Which Shopify Plan is Best for Dropshipping? - 2024 Review

Embarking on a successful dropshipping venture requires the proper foundation, and choosing the ideal Shopify plan is critical. Our comprehensive 2024 review dissects the various Shopify plans to help you navigate the complexities and find the one tailored for dropshipping excellence. From basic functionalities to advanced features, we explore the nuances that set each plan apart. 

Whether you're just starting or looking to scale, this guide provides invaluable insights to ensure your choice aligns seamlessly with your business goals. Stay ahead of the curve as we delve into the Best Shopify plans for dropshipping.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is an eCommerce platform that enables businesses to create online stores and sell products or services. Launched in 2006, it provides a user-friendly interface, allowing individuals and businesses to set up digital storefronts without extensive technical knowledge. 

Shopify offers various customizable templates, a secure shopping cart system, and various tools for managing products, orders, and customer data. Additionally, it provides features like payment processing, inventory management, and marketing tools to help entrepreneurs build and grow their online businesses. Businesses of all sizes widely use Shopify for its simplicity and versatility in creating and managing eCommerce websites.

Why should we use Shopify for dropshipping?

User-Friendly Interface

Shopify's intuitive interface makes it easy for beginners to set up and manage an online store. With drag-and-drop functionality, you can effortlessly customize your store without extensive technical expertise, streamlining the dropshipping process.

Dedicated Dropshipping Apps

Shopify offers a variety of apps designed explicitly for dropshipping. These apps integrate seamlessly with your store, providing features like automated order fulfillment, inventory management, and real-time tracking, enhancing efficiency in your dropshipping operations.

Reliable Payment Gateways

Shopify supports multiple payment gateways, ensuring secure and convenient transactions for you and your customers. This flexibility in payment options contributes to a positive shopping experience, fostering trust and increasing the likelihood of successful sales.

Scalability and Flexibility

As your dropshipping business grows, Shopify scales with you. Whether you're handling a handful of products or a vast inventory, Shopify's infrastructure can adapt to your needs. This scalability is crucial for accommodating increased traffic and expanding product lines.

SEO-Friendly Features

Shopify is designed with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind. It includes customizable title tags, meta descriptions, and clean URL structures, empowering you to optimize your product pages for search engines. This helps improve your store's visibility, attracting more potential customers.

24/7 Customer Support

Shopify provides round-the-clock customer support to assist you with any challenges you may encounter. From technical issues to general inquiries, having reliable support ensures that you can resolve issues promptly, minimizing disruptions to your dropshipping business and maintaining a smooth operation.

Shopify Plans Comparison: Price & Key Advantages

Choosing the right Shopify plan is crucial for the success of your online store. Each plan offers different features and pricing, so it's essential to understand which one best suits your needs and budget.

Here's a breakdown of the Shopify plans:

Shopify Starter

- Price: $5/month

- Best for individuals or businesses just starting, selling through social media or messaging apps

- Key advantages:

• Sell products through social media posts and messaging apps
• Create product links to share
• Competitive transaction fees
• Simple and easy-to-use interface

Basic Shopify

- Price: $25/month

- Best for new businesses or businesses with a limited product range

- Key advantages

• Unlimited products
• Two staff accounts
• Basic reporting
• 24/7 support
• Free SSL certificate
• Abandoned cart recovery (limited)

Shopify

- Price: $65/month

- Best for growing businesses with a larger product range and customer base

- Key advantages

• All features of Basic Shopify
• Five staff accounts
• Gift cards
• Abandoned cart recovery
• Discounted shipping rates
• Advanced fraud analysis

Advanced Shopify

- Price: $399/month

- Best for high-volume businesses with advanced needs

- Key advantages

• All features of Shopify
• Calculated shipping rates
• Advanced Reporting
• Carrier-calculated shipping
• Third-party app developer support

Shopify Plus

- Price: Custom quote (typically starts at $2,000/month)

- Best for large enterprises with high-volume sales and complex needs

- Key advantages:

• All features of Advanced Shopify
• Highly customizable platform
• Dedicated account manager and support
• Scalable to accommodate rapid growth
• Advanced features like wholesale pricing, subscription boxes, and omnichannel commerce

*Note: The price can differ from different regions. 

Here's a table summarizing the key differences between the plans:

Read more: Shopify Plans & Pricing

Which Shopify plan is best for dropshipping?

Based on the comparison above, Shopify Basic is the best Shopify plan for your dropshipping business at the first stage. Priced at $25, the Basic plan offers affordability while providing all the essentials to kickstart your online sales. Acquire a crucial component – your website, a fundamental necessity for establishing your online store. The Basic plan remains financially advantageous, even as your annual earnings reach $200,000, ensuring excessive transaction fees won't burden you.

However, it also depends on your specific needs and stage of business. When your business scales, you need to consider the higher plan to get more features and functions to manage your store better.

How to start Dropshipping with Shopify

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to start dropshipping with Shopify:

Find Niche and Product Research

• Find a niche: Choose a profitable niche with low competition and passionate customers. Research trends, analyze existing dropshipping stores, and consider your interests and expertise.

Read more: Top Trending niches

• Identify winning products: Look for trending, problem-solving, or unique products with high perceived value and profit margins. Tools like Minea, Spocket, or Niche Finder can help with research.

