AliDropship Blog

Get marketing tips, tricks and dropshipping inspiration right into your inbox!
Sign up today not to miss out a single post:

A Beginners’ Guide To International Dropshipping

By Denis K.

International Dropshipping Guide

International dropshipping allows you to sell products worldwide without even leaving your home. Sounds impressive, right?

This article is going to help you find your footing in international dropshipping.

What doesn’t catch on with the customers in your country may be a profitable opportunity in another one. And you don’t need to travel to these countries to launch your business.

Dropshipping blurs the international borders. Your business is no longer tied down to your location. You can live in Uganda and sell goods to the USA or Europe. You can even travel to your heart’s content without any harm to your online business. All you need is to take your laptop with you.

Sounds too good to be true?

Believe it or not, but it’s really so. And you don’t have to work miracles to become financially independent and lead a life you’ve always dreamed of.

However, it doesn’t mean you should dive into dropshipping without planning it out. Without a plan, you’ll run up against plenty of unnecessary problems that will get you down fast.

To let you avoid this, we’ve drawn up this roadmap to international dropshipping. Take one step at a time and watch your business grow.

#1. Make the list of the countries you want to dropship to

choosing countries to dropship to
Obviously, the first thing you should do before starting your online business is research a potential market. You need to know where your products could do the trick and bring money in.

Thanks to the tools like Google Trends, you can easily evaluate the level of demand for certain items. You just need to type your keywords in the search field and see how the interest in the product has been changing over the years.

In some countries, a product can be desired by a large number of people, while in others, the level of demand will be far less.

Thus, you need to weed out the countries that don’t have any interest in the items you’re selling. Draw up the list of the most promising countries to sell your goods to. It’s going to be helpful for your further work.

#2. Size up the level of competition in your niche

Sizing up the level of competitionWhen you have a list of potential countries, you should look at each of these regions closer. Some countries could be flooded with online stores that occupy the same niche.

In these kinds of circumstances, it’s going to be difficult and quite expensive to win over the competition. There, customers have a lot of alternatives to your store – plus, promotional campaigns on oversaturated markets cost a lot more.

However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a high level of competition is a sign for you to back out.

Remember that the competitors’ products and promotional campaigns may not be of the highest quality. And here is where you can break into the market and come out on top!

Yet, if your common sense drops hints that the competition is too tough, then you’d better focus your effort on the countries with better conditions.

#3. Choose suitable dropshipping suppliers

Choosing dropshipping suppliers
We’ve mentioned before that the reliability of your business partners is of utmost importance.

But besides this, there is one more thing to consider if you want to dropship internationally. Your suppliers should be able to deliver the products to every country you target.

Plus, your clients want to receive their packages as soon as possible. And, most certainly, they have little desire to pay extra delivery fees.

Meanwhile, it may turn out that an AliExpress seller has a free or a low-cost shipping option for one country but doesn’t have it for another. Or it could occur that the shipping to some states costs higher than the item itself. Who would like that?

Thus, you need to go to AliExpress and try to choose the suppliers who provide cheap delivery services, to all your target countries.

Finally, another thing worth mentioning is the tracking code. When you pick your suppliers, make sure their shipping options include the tracking information. Tracking a delivery order helps avoid all kinds of troubles. If you can track the goods, you will have information about the status of the shipment, whether it has been delivered to the address or if it’s experiencing some delays.

In any case, with having access to the tracking of the package, you will be able to resolve any issues much more effectively.

#4. Try to find suppliers that store their products near your customers

find the suppliersIf the order takes a large amount of time to reach its destination, you risk running into various predicaments with your customers. The most impatient and irritable of them could be a real pain in your neck and cause some serious troubles.

To keep customer anger at bay, you should work towards reducing the delivery time. The best way to achieve this is to search for the sellers on AliExpress who store their products in the countries you target or in the neighboring states.

It’s simple – the shorter the distance is, the faster the delivery.

In one of our articles, we explain how to find the suppliers with the warehouses in the USA. This way, you cut down the shipping time from 20 – 30 to 7 – 5 days.

The good news is, you can repeat the same trick with any other country you need. Some AliExpress sellers have their warehouses in various countries like the one in the pictures below.

slide0slide1

#5. Set suitable payment gateways

Set payment gatewaysYou come across an item that you want to buy right on the spot without any delay. But, you can’t. The store doesn’t accept your credit card and you’ve left your cash at home.

Sad, right?

If you don’t want your clients to feel the same way, you need to integrate suitable payment gateways in your online store.

