How to dropship From AliExpress
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Want to be a marketplace seller but don’t have the funding or the space for stock? Dropshipping is a great solution. Find out how to set up AliExpress dropshipping below.
E-commerce is a potentially lucrative career path – but what if you don’t have the upfront funding for bulk orders, or storage space for wholesale stock? That’s where dropshipping comes in. We’ll explore the benefits of dropshipping in this article, and then we’ll teach you how to dropship from AliExpress.
● What is dropshipping?
● What is AliExpress?
● Why is AliExpress a good dropshipping solution?
● How to dropship from AliExpress
● AliExpress dropshipping tips
Quick take-away:
Dropshipping from AliExpress means you list products without storing inventory, you pay the supplier when your customer buys and the supplier ships directly. In the UK, you can set this up via marketplaces (like Amazon) or your own store. Key steps: choose reliable suppliers, follow Amazon’s rules, handle shipping and returns correctly, and keep your profit margin healthy.
What is dropshipping?
Dropshipping is a retail model where you list and sell products online, but a third-party supplier stores, packages, and ships orders directly to your customers. You never handle the product physically. Instead, you accept payment, create product orders on a third-party website and enter your customer’s details into the name and shipping fields at checkout.
The advantages of dropshipping include:
● Low startup costs: You don’t buy stock in bulk, reducing upfront investment.
● Fast setup: You can launch a Shopify or Amazon store within days.
● Flexible platforms: Dropship via your own website or through marketplaces such as Amazon UK and eBay.
● Scalable model: Add or remove products quickly based on demand.
You can dropship manually or use an app to make the process simpler. Some marketplace sellers partially or fully automate their dropshipping businesses. We’ll return to app-based automation solutions a little later.
What is AliExpress?
AliExpress is an international retail and wholesale marketplace owned by Alibaba Group, based in China. It connects millions of suppliers with global buyers — including many small businesses and marketplace sellers in the UK.
Sellers use AliExpress as a reliable source of products for dropshipping, thanks to its wide variety, low prices, and shipping options to the UK and Europe.
Why AliExpress is a good dropshipping solution for UK sellers
Successful dropshippers run their businesses like well-oiled machines. Dropshippers take the funds they receive when customer orders come in and use them to place third party orders; items get dispatched quickly, and customers stay happy.
AliExpress offers several advantages that make it ideal for UK dropshippers:
| Benefit | Why it matters for UK sellers |
|---|---|
| Supplier experience | Most AliExpress sellers are familiar with dropshipping workflows. |
| Low prices | Wholesale pricing helps UK sellers maintain profit margins even with international shipping. |
| Shipping options | Many suppliers offer free or low-cost ePacket or AliExpress Standard Shipping to the UK. |
| Integration | AliExpress connects easily with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Amazon through plugins and apps. |
| Currency advantage | UK sellers can pay suppliers in CNY or USD and receive customer payments in GBP using multi-currency business accounts. |
How to dropship from AliExpress
Ready to dropship your way to success with AliExpress? You can start a dropshipping business with a little logistics knowledge and a moderate budget. Let’s break the process down, step by step.
Step 1: Choose a niche
Before you build a store, you must decide what you’re actually going to sell – and more importantly, to whom. In a mature and competitive e-commerce market like the UK, generalist stores rarely win. You need a specific product category that has demand but isn’t overly saturated. Here’s how to find it:
● Identify product categories tied to hobbies, passions, or specific problems (e.g., home improvement, pet care, skincare)
● Use tools like Google Trends, TikTok Creative Center (UK region), and Amazon UK bestsellers to validate interest
● Avoid ultra‑competitive niches like general tech gadgets unless you have a strong differentiator
● Check Facebook Ads Library (set location to UK) to spot what’s trending in paid campaigns
Step 2: Find reliable AliExpress suppliers
Your supplier relationship determines your reputation. If they ship slowly, send broken goods or pack items poorly, your brand takes the hit. That’s why picking the right supplier isn’t optional.
● Use AliExpress’s supplier rating system (look for 95%+ feedback scores with 1,000+ orders)
● Filter by “Ships From: United Kingdom” or “Europe” where possible z – this cuts delivery times significantly
● Look at detailed product reviews with user images to validate item quality and consistency
● Message suppliers and ask:
“Do you support blind dropshipping to UK customers?”
“How quickly do you ship after order?”
