How to Start Dropshipping on the Shopify Store with AliExpress

Key Takeaways

• Preparation is essential: Before starting dropshipping from AliExpress to Shopify, create an AliExpress account connected to DSers, research reliable suppliers, and establish a unique brand identity.
• Step-by-Step Setup on Shopify: Follow a structured process to set up your Shopify store, including registering for an account, choosing a theme, installing essential apps like DSers, and configuring payment options.
• Optimize Your Store: Enhance your store’s appearance, add trust badges, offer free shipping, set up payment methods, and create engaging content, such as an About page and Contact page, to build customer trust and improve their shopping experience.

Before You Start

There are certain things you need to prepare before setting up your Shopify AliExpress dropshipping business, including: 

• AliExpress account: you need an AliExpress account to connect with DSers. This app allows you to import products from Aliexpress to Shopify.
• Supplier Research:
  • Research and identify reliable suppliers on AliExpress.
  • Look for suppliers with a good reputation, high product ratings, and positive customer reviews.
  • Contact potential suppliers to establish a relationship.
• Branding and Logo: Establish a unique brand identity for your store, including a memorable logo and branding elements that differentiate you from competitors.

Dropshipping from AliExpress to Shopify: Our Step-by-Step Guide (update)

Let’s walk through the detailed step-by-step process on how to dropship from AliExpress to Shopify (20 steps in total):

Step 1: Register for Shopify Account

You can try Shopify for 3 days for free, but after that, you will need to pay for it, at least the Basic plan at $39/month, to be able to build up a dropshipping business. However, Shopify offers you to try every plan for 1 dollar per month.

To sign up, go to Shopify.com and click the Start free trial button on the homepage.

Next, enter your email, choose a password, and pick a simple store name. When selecting a store name, keep it short and easy to recall. The ideal store name should be only two or three words long. Longer store names are tough to remember and might seem less trustworthy to customers.

You can use business name generators if you need help finding the perfect name. These tools can provide you with many suitable name suggestions to pick from.

After that, complete the following survey. You can choose any option here because this information doesn’t matter. Or you can click “Skip all” to move to the next step.

The following screen asks where your store is located; you must choose your country on the list and click “Next.”

Follow the next steps to complete the signup process. Shopify offers many methods: email, Apple ID, Facebook, or Google account.

In this instruction, I chose email for creating a Shopify account. Enter your email and password. After that, click “Create Shopify ID.”

A confirmation email will be sent to your email. Please click the link in this email to verify your Shopify account. After that, go to https://admin.shopify.com and log into your new Shopify account.

Step 2: Install a theme

Next, you need to select a theme to enhance the appearance of your store. You’ll find a wide variety of themes available in the Shopify theme store, with options ranging from free to paid. In this case, let’s opt for a cost-free theme. We recommend considering the “Dawn” theme, as it’s an excellent choice for a free Shopify theme.

Click Online Store -> Themes on your Dashboard to add a theme.

Now, you’ve successfully added a theme to your store. You can use this theme immediately by clicking Publish.

Step 3: Install DSers for your Shopify store

From your Shopify dashboard, click the “Add apps” option in the menu on the left side. 

Continue clicking on “Shopify App Store” to move to the Shopify App Store website. Or you can simply go to https://apps.shopify.com/

Next, use the search bar to enter “DSers.” Click on the app named “DSers-AliExpress Dropshipping.” You can look at the picture below.

Then, click Install to start the installation process.

You will be redirected to the Shopify dashboard. For now, all you need to do is click on the Install app button

Step 4: Sign up for the DSers account and link to AliExpress suppliers

After completely installing DSers on Shopify, you will be redirected to the DSers website to create an account. Click the “Create an account for you” button to create your DSers account.

Next, you need to select DSers plan. You can choose a Free plan to experience the service and upgrade your account later.

Then, you need to link DSers to your Shopify account. Click the “AliExpress” button to move on to the next step.

Now, you need to click the “Authorize” button to connect DSers and your AliExpress account.

You will be redirected to DSers homepage; their website looks like the picture below.

Step 5: Install the DSsers extension for Chrome

Here’s how to add the DSers Chrome extension:

• Open Chrome or other Chromium browsers (Microsoft Edge, Opera, etc.) that allow you to install extensions from Chrome Webstore and open the Chrome Web Store.
• Use the search box to find DSers, select “DSers – AliExpress.com Product Importer,” or click here to go to the DSers extension page.
• On the same line as the DSers extension name, click “Add to Chrome.”

