How To Use Aliexpress Dropshipping Center (2026)

By Samwel Dollah | Founder, DropshippingIt.com

I have used the AliExpress Dropshipping Center for product research across multiple stores. This guide explains the current access process, as the previous advice to “place enough orders to get noticed” is now outdated. Several original tools have also changed since this guide was first published.

Last updated: June 2026 | Originally published 2021

You may have encountered the AliExpress Dropshipping Center and wondered about its purpose. Is it comparable to DSers, another widely used dropshipping tool?

This guide will clarify its features and differences.

AliExpress is designed for convenience and has enabled many users to launch and grow e-commerce stores efficiently.

AliExpress plays a crucial role in the dropshipping industry.

It serves as the primary source for most dropshippers to find and sell products.

AliExpress offers millions of products at competitive prices, allowing dropshippers to maintain strong profit margins.

The AliExpress Dropshipping Center, also known as the AliExpress Booster Program, offers features such as product analysis tools, order management, and customer service support. These features help dropshippers operate their stores more efficiently.

The AliExpress Dropshipping Center enables dropshippers to find and analyze products. It offers data and insights to identify profitable items, assess performance, and locate reliable suppliers.

As of 2026, AliExpress offers over 111 million SKUs in more than 5,900 categories, representing nearly 10% of the global e-commerce market. The Dropshipping Center helps users navigate this extensive selection.

What Is the AliExpress Dropshipping Center?

The AliExpress Dropshipping Center was developed to help dropshippers identify high-demand products for their Shopify stores. It provides a ranked list of AliExpress products by sales volume, enabling analysis before listing.

The tool allows users to efficiently find and analyze products to sell.

Important for 2026: The Dropshipping Center does not import products directly into your store. It is strictly a research tool. For importing and order automation, you will need a separate app such as DSers, Spocket, or AutoDS.

Its free access makes the tool especially appealing.

There are no additional costs to use the AliExpress Dropshipping Center, which can help you save compared to other product research tools.

Features of the AliExpress Dropshipping Center

The AliExpress Dropshipping Center provides significant value, and its free status is especially attractive for those new to dropshipping.

For beginners on a limited budget, this tool can be a valuable asset for scaling quickly.

Key features of the tool include:

It helps users identify trending products to sell on AliExpress, which is its primary purpose.

Depending on your niche, it helps you find popular dropshipping products.

Before launching a dropshipping business, selecting a niche is essential.

Choosing a niche streamlines your product search by focusing on relevant items.

After selecting your niche and refining your search, it becomes easier to identify trending products for your customers.

It is important to note that the catalog is updated by AliExpress’s backend algorithm and reflects the platform’s current popularity. This does not guarantee profitability for your store. Use it as a starting point for research, not as confirmation of a product’s success.

The AliExpress Dropshipping Center includes two main tools to simplify product discovery:

Hot Selling Products

The Hot Selling Products tool displays top dropshipping products across various niches.

It is useful for finding inspiration or identifying potential products for your store.

If no niche is selected, the tool displays products from all categories.

The tool allows you to sort products by delivery time and price.

Shorter shipping times may result in higher costs.

Carefully balance shipping time and price when selecting products.

In 2026, consider filtering by ship-from location, such as US or EU warehouses, to meet customer expectations for faster delivery. Slow shipping from China is a common cause of negative reviews and refund requests.

Additionally, the tool provides various sorting options to help you select products efficiently.

Essential Terms to Learn:

• DS Price – This is the product’s price plus the discount from your level.
• DS Orders and Orders refer to the total amount of consumer orders, while DS Orders represent the number of orders specifically from dropshippers.

The “Analyze” button opens a new tab with a tool that automatically populates and provides multiple product ideas for your store.

Search for Sponsored Products

The final research tool in the AliExpress Dropshipping Center is Sponsored Products.

This tool allows you to search for suppliers’ sponsored products on AliExpress. The first page displays products available for your store.

You can also sort products into categories to find options relevant to your niche.

Suppliers pay to advertise their products in this section. While advertising investment often indicates a supplier’s commitment and confidence in demand, it does not guarantee product quality.

The AliExpress Product Analysis Tool

The product analysis tool is another key feature of the AliExpress Dropshipping Center. It helps users analyze products and better understand their sales and popularity.

The tool includes a search function that displays a graph with detailed product data, including sales volume.

Sales volume is indexed on a scale from 0 to 100.

This is often misunderstood: the “Sale Volume” number is a relative popularity index, not actual unit sales.

A score of 80 does not indicate 80 units sold; it reflects higher relative activity compared to lower-scoring products. Use this metric for product comparison, not revenue estimation.

