How To Start AliExpress Dropshipping Business

January 12, 2020
Dropshipping
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The only guide to starting an AliExpress Dropshipping business is what you need to know to sell products online. If you are searching the internet for an all-inclusive AliExpress dropshipping guide, you have come to the right place.

We will look at everything you need to get started selling online with this excellent platform.

Does that sound great?

Brilliant, let’s dive into it.

What is Aliexpress Dropshipping Business?
What are Dsers?
Order Samples
A Few Dropshipping Tips

What is Aliexpress Dropshipping Business?

If you are new to e-commerce selling, you may need clarification on dropshipping.

In a nutshell, it is a business model that allows you to sell online. When a customer makes a purchase, your supplier ships the products directly to the buyer on your behalf.

It’s almost self-evident that you will sell your provider’s products at a profit; it is how you will make your money.

Generally, you can market and sell a $5 product you bought on AliExpress for as much as $20, which is a substantial ROI.

It’s possible to earn a massive return on investment, making dropshipping more attractive than other business models, such as affiliate marketing.

If you are not familiar with it, when you sell affiliate items, you earn a commission predetermined by the provider.

As you should know by now, with dropshipping, you price your products to generate higher revenues.

Dropshipping is also more laid-back than opening brick-and-mortar stores, like the ones you see on the boulevard.

With the in-person shop, the businessperson has to find winning product ideas, locate manufacturers and suppliers, and then pay for the products and their shipment.

Not to mention the stress and strain of marketing the brand to achieve those vital sales.

Unfortunately, you could squander all this time and money only to discover that your chosen product moves better.

That is the gamble you take with conventional commerce.

With the e-commerce dropshipping model, you will save on the above.

Why You Should Dropship

Until now, we have only scratched the surface of dropshipping.

Before discussing the finer points of AliExpress, it would be helpful to explain why so many businesspeople utilize dropshipping.

Enjoy location Freedom

Like most online businesses, you can run your dropshipping operation anywhere in the world.

If you envision yourself as a digital traveler, dropshipping is an excellent way to bring that dream to life.

Tons of Money to be made

As we have alluded, if done correctly, significant money can be made through dropshipping.

Consider Tim Kock, for example. He ventured into dropshipping and generated a substantial profit ($6,667 in under eight weeks).

Only some people who venture into dropshipping are destined for a success story quite as remarkable as Tim Kock’s, but you get the drift.

There are numerous opportunities to make a substantial income.

Besides, a considerable budget is optional for the launch.

Even when it comes to learning the ropes, you won’t shell out $ 100s of dollars on impressive courses sold by the experts.

Several video tutorials, blog posts, and podcasts are also available.

Within a few days, you can learn how to set up and launch a successful e-commerce business without spending a dime.

The Internet is Your Gem

With a pool of more than three billion people online and seemingly infinite products to sell in your store, you will likely find a profitable market.

The internet is your gem; therefore, explore it for your niche. Your creativity is unlimited.

What is AliExpress?

AliExpress is a giant Chinese online retailer owned by the Alibaba Group.

Inaugurated in 2010, it consists of thousands of merchants selling merchandise online to store owners worldwide.

Currently, at the time of writing, AliRxpress’s site is available in the following languages:

-Spanish

-English

-Italian

-French

-Dutch

-Portuguese

-Russian

-Polish

-German

With so many styles accommodated, it’s no wonder that AliExpress is well-liked by entrepreneurs worldwide.

Undoubtedly, there are numerous online retailers you can use to jumpstart your dropshipping.

However, AliExpress is the most renowned platform, and there are good reasons for this.

As implied, AliExpress lists hundreds, if not thousands, of trustworthy merchants selling products at realistic prices.

Additionally, most business owners have been using AliExpress for a long time; thus, suppliers are experienced in catering to entrepreneurs’ needs and often endeavor to meet their wishes.

Selling AliExpress merchandise has no upfront cost, so you can try various products without worrying about losing money.

The minute you dig deeper into the feasibility of AliExpress dropshipping, you will find many apps that can import images and details of AliExpress listings to your store.

Whether dropshipping is your full-time gig or a side hustle, time is money. If you want to automate most of your business with plugins like these, we will elaborate on this later.

AliExpress Products Are Excellent Quality-Usually

Like other mass online retailers, AliExpress sells its fair share of ‘ineffective’ products.

However, the main difference between AliExpress and other companies is the ease with which you can find high-quality products.

Because the vast majority of folks use their services, their review section is ablaze!

You want to use this to your advantage.