In the pop-up that appears, click “Add extension.”

Step 6: Import Aliexpress products to your store with DSers

• Add product to Import list using Dsers website:

In the DSers dashboard, select Find Suppliers on the left menu. Enter the keyword of the product you want to sell on Shopify, then click OK. When you find your ideal product, click the “Add to Import List” (the fourth step in the picture below).

• Add product to Import list using Dsers extension:

When viewing products on the AliExpress website, click the “Add to DSers” button to add this product to the Import list.

Products you imported will be shown on the “Import list” page. On this page, you can push single or multiple products to the Shopify store (the second step on the picture below).

Once you click “Push to Store,” the Push Products page will be shown. Select the store you want to push products to. Check other preferences and click the “Push to stores” button in the bottom right.

Wait for a couple of minutes, you will receive a success notification.

Now, you can access the Products page on your Shopify store to see products you have just imported.

Step 7: Add product categories

To add product categories to your store, follow the steps outlined below.

• Return to your Shopify Dashboard, navigate to the “Products” section, and select “Collections” from the submenu. The Collections section will be shown; click the “Create collection” on the top right corner.

• Within the Title field, input a name for the category you wish to establish. For example, if you’re marketing AirPods cases in your store, you can label the category “Clothes.” You can also include a brief description to provide more clarity about this particular grouping.
• Under the “Collection type” section, select the “Manual” option. This will enable you to individually add products to the collection, allowing you to choose only those in this category.
• After that, click the “Save” button to complete creating a new collection.

Step 8: Edit your product pages

Within your Shopify Dashboard, navigate to “All Products,” then select the specific product you wish to modify.

Replace the current title with your own. The lengthy title is directly imported from AliExpress, but you may prefer not to display such unattractive titles. Delete it and craft a more appealing and engaging title of your own.

Erase the existing product description and compose a superior one. Aim to create an attractive and optimized SEO description, highlighting your products’ advantages. Refer to our comprehensive guide on eCommerce SEO for assistance.

Next, move to the Media section; add more pictures to your product page by clicking the “Add” button.

Then, scrolling down to the Variants section, you’ll notice various product options. To remove items you don’t want to sell:

• Click the Edit button to modify the variant details for the items you intend to sell.
• Click the trash icon.
• Repeat this process for any variants you wish to exclude or customize.

Step 9: Add trust badges to your product pages (for free)

With a trust badge, you can boost your sales and improve conversion rates by showing payment symbols familiar and trusted by customers.

When adding trust badges like ShopClimb – Trust Badges, you can receive some significant advantages:

• Fewer Abandoned Carts: You can show badges during checkout if you have Shopify Plus. This helps to reduce the number of abandoned shopping carts, meaning more people complete their purchases.
• Local Payment Trust: Trust badges are clever and show payment options that customers trust in their area. This makes shoppers feel more secure about their payment choices.
• Easy Installation: You don’t need a computer whiz to use it. You can drag and drop the badges where you want them on your website, even if you’re not a coding expert.

To add the trust badge to your product pages, follow these stages: 

• From your Shopify Dashboard, navigate to the “Apps” section and select “Visit the Shopify app store.” You will be redirected to the Shopify App Store.
• Look for “free trust badges” using the search function. Click on the app named “ShopClimb ‑ Trust Badges.” You can look at the pictures below.

After locating your desired app, click the “Install” button on the next loading screen.

• On the subsequent page, click the “Install app” button to install the app completely.

• Once the installation is complete, you will be directed to the app’s page. Scroll down until you reach the “Design settings” section. Here, you can customize how you want the badges to appear.
• Then click “Save” in the top right corner to display these badges in your Shopify store.

Step 10: Add free shipping to your orders

“Free Shipping” can be a smart strategy, especially for beginners in online selling. Instead of puzzling about how much to charge for each item, you can simplify things by offering just one shipping option for all your products.

Follow these steps to establish free shipping for your online store:

• Access your Shopify Dashboard, select “Settings,” then navigate to the “Shipping and Delivery” tab on your left.
• Click on the “General shipping rates” section.

• You will be redirected to another page; in the Shipping Zones section, click the “three dots” button and click Delete to delete current shipping zones.

• Next, click the “Create zone” button to create a new zone.

• Now, you need to place a name for this zone. You can choose whatever you want.
• Next, choose the country you want to exclude the shipping fees. Click “Done” to move on to the next step.

