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How To Dropship From AliExpress to eBay 2022

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It isn’t difficult to learn how to dropship from AliExpress to eBay. However, there are some policies you need to understand and thoroughly abide by to avoid having your eBay seller’s account suspended. We’ll cover exactly what those policies are and how you can improve your odds of success dropshipping on eBay.

What Is A Dropshipping Business?

Dropshipping is a business model whereby a person sells products they don’t physically have in inventory to be fulfilled by a manufacturer or wholesaler.

While that may seem illegal at first, it’s widespread. Let’s take a look at a common scenario:

Walmart wants to expand its furniture offerings on its e-commerce website. To save space at their warehouses, they work out a deal with furniture manufacturers to accept orders and then have the manufacturers ship the product directly to the consumer. 

All refunds and exchanges are handled by Walmart who charges a markup on the product. The manufacturer gets more sales, and Walmart can advertise more products without the associated costs of inventory.

What Is AliExpress?

Screenshot of the AliExpress.com homepage.

AliExpress is a subsidiary of the Alibaba Group and one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the world. The company serves as China’s answer to Amazon and hosts over 100 million products on the platform.

Among dropshippers, AliExpress is known for having thousands of sellers willing to work with AliExpress dropshipping businesses. Almost anything you imagine can be found on AliExpress and, with a bit of searching, at a price low enough to provide you with decent margins. 

How To Dropship From AliExpress To eBay

The main issue when learning how to dropship from AliExpress to eBay is managing customer expectations and minimizing downtimes.

eBay focuses on customer satisfaction, so failure to properly manage expectations can get your dropshipping store shut down quickly. We’ll cover the specifics of this as we go through your account setup and shipping policies. 

Set Up An eBay Seller Account

Before you do anything, you will need to set up a seller’s account on eBay. Go to the eBay main website and click on the sell button in the upper right of the screen.

You will be taken to a screen giving you two options, to sell items or create a business account. For our purposes, we chose to set up a business account.

Screenshot from the create an account page on eBay.com.

You will be taken to a sign-up screen where you can begin to fill in your information to set up your account.

To set up your business account, you will need your employer identification number (EIN) and your business checking information. 

Ensure eBay Business and Shipping Policies Are Set Up

Properly setting up your eBay business policies will ensure your commitment to customers is clearly defined. This will help buyers understand things like better shipping times and return policies, an important step when learning how to dropship from AliExpress to eBay.

You will need to opt-in to set up the business policies as they are not automatically enabled on your new store. The easiest way to do this is by using one of the links below that’s relevant to the country your store is set up in:

I’ve used the United States for the demonstration below on setting up your necessary business policies.

Click “Get Started” to opt-in and begin setting up your policies:

Screenshot of the eBay policies page.

The three basic policies you want to start with for new stores are the shipping policy, returns policy, and payment policy.

Click on the “Create Policy” dropdown button and select the policy you want to create. We’ll use the Shipping Policy, but each follows the same process.

Screenshot of the eBay policy creation screen.

The policy creation screen will look like this:

Screenshot of the eBay policies page.

Fill out the policy name, policy description, U.S. shipping policy (set to standard shipping from greater China to worldwide, and at least a three-day handling time. Then click “Save.”

Make sure to set the policy for your specific store and repeat the process for the payment and returns policy.

Set Up An Account On AliExpress

Next, you will need to sign up for an AliExpress account. Begin by going to the AliExpress main website and clicking on “Join” in the dropdown under the Account section. Or, click on Join below that under the Welcome to AliExpress section.

Screenshot of the AliExpress homepage.

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You can register using Google, Facebook, Twitter, VK, or OK.ru. For this demonstration, we’ll register using traditional email.

Screenshot of the AliExpress sign up screen.

Once you enter your email and set a password, you will receive a code to verify your email address. You can then click on the account button in the top right corner to find all of the settings in your account. Adjust as necessary.

Screenshot of the AliExpress account page.

Use AliExpress To Find Products That Will Sell On eBay

I’ll get into product research and the types of products you should look for in a later section. We’ll use this Korean Lip Sleeping Mask to demonstrate how to select a product when learning how to dropship from AliExpress to eBay.

