Dropshipping From AliExpress To Shopify In 2025: Complete Guide

Dropshipping from AliExpress to Shopify is a popular business model for entrepreneurs looking to launch an eCommerce store with minimal upfront investment. In this comprehensive guide, we will take you through the entire process of setting up and operating a dropshipping business using AliExpress and Shopify. Let’s explore each step in detail.

1. Find Winning Products to Sell

The first and most crucial step in dropshipping is finding profitable products to sell. Here’s how you can identify the best items to add to your Shopify store.

• Conduct Market Research: The key to selecting successful products is to understand your target market. Use tools like Google Trends, Ubersuggest, and social media to spot trending products. Popular categories on AliExpress, such as electronics, beauty products, and home decor, tend to have high sales potential.

• Check Product Popularity: On AliExpress, each product comes with a number of customer reviews and ratings. A product with a high number of positive reviews is usually a good indicator that customers are satisfied with it. This helps you avoid low-quality items that could damage your reputation. Look for products with at least a 4.5-star rating and hundreds of reviews.

• Analyze Profit Margins: Calculate the price difference between what you would pay to suppliers on AliExpress and the price you want to sell the product for on your Shopify store. Ensure that the margin is substantial enough to cover Shopify fees, shipping costs, and still provide you with a profit. Remember that your product’s price must be competitive with similar products available in the market.

• Niche Down: While it might seem appealing to offer a broad range of products, narrowing your focus to a niche can help you stand out in a crowded market. For example, you could focus solely on eco-friendly products, fitness accessories, or pet supplies, which could attract a targeted customer base looking for specific items.

2. Create an Account with AliExpress & Shopify

After identifying the products you want to sell, the next step is to set up your online store. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

• Create Your Shopify Account: Go to Shopify’s website and sign up for an account. Shopify offers a 14-day free trial, so you can start building your store without any upfront cost. After signing up, you’ll be prompted to select a store name, and then you can begin designing your store.

• Set Up Your Shopify Store: Customize the look of your Shopify store by choosing a theme that suits your brand. Shopify provides a variety of free and paid themes. Add important pages, such as an About Us, Contact, FAQ, and Shipping & Returns pages. Set up payment methods, such as PayPal and credit card options, so that you can accept payments from customers.

• Create an Account on AliExpress: Visit AliExpress, create an account, and start exploring the products available. You’ll need to sign up for free and create a buyer account, which will allow you to order products from suppliers to fulfill customer orders.

• Choose a Domain Name: Consider purchasing a custom domain name for your Shopify store. Having a branded domain name (e.g., www.YourStoreName.com) makes your store look more professional and builds trust with customers.

3. Set Up Your Shopify Store for Dropshipping

Once you have both accounts set up, it’s time to tailor your Shopify store for dropshipping. The goal is to make it as easy as possible to manage products, fulfill orders, and run your business.

• Install Dropshipping Apps: Shopify has a range of apps designed to streamline the dropshipping process. Install an app like DSers, Oberlo, or Spocket, which allows you to import products directly from AliExpress to your Shopify store with ease. These apps also enable automatic updates for inventory levels, pricing changes, and product details.

• Choose a Store Theme: Your store theme plays a key role in how potential customers perceive your brand. Choose a clean, mobile-responsive theme that showcases your products well. Most Shopify themes allow customization, so you can adjust colors, fonts, and layout to match your brand’s personality.

• Configure Your Store Settings: Set up essential features like shipping rates, tax settings, and returns policy. These settings will help automate various aspects of your business and save time when fulfilling orders.

4. Import Products from AliExpress to Shopify

Now comes the fun part: adding products to your store. Here’s how you can import products seamlessly from AliExpress to Shopify.

• Use a Dropshipping App: Apps like Oberlo and DSers make it incredibly easy to import products. Once you’ve chosen a product, click on the “Import to Store” button, and the product will be added to your Shopify store, complete with product details, images, and prices.

• Customize Product Details: After importing a product, you can adjust its title, description, and images to better align with your branding. It’s important to write your own product descriptions to make them unique, rather than using the default descriptions from AliExpress, which can be copied by other sellers.

• Adjust Pricing: You can set your own pricing rules for products. Many dropshipping apps allow you to automatically set a markup (for example, a 30% markup on all products). Alternatively, you can manually adjust the prices of individual products based on their cost and your desired profit margin.

• Stock and Inventory Management: AliExpress suppliers frequently update their inventory levels. Dropshipping apps sync with your Shopify store, allowing you to keep track of stock availability automatically. This reduces the chance of selling products that are out of stock.

5. Market Your Products

Marketing is crucial to drive traffic to your store and convert visitors into paying customers. Here are some ways to effectively market your dropshipping store:

• Facebook & Instagram Ads: Use paid advertising to target specific demographics and drive traffic to your Shopify store. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to create highly targeted ads based on user interests, behavior, and location.

• Content Marketing & SEO: Optimize your Shopify store and product pages for search engines by using relevant keywords. Create blog posts, videos, or social media content around your niche and share them on platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. This helps build organic traffic to your store over time.

• Influencer Marketing: Collaborate with influencers in your niche to promote your products to a wider audience. Influencers can help create brand awareness and drive traffic to your Shopify store through sponsored posts or affiliate marketing.

• Email Marketing: Set up an email marketing strategy to keep your customers engaged. Send abandoned cart reminders, promotional offers, and product updates to customers who have subscribed to your store.

6. Fulfill Customer Orders on Shopify

Once customers place an order on your Shopify store, it’s time to fulfill their orders.

• Place the Order on AliExpress: After receiving an order, go to your AliExpress account, locate the product, and place the order using the customer’s details. Many dropshipping apps, such as Oberlo and DSers, allow you to fulfill orders with one click.

• Shipping & Tracking: Once the supplier ships the product, AliExpress will provide tracking details. Share the tracking number with your customers so they can track their order.

• Customer Service: Stay in contact with customers throughout the process. If there are delays in shipping, proactively inform them and offer compensation if necessary. A good customer experience will encourage repeat business.