• Then, click the “Add rate” button to add a fixed shipping fee for your zone. Free shipping means 0.0 dollars. Add the zero number to the Price section and click “Done.”
• Now, you can see the result look like the picture below.

Step 11: Set up your metrics and payments

First, you need to set up your store currency. Go to Settings on your Shopify Dashboard, and choose the “Store details” tab on your left side. In the Store currency section, select the currency you want customers to make a payment.

Scroll down to the “Time zone and units of measurement” section. Make sure you set the Unit system as “Imperial system,” and the Default weight unit is “Ounce (oz).” Click the “Save” button to save your configuration.

Move to the “Payments” tab on your left. Click the “Activate Shopify Payments”.

Complete all the information on the following page. All the details you provide here must be correct, as it’s a legal obligation for every seller. After that, click the “Next” button.

After completing the activation of Shopify Payments, proceed to enable Paypal Express Checkout. Choose the “Complete account setup” option in the Additional Payment Methods section.

You can also add Amazon Pay to your store. Just click the “Activate Amazon Pay” button and follow the instructions.

Step 12: Add branding to your checkout gate

To complete this step, you’ll require two items: your brand logo and your brand color. If you don’t already have a logo, you can utilize free logo generators to craft one.

Ensure that your brand color harmonizes with the products you’re offering. For instance, if you’re running a store selling AirPods cases, it’s an excellent choice to adopt black as the brand color.

Once you’ve decided on your logo and brand color, proceed to the next set of instructions. Access the “Online store” option from your Dashboard. Then, navigate to “Themes” and select the “Customize” button.

Within the “Theme settings” tab, click on “Checkout.”

Place your logo in the “Logo” section. You can also add your brand background image here. Continue scrolling down to the “Colors” section, click “Buttons,” and select your chosen brand color.

Step 13: Create an About page

Creating an effective About page for your online store involves incorporating three essential elements:

• What You Offer: Begin by stating what your store sells. This sets the stage for visitors to understand your business and its offerings immediately.
• Your Mission: Share your store’s mission or purpose. Explain why you are in business and what drives your passion for your products or services. This helps customers connect with the values and principles behind your brand.
• Why Choose You: Highlight what makes your store unique and why customers should choose you over the competition. It’s an opportunity to showcase your competitive edge, whether exceptional quality, unbeatable prices, outstanding customer service, or something else.

Remember, your About page should be different from a desperate sales pitch. Instead, treat it as a formal introduction to your business. Avoid simply listing product features and prices. Instead, craft engaging and appealing content that resonates with your customers.

Take your time to create a compelling narrative for your About page that captures the attention and interest of your audience. Once you’ve crafted this content, you can follow the next steps to set up your About page on your online store.

Navigate to the “Online Store” section on your Dashboard and select “Pages.” Afterward, click the “Add page” option.

Suppose you have any excellent images that can showcase your product. In that case, you can insert them into the content by clicking on the picture icon marked in green. When you’re done, click the “Save” button.

Step 14: Create a Contact page

• To create a contact us page, navigate to the “Online Store” section on your Dashboard again, then select “Pages.” Afterward, click the “Add page” option. 
• Next, input “Contact us” in the Title field and include your contact details in the description box. 
• Pick “contact” from the dropdown menu in the Template section. Afterward, hit the “Save” button.

Step 15: Add menus to your store

In an online store, the menu is like a map that helps shoppers find what they want. You can click on the menu to go to different website parts, like the homepage, product pages, or even the contact page. It’s like the guide that shows you around the store and helps you find your favorite things to buy.

There are two menu types: the header menu and the footer menu. The header menu consists of the categories typically displayed in the top navigation bar of a website.

To create menus like these on Shopify, you can follow these steps:

• Within the “Online store” section, select “Navigation,” and then choose “Main Menu.”

• You can add more items on the “Main menu” page by clicking “Add menu item.” You can choose the Home page, Collections, Products, Blog posts, etc.
• Click the “Add” button to add the item you’ve already chosen.

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• Once complete, click the “Save menu” button to save the process.

• Repeat this process for the footer menu.

Step 16: Create your store design and home page

In the “Online store” section, go to “Themes” and click on “Customize.”

You can also activate the “announcement box” to display an important announcement at the top of your website.

Customize the “Announcement” box; add hyperlinks to this announcement by pasting the URL or choosing an item from the list in the dropdown menu.