For example, Google Trends provides a more accurate view of product popularity and search data, as it reflects actual consumer behavior rather than an internal AliExpress index.

The analysis tool also helps assess logistics and the likelihood of timely delivery to buyers.

The product analysis graph typically includes seller ratings for Item as Described, Communication, and Shipping Speed. Aim to work with suppliers rated above 4.5 out of 5 in each category.

The product analysis tool allows you to research one product at a time and displays the supplier’s sales volume for the product URL.

Other AliExpress suppliers may offer similar products at competitive prices.

This tool provides a quick way to assess how many products a supplier is selling and whether sales are increasing or declining.

How to Access the AliExpress Dropshipping Center in 2026

This section has been significantly updated. Previous guides, including earlier versions of this one, described the need to place multiple orders or undergo manual approval, but this is no longer accurate.

As of 2026, any standard AliExpress account can access the Dropshipping Center. No purchase history or order placement is required. The fastest ways to access it are:

1. Direct link (fastest method): Visit https://ds.aliexpress.com/ and log in with your existing AliExpress account. In most cases, you’ll have immediate access.

2. Through your AliExpress profile: Log in, click your profile icon, and look for “Dropshipping Center” in the sidebar menu. If it is not visible, switch to desktop view, as some mobile layouts may hide this option.

3. If it still does not appear, try the following troubleshooting steps:

• Confirm you are logged into the correct AliExpress account.
• Try a different browser or clear your cache.
• Switch your account’s region setting, as feature availability may vary by region.
• If issues persist, contact AliExpress customer support and request access. Most requests are approved within 24 to 48 hours.

You do not need to install third-party apps such as ShopMaster or DSers to access the Dropshipping Center. These apps are useful for order fulfillment and automation, but are not required to access the research tool.

How to Use the AliExpress Dropshipping Center on Your Store

The AliExpress Dropshipping Center offers additional research tools at no extra cost.

For budget-conscious dropshipping stores, this is a significant advantage, as most product research tools are costly and require monthly payments.

When using the AliExpress Dropshipping Center, begin by utilizing the product research tool.

This tool enables you to quickly find products in your niche and connect with suitable suppliers.

The Trusted Supplier Rank

The trusted supplier rank tab provides information about reliable suppliers relevant to your niche.

The suppliers are well sorted by age, reliability, and sales on the platform. Therefore, you won’t have to struggle to find a supplier to work with, since all that work has been done for you.

You can source products and suppliers in your niche, with the tool providing insights into reliable suppliers, trending products, and product analysis.

Most of the preliminary work is completed, allowing you to focus on selecting products and suppliers before launching sales.

In summary, the AliExpress Dropshipping Center offers:

• Dropshipping support and logistics insight
• Customized product sourcing tips
• Exclusive apps, tools, and APIs

For 2026, treat the Dropshipping Center’s data as a guide rather than a guaranteed product selection tool. Use it to generate ideas and assess demand, but always verify shipping reliability, order samples, evaluate supplier communication and ratings, and test products in your store before increasing advertising spend.

FAQs

Is using the AliExpress Dropshipping Center free?

Yes. You won’t have to pay any money to use this tool.

Do I need to be dropshipping with AliExpress specifically to use it?

Yes, you need an AliExpress account to access it — but you don’t need purchase history, an active dropshipping store, or any prior orders to unlock access as of 2026.

What should I do when my AliExpress Dropshipping Center isn’t showing?

Try the direct link first: ds.aliexpress.com. If that doesn’t work, confirm you’re logged into the right account, switch to desktop view, clear your cache, or try a different browser. If none of that resolves it, contact AliExpress customer support directly and request access — most requests are approved within 24-48 hours.

Can I use the Dropshipping Center to import products into my Shopify store?

No. The Dropshipping Center is a research tool only — it doesn’t connect to your store or automatically import products. For that, you’ll need a separate app like DSers, Spocket, or AutoDS.

Does the “Sale Volume” number show actual units sold?

No. It’s a relative popularity index from 0-100, similar to how Google Trends works — it’s useful for comparing products, but it doesn’t represent exact sales figures.

Can I use the Dropshipping Center for print-on-demand products?

Yes, there are customizable products, like jewelry, available through the tool, though the selection is more limited in terms of quantity and categories than on dedicated POD platforms.

Conclusion

The AliExpress Dropshipping Center is undoubtedly one of the best free tools available to dropshippers, especially now that access no longer requires order history or the manual approval process described in older guides.

It is easy to use, accessible, and efficient, making it a strong option for scaling your business and reaching your target audience. However, use its data as a starting point for research, not as a definitive indicator of product success.

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