In no way does Etsy mention anything explicitly against dropshipping. That technically means you needn’t worry about any repercussions—well, as long as you are abiding by the rules. Dropshipping on Etsy can be beneficial, and the pros outweigh the cons (honestly, there aren’t any as such). So, what are the rules to keep in mind? More importantly, which drop shippers for Etsy are your best bet? Here is all you need to know.
Rules
Before we get into the best dropshippers, you must be completely aware of the rules of dropshipping. While Etsy doesn’t have any hard-and-fast rules, they have mentioned a few things here and here—here is a brief compilation.
First, you have to ensure that the items you dropship on Etsy are handmade. It could also be vintage, or perhaps a craft supply. In this scenario, vintage items would refer to ones that are at least two decades old. There has to be validity regarding the same.
Keep in mind that Etsy is a platform for innovation and creativity, so anything that is commercial or re-sold is strictly forbidden.
Speaking of which—second—re-selling is strictly prohibited. This is a quintessential thing to keep in mind, as failure to comply would lead to a ban of accounts. This is particularly valid if you are categorizing your products under the “handmade” section.
Transparency reminds us—third—you have to mention your “production partners”, if any. These might not be folks who have an Etsy account. But if you aren’t producing the goods you are dropshipping, you ought to mention their credentials.
Keep in mind that irrespective of what you sell and how you dropship, there are a few items that are banned from Etsy or any other site. Alcoholic items or hazardous ones are strictly a no-no. Besides, items that you didn’t make or design can be put under great scrutiny. Fair trade items that you didn’t design can result in the removal of accounts too. So how come your competitors on Etsy are all dropshipping?
Benefits of Dropshipping
Dropshipping has a number of benefits. To begin with, you automatically slash down the competitive base, as dropshipping results in you targeting a very niche market that needs your goods. If you can pinpoint your target niche—even better. Reducing competition by fair means seems like a win-win.
Speaking of which, your customer base is expected to widen too. After all, dropshipping implies that you are making yourself all the more available, so to speak. With this, you can now govern the kind of items you would want your customers to receive.
The next advantage is along similar lines. Once your dropshipping numbers become healthy, you will find room for more creativity. Once you are able to govern the items that you think your customer base should receive, you can exercise some more creativity.
Dropshipping makes your customers a lot more patient too. This in turn would create a sense of loyalty as well. Your customers will know that it takes a lot to create and drop ship items that meet their tastes. This should further increase your customer footing.
The Best Dropshippers for Etsy
Dropshipping items for Etsy can honestly be a hassle. Not only do you have to be sure of what you are selling, but you also have to ensure that the third party has been constantly synced too. Fret not, as long as you are abiding by the rules, there is very little to worry about.
Oberlo
Oberlo implores sellers to push and strive for creativity. This is possibly one of the healthiest outlets wherein you can dropship with the least hassle. While the retail rates can sometimes be soaring high, selling handmade items for niche audiences can be rather convenient if you are using Oberlo.
There is also an issue of a listing fee, or perhaps that wholesale selling options using dropshipping are being shut down. In fact, only if you sense the cons outweigh the pros, you should try this.
AliExpress
This route is pretty arduous compared to the others. AliExpress and Etsy aren’t known to integrate well. In fact, if you are using AliExpress to dropship for Etsy, chances are that your items won’t meet the quality-control parameters. Considering how AliExpress mostly produces items in bulk, this can be a hassle.
We usually don’t recommend this for the simple reason that it is too much of a workaround. Not only do you have to constantly monitor shipping and dropshipping statutes on both apps, but selling vintage items becomes so much more difficult too.
Printify
Printify is one of the few Etsy-approved dropshippers that enables print-on-demand features. One of the most flexible entities in the market, Printify connects your Etsy store to the best print providers. This makes sure that your customer gets the exact product that they have envisioned.
The software solutions are impressive too. You can technically integrate both your Etsy and Printify apps in order to ensure smoother dropshipping operations. This would also make it easier for you to sell your unique Etsy products via the Printify channel.
