges;
- Ensure the supplier is responsive and provides clear communication.
Step 5. Set up and customize the Shopify store
After finding your dropshipping product, it’s time to discover how to set up Shopify store for dropshipping. In this step, we will go over the key elements you need to set up your Shopify store successfully.
- Step 1: Choose a custom domain by purchasing a custom domain directly through the platform or using an existing domain name.
Notes: When choosing a custom domain, it’s important to keep it short, memorable, and reflective of your brand’s identity.
- Step 2: Customize your Shopify store by choosing a theme that reflects your brand’s aesthetic and values, then edit it. Navigate to the theme editor from your dashboard by going to Online Store > Themes. Next, locate your chosen theme and click Customize.
If you’re looking for free themes and apps, check out LitCommerce’s articles on the best free Shopify themes.
Step 6: Import or list your products on Shopify
Continue learning how to dropship on Shopify, there are two main options to list products for dropshipping through Shopify in this step:
Option 1: Creating new product listings within Shopify.
For how to add dropshipping products to Shopify guide, here are the step-by-step to manually add new products on Shopify:
- Step 1: Navigate to the Products section in your Shopify admin panel and click on Add Product
- Step 2: Fill in the details for each item, including title, description, images, and pricing.
- Step 3: After that, quickly review all the information of new items and click Save product to enable Shopify product visibility.
Option 2: Importing products from another platform.
If you have already placed your product information in another eCommerce platform, you may not choose to add products to Shopify manually. Using sourcing apps from fulfillment suppliers, you can import the product listings from the source. For example, if you use DSers to source products from AliExpress, you can import listings with all the text, images, etc., from there.
Additionally, suppose you already have existing listings on another platform, such as Etsy or Amazon. If you’re wondering how to dropship Amazon products on Shopify, in that case, you can use a service like LitCommerce to import those listings to your Shopify store easily. It is a popular Shopify integration that offers seamless store connection with Shopify, allowing you to easily sync your existing product listings and manage them all from one central location.
Start dropshipping on multiple platforms today!
LitCommerce saves your time and streamline operations by importing your listings directly to Shopify
Step 7. Market your Shopify dropshipping store
Now comes the exciting part of how to dropship on Shopify, which is to drive traffic and generate sales. As with any business, effective marketing is crucial to its success. Here are a few methods to help you navigate your marketing efforts.
- Social marketing: It is an effective way to promote your Shopify dropshipping store to a wider audience. By leveraging social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest, you can create brand awareness and engage with potential customers. You can share high-quality product images, run ads, and collaborate with influencers to increase your reach.
Furthermore, social media also allows you to interact with customers and receive feedback, which can help you improve your products and services.
- Email marketing: With email marketing, you can reach out to potential customers directly and promote your products through targeted campaigns. You can start by building an email list of interested subscribers using pop-ups, opt-ins, and lead magnets on your website.
- SEO: You can improve your store’s visibility and attract more organic traffic by implementing effective SEO strategies. This can be achieved through keyword research, optimizing product descriptions and titles, building backlinks, and other techniques.
How to Dropship on Shopify FAQs
- Can you dropship from a Shopify store?
Yes, Shopify is a popular platform for setting up a dropshipping business. You can dropship from a Shopify store by using a dropshipping app or by manually adding products from a supplier to your store.
- Is Shopify free for dropshipping?
Shopify is not completely free for dropshipping. While there is a free trial period available, you will need to subscribe to one of Shopify’s plans to continue using the platform. However, the cost of a Shopify subscription is relatively affordable and includes features like website hosting, payment processing, and customer support.
- Does Shopify charge you for dropshipping?
No, Shopify itself does not charge you for dropshipping. However, you will need to pay for any third-party apps or services you use to facilitate your dropshipping business. Additionally, you will need to pay for the cost of your products and any associated shipping and handling fees.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has provided you with valuable insights into how to dropship on Shopify, from finding your product niche to marketing your products effectively.
If you’re looking for an easy and effective way to import your existing listings from other platforms to Shopify, be sure to check out LitCommerce. Our platform can help simplify the migration process and make it easier for you to manage your products and orders.
For more helpful tips and advice on eCommerce and dropshipping, be sure to check out our blog!
