WooCommerce is a powerful platform for dropshipping in eCommerce. This guide, “How to set up WooCommerce for dropshipping,” will provide you with the essential steps to set up your store in 2025, regardless of whether you are a beginner or an experienced seller. Let’s get started!
Without question, eCommerce prospects have changed the corporate environment. The percentage of internet users who make online transactions is expected to exceed 67.5% by 2024. As a result, efficiently getting your items to all those clients can be vital for your company.
There are around 24 million eCommerce websites worldwide. The number of websites being launched every day is rapidly increasing.
Creating an online store requires a significant time and financial investment, not least because of storage fees and freight services. Nevertheless, there is a better way — dropshipping.
Dropshipping is a popular way to generate money online. Its success derives mainly from the ease with which it may be built.
The e-commerce sector will exceed $4 trillion in the next two years. If you want to be a part of it, now is the moment to start your online business.
Thankfully, your manufacturing and shipping choices align with the eCommerce marketplace. Dropshipping is a wonderful approach to handling both of those responsibilities. It also allows you to avoid some production issues and optimize your operation.
Before we get into the specifics, let’s talk about dropshipping and its profitability in 2025. We’ll also go through how to set up this feature in WordPress. If you’re ready to begin, we’ll get right in
What is the dropshipping model?
Dropshipping is the concept of outsourcing the production and shipping of a product to a supplier. It eliminates your need to manufacture, store, and ship your goods. Instead, you’ll sell the goods and handle fulfillment directly with a provider.
Dropshipping is a simple and relatively risk-free business approach. You start by building a dropshipping website offering certain products and then promoting them to your target market.
When a client orders, you will forward their information to your supplier, who will pack and ship the product directly to your customer. Then, you have to notify the consumer with a confirmation.
This method has both advantages and disadvantages. Let us check out them.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of dropshipping?
ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
| Eliminates the cost of production and storage for the product | Choosing a reliable dropshipper to fulfill your orders |
| Simple to start and easy to scale | Less control over the product quality and fulfillment time |
| Easy to add and remove products as per the demand | More people selling the same product |
| Run the business from any part of the world with just a stable internet connection and mobile/laptop | Supplier may go out of stock, and you might have to face a loss |
| You only take care of marketing and customer satisfaction; the rest is taken care of by the manufacturer | Fewer profit margins due to competition |
| No risk of unsold inventory | Increased competition due to the ease of starting a dropshipping business |
Dropshipping has grown fast in the previous decade, as e-commerce giants like Amazon have demonstrated that there is enough market share for online fulfillment services. Additionally, if you want to dropship, WooCommerce makes it more accessible.
Market size of dropshipping
The simplicity with which a dropshipping firm is established has also contributed to its expanding market size. Company owners do not need to keep inventory, eliminating the need for storage space and the upfront expense of acquiring goods. As a result, the start-up costs of a dropshipping firm are significantly reduced.
The average annual growth rate of the dropshipping market size is anticipated to be 23.4% from 2023 to 2030. The highest growth is expected in 2026, when it will grow by 27.82%. Until then, the dropshipping market is predicted to expand by 23.7% between 2020 and 2025.
Dropshipping is a fulfillment method used by 33% of internet retailers, which accounts for around 23% of all online sales.
Electronics account for 30% of dropshipped products.
Manufacturers who use dropshipping make 18.33% more money than traditional channels.
When we look at average order value by business model, dropshipping tops with an AOV of $150. It is followed by Reselling ($127), Hybrid ($80), Manufacturing ($77), and Private Label ($45).
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is a WordPress-based eCommerce platform. If you have not heard of WordPress, it’s the most popular platform for creating any website. WordPress is responsible for 45.8% of all websites on the Internet, and overall, 3.6 million websites are powered by Woocommerce.
WordPress is popular because it is a very adaptable content management system. A content management system is a fancy way of stating “technology that enables non-technical people to maintain a website. Everything can be considered “content,” including eCommerce products!
To build an eCommerce store with WordPress, you use the trendy WordPress base and combine it with the equally massively popular WooCommerce plugin.
