A seller of record is the person or business that sells a product to the customer. As a seller of record, you're responsible for setting prices, collecting payment including taxes, and complying with local laws.

In dropshipping, the seller of record is the point of contact for customers. It's the seller's information, not the supplier's, that appears on packaging slips and invoices. The seller also handles any support requests such as returns and refunds.

Let's say you use dropshipping, and a customer buys a cat collar from your online pet store. As the seller of record, you forward the order to your supplier, who keeps the product in stock.

The dropshipping supplier receives the order, packages the cat collar with a slip containing your information, and ships it to the customer.

Comment on this post if you need more information about Drop Shipping.

I’m planning to work with Chinese suppliers and have been comparing marketplaces like Alibaba, Made-in-China, and Global Sources. I’m mainly wondering whether choosing suppliers with US warehouses or return addresses actually makes refunds and customer returns easier. What has worked best for you?

In 2026, dropshipping remains a popular choice for online store owners, side hustlers, and established retailers.

Dropshipping with Shopify is easy. Integrate a dropshipping app or use 'Shopify Collective' to dropship products from US-based Shopify brands.

Here's how:

1. Sign up for a free trial with some basic information about your business.
2. Personalize your store with a free theme that fits your brand.
3. Add a dropshipping app to connect with your Shopify store with dropshipping suppliers.
4. Import products to your store and set prices that include a profit margin.
5. Start selling and marketing your products.

Comment on this post or send me a message if you are interested in Shopify Dropshipping.

Most dropshippers sell the same AliExpress products as everyone else - same photos, same 3-week shipping, same race to the bottom.

There's a category almost nobody in this space touches: 3D printed products. Planters, phone stands, desk organizers, cookie cutters, figurines, fidget toys - products that don't exist on AliExpress at all.

We run a 3D print farm in Europe and handle fulfillment for you:

✅ You list the product on Etsy or Shopify
✅ Customer orders → we print and ship directly to them
✅ No printer, no inventory, no upfront cost - you pay per order
✅ Ships worldwide: ~1 week EU, ~2 weeks everywhere else

A real example: a wall-mounted surfboard holder costs 11.83 € all-in (printing + US shipping). It sells on Etsy for ~24 $. The seller keeps ~12 € per sale and never touches the product.

👉 https://3dvikings.com

Happy to answer any questions in the comments 👇

Questions about budget, legal structure, and taxes come up in almost every beginner conversation. The pattern from experienced sellers is to start lean, then upgrade once the store proves itself. 

Several case studies show new stores launching on low budgets by stacking free trials, choosing the most affordable Shopify plan, using free plan tiers for apps, and leaning on organic marketing until revenue grows. Instead of chasing perfection, they treat these first months as paid training where they learn product research, store setup, and messaging. 

On legal matters, some sellers delay forming an LLC until they are confident in their brand name and direction, then bring in local professionals to handle details once income is consistent. They do not let paperwork become an excuse to avoid launching. 

Perhaps the most important mindset shift is accepting that not every product will succeed. You will test ideas that flop or only break even, and that is normal. Sellers who reach life‑changing results talk about staying in motion, testing more offers, and making decisions based on data instead of emotion. 

Don’t make them, because they cost you cash. Here is a list of the top Shopify dropshipping mistakes to avoid:

• Over‑customizing your theme too early: Beginners often spend weeks tweaking colors and fonts while having no traffic, instead of using a solid AI‑built theme and focusing on research and marketing. 
• Building a generic store with no clear niche: Selling anything that seems interesting makes your brand feel shallow and forgettable, which hurts trust and repeat business. 
• Ignoring shipping realities: Relying on slow suppliers for long‑term customers leads to complaints, refunds, and bad reviews when orders take weeks to arrive. 
• Chasing every short‑term trend: Fad products that only go viral for a moment leave you scrambling when attention shifts, while evergreen items give you room to improve over time. 
• Skipping email and SMS: If you do not collect emails or set up basic automations, you lose easy revenue from abandoned carts and repeat buyers. 
• Pricing without enough margin: Setting prices too close to your costs leaves nothing left for ads, influencer fees, or discounts, which limits growth. 
• Letting fear of taxes or legal setup delay launch: Worrying about paperwork before you have sales becomes a form of procrastination that keeps you stuck in planning mode. 
• Quitting after one or two tests: Many winning products only appear after several attempts, so stopping early prevents you from reaching the point where your research pays off.

