AliExpress To Shopify Dropshipping: The Complete Guide

If you want to sell trending products fast, dropshipping from AliExpress to Shopify is one of the most practical ways to do it.

Why? Because AliExpress lets you see what’s already selling worldwide — with real-time data, supplier stats, and product reviews — so you’re not starting from scratch or guessing what might work.

Instead of investing in bulk inventory, you can test products one by one. And with Shopify, you get full control over your store’s look, pricing, and customer experience — not just a random product page like marketplaces.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to find solid products on AliExpress, import them to Shopify in minutes, and start selling. We’ll keep it simple, actionable, and beginner-friendly. Let’s get into it.

How Do You Start Dropshipping from AliExpress to Shopify?

You start by finding a product on AliExpress, adding it to your Shopify store using a dropshipping app, and then promoting it online. When someone places an order, the supplier ships the product directly to your customer — no inventory or upfront stock needed.

We’ll break down each step in detail below, from choosing the right product to setting up your store and making your first sale.

Why Choose AliExpress for Dropshipping?

AliExpress is a popular choice for dropshipping because it’s simple, cheap, and full of options. You don’t need to buy stock upfront. You can sell products from anywhere in the world, and suppliers ship directly to your customers. It’s one of the easiest ways to get started.

Simple Reasons Why AliExpress Works Well:

1. You can sell without buying stock:

AliExpress lets you sell first and buy later—no warehouse needed. There’s no need to spend money on inventory either. You only place an order when someone purchases from your store.

2. Millions of products to choose from

There’s a huge range of items—clothing, beauty, home, gadgets, pets, and more. You can test different products and switch niches easily. You’re not locked in.

3. Low prices = better profits

Most items are very affordable. That means you can add your profit on top and still offer a good price to your customer.

4. You can check if a product is safe to sell

Before picking a product, you can see how many people ordered it, what they said in reviews, and how the seller responds. This helps you avoid bad products.

5. Global shipping is available

Many sellers on AliExpress ship worldwide. Some offer free or cheap shipping. Most give tracking numbers so you and your customer can follow the package.

6. Easy to connect with your Shopify store

You can use tools like Sell The Trend to import products straight from AliExpress to your Shopify store. It takes just one click. No need to copy and paste details.

It’s great for beginners: You don’t need experience. You can set up everything with a few tools and start testing products in a few hours.

How Can Sell The Trend Help With Product Research and Automation?

If you’re tired of guessing what to sell or wasting hours checking random AliExpress pages, this is where Sell The Trendmakes your life easier. Here’s exactly how to use it and what it will do for you:

1. Start with the NEXUS tool

Log into your Sell The Trend account. Click on the NEXUS Product Research Tool. This is where you find products that are already trending. No need to guess. Filter by niche, shipping country, order volume, or product type. You’ll see charts showing how fast a product is growing and how many people are already buying it.

2. Click into a product you like

You’ll see all the data in one place: order count, supplier rating, price, shipping time, and profit margin. You’ll even see which other Shopify stores are selling it and for how much.

3. Ready to sell it? Just click “Add to Store.”

Sell The Trend sends the product straight into your Shopify store. It includes the title, description, images, and variants. You can edit all of it right there—change the title, delete low-quality images, rewrite the description. No copy-paste. No mess.

4. Now sell it. When someone orders, Sell The Trend does the rest

As soon as a customer places an order, the tool automatically sends it to your AliExpress supplier. No need to log in manually. Tracking info gets added automatically too, so your customer stays updated.

5. You stay in control

If your supplier runs out of stock or changes the price, you’ll get notified. That way, you can pause the product or switch suppliers before problems hit. From your dashboard, it’s also easy to track which products are performing best.

No more jumping between four different apps or handling things manually. Just pick a trend, click, and start selling—while the tool takes care of the boring stuff. The process is simple, clean, and designed to save you hours every week, especially when testing multiple products.

Pros and Cons of AliExpress to Shopify Dropshipping

Dropshipping from AliExpress to Shopify has many benefits, but also a few downsides you should know. Here’s a quick comparison:

This model works best when you’re testing trends, moving fast, and using tools to help with automation and research. We’ll show you how to handle the downsides as we go.

What Are the Steps to Dropship from AliExpress to Shopify?

To dropship from AliExpress to Shopify, you need to follow a simple step-by-step process. Below, we break it down into clear stages—each one shows you exactly what to do and how to do it.

Step 1: Choose a Niche or Product Category

Start with one focus. A niche makes it easier to target the right people, write better product pages, and run cheaper ads. Choose something you’re interested in or something that solves a real problem. Popular niches include beauty, home improvement, pet care, gadgets, and fitness.

If you’re not sure what to pick, ask:

• What do people spend money on even in a bad economy?
• What products are often bought online, not in-store?
• What problems do people search for solutions to?

