I’ll Show You How To Dropship on Shopify in 2024: 5 Easy Steps

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Want to break into ecommerce without worrying about high startup costs or managing a large inventory? Dropshipping might be your answer. This popular business model puts product acquisition, storage, and fulfilment in the hands of third-party suppliers – and you can use Shopify to get started.

In this article, I’ll show you exactly how to dropship on Shopify in 2024, taking you through five easy steps:

  1. Creating a Shopify account
  2. Customizing your website
  3. Setting up dropshipping
  4. Sorting out Shopify Payments
  5. Organizing shipping

Once you’ve followed these steps, you’ll be on your way to making your first dropshipping sale.

I updated the article to give readers a clearer understanding of how to dropship on Shopify. I’ve added more photos and captions to showcase my firsthand experience with the platform, mentions of Shopify’s most recent features in 2024, and added additional information to the dropshipping step that includes working with an external supplier or using Shopify Collective.

Dropshipping on Shopify: Pros and Cons

Unsure if you want to dropship on Shopify? Here are the key pros and cons to consider beforehand:

Shopify Dropshipping Pros Shopify Dropshipping Cons
✔️ Easy to manage – Our hands-on testing found that Shopify has the best sales features on the market. This makes it easy to manage your dropshipping operations from one place, whether that’s setting your shipping rules or managing payment gateways. Additional Shopify fees – Though dropshipping typically has low starting costs, you will encounter additional costs from Shopify’s end. This includes the pricing of its plans and transaction fees.
✔️ No storage space needed – Since you’re sourcing products through third-party suppliers on Shopify, you don’t need to worry about storing your items in a physical space yourself. Difficult to stand out – Thanks to features like Shopify Collective, Shopify is a popular platform for dropshipping. However, this can make it slightly difficult for your brand to stand out in an oversaturated market, so you need a strong niche and product to start with.
✔️ ️Can track your store’s performance – Your Shopify account comes with detailed analytics that are accessible from the dashboard, which can help you track your store’s growth and sales. Not all suppliers are reliable – If something goes wrong with shipping or a customer is unhappy with an item’s quality, this can impact your website’s reputation. Whether you’re using a dropshipping app or contacting a supplier directly, make sure that they’re reliable.

Dropshipping on Shopify: Before You Start

You might be eager to begin, but there are a few factors that you need consider before diving into dropshipping on Shopify. Let’s review them now:

Factor #1: What’s your online store’s niche?

You’re not going to be the only person dropshipping on Shopify, so how do you stand out in a saturated market? Well, you need to find your niche online, which will help you differentiate yourself from your competitors and attract more customers to your store. Here are my top tips for discovering your dropshipping niche:

  • Have you researched the market? – You’ll want to sell products that your target audiences are interested in, so conduct market research beforehand to make sure people are searching for products like yours. I recommend keyword research, since it’ll help you see what products customers are looking for on search engines like Google.
  • What is the competition doing? – To provide your customers with a brilliant product, you need to learn from what other brands are doing. Take note of their strengths and weaknesses. What do their customers enjoy? And what could they be doing better?
  • Is your niche profitable? – Think about your ecommerce product margins when choosing products to sell. Once you’ve marked up a product, will you be making a large enough profit to sustain your business long term?
  • Are you passionate about your product? – Most of all, find a product that you’re genuinely interested in. If it doesn’t excite you, you’ll find it much harder to keep the momentum of your dropshipping business going, and customers might pick up on this lack of enthusiasm too!
Screenshot of Notebook Therapy's product page with different notebook listings
Notebook Therapy, a Shopify dropshipping store, has a distinctive niche specializing in Japanese and Korean stationery. Think about how you can put a spin on the products you’re selling. Source Website Builder Expert

Factor #2: Have you worked out your budget?

Though dropshipping is one of the cheapest ways to break into ecommerce (you won’t be dealing with initial storage costs), there are still some costs to consider that could build up overtime:

  • Your Shopify subscription Shopify’s pricing plans vary from $29 to $299 per month (billed annually). There’s no free plan, so you will need to make these regular payments to set up and sell online. Shopify’s three main plans allow you to set up dropshipping, but you will need to assess each plan separately to see which one is the best fit for your business.
  • Dropshipping apps – If you decide to use a dropshipping app from Shopify’s App Store, you may encounter monthly costs. For instance, DSers, an Alibaba dropshipping app, can cost between $190.08 and $4,788 per year depending on your plan.
  • Transaction fees – Each time a customer buys a product, Shopify will take a small percentage of the final sale. This cost will vary based on the plan you’re on. For instance, Shopify takes 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction on the Basic plan, but 2.7% + $0.30 per transaction on the Shopify plan.
  • Return costs – A potential downside to dropshipping is managing returns and their costs, which can build up over time if not addressed properly. Remember to check the returns policy of third-party dropshipping suppliers before committing to one.
Screenshot of the pricing of a dropshipping app from the Shopify App Place
On Shopify’s App Store, you’ll be able to find the pricing of the dropshipping apps that you’re interested in. Compare them with other options to find pricing that suits your budget best. Source: Website Builder Expert