“Do you have tracking for UK deliveries?”
Step 3: Set up your UK-based dropshipping store
First, you’ll need to decide what type of storefront you want to create. You can use your own website: platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce and Wix. Plugins like WooCommerce offer dropshipping integration options. You can establish a dropshipping presence on Amazon, but only if you fulfill certain criteria (we’ll talk about those in the tips section, below).
For an in-depth look at founding an online venture beyond advice on setting up AliExpress dropshipping, check out our comprehensive guide to starting an e-commerce business. If you decide to build a website on a platform like Shopify, you’ll need to:
● Pick a clean, easy-to-navigate template
● Create key top-level pages for your site: a homepage, product category pages, a product page template, shopping cart and checkout pages, and order confirmation pages
● Create informational pages: an ‘about’ page, a shipping options page and a FAQ page, for example
● Consider adding a blog to drive organic traffic
● Choose and link payment options
Step 4: Find and add products
Site built and tested? In that case, it’s time to add products. You can add products manually and keep track of them via a spreadsheet, or you can use an app, like Oberlo, to make the process easier.
Many sellers on AliExpress provide product photos and descriptions, but you’ll gain a competitive advantage if you create your own custom descriptions and pictures.
Some marketplace sellers order sample products and use studio light boxes to take high-quality photos.
Step 5: Define your pricing and shipping strategy
Now it’s time to structure your profit. Many new dropshippers in the UK underprice – then collapse when returns, ad costs or import duties hit. Plan your margin strategy tightly from the start.
● Use a base pricing formula: (AliExpress item cost + estimated shipping + duties + return buffer) × 2–3 markup
● If items ship from China, list delivery timeframes transparently (e.g., 12–25 working days)
● Consider “Free UK shipping” in pricing but ensure the shipping cost is still embedded
● Check if your supplier offers ePacket or Cainiao Standard for faster UK shipping
● Use tracking integrations to allow customers to follow their shipment progress
Step 6: Go live and market your venture
When you have a healthy number of products in your store and you’re pleased with the way your website looks, go ahead and press the ‘publish’ button. Many marketplace sellers drive traffic with a combination of paid and organic marketing tactics. Paid channels include:
● Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising like Google Ads
● Paid social media adverts
● Affiliate marketing
● Influencer marketing
Organic marketing strategies include:
● SEO website optimisation
● SEO-enhanced articles
● SEO-enhanced blog posts
● Word of mouth
Step 7: Convert site sales into AliExpress orders
If you don’t use a connected app for dropshipping, you’ll need to monitor orders as they come in and create AliExpress orders manually. In principle, this is a simple process:
1. A customer orders and pays for a product on your website
2. You visit AliExpress and order the product at a wholesale price
3. At checkout, you enter the customer’s details in the shipping fields
4. The AliExpress merchant sends the product directly to your customer
If your site is popular and you receive a lot of orders, you may become overwhelmed quickly. That’s where apps like Oberlo come in. Oberlo has a free starter plan, and it integrates seamlessly with Shopify: all you need to do is create an account, add products and keep your payment method up to date.
When orders come in on your Shopify site, they flow into Oberlo. At that point, you simply click ‘order product’ next to each pending item in the Oberlo interface, and the app places AliExpress orders for you. Customer details, including address information, get transferred to AliExpress automatically.
Step 8: Monitor sales, shipping, returns
Most e-commerce platforms let you track site visits, sales and other stats via your dashboard. You can also use tools like SEMrush and Google Analytics to keep tabs on key performance indicators (KPIs). Track your sales over time and adjust the AliExpress-sourced products you offer to take advantage of seasonal and consumer trends.
AliExpress dropshipping tips
Dropshipping via AliExpress can be a great way to make money without maintaining inventory or investing a lot of cash upfront. How can you ensure that products you’ve never seen meet customer expectations, though? What about dropshipping rules for Amazon? Read on to learn the answers to both those questions — and more.