To enhance the prospects of landing a supplier selling products of superior quality, consider the following:

Work with suppliers priding themselves on positive feedback ratings of no less than 95%
To get a sense and feel of a supplier’s performance, use merchants with a feedback score of no less than 2,000
Head to the review section at the bottom of the product listing. It is essential to consider the opinions of other e-commerce merchants of the supplier.

Failure to do so risks banking on unreliable AliExpress suppliers and damaging your brand’s reputation.

It is prudent to run your business with vendors who have been thoroughly vetted and verified.

Within moments on this platform, you will get a feel for which products showcase superior quality.

Tip: On the AliExpress product listing, click the feedback tab to view the provider’s score.

Hack: Positive Feedback refers to the supplier’s feedback rate, whereas the Feedback score is the vendor’s sales volume.

Any other advice?

Do not just choose the supplier with the lowest price, even if it is tempting.

It is worth remembering that if everyone uses the cheapest, inferior-quality product, the AliExpress standard will generally be as deep.

Instead, compare prices across suppliers offering similar products.

Suppose many sellers market their merchandise at approximately the same price point, but a few merchants sell at a significantly lower price. In that case, the latter has compromised quality.

It would help to avoid vendors who compromise on quality. However, you also want to avoid brands that deal with trashy products.

AliExpress Shipping is Budget-Friendly

Despite most AliExpress products originating from China, shipping costs are either exceptionally low or free, which is a significant incentive.

Free shipping almost always sweetens the deal and could be the all-important factor that convinces customers to complete the purchase.

However, if you want your clients to receive their products swiftly, you can use AliExpress’s ePacket, a premium shipping option.

If you choose ePacket Delivery shipping, your order will arrive in the UK, Australia, or the US in 7 to 14 days.

Sometimes, your profit margins may take a hit owing to premium shipping, but it is worthwhile. Customer satisfaction is crucial in sustaining customer loyalty.

Tip: The Dsers Dropshipping App can help you identify which products in your niche offer ePacket delivery options.

Launching AliExpress Dropshipping

From the above reading, get your skates on. Here’s how to get started.

Pick a niche

A niche is a specific segment of an industry. For example, baby accessories and gym gear are great niches.

If you are still deciding on a niche to establish yourself in, browse AliExpress and other online marketplaces for ideas.

While at it, enumerate the niches you like their sound bite.

If you still fail to garner inspiration, the following spots are fantastic for jumpstarting your product research:

Amazon Best Sellers
AliExpress Weekly’s most popular product
eBay Daily deals
Lazada top seller
LightInTheBox’s top sellers list

Tip: Pin down a niche you are enthusiastic about. If you love yoga, for instance, you can sell yoga mats, sports bottles, exercise clothing, and other related items.

Creating content and marketing your store are likely straightforward processes.

Besides, a sincere passion for the merchandise you are selling is critical, as it will help keep you motivated once the novelty of running a business wears off.

Word of guidance: Pin down a niche with many product options. You want products that are not readily available in mainstream e-commerce or street stores.

But they are more comfortable selling a product niche with higher demand.

Now, what’s next?

Type the product brainwaves and list of niches into Google’s Keyword Planner.

Then select Keyword Ideas to see how many people are searching for the products and related keywords.

This type of info helps you avoid niches with little to no traffic.

Hack: The hush-hush to performing proper keyword research is balancing search traffic and competition, which can prove treacherous.

In other words, you want Keywords scoring low in competition but still ranking for a high volume of searches.

If you find striking a balance between the two components of a Keyword, a handy tool like AHREFs can help you pinpoint high-converting keywords.

We can also vouch for trends.google.com

Please copy and paste the list of prospective products and check whether their demand is increasing or decreasing.

Do you see unusual patterns?

You will need to sidestep niches where products lose popularity or the mass of merchandise is seasonal. Otherwise, marketing your store will be an uphill task.

Products to Spur Your Creativeness

The following products will spark your creative juices and help clear the uncertainties.

Phone Grips

I’m sure you have accidentally smashed your smartphone’s screen at least once.

Phone grips strongly suggest themselves as idyllic solutions to genuine client problems.

They have a reasonable markup and are thus easy to market and money-spinning- a win-win!

Fitness Leggings

Fitness of all costumes, more leggings tend to sell well.

Magnetic Eyelashes

As we have alluded to, when choosing e-commerce products to sell, the nicer, the better.

And magnetic eyelashes cut.

To hit the ground running with dropshipping, use Shopify and Dsers Dropshipping Apps.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is an e-commerce store builder used by many drop shippers. Within hours, you can create a fabulous digital store and start selling.