WooCommerce is a market-leading platform for developing an effective online store. It has several features designed to simplify small business owners’ lives. With the
appropriate WooCommerce tools, you can build a scalable, adaptable, and flexible dropshipping business.
Furthermore, because WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin, you know you’re receiving all the benefits of a WordPress shop, such as access to Google search optimization services, other WordPress extensions, and many other features.
Whether you are a beginner or have a modest WordPress-based online store, WooCommerce is an excellent tool for quickly getting your business up and running. Dropshipping with WooCommerce is relatively simple, thanks to many custom themes and simple integration. Just install the plugin and start monetizing your artwork or merchandise.
Of course, just because dropshipping is one of the most popular ways to start selling today doesn’t mean it’s without its hurdles. Understanding how to utilize Woocommerce dropshipping plugins effectively and discovering new methods to improve your dropshipping shop might help you earn the profits you deserve.
In less than two years after its launch, the WooCommerce plugin has one million downloads.
- Every day, at least 30,000 people download the WooCommerce plugin from WordPress.org.
- In January 2024 alone, WooCommerce was downloaded about 635,619 times.
- Around 12,639 WooCommerce websites generate more than $100,000 in sales revenue.
- WooCommerce keyword searches have grown. It increased to 44.30% in 2020.
- In the year 2024, WooCommerce has handled nearly 15%of total transactions in 2024.
- WooCommerce platform leads the way with a global market share of 36.68%, followed by
- Squarespace Online Stores and Woo Themes with 14.49% and 14.42%, respectively.
According to the Statista report 2023, WooCommerce was the leading e-commerce software platform worldwide in 2023, with a market share of 39%.
Let’s examine why WooCommerce is the best choice for dropshipping shops.
1. Popularity
To begin with, WooCommerce is the most popular WordPress e-commerce plugin (WordPress powers more than a third of all websites online). Like WordPress, it’s free and open-source, so paying for the platform is unnecessary.
2. Price
WordPress and the core WooCommerce plugin are free. You just need your hosting to run a WooCommerce store, which can be obtained for as low as $5 per month. However, it is better to upgrade once your store starts growing.
3. User-friendly interface
The UI is simple to use. If you have no expertise in e-commerce, WooCommerce is the most accessible platform. It converts your website into a ready-made online store in minutes.
4. Theme selection
You may change the appearance and functionality of your store to seem precisely the way you want, thanks to the various themes created explicitly with WooCommerce in mind. You may even change the appearance of your product pages.
Did you know?
Astra is the most popular theme in the WordPress theme library, with over 1 million active installs and downloads around 3000 times every day.
5. There are no transaction fees
Another advantage of WooCommerce dropshipping is that there are no additional transaction costs, unlike Shopify, which charges a 2.9% + $0.30 for each transaction made with U.S.-issued credit or debit cards on transaction fee if you do not utilize their WooCommerce dropshipping payment gateway system.
6. Flexibility
WordPress and WooCommerce are installed on your web server (whereas Shopify is only a service), and WooCommerce provides far more flexibility. Because you have complete control over your site, you can do whatever you want using WooCommerce.
7. Availability of plugins & extensions
Furthermore, there are dozens of plugins and add-ons explicitly designed for WooCommerce that allow you to extend the functionality of your business. These add-ons will also enable you to link your business with various dropshipping suppliers and other platforms.
8. No product restrictions
Finally, there are no constraints on the types of products you may sell using WooCommerce. If you violate the terms of service, some hosted e-commerce platforms may exclude specific items and even shut down your store without warning.
9. Supports multiple payment methods
There are several payment options. Supporting different payment options is often the key to worldwide success. As a result, by using WooCommerce, you are also accommodating your consumers’ desire to pay in several ways.
How to get started with WooCommerce dropshipping?
Now that we’ve seen why WooCommerce is an excellent choice, let’s know what exactly you need to set up a dropshipping store using WooCommerce.
1. Domain name and hosting
Choose a brandable domain name that reflects your niche and products. The domain should be short, easy to spell, and have a .com extension if possible. You can register a domain via platforms like GoDaddy or Namecheap or directly through your hosting provider.