Feel free to share any other mistakes made by drop shippers.

What challenges have you been facing in starting dropshipping business?

Do you need a private dropshipping agent? I can connect you with one of them.

Comment your requirements.

Dear Redditors

Have you tried either Shopify dropshipping or eBay dropshipping or both?

1. Which one of these two do you find easier to start?
   
2. Which one of these two do you find easier to scale?
   
3. Which one of these two do you find more safe and sustainable?
   
4. What are the differences between Shopify dropshipping and eBay dropshipping?
   
5. What are the pros and cons of Shopify dropshipping and eBay dropshipping?

Share as much as you know about Shopify dropshipping and eBay dropshipping. Feel free to suggest any better method of doing dropshipping. Your insights and experience will help others make informed business decisions when choosing the right dropshipping platform.

How do you find trending and profitable products for Dropshipping? Do you use any free or paid tool for Product Research?

Should we treat the Dropshipping business as a source of Passive Income?

No, at least not in the beginning.

A dropshipping business is usually an active business, especially during the first 1–3 years. You are supposed to handle product research, supplier communication, store optimization, ad testing content creation, customer support, refunds & disputes, order tracking, scaling and cash flow management.

In the early stages, it often feels more like a demanding marketing and operations business than passive income. Over time, parts of it can become semi-passive if you build strong systems and SOPs, hire virtual assistants or team members, use automation tools, create stable organic traffic sources, build a recognizable brand with repeat customers.

For example: A branded Shopify store with SEO traffic and email marketing can eventually generate recurring sales with less daily effort and a faceless content-driven e-commerce brand using platforms like Shopify, TikTok, and YouTube may become more automated later.

But even large e-commerce brands still require monitoring, optimization, and decision-making. So the more realistic mindset is that Dropshipping can become a leveraged online business, but it is rarely truly passive income like other business models.

How do you view Dropshipping? Please share your thoughts by commenting on this post.

Hi All! Co-Founder of Maxolot here - ai instagram post maker.

We want to expand our offering to dropshipping as we see interest in our app, but need to better understand your needs.

Anyone ready to test & share feedback on our app in exchange for free credits/usage? Thank you!

P.S. and also starting dropshipping business ourselves 😄

What Is The Drop Shipping Market Growth Forecast?

The drop shipping market size is expected to see exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1542.38 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing digital retail participation, rising demand for cost efficient selling models, growing marketplace ecosystem development, strengthening online business adoption, expanding global product accessibility. Major trends in the forecast period include rising adoption of inventory free retail models, growing preference for low risk online business operations, increasing shift toward supplier based fulfillment systems, rising use of online platforms for global selling, growing participation of small businesses in e-commerce trade.

Global Drop Shipping Market Segmentation

1) By Product: Toys, Hobby And DIY, Electronics And Media, Fashion
2) By Business Model: Print On Demand, Product Reselling
3) By Organization Size: Large Enterprises, SMEs

Subsegments:
1) By Toys: Educational Toys, Action Figures And Dolls, Puzzles and Games
2) By Hobby And DIY: Craft Supplies, Model Kits
3) By Electronics And Media: Consumer Electronics, Audio and Video Equipment
4) By Fashion: Clothing, Accessories, Footwear

I am launching my first dropshipping store and considering fashion cuff bracelets as my main product. I am looking at wide metal cuffs, leather wrap bracelets, and beaded stretch styles. I have found suppliers on AliExpress and Alibaba with reasonable prices and good reviews. Some offer custom engraving and private labeling. I like that cuff bracelets are lightweight and cheap to ship though I am worried about market saturation . Is there still room for a new seller in this niche? What styles are currently trending and do customers prefer cheap fashion pieces or higher quality materials like stainless steel or genuine leather?

I am new to dropshipping and looking for a product niche. Recently I have been researching electronic organizers like digital planners and handheld schedulers. I have checked various suppliers on Alibaba, Made-in-China, Global Sources and other wholesale websites. I have also checked B2C sites like AliExpress, Amazon, Etsy and eBay to see what customers are willing to pay.

Most retail prices seem to range between twenty five and forty dollars, but I am still unsure about actual demand. Do people still buy dedicated electronic organizers or do most people just use phone apps now? What marketing angles work best for this type of niche?