Screenshot of the AliExpress products page.

It fits many of the criteria that we are looking for, in that it isn’t fragile, isn’t electronic, and it’s lightweight. These make for a product that isn’t likely to break during shipping. Therefore, it’s less likely to be returned. 

Click on the listing to be taken to the product page.

Pay close attention to the merchant’s rating, the product rating, shipping times and options (make sure they offer product tracking), and the money-back guarantee. 

Screenshot of a product on AliExpress.

Ensure that the AliExpress seller can deliver the product within the time frame you set in your shipping policies. You don’t want to promise shorter shipping times and then have it take longer. Doing this will lead to negative reviews on your eBay account, leading to an uphill battle to gain traction.

List Products Using Unique Descriptions And Photos

Once you’ve settled on a product to list, go back to eBay and click on the “Sell” button if you are still logged in. Find the “Create eBay listing” button and, for this demonstration, select a single listing.

Screenshot of the eBay product listing page.

You will need to create a descriptive product name and select a product listing. For our purposes, select “start with this title.”

Screenshot of the eBay product listing creation page.

You will now be taken to the listing page. 

Make sure that your title is descriptive and has correct formatting and spelling. Ensure that you have an appropriate product category selected and select the condition as new. 

Screenshot of the eBay product creation information page.

Set Up Product Photos and Details

Now, you will need to upload pictures. Most of the dropshipper suppliers on AliExpress will have photos you can use. Even better, you will have ordered a sample of a product before listing it and have your customized photos to set you apart from everyone else.

Select your photos, up to 12, and arrange them in the order you would like them to appear when people view your listing.

Screenshot of the eBay product listing page photo section.

Next, select the brand and scroll to the bottom of the dropdown to add your own. Then select the type, doing the same thing to add your own if needed.

Add any extra descriptors that apply to your listing. Don’t lie to make your AliExpress product look better as you increase the chance a customer will leave a negative review.

Screenshot of the eBay product listing description section.

After you’ve gone through all of the product’s specific features, it’s time to add the product description. Make sure to be as descriptive as possible. Use the appropriate keywords and try to make them about 5 – 7% of the total description. Don’t, however, keyword-stuff.

Screenshot of eBay product listing description section.

Set Up Product Shipping Information

Finally, you need to set up the selling and shipping details. Select “start my listings when I submit them” unless you want it scheduled for later. Make sure and change the listing to a fixed price from an auction style. Add the price that you want to charge for the product. Change the quantity to the appropriate number, and add the sales tax information for your location.

Screenshot of the eBay product listing shipping section.

For shipping details, add all of the policies you set up in the earlier step. Add the package type and weight according to the supplier on AliExpress, and set up the item location for your business. 

Screenshot of the eBay product listing shipping information section.

Finally, check over everything to ensure your listing is correct and spelling and grammar are on point. Then click the big blue “List Item” button at the bottom, and you are good to go.

Handling Returns And Disputes When AliExpress Dropshipping

The most important thing when dealing with returns on eBay is that you have a consistent policy laid out on your returns policy page, and you stick to it. 

You may not always be able to return products to AliExpress suppliers. If you get stuck with AliExpress products, the best thing you can do is keep these on hand for the following order. 

If the item isn’t damaged, mail it to the next person who orders that product, cutting down shipping times. 

Is Dropshipping From AliExpress To eBay Permitted?

Dropshipping from AliExpress to eBay sits in a gray area. eBay has an official policy that dropshipping is permitted as long as you work with wholesalers. 

They don’t want a person just listing products from Walmart or similar stores, then charging more for the product on eBay. This creates a bad experience for eBay users.

Many of the AliExpress sellers are wholesalers who also sell on Alibaba. So, you aren’t necessarily violating the terms of service. The key is that you are responsible for the customer experience and anything wrong when they place an order. 

