In 2024, there’s no better time to start a dropshipping business using AliExpress. This platform continues to be an excellent option for online entrepreneurs because of its impressive selection of products, good prices and reliable shipping options.
While AliExpress is great for sourcing products and getting them out to your customers, there’s still plenty you’ll need to figure out on your own.
What is Dropshipping?
Dropshipping is a method of running an e-commerce store where you don’t have to deal with any inventory. Essentially, you’re the middleman between the customer and the manufacturer: you handle sales and marketing, while a third-party supplier stores and ships products for you.
This is the process: If a customer makes a purchase from your online store, you don’t have to stress over having inventory or shipping the items. What you do instead is buy the product from a third party and provide them with your customer’s shipping information. From there, the supplier will ship the product directly to your customer.
As a new entrepreneur, this model offers several benefits. You don’t have to invest in inventory up front, there’s less risk if you don’t sell anything, and you can offer a wider variety of products without having to manage them physically. But it also means you’re reliant on your suppliers to deliver on time and at good quality – so it’s important to choose them wisely!
What is AliExpress?
Established in the year 2010, AliExpress is under the ownership of Alibaba; a leading Chinese e-commerce group. This is a large online marketplace which has millions of products in various categories like clothing, electronics, jewelry, and home decorations among others. The platform has become a go-to resource for entrepreneurs looking to start or scale their dropshipping businesses.
Unlike Amazon or eBay, AliExpress is all about linking buyers to cheap products from foreign manufacturers and suppliers. Therefore, this platform is perfect for identifying fashionable commodities that can be sold at competitive margins, making it especially appealing for dropshipping.
Does AliExpress Allow Dropshipping?
Indeed, AliExpress is a great supporter of dropshipping, having gained immense popularity among global dropshippers. It has all the right elements for dropshippers, so that it would be a perfect option for starting and scaling a dropshipping business in 2024.
Starting dropshipping with AliExpress is advantageous because it is cost-free. There is no need for you to buy inventory first or pay any fees to list products. With the help of a dropshipping platform like Easync.io, you can easily browse and select products to sell, then import them directly into your e-commerce business platform store with just a few clicks.
How to Dropship on AliExpress?
- Browse AliExpress for Items: To start with planning on how to dropship on AliExpress, take a look at the endless range of goods that are offered. There is a wide variety of products available under different categories, so you can cater to almost any niche market.
- Select a Product Using Your Dropshipping Platform: If you have identified the products that you want to sell, then employ Easync.io, a dropshipping solution, to put them in your shop. It simplifies the process, allowing you to select and import products with ease.
- Set Your Sale Price: After importing the product, set your desired sale price. You’ll have full control over your pricing strategy, allowing you to determine your profit margins.
- Import the Product to Your Shopify Store: The dropshipping platform will import the selected product directly to your store. Here, you have the ability to modify what is included in the product list such as the name, description, photos as well as additional information so that it matches with your brand.
- Process Orders Automatically: When an order is made by a client, the dropshipping platform alerts the AliExpress merchant to fulfill it. In this case, the seller packs and sends the goods right to your buyer so that you don’t waste time with extra work.
What are the Benefits of Dropshipping on AliExpress?
There are many advantages of AliExpress dropship, which makes it a perfect option for any business-minded person who wants to benefit in 2024. The primary ones include:
Vast Product Selection
With more than 100 million items listed under different categories, AliExpress is a huge global marketplace. Because of this vast range, it is possible for you to have many types of trending as well as niche commodities to sell from and therefore serve varied markets and customers preferences.
Convenience for Dropshippers
The sellers in AliExpress understand very well what dropshippers require. A lot of the sellers aim at global dropshippers because they are displaying fashionable commodities which have low prices. By knowing all this, it becomes easy to find products from the right sources and make sure that your suppliers follow the same model as you do.