Make sure that the gateways you’re about to set are available in the countries you’re going to target.

#6. Run separate promotional campaigns for each country

promotional campaigns for different countries Every country has its own history, culture, and traditions.

What puts people off in India could be right up your alley if you’re a US citizen. And the other way round.

While creating your advertisement, you need to consider the diversity between countries. You should have a specific approach to each country you target. Besides, if you want to get the best results from your advertisement that targets a specific country, you need to translate it into the local language.

#7. Translate customer reviews

customer reviews
Your reputation is one of the most essential parts of being successful in international dropshipping.

How do people figure out if your online store is worth buying from?

From the people who have already had this experience, of course! Don’t even doubt it: your store visitors read the reviews that the previous buyers have left about your products and your customer service.

Fortunately, you can build a sound foundation for your online business right from the beginning. Even if nobody has bought anything from you yet.

With AliDropship Google Chrome Extension, you’re able to add the reviews along with the products you import to your store.

But, the customer feedback on AliExpress could be posted in different languages. They may not include the ones your target countries speak.

Thus, you should translate the positive reviews into English, at least. For better results, you need your product reviews to include comments in all the languages your potential clients speak.

#8. Provide a great customer service

customer serviceAs a rule, unsatisfied customers are more inclined to take their anger out on you by leaving negative feedback. If everything goes well, people just take it for granted.

If you don’t want bad rumors about your online store to run rampant on the Internet, you should provide your clients with excellent customer service.

It means that there is no room for any misunderstanding between you and the customers. If you can’t speak English or the other target languages fluently enough, there will definitely be some problems.

The key to handling this difficulty is hiring somebody who has the necessary knowledge of the language. They’re going to take care of your customer support and save your reputation. Freelance platforms like Fiverr, UpWork, Freelancer let you easily find someone who is fit for this.

#9. Additional international dropshipping features you should be aware of

If you are indeed interested in creating a dropshipping business that will target other countries, then there are a couple of additional factors you should be aware of.

Let’s go over them one by one.

  • The laws and regulations of the destination country

It’s no secret that every country has its own restrictions for international shipments. If you wish to run a profitable business you need to make yourself familiar with the laws and regulations of the countries you decide to target.  Thus, you will avoid any unnecessary troubles with the law and keep your profits to yourself.

For example, in certain countries, you are required to file information about the incoming order. If you fail to file this info, you risk facing various fees and penalties.

As you can see, the outcome can be costly for your business. So, making yourself familiar with the laws is strictly in your interests!

  • Packaging

A poorly packaged product can be a major letdown, especially to consumers who enjoy it when the package is of high quality and represents the product in the best way. However, aiming to please your potential customers is not the only reason why you should try to create a custom package. Besides ensuring your items are delivered in the best condition, it heavily affects the shipping rates, as they will differ depending on the size and weight of the package.

For this reason, if you want your dropshipping business to look like an actual business, you should invest in the packaging to make it more presentable and memorable to your customers.

Make a creative packaging design that best reflects your brand. Moreover, try to use lightweight protective materials to ensure low shipping rates.

  • Return terms and conditions

Just like any other wholesale business that sells various products, make sure to get acquainted with the return policies of your dropshipping suppliers. Moreover, don’t forget to list your own return policy on your online store, to provide your customers with this information. Provide straight and clear information about the payment methods, guarantees, etc.

By getting better acquainted with the general features of international dropshipping, you better prepare yourself when you start dropshipping your goods to customers from other countries and increasing your profit margins.

Now, you’re good to go! You know the most essential things about international dropshipping and can give it a shot. If something still holds you back, feel free to leave your questions in the section below. We’re always ready to help you.

avatar
By Denis K.
Denis is a copywriter at AliDropship. Having graduated from the Faculty of International Business as a specialist in advertising, he explores the rapidly changing and evolving digital marketing industry and feels committed to sharing his findings with a wider reader’s audience.
42 Comments
Eunice imene 5 years ago

Please how do I start a drop shipping business,I don’t know how.can you help me with a video or some I can chat with to teach me?

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi!
I’m glad to know you’re in.
Of course, we can help you. You can ask the guys from Dropship Club any question about dropshipping, they know all the ins and outs. Here is the link https://dropship.club/
If you want to build you store on your own, here is the article that’s gonna give you a clue /drop-shipping-for-dummies/

Elvis 5 years ago

Hi I am currently in Qatar,but need to start a store that is registered in Kenya and sells international,is it possible to buy a custom store from you good guys with a Kenyan account but able to run it while hear in Qatar.