Now, add a slideshow to your homepage. Slideshows are the prominent images you often see on a website’s front page. To do this, return to “Sections,” click “Image banner,” and upload the images you want to feature.

You can edit the Call to Action button and Headline by clicking on each item in the Image banner section. 

The Dawn theme allows you to add two images for the slideshow. Click “Select image” and choose the image you want to show.

Next, include a collection you wish to highlight on your homepage, such as bestsellers or new arrivals. Go back to “Sections,” select “Featured collection,” and choose or modify the collection you want to showcase.

You can customize many attributes of the “Featured collection” section, like heading size, number of products, description styles, etc.

Customize your store’s color scheme to align with your brand. Instead of “Sections,” go to “Theme settings” and click “Colors.” Here, you can adjust text and button colors to suit your preferences.

To ensure your design is seamless for all devices, you can check the responsive test by clicking the icon “phone” or “tablet” next to the Save button.

Remember to click “Save” in the top left corner to preserve all your changes once finished.

Step 17: Add Facebook Messenger Live Chat

Before integrating Facebook Messenger Live Chat, ensure you have an active Facebook Fan Page. If you don’t have one, you can read this article for the instructions: How to Create a Facebook Business Page?

Return to your Shopify Dashboard and access the Shopify App Store in the Apps section.

Search for “Facebook chat” and opt for “Facebook Chat Box – Live Chat.” 

Then, click “Install” and proceed with the installation.

Click the “Install” button on the next step.

Then, you will be redirected to the Facebook Chat Box Chatbot homepage. Connect the app and your Facebook Fan Page by selecting “Connect Account.” Follow the necessary steps and your Fan Page will be successfully linked.

Access the “Conversation Starter” and select “Live chat” to customize your greeting message and adjust the color of the messenger icon displayed on your website.

You can preview your customization before publishing, like the picture below. 

After making your changes, click “Save.”

Step 18: Select a Payment Plan

Here’s how to upgrade your Shopify plan to get started with dropshipping:

• Access your Dashboard, click “Settings,” and click the “Plan” tab on your left side. Then, click the “Choose plan” button.

• You can pick the Basic Plan for $39/month; however, you just need to pay 1 dollar a month for the first 3 months. This is the minimum plan required to begin dropshipping on Shopify. As your store expands, you can consider higher-tier plans for added features.

• Indicate your preferred billing method (monthly or yearly), add your credit card details for payment, and click “Confirm billing cycle.”

Step 19: Choose a domain name

Before we dive into the specifics, please ensure that you opt for a “.com” domain. Avoid selecting any other domain extension. “.com” domains are the optimal choice for eCommerce ventures.

If you find the “.com” domain you originally wanted is unavailable, you can consider using a “.net” domain as an alternative. While “.com” domains are generally preferred for eCommerce businesses due to their widespread recognition, “.net” domains can still be a viable option. 

Access your Shopify Dashboard, click “Settings,” and click the “Domains” tab on your left side. You have 2 options here:

• Connect existing domain: If you already have a domain from somewhere else, you can link it to your Shopify store. 
• Buy a new domain: If you don’t have one yet or want one, you can get one directly through Shopify. They’ll help you choose and buy a new web address that suits your store.

1. The first option is “Connect existing domain.” Enter the domain name you already have and click “Next.”

Shopify will detect your domain currently managed by which registrar. You can connect your domain manually or automatically; just click the button and follow the instructions.

2. The second option is “Buy a new domain.” you need to type your ideal domain name and hit Enter. Shopify will check whether this domain is available or not. You can take this domain by clicking the “Buy domain” button if available. Many domain extensions are available below, but we are not recommending those.

In the next screen, you must recheck your payment information and click Buy Domain to complete the process.

Step 20: Publish your store online

At this stage, your online store is secured with a password, meaning nobody can access it without knowing it. To make your store accessible to everyone, you’ve already upgraded to a paid plan in Step 18.

To turn off this password protection, follow these steps: Go to “Preferences” in the “Online store” section, and scroll down to the bottom of the page.

After signing up for a plan, you can uncheck the “Enable Password” box. That’s all therefor the full instructions on how to dropship with AliExpress on Shopify! Your store is now completely configured and is officially online. Congratulations!

Final words

By reading up to this part, we are sure that our article is helpful enough to aid your understanding of how to dropship from AliExpress to Shopify using the DSers app. If you have questions or feedback, don’t hesitate to contact us for further discussion. AliExpress is here to help you grow your business without being worried about shipment and inventory.

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