Oberlo is the victim: Here are your options

Oberlo was shut down as a dropshipping option on June 15, 2017. Shopify purchased the app in 2017. The app is now officially closed. Merchants will need to find an alternative. Here are two of our top Oberlo alternatives. Find out how they compare with Oberlo, and get tips on choosing the right dropshipping platform to suit your needs.

Do not panic. Shopify pulled the plug on Oberlo because of its high-quality content

Some of us were left scratching our heads when Oberlo announced its shutdown. According to Store Leaders, Oberlo was ranked among the Top 10 Shopify apps, with over 115 000 installs. Shopify posted on Oberlo’s blog, that the delisting of the app was a “common occurrence” and stated that it wanted to provide merchants with the best possible solutions to reach customers wherever they were. The company stated that Shopify’s highest priority is to do what is best for merchants. “We are phasing out Oberlo …. and transitioning to a better solution that Shopify partners, DSers, has developed for dropshipping. Shopify merchants were instructed to change from Oberlo to DSers before July 15, 2022. Although the exact reason behind the shutdown is not known, YouTuber and entrepreneur Arie Scheerson has his thoughts: “Apparently Shopify no longer wants to pursue dropshipping apps and instead they are working with DSers… The way Shopify frames this is that there is essentially a better app for this and all that Shopify wants is for merchants to do their best. So they’re now going to endorse a new app that can do what Oberlo does, but better.”

Two of the most desirable Oberlo alternatives

What options are available to dropshippers? These Oberlo options are available to you whether you’re looking to expand an existing business or start a dropshipping company .

Modalyst

Modalyst has been “one of the longest-standing incumbents in dropshipping,” according to Alain Miguel, co-founder. Oberlo and Modalyst share many similarities, but there are important differences. Oberlo was primarily focused on connecting merchants with AliExpress. Modalyst, however, has a wider selection of products, and suppliers. Modalyst focuses on fast shipping and high-quality inventory. Modalyst offers dropshipping and a Print on Demand (POD), which allows merchants to customize products and sell them under their brand. Modalyst can also accommodate domestic shipping because it works with mostly U.S. or E.U. suppliers. Some suppliers offer free shipping. Modalyst currently serves more than 350,000 eCommerce shops. Modalyst integrates with Shopify, Wix and other platforms. It offers print-on-demand (POD), worldwide shipping and custom branding. Modalyst has been rated as the best dropshipping software by Fast Company and Forbes. Modalyst can be used to scale your business with a wider range of products and services.

Similarities to Oberlo

• Dropshipping marketplace with thousands of products
• Marketplace of thousands of wholesalers and suppliers
• Integration with AliExpress Dropshipping Center and AliExpress Express.
• You can use the extensive search and filtering functions to locate the products that you are looking for.
• A free plan is available

Modaylst’s benefits

• You can access both dropshipping products that are ready to ship and those that are printed-on-demand on the same platform
• Print-on-demand allows for customization of products, packaging, and designs.
• Access to U.S. dropshippers and high-quality products (including brand-name products).
• Advanced services such as print on demand, branded invoicing, and direct communication to select suppliers in the market include branded invoices and print on demand
• Unlimited orders, unlimited access to Modalyst core platform features and a free plan
• Integration with Shopify, WixShopify, Wix eCommerce and BigCommerce (not Shopify).

Pricing and plans

• Hobby – Free up to 25 Products
• $35/month for a Start-up
• Pro – $90/month

* The current pricing as of the date this blog was published

DSers

DSers App (aka Shopify’s recommendation) is Oberlo’s official replacement. It provides tools to simplify AliExpress dropshipping. In fact, Oberlo and DSers teamed up to develop the migration tool that allows merchants to transfer their Oberlo data into DSers. This was the first time Shopify announced the partnership. AliExpress’ official dropshipping partner is DSers. It was able to work directly with AliExpress and create a solid solution. Its main features include bulk orders (“Select up 100 orders and place them together in just a few minutes,” according to DSR), automated order tracking and instant import of products. More than 150,000 merchants trust DSers. Unlike Oberlo, which is only compatible with Shopify–DSers can be used on multiple eCommerce platforms. Oberlo is limited to Shopify–this plan has fewer features and offers more features. You’ll probably want to upgrade to a paid plan in order to have access to tools such as variants mapping and cost change management. Oberlo was a great solution for dropshippers starting out, but DSers offers more features and automations to help advanced sellers.

Similarities to Oberlo

• AliExpress Integration
• Chrome extensions to manage your store from the go
• You can customize your products, manage inventory, and many other features.
• A free plan is available

The advantages of DSers

• Integration with Shopify and Wix eCommerce.
• Advanced automations such as Supplier Optimizer that find the most profitable suppliers for a product
• Bulk orders, tracking of shipment and the ability to manage multiple stores are all included in the free plan

Pricing and plans

• Basic – Free for up to 3000 products
• Advanced – Starting at $19.90/month
• Pro – Starting at $49.90/month
• Enterprise plans starting at $499 per month

* The current pricing as of the date this blog was published

What should you look for in a dropshipping platform?

Apart from Modalyst and DSers, there are many dropshipping companies you can choose from. Choosing the right platform will depend on several factors. These factors are important to consider if you’re looking for an Oberlo replacement.

Integration with your eCommerce platform

Dropshipping solutions must be compatible with your eCommerce platform. Both of the options above work with Shopify and other popular platforms such as Wix. Each lets you import product images, descriptions, and inventory levels automatically from your supplier’s catalogue to your eCommerce store.

Support for current and future growth

It is not enough to be able to link products from your supplier to the website. You’ll also want to ensure that your dropshipping platform can optimize and scale your operations. What automations can the platform provide to make it easier for you to manage your store efficiently? What services are necessary to grow your business, such as fast shipping, branding and product customizations?

Trustworthy, fast suppliers

Dropshipping platforms allow you to connect with millions of suppliers and products. While it is easy to be excited about the number of products they offer, ensure that you only work with reliable suppliers. You should check the quality control measures taken by your platform to connect you with the best Dropshipping Products. Modalyst for example thoroughly vets all suppliers. Modalyst requires that all suppliers meet Modalyst’s requirements for product quality and shipping, except AliExpress. Modalyst also pre-negotiates terms with suppliers. Modalyst works mostly with U.S.-based suppliers to ensure quick shipping.

The right price

Every dropshipping platform has its own pricing, fees and tiered plans. Others will base their pricing on how many products you import to your website. Some will base their pricing on the number and complexity of the features you have or the volume of orders that you process. You’ll need to understand the pricing of your platform and how it might change as your business grows. Do not just look at the dollar amount. Compare the services, features and other benefits that you get for this cost. source https://www.wix.com/blog/ecommerce/2022/06/oberlo-alternatives