Pros Of Selling From AliExpress To eBay

Aside from being easy to get set up, there are a few benefits of selling products from AliExpress to eBay, including:

Millions Of Products To Choose From

AliExpress is the largest eCommerce platform on the planet regarding products offered. There are an estimated 100 million-plus products on AliExpress compared to Amazon’s estimated 12 million-plus.

With that many products to choose from, chances are you can find some great products at a reasonable price point to post on eBay. Even with a high level of competition, you should be able to niche down and create an eBay store with a robust product selection.

The other upside to this is that there are thousands of product categories to choose from. Thus, you can more easily find a niche that works for you.

With AliExpress, you can send products virtually anywhere in the world without any extra costs or fees. This makes it easy to set up eBay selling in countries outside of just your home country, as you can keep prices consistent across the board.

The one thing to note here is that this isn’t considering customs fees or tariffs levied against specific product categories. These costs are outside of the control of AliExpress. You will still need to do your due diligence to comply with these regulations. 

Cons Of Selling From AliExpress To eBay

Dropshipping from AliExpress to eBay isn’t without its downsides. As the years go by, those downsides are growing in number. So, take heed before deciding to move forward.

ePacket Shipping Is No Longer Reliable

One of the main benefits of dropshipping with AliExpress used to be ePacket shipping. This is a method of shipping offered in China in Hong Kong that allowed products to be shipped to the United States relatively quickly and for much lower shipping costs.

However, the COVID closures caused a significant backup of ePacket shipping orders, virtually tanking the reliability and benefits of the service. 

Other events which have threatened ePacket shipping are U.S. regulations which sought to lessen the competitive advantage foreign manufacturers had over domestic suppliers when selling in the U.S.

No Control Over Shipping Times

Even with ePacket shipping, expected delivery times on packages coming from China could be highly unreliable. The only way around this was to pay for expensive first-class shipping options which are prohibitively expensive for many dropshipping products.

This lack of control over shipping times is especially problematic when selling from AliExpress on eBay. For eBay, the primary concern is ensuring a quality customer experience. So, when customers regularly get orders days and even weeks later than expected, that’s a problem.

The solution for eBay was to hold sellers responsible for late deliveries by cutting traffic to their listings. 

Potential To Lose Money On Returns

You are guaranteed to have returned items when shipping products from AliExpress to eBay customers. If you’ve followed the advice in this article, you ordered samples, so you know what the experience and quality of the products are. 

That said, you can’t please everyone, and you can’t account for longer shipping times due to unforeseen circumstances. When customers return items, you will be responsible for any fees associated with the return and may also be stuck with the product

One thing you can do is save returned products and ship them to the next customer to cut reduce waste and cut down on shipping times. 

Harder To Control Customer Experience

Along with unreliable shipping times, you have very little control over the customer experience after you’ve placed the order. Everything from the packaging products are shipped in, to any notes in the package, is up to the shipper.

Merchants have been known to add notes requesting reviews. You may also find that some AliExpress merchants lack a quality control process, making it more likely for customers to receive a damaged product.

Paying attention to the sellers’ ratings on AliExpress can go a long way. Also, consider ordering a few different samples from sellers to get an idea of how reliable they are.

eBay Dropshipping Business vs. Using Shopify

Shopify is an eCommerce platform that allows individuals to create custom online stores to sell products on.

The difference between dropshipping from AliExpress to eBay and Shopify is the amount of control that you have. Shopify gives you more control over the entire process, from how your online store looks to what your customers will experience when they visit.

There is also less competition with Shopify as people come to your online store directly. With eBay, there are already millions of people around the globe using the service. However, with Shopify, you will have to build up traffic to your site.

Tips For Finding Products Using AliExpress

While it may be tempting to post every product you come across, you will quickly find that this doesn’t work. Here are two strategies for finding products to sell on eBay:

The Sniping Method

Just as the name implies, you will be sniping listings from other sellers. This method involves finding the top sellers across different niches and seeing what works for them. You then find their best-selling products for lower prices to attract sales.

The downside to using this method of finding products is that other people can do the same to you. Competing on price is not a viable long-term solution as someone will always sell something cheaper. Instead, this can be an excellent method to start while finding a niche that works for you.