Having an idea of the amount you’re willing to spend will make choosing a Shopify plan and dropshipping supplier a little easier. It’ll also make you less likely to overspend, which can put a bit of a downer on your dropshipping profit margins.

Factor #3: Is your business legal?

If you’re dropshipping on Shopify, you’re officially starting a business – so you need to do your paperwork and make sure that you’re fulfilling any legal requirements. This includes: 

  1. Local requirements – Look up the legal business requirements in your local area. They’ll vary from state to state, so make sure that you understand the core steps you’ll need to follow when running your business.
  2. Business structure – Every company in the United States has a business structure attached to it, determining what business category and legal jurisdiction it falls under. Research these structures, like Sole Proprietorship and Limited Liability Company (LLC), to find the one that fits your business most accurately.
  3. Employment Identification Number (EIN) – having an EIN will enable you to pay your taxes, keep your personal and business finances separate, and work with a wider range of dropshipping suppliers. You can apply for one through the IRS website.
  4. Register your business – This will prevent other companies from copying your business name, so make sure that you’re registered. The process of registering will vary from state to state.
Screenshot of California's official page on how to start a business in the state
Each US state will have its own information on legal business requirements. For instance, I found this official page detailing California’s rules. Source: Website Builder Expert

Got these three factors sorted? It’s time to dive in and create your own Shopify account.

1. Create a Shopify Account

Creating a Shopify account only takes a few minutes, but you’ll need to fill in some important details along the way. As I set up, Shopify asked me:

  1. If I were a new business, or already selling online or in person
  2. Where I’d like to sell from (I could select all suitable answers, such as an online store, social media, or online marketplaces)
  3. What kind of products I’m selling
  4. Where my business is located
Screenshot of Shopify's signup form asking for the platforms a user wants to sell from
When Shopify asked me what kind of products I sell, I clicked on the “Dropshipping products” response – make sure you click on this option too! Source: Website Builder Expert

When Shopify asked me what kind of products I sell, I clicked on the “Dropshipping products” response – make sure you click on this option too! Source: Website Builder Expert

Once I’d entered those key details, I could proceed with setting up my Shopify account. You can sign up with your business email, or go through Apple, Facebook, or Google.

After a swift loading screen, I was redirected to my personalized dashboard, which was tailored to my responses. This dashboard will be the launch pad for starting your new online store.

Screenshot of Shopify's dashboard with a
I liked how the dashboard came with a useful onboarding checklist, since it showed me what I needed to do to set up. Take your time following each step as you create your dropshipping store. Source: Website Builder Expert

Be aware that your trial period only lasts three days. To continue using Shopify, you’ll need to click on the “Select a plan” button to make your purchase. However, you can redeem an introductory offer that gives you your first month for $1. 

2. Customize Your Website

From my dashboard, I clicked on the “Customize your online store” checklist task and selected the “Customize theme” button. To browse the different themes that Shopify had available, I scrolled to the bottom of the page and clicked on “Visit theme store”.

Screenshot of numerous Shopify themes available from the store
From the “Theme Store,” I filtered through the designs via industry, which included fashion, home and decor, food and drink, and other popular categories. Source: Website Builder Expert

At the time of writing, there were approximately 215 themes to choose from in Shopify’s theme library, though only 13 of them were free. This isn’t great if you want to save some costs in this area, since you’ll get better customization and features with the paid themes, which can range from $100-$500 with a one time purchase. However, all of the themes are sleek, responsive, and optimized for mobile. 

Once I’d found a theme I wanted, I clicked “Try theme”, which automatically installed the design and redirected me back to my dashboard. All I had to do next was click the “Customize” button to give it a spin.

Screenshot of the Shopify dashboard allowing you to swap between themes
I could download multiple Shopify themes, giving me the chance to test out each one before choosing a design. You don’t need to stress about picking the perfect template straight away. Source: Website Builder Expert

From the website editor, I started customizing my store’s theme. I used the design options in the left-hand sidebar to:

  1. Tweak the website color palette
  2. Select fonts
  3. Add a logo
  4. Adjust the spacing on each page

Overall, I didn’t find it difficult to change these aspects of my website’s design. In fact, this lines up with our in-house testing where we found Shopify very easy to use. 

