Starting an online business sounds exciting until you face the complexity of product sourcing and inventory management.
That’s where Shopify dropshipping comes in. This powerful platform allows you to manage your online stores easily and without hassle.
According to PR Newswire, the global dropshipping market size is expected to grow by $557.9 billion by 2025. dropshipping businesses have the potential to grow and strive in the coming years.
Whether you’re looking to make extra income or build a full-fledged business, this guide will provide all the steps, tips, and tricks you need to succeed in the world of Shopify dropshipping.
What is Shopify Dropshipping?
It is an e-commerce business model that allows anyone who wants to sell products online without having to stock inventory. Instead of buying products in bulk and managing a warehouse, the store owner partners with a supplier who fulfills orders directly to the customer.
Shopify serves as the online storefront where you showcase products, while third-party dropshipping suppliers handle everything else—from storing inventory to packing and shipping products directly to your customers.
How Does Dropshipping Work On Shopify?
Dropshipping with Shopify is a simple, streamlined process that lets you run your online store. Here, we share how Shopify handles dropshipping, from setting up your store to processing orders.
1. Set Up Your Shopify Store
The first step is signing up for a Shopify account, which gives you access to their e-commerce platform. Shopify offers easy-to-use tools to customize your store, add products, and choose your domain name.
Shopify has a wide range of customizable themes, both free and paid, which help you design your store to look professional and attractive. You can select a theme that suits your brand and target market.
2. Choose Your Niche and Products
Before adding dropshipping products to your Shopify store, it’s essential to decide on a niche—something about a market with high demand and low competition.
Your niche will determine the products you sell, your target audience, and your marketing strategies.
Shopify integrates seamlessly with dropshipping apps, such as Qikink, Oberlo.
These apps allow you to browse and import products directly from suppliers into your Shopify store.
3. Customer Places an Order
When a customer visits your Shopify store and places an order, the product is purchased at your retail price. After receiving the order, you forward it to your supplier. In most cases, dropshipping apps allow this process to happen automatically.
4. Supplier Ships the Product
When a customer visits your Shopify store and places an order, the product is purchased at your retail price. After receiving the order, you forward it to your supplier. In most cases, dropshipping apps allow this process to happen automatically.
5. Track and Manage Orders
Why Choose Shopify for Dropshipping?
Here are the reasons why Shopify stands out as the top choice for dropshipping entrepreneurs:
1. User-Friendly and Easy to Set Up
Shopify is designed to be easy for anyone to use, even if they have no prior experience with web design. Setting up a store takes just a few clicks, and you don’t need to know any coding.
2. Seamless Integration with Dropshipping Apps
Shopify’s integration with top dropshipping apps makes it incredibly easy to source and import products directly from suppliers into your store with minimal effort.
3. Global Reach and Scalability
Shopify allows you to sell to customers anywhere in the world with built-in international payment gateways. Whether you’re starting with a few products or scaling up to a large catalog, Shopify’s features and apps allow you to expand your store efficiently as demand increases.
Can You Make Money Dropshipping with Shopify?
Many entrepreneurs had common queries when considering starting a business.
Can we actually make money with Shopify dropshipping?
Here are the key considerations to help you understand how to turn your Shopify dropshipping store into a profitable business.
- With the right products, marketing strategies, and customer retention tactics, entrepreneurs can grow their stores.
- To succeed in dropshipping, you need to choose products that are in high demand but with relatively low competition.
- One of the most successful strategies in dropshipping is finding a niche market. This allows you to target a specific audience, which can lead to higher conversion rates and more loyal customers.
- Most of the revenue is generated through paid ads, especially Instagram ads and Google ads. You need to allocate a portion of your profits to marketing and continuously optimize your ad campaigns for the best ROI.
- Dropshipping is highly competitive because of its low barrier to entry. The key to standing out is creating a solid brand, offering excellent customer service, and leveraging unique marketing strategies.
Why Use Dropshipping Apps?
One of the most significant advantages of running a Shopify dropshipping business is the ability to automate and streamline many of the tasks. This is where dropshipping apps come into play.
These apps are designed to simplify the entire dropshipping process—from product sourcing and order fulfillment to customer communication and inventory management.
Using the right dropshipping apps can help you scale your business quickly and efficiently.