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi!
Thank you for your question.
We can create an online store for you from scratch and you’ll be able to run it from wherever you want /start-new-business/. For this, You’ll just need a laptop and Internet access.
But, to get your business registed in some country is up to you.

Ikechukwu 5 years ago

Please I want to dropshipp international, am from Nigeria what do I do… Please can you please help me

Olga L. 5 years ago

Hi, thank you for your interest! Our designated team members will get in touch with you shortly.
Meanwhile, please, watch these videos:
/alidropship-plugin-review-video/ – it explains how to make a dropshipping store yourself with the help of our plugin
/buy-dropshipping-store/ – it explains how to get a fully ready dropshipping store individually prepared by our team

Akinyomi Oluwaseun 5 years ago

I’m also from Nigeria and I’m interested

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi there!
Glad to know you’re interested!
Our team is going to get in touch with you soon
These videos should be interesting for you also
/alidropship-plugin-review-video/ – it explains how to make a dropshipping store by yourself with the help of our plugin
/buy-dropshipping-store/ – it explains how to get a fully ready dropshipping store individually prepared by our team

Akin 5 years ago

Please i want to dropship international, I’m in Nigeria.my target is Africa market, please how I need your assistance and mentor on how to achieve this business plan. I will be happy for a quick response. Thank you

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi, Akin!
We’re going to get in touch with you soon.
Meanwhile, you could watch these videos, they should be useful for you
/alidropship-plugin-review-video/ – it explains how to make a dropshipping store by yourself with the help of our plugin
/buy-dropshipping-store/ – it explains how to get a fully ready dropshipping store individually prepared by our team

Alao Ladi 5 years ago

I will like to start this business but I’m a newbie. Can you contact me through my email for further discussions, please.

Olga L. 5 years ago

Hi, thank you for your interest! Our designated team members will get in touch with you shortly.
Meanwhile, please, watch these videos:
/alidropship-plugin-review-video/ – it explains how to make a dropshipping store yourself with the help of our plugin
/buy-dropshipping-store/ – it explains how to get a fully ready dropshipping store individually prepared by our team

Martyn Solomon 5 years ago

Hi is available in Austria?
Thank you

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi there!
Yes, it’s available. You could read this article to find out more /dropshipping-to-europe/

Achor Uteno 5 years ago

Hello am from Nigeria, I want to start my dropshipping also but how can I get suppliers that are close bye to Nigeria or in Nigeria.

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi!
Thank you for your interest.
How to find suppliers who store their products in your country or nearby is explained in this article (part#4). If you can’t find such suppliers, you just need to choose suppliers who provide fast and cheap delivery such as ePacket to your country

luis 5 years ago

I WANT TO START ..BUT I DONT KNOW HOW

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi there!
Our team is going to get in touch with you soon
These videos should be interesting for you also
/alidropship-plugin-review-video/ – it explains how to make a dropshipping store by yourself with the help of our plugin
/buy-dropshipping-store/ – it explains how to get a fully ready dropshipping store individually prepared by our team

David 5 years ago

Please i am a student from Nigeria,currently i dont have enough cash to set up an online store,are there other ways i can partake of this online business aside owning an online store,if yes please i would love to know to how.Thank you

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi, David!
Our team is going to get in touch with you soon
These videos should be interesting for you also
/alidropship-plugin-review-video/ – it explains how to make a dropshipping store by yourself with the help of our plugin
/buy-dropshipping-store/ – it explains how to get a fully ready dropshipping store individually prepared by our team

Mohammed 5 years ago

Hi. How can I Handel the different orders from different suppliers in my store to the same client?

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi, Mohammed!
Thank you for the comment!
You just need to import products from AliExpress to your online store. AliDropship plugin takes care of fulfilling order – it happens automatically. If you want your customers to get all the goods they’ve bought together at the same time, you should limit the number of your suppliers to 1 or 2. This article is going to help you pull it off /how-to-find-a-supplier/

Amarachukwu 5 years ago

I want to run a dropshipping business from Nigeria. How possible is it and what will getting a customized site cost

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi there!
It’s 100% possible, you can read this article to learn more about dropshipping in Nigeria /7-facts-about-drop-shipping-in-nigeria/
The price of your custom store depends on the package you’d like to choose. To get more detailed info, please click on this link /start-new-business/. There, you can find out more about the packages and get a free consultation of our managers

Brian 5 years ago

Do you help with advertising? Also how much do I need upfront if I wanted a website plus online store?