High Profit Potential
The cheap prices when you dropship with AliExpress are another benefit. With such a low cost of goods sold, it is possible to have low retail prices and still make a good profit. The price advantage here is important in developing a successful dropshipping business.
No Capital Barriers
Accessibility is among the top characteristics of AliExpress dropship. It is different from the conventional retail models in that it can be accessed easily without having to invest a lot of money upfront. There are no minimum capital requirements since most of the sellers have very low minimum order quantities, and this gives you an opportunity to begin your Ali dropshipping with minimal financial risks.
Seamless Integration
Various integration tools and apps have simplified the technical parts of dropshipping with AliExpress. By using platforms like Easync.io, it becomes easy for you to sync products from AliExpress to your online store with just a few clicks, automate the process of order handling, as well as make inventory control easier too. With this level of simplicity, the operation of your dropshipping business takes less time and effort so that you can concentrate on expanding it and providing better services to customers.
How to Set Up Dropshipping with AliExpress?
To begin a successful dropshipping venture with AliExpress, it requires a systematic approach to ensure smooth operations and customer satisfaction. Below is a step-by-step guide for establishing your Ali Express dropshipping business:
1. Identify the Right Products
Choosing the products that you would like to sell is the initial step that you take, and it may be difficult considering the many options available in AliExpress. Here’s how to narrow down your choices:
- Explore Categories: To start dropshipping, go through various sections in AliExpress. Try to find items that match what you are interested in or areas of expertise. The selling process will become more engaging and authentic that way.
- Avoid Branded Items: To stay away from the dangers that come with fake products, it is advisable that you concentrate more on the unbranded commodities. By doing this, you will be able to operate within the law and minimize any conflicts that may arise in your business.
- Evaluate Order History: Prioritize goods that have been ordered many times before. It shows that there is a steady demand for such products and the suppliers can be depended upon.
- Check Ratings: Give priority to products that have a rating of more than 4.5 stars since it’s a strong indicator of quality and customer satisfaction.
2. Choose a Reliable Supplier
The success of your business greatly depends on whether or not you can trust the suppliers that you work with. To determine reliable suppliers in AliExpress, consider the following:
- Review Feedback Ratings: The feedback rating of the seller, which is seen beside his name, should always be considered. Try to deal with sellers whose positive rates are 95% or higher.
- Examine Track Record: To see comprehensive reviews and how the seller has performed on AliExpress, click on their name. Usually, sellers who have maintained a positive record over the years are trustworthy.
- Inspect Product Photos: Make sure that the pictures of the products are unique and not copied from other shops. Use reverse image search to confirm that the pictures are real.
- Evaluate Responsiveness: Talk to possible suppliers prior to making any commitments. It is probable that they will provide reliable services if they are responsive and give clear answers promptly.
- Place a Test Order: Purchase a sample in order to evaluate the delivery period as well as the quality of the product. With this experience, it will be easy for you to know what your clients are getting.
3. Set Up Your Store
Now that you have chosen your supplier and product, you should create your e-commerce site through various available options such as Shopify. Even if one is new, they can easily establish a store that looks professional using the simple web builder of Shopify.
- Start Simple: During the initial setup, focus on getting your store up and running. You’ll have the opportunity to improve the layout and branding afterwards.
- Leverage Shopify’s Trial: Utilize the three days free trial in Shopify to get used with the platform prior to investing into any of paid plans.
4. Add AliExpress Products to Your Store
After setting up your Shopify store, you should include the items that you have chosen from AliExpress. This is the best way to go about it:
- Create Unique Product Descriptions: Do not duplicate the product descriptions from AliExpress. Create unique ones which bring out the advantages and characteristics of the products. Such an approach will make your store different and also improve SEO.
- Inform About Delivery Times: Since a lot of the suppliers from AliExpress are located in China, it may take a while for the shipments to arrive. To ensure that the clients know what to expect, make sure that you put the estimated shipping times clearly on your product pages.