Best Shopify Dropshipping Apps
When it comes to building a successful dropshipping business on Shopify, the right apps can make all the difference in streamlining your workflow, automating tasks, and optimizing your store for maximum efficiency and profitability. Here’s a list of the best Shopify dropshipping apps you can use to scale your business effectively.
Price: Free
Type: E-commerce based Website
Most suitable for: Businesses want the best Print On Demand and dropshipping services.
What It Offers: Qikink offers true manufacturer’s pricing, affordable custom label printing, and maintains international quality standards. Our plugin automates order processing for Shopify and WooCommerce dropshipping with Print on demand, ensuring seamless operations for your online store.
2. CJdropshipping
Price: Free setup / No Monthly Fee
Type: Application & They have Mobile App
Most suitable for: Businesses looking for streamlined sourcing, wholesale options, and efficient global fulfillment.
What It Offers: CJdropshipping best for its extensive product sourcing at factory prices, global dropshipping options, and warehouse stocking capabilities, offering flexibility for e-commerce businesses.
3. DSers (AliExpress Dropshipping)
Price: Basic version Free + Paid plans start at approximately ₹1,700/ month (14 days free trial).
Type: Application (work both offline & Online)
Most suitable for: Businesses looking to Streamline and automate dropshipping operations.
What It Offers: DSers is ideal for dropshippers seeking fast and efficient order processing across multiple stores on platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix. Its seamless integration with AliExpress allows for placing hundreds of orders in seconds, simplifying your workflow and saving time. Plus, it enables you to manage all your stores under one roof.
4. Spocket
Price: 14 days Free trial + Paid plans start at approximately ₹3,300/ month.
Type: Cloud based app
Most suitable for: Businesses who want to source US/EU products with Shopify integration
What It Offers: Spocket simplifies product selection and order fulfillment with its extensive network of global dropshipping suppliers, seamless integration with popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix, and WooCommerce, and fast shipping from reliable US/EU-based suppliers.
5. AutoDs
Price: 14 days Free trial + Paid plans start at approximately ₹3,300/ month.
Type: Cloud based app
Most suitable for: Businesses who want to source US/EU products with Shopify integration
What It Offers: Spocket simplifies product selection and order fulfillment with its extensive network of global dropshipping suppliers, seamless integration with popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix, and WooCommerce, and fast shipping from reliable US/EU-based suppliers.
How to Dropship on Shopify?
Step-1: Selecting a profitable niche
Selecting the right dropshipping niche is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when starting your Shopify dropshipping business. Your niche determines your target market, the types of products you’ll sell, and the level of competition you’ll face. A well-chosen niche can make it easier to attract customers, build a brand, and scale your business.
Here are some tips to make a decision when selecting your dropshipping niche on Shopify.
- Understand that there should be a proven market demand for the products in your niche.
- Start by thinking about your interests, hobbies, or industries you know well. However, don’t just pick a niche because it’s something you like—ensure it has market demand.
- Google’s trend tool shows you how popular a particular search term has been over time. You can compare different products and niches to see which ones have consistent or growing interest.
- Use tools like Ahrefs, semrush, and Google Keyword Planner to identify popular search terms related to your niche. Look for keywords with high search volume but relatively low competition.
- Use social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to identify influencers and brands in the niche.
- While selecting a niche, think about long-term trends rather than just short-term trends. Your niche must have the potential to grow over time.
Step 2: Be on the lookout for suppliers
Finding reliable suppliers is a critical step in building a successful Shopify dropshipping business. The quality of your suppliers directly impacts product quality, customer satisfaction, shipping times, and overall profitability. Here are some tips for finding reliable suppliers for dropshipping on Shopify.
- If you’re selling custom products like T-shirts, mugs, and phone cases, you’ll need print-on-demand suppliers like Qikink.
- One of the easiest ways to find suppliers for your Shopify store is to use dropshipping apps available in the Shopify App Store, such as Oberla, Spocket, DSers, and more.
- You can find suppliers through online marketplaces and directories such as Aliexpress, Salehoo, and Doba.
Step-3: Set up your eCommerce store and import products
Start by setting up an account with Shopify to start your Shopify dropshipping business. Here are some simple directions to get started:
Step 1: Sign Up on Shopify
- Go to Shopify and sign up for an account.
Step 2: Select a Plan:
Shopify offers a 14-day free trial, so you can explore the platform before committing to a paid plan.