Use TikTok, Instagram Reels, or Amazon’s “Movers and Shakers” for ideas. You can also use the Sell The Trend NEXUS tool to browse trending niches and see real sales data.

Start small. You can test one niche or a few categories, but don’t overload your store. Keep it focused, clean, and easy to browse.

Step 2: Research Trending Products on AliExpress

Go to AliExpress. Search your niche and sort by “Orders”. This shows what’s selling the most.

Look for:

• Thousands of orders (1000+ is a good start)
• 4.5★+ reviews
• Real photos and video reviews from buyers
• “AliExpress Standard Shipping” or fast options

Click on seller profiles. Check how long they’ve been active and if they respond fast. Look at negative reviews. Are people complaining about quality, delivery, or missing items?

Don’t just choose what looks “cool.” Look for:

• Problem-solving items
• Impulse-buy items (under $40)
• Products with clear visual appeal for ads

Keep a list of 3–5 options to test. You can always replace or remove later.

Step 3: Validate Demand (Orders, Reviews, Social Proof)

Before importing anything, double-check that people actually want the product. This step saves time and money.

Here’s how to validate demand:

1. Order volume: If a product has 1,000+ orders and keeps growing, that’s a good sign. Check for recent orders, not just old ones.
2. Reviews: Look for 4.5 stars or higher. Read real customer feedback. Are they happy with the quality? Is the product as described?
3. Photo & video reviews: These help show the real item. You can use these visuals in your ads or product pages.
4. Social proof outside AliExpress:
   • Search product names on TikTok or YouTube.
   • Look at comments, likes, and shares.
   • Is the product going viral?

Also search for it on Amazon. If it has a high rating and sells well there too, you have a winner.

Validation means you’re not guessing. You’re using real data to make smart decisions.

Step 4: Import Product into Shopify Using a Tool

Once you’ve picked your product, it’s time to add it to your Shopify store. Don’t try to do this manually. It’s slow and messy. Use a dropshipping tool that connects AliExpress to Shopify. It makes the process faster, cleaner, and easier to manage later.

Once it’s inside your Shopify store, go to Products in your admin dashboard. You’ll see it listed there.

From here, you can:

• Edit the title and description
• Remove unnecessary images
• Set your prices
• Choose which variants you want to keep

Make sure to double-check every detail. This is your product’s first impression. Even though the tool does the heavy lifting, it’s your job to make it look professional. We’ll fix the details in the next step.

Step 5: Optimize Product Page (Images, Title, Description)

AliExpress content is not made for selling. It’s made for bulk listing. So your job is to clean it up for your store visitors. This helps build trust and increase sales.

Start with the title. Keep it short and clear. Instead of: “2025 Hot Sale Portable Mini Blender USB Rechargeable Travel Bottle” Write: “Mini Portable Blender – USB Rechargeable”

Next, fix the description. Remove messy formatting and strange English. Use simple bullet points that highlight key features and benefits. Talk about what the product does and why it’s useful. Keep it human and easy to read.

Example:

• Perfect for smoothies and protein shakes
• Charges by USB (no batteries needed)
• Easy to clean and carry
• Ideal for travel, gym, or home

Then, review the images. Remove low-quality ones or anything with Chinese labels or watermarks. Keep 3–5 clean, clear images. Use lifestyle photos if available (people using the product).

Finally, install a reviews app like Loox or Ali Reviews. Import photo reviews from AliExpress. This builds trust and helps new visitors see real feedback.

This step is about making your store look real—not like a copy of AliExpress. Once done, move on to pricing and shipping.

Step 6: Set Up Pricing, Shipping, and Store Policies

Pricing is simple: take your product cost and add a margin. A good rule is 2.5× to 3× the AliExpress price. So if the product costs $10 including shipping, you can sell it for $25–30.

Make sure to include all costs:

• Product price
• Shipping
• App fees
• Transaction fees (Shopify/PayPal)
• Ad spend (if you’re running paid traffic)

Set shipping settings in Shopify:

• Go to Settings > Shipping
• Create one zone (like “Worldwide”)
• Offer free shipping or a flat rate (e.g. Free Tracked Shipping – 7–15 Days)

Free shipping converts better. Just include the cost in your retail price.

Add store policies next:

• Refund Policy
• Shipping Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service

You can use Shopify’s default templates and edit them for your store. Also add FAQs to explain delivery times, return steps, and contact info.

This makes your store look complete and trustworthy. Now you’re ready to bring in visitors.

Step 7: Launch Marketing (Organic or Paid)

Now it’s time to drive traffic to your store. You can go two ways: free traffic (organic) or paid ads. Both work—you choose what fits your budget and time.