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi, Brian!
Thank you for your questions.
The price of your online store depends on the package you choose. Each package includes hosting for your store. In other words, you get your website with your online store integrated into it. You can learn more about the packages and their prices if you go to this link /start-new-business/. There, you can also get a free consultation. Our managers are going to answer all your question. So, feel free to get in touch with them.
Speaking of advertising. If you need some help with promoting your dropshipping business, Dropship club is the service that’s gonna give you a hand. Click on this link https://dropship.club/ to find out more about Dropship club

van 5 years ago

HI,
Will alidropship plugin know the countries a supplier in aliexpress ships to automatically and updates that on my eCommerce store when I am importing the products?

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi there!
Thank you for your question.
AliDropship plugin automatically places orders on AliExpress and constantly updates the info about the products.

Kamal 5 years ago

Hello! I’m Nigerian and I’m interested in starting a drop shipping business. Please i need guides on how to start with little money, and also find niches and customers close by. Thank yoi

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi, Kamal
Our managers are going to get in touch with you soon
These videos should be interesting for you also
/alidropship-plugin-review-video/ – it explains how to make a dropshipping store by yourself with the help of our plugin
/buy-dropshipping-store/ – it explains how to get a fully ready dropshipping store individually prepared by our team

Daniel 5 years ago

Am very much interested in alidropshipping, but I don’t know how to start in the first place. Secondly do I need a PayPal account for this?

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi, Daniell
Our managers are going to get in touch with you soon
These videos should be interesting for you also
/alidropship-plugin-review-video/ – it explains how to make a dropshipping store by yourself with the help of our plugin
/buy-dropshipping-store/ – it explains how to get a fully ready dropshipping store individually prepared by our team
You can also get our guides for dropshipping business /guides/

Speaking about PayPal. It’s not necessary to have it if you want to start you dropshipping store. You can get along with any other payment gateways available in your country https://help.aliexpress-na-russkom.ru/en/articles/2237021-available-payment-gateways. We recommed you setting Stripe or 2checkout.

Heart Spain 5 years ago

Hello

Can I still be successful drop shipping to the USA even if my domain name extension ends with .com.au? or do I have to change over to .com?

Thank you

Olga L. 5 years ago

Hi, thank you for the question!

Your domain name still has the ‘.com’ part, which is why it is perfectly suitable for international business.
As the part of your business brand, you can create a ‘legend’ of your business identity and origin that would explain the ‘.au’ part and look natural to the buyers.

HANNAH JACYNTHA 5 years ago

Hi, I purchased the custom advance package this year and received the licence in July . For 1 month there was no sales so I decided to purchase the plugin bundle pack and bought it last month and installed all the 6 plugins. Sadly there is no sales till now with ads being run and with plugins installed. Beginning, In the process of liaising with the Custom store manager, I asked her I wanted to choose US and Malaysia as my target country to dropship party supplies item. However,she mentioned to choose 1 country or region. Then I chose US. But today as I was reading your blog came across that we could dropship worldwide
/dropshipping-worldwide/
. How do I go about it? Do i need to seek your expertise to change the settings in my store? Please help me.

Andrey Y. 5 years ago

Hi there!
Thank you for your comment.
The very first steps in dropshipping are usually the hardest. But after you set the process in motion, it will be much easier.
Please, write about your problem here support@dropship.club. These guys know everything about dropshipping and are always ready to lend you a hand.

Joseph Olatunji 4 years ago

I will need to know how much it will take for me to start a dropshipping business from Nigeria

Olga L. 4 years ago

Hi, thank you for your question!
You can get it in 10-14 days – please, see more details here: /start-new-business/

Percy 4 years ago

Most of the items that i see on aliexpress are not Indian market products. Can you please help me the suppliers on Ali mostly or vastly produce products targeted to which country.

Or is their any filters available on country based products. Please let me know.

The article is great one

Olga L. 4 years ago

Hi, thank you for your question!

Please, read this article: here, we explain how to find and filter good products from our database /find-winning-products-for-your-store-with-bestsellers-insight/

Vipul Bhandari 4 years ago

Hii, I want to Start Dropshipping business, and I want to sell it in USA and my Supplier is also from USA.
Currently I am living in India.
So, How Can I do this??
Reply must..

Olga L. 4 years ago

Hi, thank you for your question! Our manager will get in touch with you via email.

Leave a comment

×