Can I Do Dropshipping Without Shopify?



Dropshipping is a popular business model in which a retailer (the "dropshipper") sells products to customers without actually owning or stocking the items.

The dropshipper then places an order with a wholesaler or manufacturer and has the goods shipped directly to the customer.

Dropshipping has become increasingly popular in the realm of ecommerce, as it allows entrepreneurs to start an online business with very little financial investment or risk.

The dropshipping model works without the need for a platform such as Shopify, but using a platform can definitely increase the effectiveness and efficiency of a dropshipping business.

Shopify, for instance, offers features such as secure payments, tracking, and automated inventory management that can be very helpful for a successful dropshipping business.

An ecommerce store without Shopify can still offer dropshipping services.

A store owner might opt to use a different type of platform, such as WooCommerce, or may choose to create their own custom store frontend on a domain.

Whether the store is created on another platform or coded completely from scratch, the merchant needs a way for the customer to place orders, accept payments, and communicate the order to the dropshipper.

If the store owner is not using a platform such as Shopify, they will need to provide some form of order management themselves.

This includes accepting payments, managing inventory, and generating shipping labels.

Depending on the size of the store, this can be done manually in the form of a spreadsheet, or via a custom-built solution.

Regardless of whether the dropshipping store is on Shopify or another platform, the store owner will need to determine their delivery methods, as well as the cost and time of the shipping.

It's also important to develop a clear return/refund policy and a system to handle customer complaints and inquiries.

Dropshipping without Shopify can be done successfully, but it might require the store owner to invest a bit of time and effort into setting up an order management system.

For those that don't want to go the extra mile on their own, a platform such as Shopify with its fully integrated features and tools may be a better option.

Related Shopify tutorials:

The Takeaway

Dropshipping is a popular business model that allows entrepreneurs to take orders and then ship them directly to customers.

Shopify is a popular eCommerce platform that facilitates dropshipping.However, it is possible to do dropshipping without using Shopify!

Business owners can develop their own eCommerce website or use third-party services to create and host their own online stores.

From there, entrepreneurs can either create their own product listings or find wholesale suppliers or dropshipping wholesalers who offer dropshipping services.

Once the seller has created their listings, and the supplier is sending out orders, dropshipping without Shopify can begin in earnest.

Popular payment processors like PayPal and Stripe make it easy for businesses to accept orders and charge customers for their purchases.

Business owners can also use automation tools to manage their orders more effectively, as well as choose from a range of logistics and shipping services.

By keeping their business process and customer information in house, and cutting out third-party fees, businesses can save a lot of money dropshipping without Shopify.

All this combined makes it possible for entrepreneurs to become successful and profitable without having to go through Shopify.

To summarize we've briefly covered:

  • Can I Do Dropshipping Without Shopify?

What next:

Additional Shopify Resources

With Shopify being one of the largest eCommerce platforms on the market means you’ll never be short of resources to learn how to build a profitable eCommerce business.

Kanteneo aims to be the best Shopify blog on the market, but you may require additional resources to help you on that journey. Below we’ve listed a top-selling Shopify book by Veronica Jeans to help you learn how to launch a profitable business.





Author

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Terry Wingfield

A techy at heart, with over 10+ years of software engineering skills, and 5+ years experience in ecommerce, retention, and personalization.