Shopify is one of the main platforms associated with dropshipping. And if you’ve been tempted to try it out, there are some things to consider first.
What does dropshipping with Shopify consist of, anyway? The platform itself is primarily an eCommerce store builder. Therefore, some dropshippers use it to create their middle-man websites and import goods from AliExpress, eBay, Amazon, and the like. The process is not without obstacles, however.
Key points of Shopify dropshipping
Here’s the deal: Shopify’s free user-friendliness is limited. Yes, it has important eCommerce features and tools, as well as its own servers to host your website on. And the site constructor is great even for newbies.
But.
When you consider dropshippinginsteadof executing traditional eCommerce models, your main goal is to keep the initial investments as low as possible. Yet dropshipping with Shopify requires:
- purchasing one of their 5 plans, which can cost anything from $9 to $299 (there are 14 days of free trial for each;
- paying the aforementioned sum monthly;
- paying online credit card rates (2.4-2.9% + 30¢ depending on your plan);
- adding a 0.5-2% transaction fee to your payments if an external payment provider is used.
Even after all that you’ll find out that Shopify lacks free dropshipping options. This means additional expenses on pivotal plugins: Filters, Search, Importing, Product Sourcing, Security & Anti-bot protection, and more.
With Shopify, every dropshipping application costs money. Most are around $20/month; very few are $9/month.
Basically, a viable — and much more affordable! — alternative to dropshipping with Shopify is WooCommerce. In this case, you build an online store using WordPress with its abundance of website themes (or use HTML/CSS for free if you fancy since the software is open source.)
Any additional dropshipping WordPress software, including extensions and plugins, is either free or affordable with no subscription — meaning you won’t have to pay for it every month/year. And the right product, from a trusted developer like Ali2Woo, will add security and comfort to your business.
If you’re already dropshipping with Shopify but want to cut the expenses without sacrificing the quality, just migrate your store to WooCommerce. It’s both fast, foolproof, and cost-effective.
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