- Offer Free Shipping: Look for dropshipping suppliers who offer free or low-cost shipping. It could significantly boost your sales if you offered your clients free shipping.
- Set Competitive Prices: Set the prices of your goods at around twice than wholesale price. Usually, a 50% profit margin should be enough to cover all costs and remain competitive.
How to Create an Account on AliExpress for Dropshipping?
Once you have determined the best products for your dropshipping store, the following vital step is signing up with AliExpress. It is an easy and fast procedure that will enable you to see all the goods offered there.
- Visit the AliExpress Website: Begin by navigating to the AliExpress homepage. Once there, look for the ‘Register’ button located in the upper right corner of the page.
- Registering Your Account: You have several options for registration. You can sign up using your email address by filling out a short form, or you can opt for a quicker method by connecting your account to an existing Google, Facebook, Twitter, or Apple ID.
- Accessing the Dropshipping Features: After successfully creating your account, hover over your profile icon in the top right corner of the page to access a drop-down menu. From here, select “DS Center,” which is specifically designed for those who want to dropship with AliExpress.
- Agreeing to the Terms: Before proceeding, you’ll need to read and accept the “AliExpress Dropshipping Program User Agreement” to create an AliExpress business account. This step is crucial as it outlines the terms and conditions of using AliExpress for your dropshipping business.
- Exploring Dropshipping Tools: Once inside the DS Center, you’ll gain access to a variety of tools tailored for AliExpress dropshipping account. These include product research features, financial service management, and analytics tools to help you optimize your product listings and sales strategies.
Does AliExpress Offer Refunds and Returns?
It is important to know the procedure of refunds and returns while dropshipping with AliExpress because most AliExpress suppliers follow their own rules which might be different from traditional retail practices.
Returns are not allowed by shipping orders from most suppliers in AliExpress. It poses a difficulty to dropshippers because they must come up with effective plans for dealing with possible problems with their orders. Failure to do so may result in loss of trust from customers as well as economic hardship.
Customer Never Received Their Order
In case a client claims non-receipt of their order, swift measures are vital. First confirm whether there were any problems or holdups in transit by checking the shipment status with your AliExpress supplier. It is advisable to think about using better dependable shipping options to reduce upcoming problems because they can harm your business image if they occur frequently.
In such cases with clients, give back their money or offer a replacement depending on what they want. Maintaining trust and satisfaction can be achieved through precise talk and using a customer-friendly approach. It is important to note that documenting these problems and their answers will assist you in improving your delivery as well as packaging methods with time.
Product Was Damaged in Transit
If a product comes in a damaged state, request that your client sends photos showing the harm suffered. It is useful for confirming the problem and determining if it was related to poor packing or handling in transit.
Once the damage is confirmed, issue a refund to the customer as soon as possible. If you believe the packaging was insufficient, raise this concern with your AliExpress supplier to improve packaging for future customer orders. By doing this, you may be able to stop related problems in the future.
How to Find the Dropshipping Products on AliExpress
If you want to learn how to use AliExpress for dropshipping in 2024 successfully, it’s essential to identify the right goods. To make your selection process easier, follow these simple tips:
1. Explore Product Categories
To find AliExpress dropshipping products to sell, start by checking out different product categories on AliExpress to find something that interests you or has good market potential. Focusing on specific categories can help you narrow down your options and target the right audience.
2. Avoid Branded Products
Stay away from products with recognizable brands or logos unless you have permission to sell them. Selling branded items without authorization can lead to legal trouble and hurt your profits. Instead, go for generic or private-label products.
3. Look for ePacket/AliExpress Premium Shipping
Shipping speed is important for good customer experience and satisfaction. Choose sellers who offer ePacket shipping, or AliExpress Premium Shipping, which is usually faster and more affordable for delivering to the US and Europe. This helps ensure your customers get their orders quickly and can track their packages.