Free methods (organic):

• Make short videos for TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts
• Show the product being used, cleaned, or tested
• Add trending music and use hashtags
• Post 2–3 times a day for a week
• Link to your product in bio

Organic traffic takes time but has no cost. It’s great for testing interest.

Paid ads (fast):

• Use Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram) or TikTok Ads
• Start with a $5–$20/day test budget
• Use video creatives that show product use or reaction
• Target interests related to your niche
• Track add-to-cart, checkout, and purchase results

Don’t just focus on sales. Watch the data. If people click but don’t buy, fix your product page. If no one clicks, change your ad creative.

Marketing is about testing. Start small, measure, and improve. Once something works, scale it.

Step 8: Process Orders and Monitor Supplier Reliability

When someone places an order, it’s your job to make sure it gets delivered. With a tool like Sell The Trend, this step is easy.

Go to your dashboard. You’ll see new orders listed. Click “fulfill,” and the supplier on AliExpress gets the order automatically. You don’t need to type anything.

Check these things before confirming:

• Is the product still in stock?
• Is the shipping method still the same?
• Is the supplier still active?

After confirming, the supplier ships the product. You’ll get a tracking number. Use an app like Track123 to update your customer automatically.

Keep an eye on suppliers. If they start delaying or send poor products, switch them. Always have a backup option for your best-selling products.

As your orders grow, consider using a private agent (middleman service) for faster shipping, better packaging, and easier returns. But don’t worry about that in the beginning.

Your goal is simple: deliver what you promised, keep customers happy, and handle issues fast.

Dropshipping from Aliexpress To Shopify: FAQs

1. Can I Dropship Directly From AliExpress?

Yes, you can run a dropshipping business directly with AliExpress suppliers. All you need is an AliExpress accountand a Shopify account (or another e commerce platform). Once you browse AliExpress and find high quality products, you can import AliExpress products into your online store in just a few clicks.

When a customer order comes in, you place the AliExpress order and enter the buyer’s shipping address. The supplier handles order fulfillment for you. Many dropshippers use automation tools, Chrome extensions, and apps to help with bulk order processing, order management, and tracking order status. This setup saves time and helps with reducing errors while managing future orders.

2. What Is the Best Shopify App for AliExpress Dropshipping?

The best app depends on what features you want, but tools like Sell The Trend or DSers offer everything most dropshipping stores need. You can use them to import AliExpress products, set smart pricing rules, and edit productsbefore publishing.

They support product bundling, automated order fulfillment, and syncing product details with your online store. You also get tools for managing inventory, answering customer questions, and handling customer orders with ease. Most apps include a free plan or a free trial, making it easy to test before committing.

With just a few clicks, you can add products, set up your store, and focus on growing your online business.

3. Is Dropshipping from AliExpress Legal?

Yes, dropshipping from AliExpress is legal. Many online businesses rely on AliExpress suppliers to fulfill customer orders. Just make sure you only sell from reputable suppliers and avoid branded items unless you’re authorized. Always check product details, supplier reviews, and delivery times.

Legal issues only arise if you sell counterfeit products, give false shipping info, or copy content without permission. To protect your dropshipping store, use trusted apps, write honest product listings, and provide clear answers to customer questions. Also, be transparent about order status, refunds, and shipping.

When you follow these basics, your online store can operate safely and build real customer trust.

4. Is It Good to Use AliExpress for Dropshipping?

Yes, it’s a great option—especially if you’re just starting a dropshipping business. You can test winning products in niches like fashion, beauty, or home decor without buying stock. Many AliExpress suppliers offer high quality products with worldwide shipping and responsive customer support.

You can use automation tools and Chrome extensions to simplify order management, monitor order status, and handle future orders. Plus, the ability to find suppliers, compare prices, and price products however you want gives you a strong competitive advantage.

With clear product listings, proper order fulfillment, and fast responses to customer questions, AliExpress can be a reliable source for scaling your online business.

5. Does Shopify Allow Dropshipping from AliExpress?

Yes, Shopify fully supports dropshipping from AliExpress. All you need is a basic plan, a connected AliExpress account, and a tool like DSers or Sell The Trend to handle imports and order fulfillment. You can import AliExpress products, organize your product listings, and even set up product bundling and pricing rules.

Using a Shopify account with the right app lets you sync everything—product details, prices, variants, and customer orders—without manual work. You also get access to Chrome extensions, auto-updates for inventory, and easy tracking of every customer receive and order status update.

Shopify is one of the most trusted e commerce platforms, and works perfectly for launching and growing a modern dropshipping store.

Conclusion

Starting a store with products from AliExpress is one of the simplest ways to launch an online business. With the right tools, you can test and sell dropshipping products without upfront costs or complex setup. Just focus on what works, edit products to match your brand, and keep improving based on real results. Stay consistent, stay curious—and keep building.