Your domain name is your store’s permanent Internet address, such as amazon.com, so you should choose something that is:
- Relevant
- Brandable
- Memorable
For WooCommerce, you’ll need WordPress-compatible hosting. Look for a provider that offers fast speeds, great support, and easy installation, as well as automatic SSL certificates for WordPress. Here are some popular choices:
SiteGround (Excellent for WordPress hosting)
Bluehost (Recommended by WordPress.org)
Kinsta (High-performance hosting)
WP Engine (Good for managed WordPress hosting
2. The WooCommerce plugin with WordPress
After deciding on a domain name and a reputable hosting provider, it is time to install WordPress.
Install WordPress: Most hosting providers have a one-click WordPress installation.
Install WooCommerce: After setting up WordPress, go to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins – Add New, and search for the WooCommerce plugin. Click Install Now and then Activate.
WooComme Settings: When you first activate the plugin, you can easily set up your store’s general settings, payment methods, shipping zones, tax settings, and more using the WooCommerce Setup Wizard.
3. Best WooCommerce theme for dropshipping
Before smashing records and selling your merch art, you must make your WordPress shop unique and easily identifiable. Fortunately, WooCommerce took care of everything as well. There are hundreds of readily customizable, paid, and free themes.
The “theme” of your site defines how your store looks, which influences how likely customers are to buy from you. Your store’s conversion rate is the percentage of visitors that make a purchase. And if you want a high conversion rate, you’ll need a conversion-optimized WordPress theme.
If you’re on a tight budget, several free WooCommerce themes are available. Nonetheless, purchasing a premium choice is typically a brilliant idea if you can afford it. Professional WooCommerce themes often cost between $60 and $100.
Tip: Choose a theme compatible with WooCommerce and looks excellent on all sorts of devices.
4. Develop website content
We frequently say in e-commerce that content is king; developing unique and original texts is your primary instrument for spreading the word about your business and capturing the attention of your clients. Although WooCommerce has a user-friendly design, you must organize your products and write appropriate descriptions for each.
Tip: Your FAQ page might become an everlasting source of organic traffic for your online shop. Answer frequently asked questions about the items, such as their functioning, or include a link to return policies.
Remember to include a contact and privacy policy page so your consumers may contact you with questions.
To increase organic traffic, use the most crucial keywords in your meta titles and descriptions. Be sure to include those keywords on your homepage and in SEO-related content.
5. Configure store functionality
To automate your WooCommerce dropshipping store with minimal effort, we recommend installing the WooCommerce Dropshipping add-on. This plugin connects your store to suppliers’ inventories, automates order fulfillment, and allows you to set up custom email alerts for vendors when an order is placed.
Tip: For a cost-effective, automatic solution, the WooCommerce Dropshipping plugin is ideal.
If you offer a small product range from a single supplier, you can manage products using the standard WooCommerce features. However, for larger inventories, it is recommended that you use a plugin to connect directly to suppliers.
For print-on-demand dropshipping, the Qikink Print-on-Demand plugin is a free option.
6. Launch your eCommerce dropshipping store
Before you launch, test everything! Place a test order, check your checkout process, ensure emails are being sent correctly, and verify that your payment methods work. Once you’ve finished those procedures, you’re ready to begin your dropshipping store! Launch your store and discover what it can earn.
Connect your WooCommerce shop with Qikink’s WooCommerce plugin today
Integrate Your WooCommerce with Qikink in Minutes!
Do you want to take your company to the next level with innovative plugins and smart APIs? Do you wish to spend more time building your business than on time-consuming order operations?
With the Qikink’sl plugin for WooCommerce, you can concentrate on expanding your business. At the same time, they handle end-to-end fulfillment and manage every step of your customer’s orders, from printing to shipping.
With Qikink’s WooCommerce plugin, you can access a catalog of 300+ product alternatives, which you can quickly add to your website to expand your product variety and achieve seamless operations automation.
Integrating your Woo-commerce store with Qikink is easy. You just need to install the app and simply connect it with Qikink. Once your store is connected, we process all the orders seamlessly.
Here are the steps to Connect your WooCommerce shop with Qikink
Step 1: Go to your WooCommerce site, navigate to plugins, click on add new, and type qi kink in the search bar.