After your trial, select the plan that best suits your needs, such as Basic, Shopify, and Advanced.
Basic Setup Guide:
Step 3: Name your store
Choose your store name, which should be unique and relevant to your niche
- Choose your store name, which should be unique and relevant to your niche.
- Enter your email, phone, and store details.
Step 4: Choose and Customize a Theme
You can choose a free or paid theme based on your store’s aesthetic and functionality.
Shopify offers a variety of themes designed specifically for eCommerce, so you can find one that suits your brand.
Once you’ve selected a theme, you can customize it by clicking Customize.
Modify the layout, color scheme, fonts, header and footer, and logo to match your branding.
Step 5: Set Up Store Basics
- Set up a payment processor so you can accept payments from customers.
Set up your shipping zones, rates, and carriers. For Dropshipping, you may want to set rates based on the product weight, price, and flat rate.
Step 6: Import Products for Dropshipping
Shopify offers various apps to help you import products from suppliers, such as Qikink, Spocket, and more. In your Shopify admin, go to Apps > Shopify App Store, search for a dropshipping app, choose your dropshipping app, and click Add app to install the app.
Step 7: Find Products to Import
After installing your chosen dropshipping app, browse the product catalog and select the products you want to sell in your store.
Focus on products that fit your niche and have good reviews, reliable suppliers, and competitive prices. Use a pricing strategy that ensures you make a profit after covering the product cost, shipping, and other fees.
Shopify allows you to bulk edit prices and markups across all products in your store.
Step 8: Test Your Store
Before launching, place a test order to ensure the checkout process, payment gateway, and order fulfillment work correctly.
Shopify allows you to enable Test Mode for your payment provider to simulate actual transactions without using real money.
Step 9: Launch Your Store and Promote
Once everything is set up and tested, you’re ready to go live. Once you have successfully designed and launched your Shopify dropshipping India store, marketing is the next area of focus. It will help you stand out amongst other dropshipping stores in your selected niche.
Start promoting your store through social media influencer partnerships, SEO, paid ads, and email marketing.
Conclusion
Shopify dropshipping is one of the most accessible and scalable ways to start an online business in 2025. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can set up a professional eCommerce store, select high-quality products, and begin selling with minimal upfront investment.
By staying updated on market trends, refining your strategies, and focusing on customer satisfaction, you can build a sustainable and profitable business.
Read More
- Shopify Product API – How to Add New Products to Your Store
- How To Start Dropshipping With WooCommerce Simple Steps
- 15 Dropshipping Product Research Tools to Find Winning Products in 2025
- 10 Profitable Dropshipping Business Ideas to Try in 2025
- Ultimate Dropshipping Guide for Beginners in 2025: How to Start a Successful Online Store Without Inventory
- How to Start Print on Demand with Shopify: A Step by Step Guide for Success
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a dropshipping business profitable?
Dropshipping businesses can be highly profitable when you choose the right niche, do extensive competitive research, and design and market a visually appealing and functional store. They are prioritized as there is no cost associated with maintaining inventory. You can easily use the excess funds in other core business functions.
How do I find reliable dropshipping suppliers for my Shopify store?
You can browse through databases like Dropship Direct or AliExpress. Or you can integrate apps like Oberlo to get access to suppliers from around the world with a click.
How to select a profitable dropshipping niche?
Analyze the current trends in the market or follow the trail of continuous patterns. Which niches have had outstanding returns in the last year? Jot down those niches, run more related searches, and come across your final decision.
Can you make money with a dropshipping business?
With the right tactics, anyone can make a great income from a dropshipping business. Many people turned into millionaires within a few years of starting dropshipping. Remember to be niche-specific and target the right audience.
Can I customize the design and branding of my Shopify dropshipping store?
Yes, you can customize the design and branding of your Shopify dropshipping store using the free and paid themes available on Shopify.
Are there any specific marketing strategies for promoting my Shopify dropshipping store?
PPC advertisements frequently target ad space in search engines, social media platforms, or websites. These ads are effective for e-commerce businesses because they target ready-to-buy customers and can result in better sales than organic marketing. Facebook and Google are the two most common platforms for running PPC ads.
How do I handle customer support and returns with a dropshipping business on Shopify?
You can set up an WhatsApp, online live chat to manage queries and a business email for customers to contact you.
Content Writer, Blog Editor at Qikink