However, after two weeks of free trials, you will be required to pay for the software. Additionally, you must fill out the merchandise in your store and enter it into the Dsers App.

What are Dsers?

Most aspects of your dropshipping business can be automated, so Dsers is a good place to start. First things first:

Download the Dsers extension onto your Shopify store.
Import AliExpress merchandise you want to click the button sell-just
A client buys your merchandise.
Shopify sends payment through a PayPal account.
Dsers finds the product on AliExpress on your behalf, automatically fills in your details, and purchases it from the AliExpress supplier.
The AliExpress supplier ships the order directly to the address.
Once the order is dispatched, it sends the client a tracking code on your behalf, and voilà! It is that simple.

Many vendors sign up to sell their goods via Dsers, offering a wide range of products from various niches.

You will find what allures your audience, from toys to electronics, beauty to fashion.

Dsers handles your products’ storage, packaging, and shipment, thus freeing up time for you.

Now, you can concentrate on growing the brand, marketing, and generating all those crucial sales.

The best part is that you can shorten the process to just two clicks: one to place the order and one to finalize it.

Are you on a tight budget? Worry not: for Shopify users, Dsers is free for the first 500 products for beginners—500 is a massive number!

Finally, Dsers keeps you informed about changes to inventory or product prices, so technically, you will always be aware of the situation.

Order Samples

Only be tempted to sell dropshipping products after inspecting them first.

Ordering a sample is the only way to ensure your store sells what your clients can trust.

Tip: Opt for Express delivery if you order a couple of items. You should receive the samples within a few days in this manner.

With samples, we can hit the ground running sooner than yesterday.

A Few Dropshipping Tips

As an additional benefit, here are a few dropshipping tips to help you take off.

Setting Product Prices

Dropshipping enables you to set your own product prices.

However, beware of overpricing your merchandise. Today, online shoppers are more savvy than ever.

Therefore, they will know when they are being taken advantage of.

You risk driving customers away from your site to your competitors when you price your items too high.

Be Wary of Branded Products

Therefore, legitimate luxury brands on AliExpress refrain from gambling and selling them.

They are likely counterfeit products, and you risk infringing on copyrights.

AliExpress dissuades its merchants from these types of products to the extent that you can not search for Chanel or Versace, given that these Keywords are blocked.

Solely Use Responsive Suppliers

You want to send a message to an AliExpress merchant before committing, to see how long it takes them to respond.

This way, you will also be able to understand how well the suppliers express themselves in English- a crucial skill for effective communication.

If weeks pass without a response or the merchant’s response is futile, they may not be worth transacting with.

If you reach the point of urgently calling the supplier and they are unwilling and unable to offer a helpful solution, you will undoubtedly run into trouble.

Learn the Art of eCommerce

Debuting a dropshipping business is easy; it is a straightforward process.

However, it would help if you learned a couple of things, namely, how to attract qualified traffic to your store.

There is no other way to say this: No traffic, you will not make sales, period!

There are many traffic generation techniques, and it is prudent to research them.

It would be best if you learned the basics of:

SEO
Social media ads-Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, et cetera
Pay per ad
Email marketing

A blend of the above will help shore up traction to lock in your first few sales.

In the future, you will review your stats and understand which marketing strategy fits your niche.

Then hone and focus on that. Let data do the talking in marketing.

Hack: Request custom packaging and directly reach out to your supplier to see how that pans out.

What if You Do Not Wish to Use Shopify?

If you’re looking for an alternative to Shopify, WooCommerce is a fantastic option, especially if you already have a WordPress website.

In brief, WooCommerce is a downloadable plugin that allows you to set up an e-commerce store within WordPress.

Similar to Shopify, WooCommerce is a budget-friendly and built-in option that allows you to:

Sort taxes
Sell both physical and digital products
Make secure payments
Manage inventory and shipping risks

WooCommerce is open and accessible, just like WordPress; you can download and modify the plugin for free.

Although WooCommerce is extremely powerful, it is beginner-friendly and requires no coding knowledge.

How do I dropship using WooCommerce?

Enters WooDropship.

WooDropShip

Correctly, what does it do? As you know, WooDropship is the WooCommerce form of Dsers.