Step 2: The Qikink app plugin will be listed. Click Install Now and then activate once it is installed.
Step 3: Next, go back to the plugins menu and click on installed plugins. Next, search for the Qikink app again and click on settings under the Qikink app plugin.
Step 4:
- Next, enter your Qikink user name.
- Connect and check your email for OTP.
- Authenticate your account.
You will receive a successful authentication message.
Step 5: Now click approve to connect your woocommerce store with qikink.
After this, you will see a message confirming the successful connection.
Step 6: Next, you can start pushing and pulling orders from your store.
Qikink’s WooCommerce features
The Qikink’s woo-commerce plugin is not only easy to install but comes with easy automation like
1. Push products directly to your store.
Once Qikink’s woocommerce plugin is installed, you can push products directly to your website with the size and color variants, meta titles, product descriptions, tags, price, and stock.
2. Auto fulfillment of orders
After an order is placed on your website, Qikink’s WooCommerce plugin pulls it automatically under store orders and starts the printing and shipping.
3. Tracking information
After the order is printed and shipped from Qikink’s warehouse, the tracking number is automatically updated on your woo-commerce backend, and tracking information is sent to your customer under your brand name.
The order is marked ‘ Completed ‘ once the tracking information is updated on the woocommerce back.
Final thoughts
If you’re thinking of a low-risk, low-cost online business idea, try WooCommerce dropshipping.
The benefit of WooCommerce dropshipping is that it combines the flexibility and power of WordPress with the ability to collaborate with thousands of suppliers. Not only that, but dropshipping could turn into a profitable business if you keep up with the latest trends and insights.
Sure, dropshipping has some disadvantages (such as a lack of quality control), but there are also several advantages (such as eliminating the need to hold inventory).
Set up, stock, and launch your store with WooCommerce, and choose a host that will keep your site up and operating on the backend despite traffic fluctuations.
We’ve outlined dropshipping and the actions you must take to get started. The only thing left is to put the ideas into action and get started.
Please leave your queries regarding WooCommerce dropshipping in the comments area below.
Read More
- Print on Demand for WooCommerce: A Complete Guide to Custom Products
- Your Ultimate Guide to Shopify Dropshipping: Building a Profitable Online Store with Minimal Risk
- Scaling Your Print-on-Demand Business on Shopify: Key Considerations
- How To Sell On Etsy India – A Guide From Setup To Sales
- How To Choose Between Shopify Vs WooCommerce For Print on Demand eCommerce Store?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it simple to get started with dropshipping?
Dropshipping is one of the simplest ways to launch an eCommerce business. Individuals with little skills and money can start a low-risk dropshipping business. Simply select a niche and trustworthy supplier, set up the store, manage legal and financial affairs, and promote the business.
Why opt for Qikink’s dropshipping services?
Qikink is passionate about the print industry and assists artists, digital illustrators, entrepreneurs, and businesses in transforming their ideas into printed products and starting their brands online.
With Qikink, you can
- Create unique products
- Sell online without inventory
- Reach out to customers all across the world with International shipping
- Take advantage of FREE woo commerce integration.
How does qikink’s woocommerce plugin work?
Once you install the qikink’s woo-commerce plugin, you can
- Push products directly to your store.
- Automatically process your store orders with qikink
- Update tracking information on your woocommerce store
What are the initial steps to set up WooCommerce for dropshipping?
To set up your dropshipping store with WooCommerce, follow these steps:
- install WordPress,
- add the WooCommerce plugin,
- configure settings,
- select a theme,
- add products, and
- set up payment and
- shipping methods
How do you choose a suitable dropshipping platform or supplier for your e-commerce store?
When selecting a platform or supplier for dropshipping, it’s essential to consider factors such as product quality, shipping times and costs, pricing, customer service, and reliability. You can conduct online research and compare various options to identify the best fit for your store.
What is the role of a WooCommerce dropshipping plugin, and how do you install one?
To streamline the dropshipping process, consider using a WooCommerce dropshipping plugin. With a plugin, you can
- import products from your supplier,
- manage inventory, and
- automate order fulfillment.
To get started, search for and install a plugin from the WordPress plugin directory or purchase one from a third-party provider.
