The [Best] Ecommerce Platform for Dropshipping in 2022
If you're thinking of starting a dropshipping business in 2022, you're going to need to choose the right eCommerce platform. With so many options on the market, it can be tough to know where to start. Fear not, we are here to help!
In this blog post, we'll break down five of the best eCommerce platforms for dropshipping and explain the pros and cons of each one. We will also recommend the best overall platform for you to get started with. So keep reading to learn more.
DISCLOSURE: Some of the links that I share in this article ARE my affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. In fact, sometimes you'll get a discount or free credits just FOR using my link. 🙂
Why is it important to choose a good platform for dropshipping?
The best eCommerce platform for dropshipping is important because it can make or break your business. A good platform will make it easy for you to set up your store, add products, process orders, and more. It has all the features you need to run your store effectively.
On the other hand, a bad platform will be slow, buggy, and prone to crashes. It can cause you headaches, lost sales, and a whole host of other problems.
So, when choosing a platform for your store, be sure to pick one that is best suited for your needs.
Are there any special requirements for dropshipping as far as the platform is concerned?
Yes, there are a few special requirements that you should keep in mind when choosing an ecommerce platform for dropshipping. First, the platform should have built-in support for Dropshipping. This means that the platform should have features like order processing and shipping integration.
Second, the platform should be able to scale with your business. This means that it should be able to handle a large number of orders without slowing down or crashing. Finally, the platform should have good customer service in case you run into any problems.
Criteria for Selecting Best Ecommerce Platform for Dropshipping
There are a lot of different factors to consider when choosing an ecommerce platform. But if you're looking to start a dropshipping business, there are a few key features that you should look for:
Ease of use
A good platform should be easy to set up and use. This is especially important if you're new to eCommerce. The platform should have a user-friendly interface and simple, straightforward features.
Scalability
As your business grows, you'll need a platform that can scale with you. You don't want to have to switch platforms every time you add a new product or get an influx of orders.
Product management
The platform should make it easy for you to add and manage your products. You should be able to easily add product descriptions, photos, and other information.
You can also check out the following blog post: How Many Products Should I Start With For My Online Store?
Order processing
Processing orders will be simple for you if the platform is good. You should be able to easily track orders, view customer information, and more.
Marketing tools
When selecting a platform for dropshipping, marketing tools should be given top consideration because they are crucial for attracting new customers and promoting your business.
Security
A good platform will have built-in security features to protect your store from hackers. Be sure to choose a platform that uses SSL encryption to keep your store safe.
Customer support
A good platform will have excellent customer support in case you run into any problems. You should be able to easily contact customer support via phone, email, or chat.
List of the Best Dropshipping Platforms in 2022
Now that we've gone over some of the key features to look for in a dropshipping platform, let's take a look at some of the best platforms out there.
Shopify
Shopify is a great all-in-one store solution that allows you to create an entire store in just a couple of minutes. It is also one of the most popular eCommerce platforms on the market with millions of businesses worldwide. It's used and trusted by some of the world's biggest brands like Tesla, Gymshark, and Red Bull.
Pros
Shopify is easy to set up and use, even if you're not tech-savvy. It is scalable and has a wide range of features and integrations you need to run a successful store.
There's a built-in shopping cart, payment processing options, inventory management, shipping methods, automatic tax calculations, and much more. Dropshipping with Shopify is thus very straightforward.
It also comes with a lot of pre-made theme templates, which makes building your own site quick and easy. But if you want to customize things further, there are plenty of themes and apps available to help you add extra features and functionality to your store with just a few clicks.
You can easily integrate your social media profiles into your Shopify store, allowing customers to view your products while following you on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and many others.
There are endless add-ons available to enhance your store with extra functionality. For example, you can sell physical goods through Amazon FBA, accept payments via Stripe, and set up custom checkout flows. Shopify supports both desktop and mobile devices, making it accessible anywhere, anytime.
Shopify is a good choice for businesses of all sizes. All Shopify plans come with unlimited products which means that you can test as many products and grow your store as big as you want. And it can scale with your business as you add more products and get more orders.
There are plenty of Shopify themes and apps available to help you customize your store. Plus, Shopify offers a 14-day free trial so you can try out the platform before committing to it.
Cons
Shopify is a great platform, but it's not perfect. The only downside of Shopify is that it's a bit more expensive than some other platforms; the basic plan starts at $29 per month. But if you're serious about dropshipping, it's worth the investment.