The extension lets you do the following:

Add and sell AliExpress items.
Ship products directly to your clients
A fixed price for your products is free, allowing you to set the desired profit margin on each AliExpress merchandise you sell and adjust the pricing of your bulk products.
Access the inventory and price-syncing tools: WooCommerce automatically updates your sales page whenever the price changes or a product is out of stock on AliExpress.
An intuitive image editor lets you click it to remove any watermark from the AliExpress product image.
Customize your product details, titles, images, descriptions, variants, and more to ensure all sales pages showcase the beauty of your store.

Pros and Cons of AliExpress Dropshipping

Pros

Let’s start with the positive.

You can Buy Cheap Products.
As with shipping, the mass of products retailed on AliExpress is unbelievably cost-effective.
Because shipping is often either free or extremely inexpensive, you will likely be able to make a reasonable product markup.

It is Easier to Sell Maintenance Products

Typically, some items cost more to store and ship than others. The more complex the delivery to clients, the more convenient it is to dropship the merchandise through AliExpress.

By ‘Hard-to-Ship’ Products, it is inferred to mean the following:

Heavy products: The heavier the product, the higher the shipping cost. This cost often reduces profit margins.
More oversized products: Products that take up enormous space to store.
Valuables: High-value products needing additional security and insurance
Fragile products: Items that require specialized care while in transit

It makes no sense to pay excessive shipping and storage fees when it is possible to drop-ship this merchandise from AliExpress to your store at no exorbitant cost.

Cons

Now, let’s look at the drawbacks of AliExpress dropshipping. Be Wary of False Ads.

Unquestionably, this is AliExpress’s nightmare.

Here, false ads refer to cases where an item on AliExpress appears to be high-quality online. Still, in reality, the product’s quality fails to meet either the customer’s or your expectations.

To minimize the risk of encountering false ads, follow our tips about finding a trustworthy supplier on AliExpress.

Much Longer Shipment Times

On AliExpress, vendors’ turnaround times vary considerably. Shipping orders takes seven days, and others can take up to 60 days.

The discrepancies may turn off some clients, especially when competitors like Amazon Prime can ship as early as the next day.

Return Can Be a Nightmare

Returning your clients’ orders to the primary AliExpress seller and obtaining refunds can be a hassle.

Some suppliers offer a small refund to encourage you to keep the product. This is because shipping it back is too expensive and time-consuming, and the hassle is not worthwhile.

Furthermore, you should discuss returns and refunds with your supplier before committing to transact with them.

Tip: If you believe you are entitled to a refund from the AliExpress supplier, and it has not been forthcoming, contact the AliExpress customer care team directly.

A refund is sometimes offered, depending on the product and the merchant.

But this is no guarantee.

FAQs

If the above reading has kindled a few questions, find answers to frequently asked questions about AliExpress Dropshipping.

Why would anyone buy from me if they could get a similar product at a lower price on AliExpress?

Retailers have been buying products at low prices and selling them at higher rates for profit for ages.

If you think about it, it is how conventional brick-and-mortar stores have transacted for immemorial.

Therefore, you can have a better shopping experience with more time and effort than on AliExpress.

Tools like Shopify and Dsers will help you create dependable stores that customers feel comfortable purchasing from.

Additionally, providing customers with valuable content gives you a winning combination.

You can offer a free e-book or publish a blog. These strategies work magic in building trust with your audience and establishing your clout in the industry.

What Can I Do if AliExpress Takes Too Long to Ship?

You may be startled to learn that many shoppers have no qualms about longer waiting times, but the numbers don’t lie: Alibaba generated over $17.7 billion in sales in just one day.

It is self-evident that there are folks out there who do not mind waiting for their products.

If you clearly state your delivery times on sales pages, you shouldn’t worry.

Much of it boils down to setting realistic client expectations. Furthermore, if you sell products at competitive prices, you often realize that people tend to wait when you give a discount.

So, I Need To Return an AliExpress Product: How Do I Go About That?

In general, AleExpress suppliers do not accept returns. In that case, you can own it; however, you will need to work out how to manage returns and refunds.

You must clearly state and publish a return policy on your store’s website.

Tip: Google search ‘template return policies’ and pin down one that you can modify to fit your needs.

While creating your refund policy, consider why someone might want to return your product.

Typically, if a customer wants a refund, it is either:

1. They did not receive their order

As such, contact the AliExpress supplier directly to solve the issue.

Addressing these issues decisively at the sprout stage is essential because they can significantly impact your brand’s reputation.

2. The product got damaged en route to their delivery address.

Unfortunately, the product gets damaged during its delivery to the client.

You must ask the buyer to take a photo of the damaged item,

It enables you to inquire with the supplier more efficiently and then make the necessary arrangements for the refund.