Screenshot of Shopify's editor when changing the color palette
To make my store more eye-catching, I changed the background colors and added a gradient. If you have specific branding in mind, you can also add in your own hex codes. Source: Website Builder Expert

Unlike other popular website builders like Wix or Squarespace, Shopify doesn’t have a drag-and-drop editor. Instead, your design is split into different sections, which you can stack on top of each other.

Screenshot of Shopify's editor when adding different sections to a website
I could customize my homepage by adding sections (17 in total), which seamlessly integrated with the rest of my website’s design. Source: Website Builder Expert

Once you’re happy with the way your Shopify store looks, it’s time to press the “Save” button and move onto the most important step of all: setting up your dropshipping.

3. Set Up Dropshipping on Shopify

Presently, there are three ways you can set up dropshipping on your shopify store:

  1. Downloading a dropshipping app from the Shopify App Store
  2. Partnering directly with a supplier
  3. Adding items from Shopify Collective

Below, I’ll show you how to dropship on Shopify with each of these methods.

Using a Dropshipping App

Downloading an app is the easiest and speediest way to start dropshipping on Shopify.

To begin, I went to the Shopify App store, typed “Dropshipping” into the search bar, and looked at the results. There was an overwhelming number of options to choose from, so I’ve narrowed down the best results for you:

App Star rating (at time of writing) Price range Key features
DSers 5.0 (28,578)
$190.08-$4,788 per year
•Find suppliers across the AliExpress network
•Import and edit products
•Create automations to track orders
•Manage multiple Shopify stores from your account
Zendrop 4.8 (9,719)
$399-$549 per year
•Gives you access to one million products
•Automates the fulfilment process
•Provides fast shipping and delivery times
•Add custom branding to your orders
Spocket 4.7 (6,068)
$288-$948 per year
•Access goods from US and EU suppliers
•Product syncing
•Branded invoicing
•Big discounts with no minimum order

Alongside these dropshipping apps, you may want to download other Shopify apps to grow your store and boost your sales. For instance, you might want to allow customers to leave product reviews, which you can use as social proof to help boost your conversions. The video below delves into a few examples that you may be interested in:

After choosing an app from the App Store (in my case, I downloaded Spocket), I clicked on the “Install” button. This installed the app and redirected me to another page where I could get set up.

With Spocket, I had to answer a few questions about the products I wanted to sell, including what regions I wanted to sell in and where I wanted to source my products from. However, I couldn’t browse Spocket’s products without signing up to one of its pricing plans first, and it did ask for my card information to start with.

Screenshot of Spocket's pricing screen overlay with its main plans
Annoyingly, I couldn’t browse Spocket’s products without paying first. However, some dropshipping apps do allow you to browse for free beforehand, so test out a few options first. Source: Website Builder Expert

Once you’ve chosen a dropshipping app, you’ll be able to import items into Shopify. Additionally, all product details and imagery will be automatically filled, so you don’t have to worry about manually adding these details yourself.

Working Directly With a Supplier

If you don’t want to dropship through a Shopify app and want a little more control over who you partner with, you also have the option to work directly with a dropshipping supplier. You can find these suppliers online, through trade shows, or by browsing supplier directories.

Screenshot of Inventory Source's supplier directory homepage
I found plenty of supplier inventories online, like Inventory Source, that make it easier for you to find potential dropshipping suppliers to work with. Source: Website Builder Expert

This method will involve plenty of research, since you’ll need to look for quality suppliers that you can rely on. As a general rule of thumb, look for these qualities in a supplier:

  1. High quality products – When reaching out to a supplier, I recommend ordering a sample product first. This enables you to gauge the quality of their items and see if they’re a good fit for your store and customers.
  2. Convenient warehouse location – Think about your target customers and where they’re located. For instance, if you’re selling in the US, your customers will receive their orders much faster if your supplier is also in the US.
  3. Reliable shipping times – As a shipping best practice, you don’t want to leave your customers waiting around for too long. Make sure that your supplier can ship their products to your customers within your desired time frame.

Once you’ve found a supplier you’re interested in, it’s time to reach out to them. Remember to ask them important questions about their services, such as their estimated delivery times, or whether they have a robust tracking system in place.

Using Shopify Collective

If you’re already selling some products but want to expand your inventory, you can also use Shopify Collective to sell items from other stores. 

