How dropshipping orders work: know what your app must do

Knowing how dropshipping orders work helps you check what an app actually does after a customer buys. Shopify's example separates the store order, supplier purchase and shipment, so you can spot which jobs still need your attention.

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The store order starts the work, not the shipment

In Shopify's fulfillment example, a customer orders from your store. You send the order to your wholesaler and pay for the products. The wholesaler ships them through a courier, which takes the parcel to your customer.

How the wholesaler receives the order depends on the arrangement. Shopify describes automatic notifications, a custom fulfillment service and other ways a wholesaler might accept orders. Before choosing an app, ask the seller to show where it sends the order and whether you still need to approve or pay for it.

A fulfilled label can mean an email was sent

Shopify's custom fulfillment example has a detail that is easy to miss. Manually marking the order fulfilled sends an email to the wholesaler. It also sends a shipping confirmation to your customer. In this setup, that label does not prove the courier already has the parcel.

Ask what causes each status to change in the app you are considering. Look for a way to check the supplier order and shipping information separately. A store confirmation answers a different question from a supplier payment receipt or a carrier update.

On eBay, the supplier arrangement still matters

eBay's dropshipping policy allows orders fulfilled directly by a wholesale supplier. It does not allow listing an item and then buying it from another retailer or marketplace that ships it to the buyer.

The seller remains responsible for safe delivery within the listing's stated timeframe and for the buyer's overall satisfaction. An app that connects to eBay does not, by itself, establish that your supplier arrangement meets that policy. Check which wholesale supplier the app supports.

Keep the app bill separate from the product payment

Shopify's app-billing guide says subscription and usage charges appear on your regular Shopify bill. One-time app purchases are billed separately. Some apps bill you outside Shopify, so those charges will not appear on that bill.

Request a breakdown of what the app subscription covers and what causes an extra charge. Keep those software charges separate from the payment to the wholesaler in Shopify's order example. A subscription price alone does not tell you what you will pay for the products.

Also check how to leave the app. Shopify says uninstalling stops future billing cycles, but a pending charge already generated may remain. If an app bills outside Shopify, you also need to cancel directly with its developer. Ask which order and billing details you can save before canceling.

If you are choosing Shopify for a new store, review its current plans before you sign up. Ad: Explore Shopify store plans. We may receive a commission if you buy an eligible plan through this link.

Ask the app seller before you sign up

• After a customer pays, does your app send the order to my wholesaler, and what must I still approve or pay?
• Where can I see the supplier's order number and shipping update, rather than just my store's fulfilled label?
• Which charges are outside the subscription, and how do I stop future billing if I leave?

To compare software charges, use the calculator's subscription fields and source dates. For the supplier information behind the order flow, check what to request about stock, dispatch and returns.