Tip 1: How to select high-performing products
New dropshippers don’t always know what to sell. If you find the vast array of products on AliExpress confusing, don’t fret. Here are some of the most reliable high performers for 2025:
● Business products, including office supplies
● Hobby supplies – paints, modeling clay, beads or fabric, for instance
● Toothbrushes, including sustainable electric toothbrushes and bamboo toothbrushes
● Beauty and personal care products
● Healthcare products, including yoga mats, jade rollers and serums
● Activewear – leggings and tracksuits, for example
● Homeware products, including air fryers and blenders
● Pet products, including pet beds and toys
● Car accessories products
Tip 2: How to find products that meet customer expectations
It can be hard to choose products on AliExpress – especially if there are multiple items that look the same, or similar. Here are a few things to look out for as you browse options:
● Avoid branded items: Very few branded items on AliExpress are genuine, so it’s best to skip supposedly branded products in favour of high-quality white label products.
● Choose popular products: Pick products with more than 250 sales – repeat sales indicate both quality and supplier reliability.
● Product ratings matter: Look for items with star ratings over 4.5 and good supplier feedback.
● Go for free ePacket shipping: The less you have to spend on fast shipping, the better.
● High profit potential: Perform market research and select items with at least 50% profit potential.
Tip 3: How to fulfill Amazon dropshipping requirements
If you plan to dropship via Amazon, you have to adhere to a couple of strict rules. Here, in a nutshell, is Amazon’s dropshipping policy:
● You have to ensure that your dropshipping partner identifies you as the shipper and the seller on all included paperwork: packing slips, invoices and external packaging
● You must be willing to handle and process customer returns and refunds
Thankfully, many AliExpress sellers are familiar with Amazon’s conditions and will work with UK-based marketplace sellers to ensure that they stick to the rules.
Common mistakes to avoid
● Listing branded / trademarked items without permission (risk of takedown or legal issues)
● Overpromising fast shipping when the supplier ships from far away – leads to unhappy customers
● Not being transparent about shipping times & origin of goods → customer complaints or cancellations
● Ignoring UK consumer law (returns/refunds) or VAT/tax obligations
● Relying on a single low‑cost supplier with poor reliability – the supplier is your reputation
● Not testing product quality or supplier reliability before listing
● Competing purely on price and ignoring brand/trust/experience – margins can get squeezed
● Failing to factor in shipping, import duties, returns logistics in your cost model
Pay AliExpress suppliers with WorldFirst
If you’re building an AliExpress dropshipping business, managing international payments efficiently is just as important as choosing the right products. That’s where WorldFirst comes in – a trusted global payments platform designed for online sellers and cross-border entrepreneurs.
Here’s why WorldFirst fits perfectly into your AliExpress dropshipping setup:
● Global reach: Receive and hold funds in more than 20 currencies, and pay suppliers in over 200 countries directly from one secure account no need for multiple bank accounts
● Regulatory trust: WorldFirst is authorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and operates under strict safeguarding standards, giving dropshippers confidence when sending or receiving international payments
● Transparent FX: With competitive, clearly capped margins (0.5% on major currencies), you always know exactly what you’re paying – ideal for keeping profit margins healthy
● Proven reliability: Over one million businesses have processed more than US$300 billion through WorldFirst – proof that your payments are in safe hands
● Smart tools for sellers: Manage currency risk with forward contracts, set rate alerts to lock in favourable exchange rates, and use the World Card to pay for AliExpress orders with zero-FX-fee spending
Whether you’re just starting out or scaling your AliExpress dropshipping store, WorldFirst helps you manage international payments with speed, security and total transparency – so you can focus on growing your business, not chasing exchange rates.
Open your World Account for free today and turn your dropshipping online store into a global brand – without ever touching a single product.
FAQs
1. What is AliExpress dropshipping UK?
AliExpress dropshipping UK is when UK sellers list AliExpress products online and suppliers ship directly to UK customers. It’s a low-investment way to start an e-commerce business.
2. Is AliExpress dropshipping legal in the UK?
Yes, dropshipping from AliExpress is legal in the UK as long as you comply with consumer protection laws and marketplace policies.
3. How to dropship on Amazon from AliExpress?
To dropship on Amazon UK, list items under your seller account, ensure your supplier labels shipments under your name, and handle returns directly.
4. How much does AliExpress dropshipping cost to start?
You can start for under £100, mainly covering hosting, domain registration, and ad spend.
5. How do I pay AliExpress suppliers?
You can pay via debit card, PayPal, or through a multi-currency account for cheaper international transfers and better exchange rates, such as by using a WorldFirst business account.
Shawn Ma leads business development at WorldFirst UK, with a deep expertise in fintech, risk management and cross-border commerce.
Shawn Ma
Author
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