There’s no question that dropshipping has gained popularity in recent years. Dropshipping makes it easy to run an eCommerce business with very little cost or overhead, which means just about anyone can become an online entrepreneur with this business model.
Sure, dropshipping is accessible, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Dropshipping can be a grind, and there are a lot of tedious tasks that can wear you down if you don’t have a streamlined process. That’s why savvy dropshippers use platforms and apps to make their daily tasks less of a chore.
Shopify is one of the most popular platforms for dropshipping, not only because it’s easy to design and set up your website, but because it also offers thousands of apps to customize and optimize your store.But where do you begin with so many options? Learn what to look for when you’re choosing a Shopify dropshipping app and our 10 fave apps to get you started.
Things to Look For When Choosing a Shopify App
Remember, the goal is to make your life easier, not to complicate things. You’ll still have a learning curve with any Shopify app, but simplicity is the ultimate goal. Follow these basic guidelines to choose the right Shopify dropshipping apps for your business.
- Check the reviews: If you’re looking into apps that connect you with suppliers, you’ll want to check out the ratings/reviews for those suppliers. This will help you hit the sweet spot between quality and value.
- Calculate your profit margins: Research the average product cost and recommended pricing for your store. Make sure you can actually make a profit from the products that are available to you. After all, you don’t want to pay out the wazoo for an app if it’s cutting into your profits.
- Know your support options: What do you get for the money with your Shopify app? Do they offer phone support, live chat, or a portal for existing customers? If 24/7 phone support matters to you, factor that into your decision.
- Ask for samples: If you’re looking for a Shopify app that supplies products, are you able to get product samples before selling them yourself? This is a good quality control measure, so always try samples before you sell.
- Find their location: Where is the Shopify app’s HQ? If your business is in the US and they’re in Japan, you’ll likely have longer wait times.
The 10 Best Apps for Shopify Dropshipping
You’re free to look for Shopify apps on your own, but we can give you a head start in your search. Here are our top 10 apps for smarter Shopify dropshipping.
1. Oberlo
This is one of the most popular apps in the Shopify marketplace, and with good reason. Oberlo is an app that’s exclusive to Shopify: in fact, it’s automatically included when you set up your store. Oberlo offers a wide range of products and price points, which allows you to seamlessly upload products to your Shopify store.
A huge benefit to Oberlo is that, as you browse through their catalog, you can see the number of stores selling each product as well as its order volume. This is useful information because it can help you choose products that actually sell!
2. Spocket
Spocket is very similar to Oberlo and offers many of the same benefits. However, some dropshippers say Spocket has higher-quality suppliers and products. That’s because most of Spocket’s suppliers are in Europe and the US, so this may be the app for you if your customer base is in these countries.
Spocket also offers competitive pricing. They have an average product discount of 45%, with some products as low as 60% off. Translation: higher profit margins for you! Spocket also allows you to test its products before you commit, which is a huge benefit.
3. Printful
Printful is an app that combines custom printing and dropshipping so you can offer “print on demand” products for your business. From posters to flip-flops to mugs, you can find just about anything you need in Printful’s huge catalog of products.
The process is very straightforward: simply connect your Shopify store, upload your design, choose your products, and start selling! There’s no subscription fee or upfront cost for you, so it’s great for new businesses just starting to dip their toes into the world of on-demand print.
4. Spark Shipping
Of course, we can’t list the best Shopify dropshipping apps without mentioning our own (it’s pretty awesome, after all).
Spark Shipping goes beyond just linking your suppliers to your Shopify store. We help you automate your entire process to improve efficiency and increase your profit margins with features for:
- Products: Automatically upload product data from your suppliers into your store. You simply select the products you want and our platform takes care of the rest.
- Inventory updates: This is one app to update them all. Our platform keeps your product quantities in sync with all of your vendors in real-time.
- Order fulfillment: When you receive an order, we automatically route it to the best possible supplier with Intelligent Order Routing. Not only does our software look for suppliers who have the item in stock, but it also finds those who have it at the lowest price.
- Tracking updates: Orders are automatically updated with tracking information—both in your dashboard and in customer tracking updates.
Spark Shipping is the perfect end-to-end automation solution for businesses that use multiple platforms or suppliers. Get your sanity back with our smarter automation platform.
5. Candy Rack
Candy Rack is a marketing app that maximizes your conversions with one-click upsells and cross-sells. This Shopify app uses AI to create automatic upsell suggestions, which means you can offer relevant products to customers based on the Shopify algorithm. With their mobile-responsive templates, you can easily offer options like gift wrapping, premium support, or product bundles through Candy Rack to increase your cart totals.
6. Modalyst
If you want to sell products from more well-known suppliers, then you should check out what Modalyst has to offer. With products from brands like Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, and Timberland, you can stock your store with name brands that people already recognize and trust.
Modalyst’s process is similar to Oberlo and Spocket. You just search their product catalog and add products to your online store with the click of a button. Some of the suppliers also offer free shipping to the US, which is a huge value-add to your customers!
7. SMAR7 Express
SMAR7 Express integrates with AliExpress and offers a large variety of products for your dropshipping store. One unique feature of SMAR7 Express is that you can automate fulfillment by connecting your current store to the app.
With their one-click import, you can easily create listings with product descriptions, images, and product variants. SMAR7 also has an ePacket shipping option, which can help improve shipping times for items coming from Southeast Asia.
8. Trendsi
Are you selling to fashionistas across the globe? Trendsi helps dropshippers find high-quality (but affordable) fashion from its US-based warehouses. It can be tough finding a trustworthy partner in the world of fashion, but Trendsi is definitely a quality provider.
Not only do they add new items to the platform daily, but they also specialize in Fair Trade products. Because their warehouses are based in the US, Trendsi is able to offer 2-10 day shipping, which is a huge advantage if you’re selling to US shoppers. If you’re concerned about building a brand, Trendsi also offers customizable packaging.
9. Pillow Profits Fulfillment
Pillow Profits is another print-on-demand app, but it specializes in customized footwear, accessories, and home goods. Like Printful, you can have your logo or custom design printed on a wide variety of products and ship them directly to your customers. You can even create digital mockups of their products with your designs for your website—without manufacturing a thing.
With Pillow Profits, you have full control over the post-purchase supply chain. This means you can edit items like customer address or order quantity and even cancel orders if needed. Shipping is included in the product price, so you’re able to offer free worldwide shipping to your customers.
10. Automizely Dropshipping
As a busy business owner, the less you have to think about, the better. Automizely is quickly becoming known for being one of the most user-friendly dropshipping apps available.
They offer dozens of products and allow you to import them into your Shopify store with the click of a button. You’re easily able to automate your pricing strategy by setting your listing prices based on your preferred profit margin. They also provide trackable free shipping to the US.
You don’t have to worry about security and compliance with Automizely either, since they’re ISO 27001 certified and GDPR compliant.
The bottom line
The key to simplifying your dropshipping operations is to find the best apps for your business. Think about the size of your business, your goals, and where you want your dropshipping business to go. That will help you find the right mix of Shopify dropshipping apps to get you across the finish line.
If you’re ready to scale your business and maximize your profit margin, Spark Shipping’s automated platform will take you to the next level. Want to see it in action? Check out our quick demo.