4. Check Ratings and Sales
Pick products with high ratings (at least 4.5 stars) and positive reviews. Tools like AliExpress Seller Check can provide extra information about the seller. Products with a lot of sales usually mean there’s demand, which is a good sign.
5. Compare Prices
Check the price of the product on AliExpress and compare it with similar items on other platforms like Amazon. This will help you understand the average selling price and figure out your potential profit margin with your AliExpress dropshipping account. Make sure you can price the product competitively while still making a profit.
6. Review Product Quality
Order a sample of the product to check its quality, packaging, and shipping time. This way, you’ll know exactly what your customers will receive. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask the seller for more details before placing larger orders.
AliExpress Dropshipping Automation
For a tool that offers the functionality of the AliExpress Drop Shipping Center and goes beyond, Easync.io is an excellent choice. Easync integrates seamlessly with AliExpress and provides a suite of features designed to streamline and scale your dropshipping business. Here’s how Easync can enhance your dropshipping operations:
- Product Discovery: By looking at trends, sales figures, and competition, Easync can help you identify what the top dropship products on AliExpress are. Therefore, you will be able to choose products with high potential for sales and make sure that they bring in enough money.
- Supplier Reliability: Beyond winning product discovery, Easync enables you to identify and partner with reliable suppliers. This feature reduces the risk of dealing with unreliable vendors and helps maintain a smooth supply chain.
- Inventory Management: Easync offers robust inventory management features that keep track of stock levels and update your store automatically. This reduces the chances of overselling or running out of stock.
- Repricing: Easync.io offers automated repricing tools that can modify the prices of your products depending on what is happening in the market and the competitor prices. This ensures that your pricing remains attractive and competitive.
- Automatic Product Ordering: Easync has a valuable feature which is automation of product ordering. It helps in streamlining the order fulfillment process by minimizing manual work and increasing the overall efficacy.
By integrating Easync into your dropshipping strategy, you can automate many of the repetitive tasks associated with AliExpress drop ship. This allows you to focus on growing your AliExpress dropshipping business and optimizing your marketing strategies while maintaining high operational efficiency.
FAQ
Can I use AliExpress for dropshipping?
Yes, AliExpress is a popular platform for dropshipping. Many entrepreneurs use it to source products directly from suppliers, which are then shipped directly to customers. This model eliminates the need to hold inventory or manage a warehouse, making it an attractive option for starting a dropshipping business.
How does AliExpress dropshipping work?
AliExpress dropshipping works by connecting you with suppliers who list their products on the platform. As a dropshipper, you select products from AliExpress, list them on your own online store, and when a customer makes a purchase, you place the order with the AliExpress supplier. The supplier then ships the product directly to your customer. Your profit comes from the difference between the sale price and the cost you pay to the supplier.
Is dropshipping legal on AliExpress?
Certainly, it is permissible to engage in dropshipping with AliExpress. This site allows dropshipping businesses, and most of the sellers on AliExpress are fine working with dropshippers.
Where does AliExpress ship from?
Most AliExpress sellers operate from China and ship items from there. However, AliExpress does not always display the country of origin in the shipment details. In some cases, the shipping carrier may provide hints about the item’s origin, but this information is not always definitive. It’s a good idea to check the seller’s information and shipping options to get an idea of where the products are coming from.
What is AliExpress Premium Shipping?
AliExpress Premium Shipping, often associated with ePacket delivery, is a shipping method that enables quicker delivery than the usual shipping ways for Ali dropshipping. It typically delivers to destinations in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and other major markets within 15 to 30 days. The use of AliExpress Premium Shipping in your business will increase your chances of succeeding in eCommerce because you will be able to deliver products quickly and keep your customers happy.
Eugene Stepnov – Head of Marketing at Gologin. Formerly, He was the COO of Flatlogic and the co-founder of Kuoll. His main expertise is in promoting complex web SaaS products that lead in mar tech, affiliate marketing, dropshipping, cyber security, and web development.