Pricing
Prices start at $29 per month for the basic plan, and you save 50% if billed annually (which works out to be $14.44/month) , making it one of the more affordable options out there.
Bottom Line
Shopify is a great platform and the best solution for dropshipping if you want to start an online shop without any coding knowledge or technical skills. It's user-friendly and can scale with your business.
I started my online store using self-hosted WordPress.org in 2015 but moved to Shopify one year later, as I found Shopify to be easy to set up and good at what it does. It thus allowed me to focus on the marketing part of my business rather than having to spend time on the technical set-up and maintenance of my store.
You can sign up for Shopify 14-day free trial by clicking on the picture below:
You can learn how to set up a Shopify store by reading the following post: How to Create an Ecommerce Website With Shopify (Simple and Easy Steps)
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a great option if you're looking for an eCommerce platform that's free to use and super customizable. It is a great platform for dropshipping, especially if you're already using WordPress to run your website. WooCommerce is a plugin that turns your WordPress site into an online store.
Pros
WooCommerce is free and open-source. It integrates seamlessly with WordPress and is super customizable. You can find plenty of plugins and themes to customize your store, and it's easy to use. Plus, WooCommerce is scalable so you can add more products and features as your business grows. You can add unlimited products and categories, and set up multiple shipping and payment options.
Cons
Although WooCommerce is a great platform, it has its downsides. One of the biggest problems with WooCommerce is that it's not as user-friendly as some of the other platforms out there. It can be challenging to set up, and there's a learning curve. Plus, because it's a plugin for WordPress, you'll need to have some technical knowledge to set it up and run it properly.
Another downside of WooCommerce is that it doesn't have as many built-in features as some other platforms. For example, you'll need to install plugins for things like automatic tax calculations and shipping labels.
And since it's run on self-hosted WordPress, you need to take care of its security for the ecommerce transactions on your website.
Pricing
WooCommerce is free to use, but you'll need to pay for things like hosting, a domain name, and dropshipping plugins. Prices can vary depending on your needs, but you can expect to spend around $110 per year for a basic site.
While it may look “cheap” at first glance, you actually spend more time (and time is money) to set it up and for its maintenance. So unless you are very technically inclined or you have someone on your team who is, I would not recommend using WooCommerce.
Bottom Line
WooCommerce is a great platform for dropshipping, especially if you're already using WordPress to run your website. Although it's free to use, you'll need to spend some time setting it up and paying for other things to make it work.
Therefore, I would not recommend WooCommerce if I were to start my online business all over again. This is because I would rather set up my dropshipping store quickly to focus on selling and marketing than be bogged down by learning how to set up the store.
You can also check out the following article in which I have done an extensive comparison between Shopify and WordPress: Shopify vs WordPress: Which One is Right for Your Business?
Magento
According to Wikipedia, Magento provides two distinct platforms: Magento Open Source and Magento Commerce. Magento Open Source is free to download and Magento Commerce was acquired by Adobe and rebranded as Adobe Commerce in 2018.
Pros
Adobe Commerce is a popular eCommerce platform that's used by some of the world's largest brands such as Nestle, Kimberly-Clark, and the Walt Disney Company. It's super customizable and can be used to create any type of online store.
It's also scalable so you can add more products and features as your business grows. Adobe Commerce is used by some of the world's largest brands, so you know it's a reliable platform.
Adobe Commerce is a good eCommerce platform for dropshipping because it will cover your hosting and costs, but you have limited control over the design and layout of your website. It is a robust and feature-rich eCommerce platform that requires some development skills to use.
Cons
While Magento Open Source is available for free, you will need to pay for web development, web hosting, and extra necessary integration costs to launch and maintain your site. The development and maintenance costs can be high.
Adobe Commerce can be challenging to set up and use. It's not as user-friendly as some of the other platforms out there. Plus, because it's so customizable, you'll need to have some technical knowledge to set it up and run it properly.
Pricing
The cost of a Magento store starts as low as $2,000 per year for a barebones store without any customization and it can cost well over $100,000 per year to build and manage a custom-made Adobe Commerce store.
Adobe Commerce starts at $22,000 per year. However, prices can vary depending on your needs. Pricing for Adobe Commerce is based on your store's GMV and AOV. To get the actual pricing information, you must sign up for a demo with the sales team.
Bottom Line
Adobe Commerce (Magento) is a great platform for dropshipping, but it can be challenging to set up and use. And since it is very expensive, it is not suitable for many small business owners so I would not recommend it if you are just starting your online dropshipping business.