Does Amazon Allow Dropshipping? If So, How Does It Work?

Conventional dropshipping isn’t permitted on the Amazon platform. So, to answer your question, the answer is no.

But that does not mean you have to fulfill the orders yourself.

To achieve this, consider Fulfillment by Amazon (Amazon FBA), which operates similarly to regular dropshipping, handling the picking, packaging, and shipping of your orders on your behalf.

How it works.

Set up your Amazon FBA account
Create your Product Listing
Ship your products to Amazon and handle the rest.
‘The rest’ means;
-Select, pack, and ship your products
-Furnish the customer with tracking info
-Customer service-include returns

However, there is a fulfillment fee that varies by item size and the time of year. Typically, you should prepare to pay $3 per lightweight item.

Additionally, you can add Amazon as a sales channel to your Shopify store using the Amazon plugin.

It tracks your inventory and informs you on your Shopify dashboard whenever there are Amazon orders to fulfill.

Is AliExpress Dropshipping Dead?

Unequivocal No.

In recent years, entrepreneurs have generated millions of dollars through dropshipping, suggesting substantial earnings.

But it would help if you let some creative juice flow to stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

The stats from real-life case studies speak for themselves. In 2017, Johnny FD made a whopping ($203,728.15 in net profit dropshipping); this business isn’t dead!

Is Dropshipping from AliExpress Profitable?

Again, the answer is affirmative- yes, but dropshipping from AliExpress portends the possibility of being incredibly profitable.

It would be best to account for yourself by drawing up a plan that outlines how much you want to earn, then calculating how many products you must sell to reach your target.

Setting clear goals and objectives will go a long way.

Is AliExpress a drop shipper?

No.

A drop shipper is a store owner who “dropships” merchandise from suppliers on the AliExpress platform.

Are There Any Decent AliExpress Alternatives?

There are lots of options for AliExpress, and the following are a couple of them:

Salehoo

SaleHoo is another excellent alternative to AliExpress for dropshipping businesses.

Like others herein, Salehoo offers a large pool of trusted suppliers. To top it all off, Salehoo has tutorial videos on hacks to make the most of its marketplace.

User feedback reports that Salehoo’s customer support is helpful and friendly.

Wholesales2B

In contrast to AliExpress, Wholesale2B is a US-based wholesale supplier directory.

On its platform, there are two million products spanning more than 120 categories, updated daily.

Wholesale2B is a superb option for AliExpress if you reside in the United States.

Wholesale2B perfectly describes itself as a “one-stop shop” for drop shippers. In addition to reliable suppliers, it offers guidance on setting up an online store.

It integrates with most e-commerce platforms, including Shopify, WooCommerce, eBay, Amazon, and Bigcommerce.

To help you have a sense of what kinds of merchandise you find, Wholesale2B items categories examples are:

-Pets

-Baby Products

-Electronics

-Apparel

-Bath

-Collectibles

-Bedding

-Groceries

-Gifts

-Exercise and fitness

–Health and beauty

Ordering and inventory control are straightforward on Wholesale2B’s dashboard- clicking a button automates both.

They handle refunds and returns on your behalf, but surcharge you a whopping six (3% +$2.50 transaction fees on every sale made)

DHGate

DHGate, like AliExpress, offers a wide range of products; therefore, comparing prices on their platforms to maximize profits is a feasible option.

Both AliExpress and DHGate use ePacket shipment.

Merchants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and other Asian countries sell on DHGate’s platform, which offers 10 million products.

There is something for everyone here, and you can pay via PayPal.

DHGate product categories have the following to offer:

-Home

-outdoor and sports

-Apparel

-Watches and Jewelry

-Beauty

-Toys and Hobbies

Banggood

This e-commerce marketplace prides itself on being the”Mecca” of low-priced items.

On this platform, we are spoiled for choice, with more than four million products listed in the US, China, and Hong Kong.

The site is not renowned, but its popularity makes it the go-to spot for locating fresh items for your audience.

Banggood lists products in niches as follows:

-Drones and Robots

-Gardening and outdoor

-Clothing

-Outdoor and Sports

-Smartphones and computers

-Home and Beauty

They offer Visa cards or PayPal payment options.

Banggood also offers Airparcel and ePacket shipping options. Shipping can take between 7 and 30 days to reach your client.

Conclusion

If you have reached this final section, you have read this detailed guide and are now ready to start AliExpress dropshipping.

Have you tried AliExpress dropshipping before?

If yes, please share your experience in the comments below, along with any helpful tips or hacks from which our readers can benefit.

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