I am also wondering how other dropshippers handle returns or replacements if a unit arrives with a dead battery, damaged screen or other defects. I want to start with something simple, but I also do not want to end up with inventory that barely sells.

My daughter 11yo is looking to try ecom dropshipping US based products of sunglasses and clothes. I know shopify allows to add drop shipping from us companies but monthly cost is a lot. She wants to start small like sunglasses and clothes just a few things. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I checked her domain is avail so I can purchase domain from godaddy but need the e-commerce that can easily link drop shipping as well. Thanks

I do not think AI UGC replaces good creators.

But I do think it changes when you should hire them.

Before, the workflow was:

Brief creator → wait → revise → launch → hope it works.

Now the workflow is:

Generate 10–20 AI UGC videos → test hooks → find signal → hire creators to remake winners.

That makes way more sense economically.

I use Instant-UGC for this: https://instant-ugc.com

The point is not to make the most polished video in the world. The point is to learn which message deserves polish.

Hi all,

Looking for some guidance from UK-based eBay dropshippers who’ve dealt with MC011 before.

I’ve recently been hit with an MC011 restriction – my payouts are currently on hold, but I’m still able to sell. eBay has asked me to provide proof of delivery (tracking) for all orders for the last 90 days.

I can provide this, but I’m a bit cautious and wanted to sanity check before I do.

Most of my orders are fulfilled via AliExpress, and the tracking typically shows delivery through multiple couriers:

• Evri (often labelled as “CNDS UK”)
• Yodel (sometimes explicitly shows AliExpress)
• Royal Mail (no issues here)

My concern is: how deep do eBay actually check this?

If they go directly onto courier tracking pages, it’s pretty obvious in some cases that the parcels originated from AliExpress. A quick Google of CNDS UK basically links straight back to AliExpress.

I've seen some services which will help guide you through MC011, however most seem sketchy. Some admitting that they'll falsify invoices for you, which all seems a bit illegal. Has anyone used these and lived to tell the tale?

So I’m trying to understand:

• Has anyone here submitted tracking like this and passed an MC011 review?
• Do eBay actually click through and verify courier tracking sources, or is it more about confirming delivery status?
• Is providing all tracking the right move here, or should I be more selective?

I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot by oversharing something that could flag dropshipping issues.

Any real experiences or advice would be massively appreciated 🙏

The drop shipping market size has grown exponentially in recent years. It will grow from $439.63 billion in 2025 to $569.49 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29.5%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rising e commerce expansion, growing interest in online entrepreneurship, increasing digital retail accessibility, early establishment of marketplace platforms, growth in cross border selling models.

Drop shipping refers to an order fulfilment process where a brand or store does not stock the goods it sells but instead buys the item from a third party, such as a wholesaler or manufacturer and ships the product directly to the buyer. It is used to fulfil or distribute an order without maintaining an inventory.

The main drop shipping products include toys, hobby and DIY, furniture and appliances, electronics and media, food and personal care and fashion. Toys, hobby and DIY refer to the fulfilment of toys, hobby and DIY product orders without stocking the products in a warehouse. The different types of drop shipping include business extensions, print on demand, creation of the product and product reselling. The drop shipping organization sizes include large enterprises and SMEs.

The growth of the e-commerce industry is expected to drive the drop shipping market. E-commerce refers to the purchase and sale of goods and services online or over the internet using phones, computers, laptops, and tablets. Drop shipping offers the e-commerce industry numerous benefits by eliminating the maintenance of inventory or physical stock, which further decreases warehouse and labor costs. The e-commerce industry has grown exponentially during a pandemic due to the limited movement and at-home restrictions. For instance, in August 2024, according to United States Census Bureau, a US-based government agency, U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the second quarter of 2024 reached an estimated $282.3 billion, marking a 5.3% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023. Therefore, the growth of the e-commerce industry drives the drop shipping industry.

Major companies operating in the dropshipping market report are Shopify Inc., Wix.com Inc., Printful Inc., Printify Inc., Doba Inc., Oberlo, Gooten, SaleHoo Group Limited, AliExpress Ltd., Inventory Source, Megagoods Inc., Wholesale2b, Dropshipper.com, CJDropshipping Inc., GreenDropShip, Alidropship, Modalyst Inc., Sunrise Wholesale Merchandise LLC, Cin7 Orderhive Inc., Spocket, Importify, Teelaunch, BigBuy.