The Trending Dropshipping Niches Method

The trending dropshipping method requires that you regularly monitor eBay to see what new trends are popping up. You will need to be an early adaptor to newer trends so that you can beat others to offering the products.

As with the sniping method, the downside here is that others can easily steal what you are doing. The best thing is to create your own online store that sells to a niche versus constantly competing on price or being the first to new trends.

How To Choose A Reliable Supplier On AliExpress

One of the most important steps you can take to better your chances of success is working with reliable suppliers on AliExpress. Here are some tips to help you find them.

Check Product Scores And Reviews

AliExpress has done a lot to try and remove bad sellers from their platform. One of the things they did was set up supplier scores and product ratings. 

Using these, you can get a better picture of how reliable a seller is and the quality of a product. Also, make sure that you are ordering samples from any supplier you work with.

Check For Shipping Methods, Return Policy, And Buyer Protection

Review any merchant-specific policies, including different shipping options and expected arrival times. Also, make sure the seller has some type of return policy.

If you can’t readily find these things, take the time to contact a supplier directly for clarification. AliExpress makes it easy to get in touch with sellers.

Ensure The Seller Offers Tracking Numbers

You will find that most sellers on AliExpress will offer different shipping options. Most of the time, sellers will provide shipping with a tracking number. However, this isn’t always the case.

Before settling on a merchant, review all of the different shipping options. You want to avoid merchants that don’t offer tracking numbers.

Software For Automating Dropshipping From AliExpress To eBay

You can use various tools to automate much of the work needed to dropship from AliExpress to eBay. A few of the more common tools include:

DSM Tool

Screenshot of the DSM Tool homepage.

DSM Tool is a dropshipping automation software that integrates with Shopify and eBay. It allows you to import products from over fifty different websites, including AliExpress. Other significant websites include:

  • Banggood
  • Etsy
  • Walmart
  • Home Depot

This is a premium tool offering a more streamlined dropshipping experience, helping you to save time running your business.

Auto DS

Screenshot of the Auto DS tool homepage.

Auto DS makes managing your store easy with one-click product imprint. You can choose products from over 25 different suppliers, including AliExpress. The premium dropshipping tool allows you to import and manage eBay, Facebook, and Shopify postings.

Alitools

Screenshot of Alitools homepage.

Alitools is a Google Chrome extension that lets you monitor prices on AliExpress, search products, find seller trust levels, and more. The extension is free to use and can help you save money by finding the products you commonly sell at lower prices. 

Common Questions About How To Dropship From AliExpress To eBay

To help you better understand how to dropship from AliExpress to eBay, here are clear answers to some of the frequently asked questions on the topic.

How Much Time Does It Take To Start Dropshipping On eBay?

You should allocate a minimum of fifteen hours each week when first starting dropshipping on eBay. Some of the tasks you need to complete include advertising your store and managing the day-to-day operations. It’s also recommended you stay up to date on the latest trends, which takes time. 

Is Dropshipping From AliExpress To eBay Profitable?

Dropshipping from AliExpress to eBay can be highly profitable, but competition is fierce. You will not get rich quickly, and you should plan on investing a lot of time, in the beginning, to build up your store. Many dropshippers make a high five-figure salary using this method.

How Much Does It Cost To Get Started Dropshipping From AliExpress To eBay?

It doesn’t cost much to get started dropshipping from AliExpress to eBay. You will need access to a computer and an internet connection. It’s also recommended to have some money for handling your first few orders until you begin to turn a profit consistently. About $100 should be good to start dropshipping.

Is It Worth Learning How To Dropship From AliExpress To eBay?

As long as you can comply with eBay’s terms of service and provide a good customer experience, learning how to dropship from AliExpress to eBay is still worth it. You will need to put in the extra work since competition is greater, but there is still a lot of money to be made.

The most important thing to remember when learning how to dropship from AliExpress to eBay is that you are responsible for ensuring products arrive on time and in excellent condition. Always work with reputable merchants from AliExpress and be transparent with your customers on expected shipping times, and you should be good to go.





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