Read more: Best Products to Dropship

Set Up Your Shopify Store

• Start a free trial: Sign up for Shopify's 3-day free trial and the first 3 months with only $1/month to explore the platform and build your store without commitment.

• Choose a plan: Select a plan that fits your needs and budget. Basic Shopify suits beginners, while Shopify or Advanced Shopify offers more features for growing businesses.

• Customize your store: Design a visually appealing and user-friendly experience with Shopify's themes, templates, and customization options. Branding and good store design are crucial for building trust and promoting sales.

You can use EComposer - Best Shopify Page Builder App to help create stunning pages for your Dropshipping store. With its user-friendly interface and powerful live drag-drop editor, you can easily add, edit, and customize the pages. This app provides a lot of pre-made layouts for various niches from eCommerce experts to save you time and effort. 

Moreover, EComposer supports excellent dropshipping features to optimize your Shopify stores for speed, performance and maximize sales. Try EComposer Now!

Find a Dropshipping Supplier

• Research reputable suppliers: Find reliable dropshippers with high-quality products, fast shipping times, and excellent customer service. Popular options include Oberlo, Spocket, CJ Dropshipping, and Doba.
• Compare prices and features: Evaluate product range, minimum order quantities, shipping costs, and fulfillment options before choosing a supplier.

Read more: 

• Best Dropshipping Suppliers
• Free Dropshipping Suppliers USA

Add Products and Set Up Fulfillment

• Import products: Use your chosen dropshipping app to import products from your supplier's catalog to your Shopify store easily. Customize product descriptions, titles, and images for better branding and SEO.
• Connect your supplier: Enable automatic order fulfillment by connecting your Shopify store with your dropshipping supplier's platform. This ensures orders are automatically sent to your supplier for fulfillment.

Marketing and Promotion

• Drive traffic to your store: Utilize various marketing channels like social media ads, search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, and influencer collaborations to reach your target audience.
• Offer competitive pricing and promotions: Run discounts and promotions to attract customers and stand out from competitors.
• Excellent customer service: Respond promptly to inquiries, address concerns effectively, and build customer trust.

In general, Dropshipping requires dedication, effort, and continuous learning. Be prepared to invest time and resources into building your store, marketing, and customer service. Stay updated on market trends, analyze your performance, and adapt your strategies for sustainable growth.

Final thought

In conclusion, choosing the best Shopify plan for dropshipping boils down to understanding your business's unique requirements and growth trajectory. Whether you opt for the simplicity of Basic Shopify, the enhanced features of Shopify, or the scalability of Advanced Shopify, each plan caters to different stages of your entrepreneurial journey. 

The key is to align your chosen plan with your current needs while anticipating future expansion. With Shopify's user-friendly interface, robust features, and dedicated dropshipping support, you're empowered to build a successful online store. Embrace the plan that suits your ambitions, and let Shopify be the catalyst for your dropshipping success in 2024 and beyond.

FAQs - Best Shopify Plan For Dropshipping

1. What's the difference between the Shopify plans for dropshipping?

Answer: Shopify offers three main plans for dropshipping - Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify. Basic Shopify is an excellent starting point with fundamental features. Shopify provides additional functionalities, making it suitable for growing businesses. Advanced Shopify is designed for high-growth enterprises, offering cutting-edge tools like third-party calculated shipping rates.

2. Can I change my Shopify plan later?

Answer: Certainly! Shopify understands that your business needs may evolve. You can easily upgrade or downgrade your plan anytime, ensuring flexibility as your dropshipping venture progresses.

3. Is there a transaction fee for each sale on Shopify?

Answer: Yes, there is a transaction fee; however, it varies based on your plan. Basic Shopify’s transaction fee is 2%. As your business expands, the costs become more cost-effective, aligning with your growing success.

4. Which dropshipping apps work best with Shopify?

Answer: Shopify seamlessly integrates with popular dropshipping apps like Oberlo, Spocket, and Modalyst. These apps streamline product sourcing and order fulfillment, enhancing the efficiency of your dropshipping operations.

5. Can I customize my online store's appearance with any plan?

Answer: Absolutely! Even with the Basic Shopify plan, you can customize your online store's appearance. You can choose from various themes and layouts to create a unique and branded shopping experience for your customers.

6. Are there limitations on the number of products I can sell?

Answer: Basic Shopify has a product listing limit, but both Shopify and Advanced Shopify plans offer unlimited product listings. This ensures that as your dropshipping inventory grows, your chosen plan can accommodate your expanding product range without limitations.

7. Do I need coding skills to set up my Shopify store?

Answer: No coding skills are required! Shopify's user-friendly interface is designed for beginners, allowing you to set up and customize your store without the need for any coding knowledge. It's a hassle-free way to launch your dropshipping business.

8. What payment gateways does Shopify support?

Answer: Shopify supports various payment gateways, including major credit cards, PayPal, and alternative payment methods. This flexibility ensures that your customers can purchase using their preferred payment options.

9. Is there customer support available for Shopify users?

Answer: Certainly! Shopify provides 24/7 customer support to assist you with any issues or inquiries. Whether it's technical assistance or general guidance, their support team is readily available to help.

10. Can I track the performance of my dropshipping store on Shopify?

Answer: Yes, Shopify offers robust analytics tools. You can track various metrics such as sales, customer behavior, and website performance. These insights empower you to make informed decisions, optimize your strategies, and drive the success of your dropshipping business.