This free feature, which was launched in 2023, allows you to connect with Shopify’s network and browse its supplier catalogs. Once you’ve found some items, the Collective will ship them to your customers for you, as well as distribute the money made between you and your supplier.

Do note, however, that you can only use this method if you fulfil specific criteria:

  • Your store is US-based and trades in US dollars
  • You use Shopify Payments
  • You’ve made at least $50,000 in the last 12 months
  • You’re active on the Shop app and meet the Shop Merchant Guidelines

I signed up for this feature through the Shopify Collective page. I had to log into my Shopify account and select the store I wanted to integrate with Shopify Collective. Afterward, Shopify added me to a waitlist, and told me that they’d email me when a spot opens up.

Screenshot of Shopify's Collective's waitlist page telling the user to await a response
Once you’ve signed up for Shopify Collective, you’ll need to be patient. I couldn’t get into the feature straight away as I was put onto a waitlist. Source: Website Builder Expert

If Shopify approves your application, you’ll be able browse supplier products and discover new partners to work with.

4. Sort Out Shopify Payments

Once you’ve selected your dropshipping supplier and found your products, you’ll need to get ready to take customer payments online. Shopify does keep this process simple, and I could add different payment methods – there were over 100 payment options to choose from.

To streamline your payments, I recommend opting for Shopify Payments, the platform’s native payment processor. This feature simplifies the process for you, allowing you to set up numerous payment methods, such as Visa, Discover, Apple Pay, and Google Pay to name a few.

To set up Shopify Payments, I went to my dashboard, clicked on “Settings” in the bottom left corner of the screen, and selected “Payments.”

Screenshot of Shopify's dashboard with its payment settings
From the “Payments” section of my dashboard, I could set up all of my payment methods in one place. Its organized layout made it simple for me to keep on top of all. Source: Website Builder Expert

Next, I selected “Complete account setup” and had to submit key details about my business and turn on two-step verification. Once you’ve done this, it takes around three days for Shopify to verify your application.

5. Organize Your Online Store’s Shipping

With payment settings sorted, it’s time to organize your store’s shipping. Though dropshipping means you won’t have to worry about the packaging or shipping of your products, you still need to set your own shipping rules.

If you’re not sure where to begin, I suggest looking at your dropshipping suppliers for guidance. When you browse through their product listings, you should be able to find info on its shipping requirements, including where your supplier will ship to, how much it costs, and how long it’ll take.

Once you have a good understanding of these guidelines, head to your Shopify dashboard to set your store’s shipping rules. To do this, I clicked on the “Settings” menu and selected “Shipping and delivery” from the navigation bar. This is where you can get started.

Screenshot of the Shopify dashboard with a list of shipping rules to edit
I could set my shipping rules from my dashboard, which included adding delivery customizations or creating new shipping profiles. Source: Website Builder Expert

The main task you need to complete is double checking your shipping zones. Make sure that the locations your suppliers are shipping from are listed accurately. You’ll also want to ensure that the different shipping costs are accurate for each location or zone.

Screenshot of the listed shipping zones Shopify allows you to ship to
If you’re shipping to other countries, you can also create a new shipping zone if you need to. Just remember to check that your supplier ships to that country first before offering it. Source: Website Builder Expert

Once you’ve tweaked your shipping rules from your dashboard, you’re ready to start selling your dropshipped products!

How To Dropship on Shopify: Conclusion

So you now know how to dropship on Shopify, but what are your next steps? Well, I recommend keeping an eye on your store’s progress through Shopify’s analytics, since the work isn’t over yet. 

As your dropshipping business progresses, you’ll want to assess key metrics from your Shopify dashboard, such as your total sales over time and your conversion rate. This will help you gauge what your store is currently doing well, as well as any problem areas you need to address.

Lastly, my takeaway dropshipping tip is to remember to maintain a positive relationship with the dropshippers you’re working with. After all, your sales rely on their products and shipment, so communicate with their representatives clearly and try to address any problems as soon as possible.

Written by:
Holly Choules is a Writer at Website Builder Expert with a background in researching and crafting engaging content for digital platforms. In previous roles, she has demonstrated her wordsmith skills by writing for public facing brands in a range of industries. After gaining hands-on experience using leading website builders, like Wix and WordPress, she is now keen to share her findings through informative, easy-to-follow articles that help small business owners get online and grow their presence. Since joining the team in 2024 and transitioning into the tech sphere, Holly is passionate about applying her three years of content writing experience and upholding Website Builder Expert’s position as an authoritative source on website builders, ecommerce, and digital marketing.

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