Wix
Wix is another popular eCommerce platform for dropshipping businesses that's known for its user-friendliness and offers a wide range of features and integrations.
Pros
Wix is a user-friendly platform that's perfect for those who want to create a professional-looking website without any coding knowledge. And, since it's affordable, it's a good option for those who are on a budget.
It is a popular website builder that's best known for its drag-and-drop editor. It's a platform that's suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to enterprise companies.
Like Shopify, it comes with all the basic features you need to get started, plus a few extras like abandoned cart recovery and product reviews. It also offers a free trial so you can try out the platform before committing to it.
Compared to Shopify, Wix has fewer customizing options but is easier to use. Wix allows users to easily add desired products from a wide range of suppliers.
Cons
Although Wix is user-friendly, it can be limiting if you want to create a more custom website. Plus, if you decide to switch platforms later down the road, it can be difficult to migrate your site over.
Pricing
Wix has a free plan which comes with templates and hosting. However, you need to subscribe to the Business and eCommerce Plans Business Unlimited to accept online payments and have dropshipping functionality which starts at $26 per month.
Business VIP plans cost $35/ month and provide priority customer care. There is a 14-day free trial for the premium plans.
Bottom Line
Wix is a good eCommerce platform for dropshipping, especially if you're on a budget and don't have any coding knowledge. However, it can be limiting if you want to create a more custom website. Therefore, I would rather you spend a few dollars more each month and get Shopify which is the best platform for dropshipping.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is another popular and powerful eCommerce platform and an all-in-one solution that helps you manage your entire online store. It is used by some of the world's well-known brands, including Sony, Razer, and Casio. BigCommerce is and comes with everything you need to run your store.
Pros
BigCommerce is a great platform for dropshipping because of its wide range of features and tools. There are lots of themes available to customize your site. A large number of apps and plugins mean that you can customize your shop however you like.
A lot of features are included in the base plan, including unlimited products, multiple payment methods, and shipping options. It also offers many advanced features, including SEO features and integrates with other platforms like Amazon and eBay.
BigCommerce is best known for its scalability and flexibility which makes it perfect for businesses that are growing or expecting to grow rapidly. Bigcommerce is a good option if you want to build a large-scale eCommerce site. It is perfect for large businesses that want to grow quickly.
Plus, BigCommerce offers users a 15-day free trial so you can try out the platform before committing to it
Cons
Bigcommerce requires a lot of technical knowledge to set up. So although it is very similar to Shopify, it lacks the simplicity of setup. Besides, It doesn’t have as many dropshipping integrations as Shopify.
There is a sales limit on online sales per year for each plan. If you go over this limit, you will need to pay extra fees to upgrade to a higher tier.
Although BigCommerce is user-friendly, it is not as beginner friendly as Shopify. Furthermore, it can be limiting if you want to create a more custom website. Plus, if you decide to switch platforms later down the road, it can be difficult to migrate your site over.
Pricing
BigCommerce offers three different plans for dropshippers. The standard plan costs $29.95 per month and has a sales limit of $50,000 per year. The plus plan costs $79.95 per month and lets you sell $180k in a year. New customers get a 15-day free trial.
If you have a larger budget, BigCommerce Enterprise plans come with even more powerful features, like 24/7 support from a dedicated account manager.
Bottom Line
BigCommerce is a great platform for dropshipping. It's feature-rich, scalable, and flexible. If you're looking for an eCommerce platform with enterprise-level features, BigCommerce could be a good option for you.
BigCommerce is a good eCommerce platform, especially if you're expecting your business to grow rapidly. However, it requires a lot of technical knowledge to set up and doesn't have as many dropshipping integrations as Shopify. Therefore, I would still recommend Shopify as the best platform for dropshipping.
The Verdict for Best Ecommerce Platform for Dropshipping in 2022
Overall speaking, Shopify is the best eCommerce platform for dropshipping in 2022 and has everything you need to get started. It's user-friendly, offers a wide range of features, and is scalable for businesses that are growing or expecting to grow rapidly.
Plus, it's easy to migrate your site if you decide to switch platforms for dropshipping later on. The only downside is that it's not the cheapest platform on this list. However, I believe it's worth the extra cost.
Conclusion
There's no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to choosing the best ecommerce platform for dropshipping – but that doesn't mean there isn't a perfect platform out there for your business.
By considering your needs, budget, and level of technical expertise, you should be able to narrow down your options and find the perfect eCommerce platform for your business. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for Shopify, the best ecommerce platform for dropshipping, and start building your dream store today!
