Shopify Oberlo Alternative: DSers Migration Guide (2025)

Oberlo, the pioneering Shopify dropshipping app, shut down in 2022. This guide covers the best alternatives and how to succeed with modern dropshipping tools.

Shopify

integrates with

DSers

Dropshipping

Oberlo Shutdown: What Happened

Related: Shopify DSers Integration: AliExpress Dropshipping Guide (2025), SEO Keyword Matcher Pro.

Timeline:

• May 2022: Oberlo announces shutdown
• June 15, 2022: Oberlo officially closes
• Users migrated to DSers automatically
• Product and order data transferred

Why it shut down:

• Shopify acquired Oberlo in 2017
• Decided to partner with AliExpress directly
• DSers became the official alternative
• Focus shifted to marketplace approach

DSers: The Official Replacement

Related: WooCommerce Klaviyo Integration: Email Marketing Guide (2025).

Why DSers?

DSers Pricing

Setting Up DSers

Step 1: Install DSers

1. Go to Shopify App Store
2. Search “DSers”
3. Click Add app
4. Install and open

Step 2: Connect AliExpress

1. Click Link to AliExpress
2. Log into AliExpress account
3. Authorize connection
4. Sync begins automatically

Step 3: Import Products

1. Browse AliExpress or use supplier finder
2. Click Add to DSers
3. Edit product details
4. Set pricing
5. Push to Shopify

Step 4: Configure Automation

DSers settings:
├── Order automation
│   ├── Auto-order placement
│   └── Auto-tracking sync
├── Pricing rules
│   ├── Cost multiplier
│   └── Rounding rules
├── Inventory sync
│   └── Stock level updates
└── Notifications
    └── Order status alerts

Other Oberlo Alternatives

Spocket

Focus on US/EU suppliers for faster shipping.

Best for: Stores prioritizing fast shipping over price.

Zendrop

US fulfillment with custom branding.

Best for: Brands wanting fast, branded fulfillment.

CJdropshipping

Direct China sourcing with warehousing.

Best for: Experienced dropshippers wanting more control.

Comparison Table

Modern Dropshipping Strategy

2025 Best Practices

Dropshipping evolution:
├── Fast shipping is now expected
│   └── Use US/EU suppliers when possible
├── Product quality matters more
│   └── Test products before listing
├── Customer service is differentiator
│   └── Proactive communication
├── Branding is essential
│   └── Custom packaging, unboxing experience
└── Multiple suppliers recommended
    └── Don't rely on single source

Shipping Expectations

Pricing Strategy

Pricing considerations:
├── Product cost
├── Shipping cost
├── Transaction fees (Shopify + gateway)
├── Refund reserve (5-10%)
├── Marketing cost (customer acquisition)
└── Profit margin (target 20-30%+)

Example:
Product: $5
Shipping: $3
Your retail: $29.99
After fees (~7%): $27.89
Gross profit: $19.89
After CAC ($10): $9.89 net profit

Product Research

Finding Winning Products

Research methods:

1. AliExpress trending
2. DSers supplier finder
3. TikTok #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt
4. Amazon bestsellers
5. Competitor analysis

Product Criteria

Good dropshipping product:
├── Not easily found locally
├── Unique or novel
├── Lightweight (low shipping)
├── $15-75 retail price
├── Clear target audience
├── Demonstrable in video
└── Problem-solving

Supplier Evaluation

Order Management

Automated Workflow

1. Customer orders on Shopify
2. Order syncs to DSers
3. DSers places order on AliExpress
4. Supplier ships product
5. Tracking syncs to Shopify
6. Customer receives notification

Handling Issues

Common problems:

• Shipping delays → Communicate proactively
• Wrong item → Contact supplier, reship/refund
• Quality issues → Document, refund customer
• Lost packages → File dispute, refund customer

Customer communication templates:

Shipping delay:

“Your order is on its way! Due to high demand, delivery may take 2-3 weeks. Track your package here: [link]. Thank you for your patience!”

Scaling Your Store

Growth Checklist

Scaling steps:
├── Validate product-market fit
├── Optimize product pages
├── Build email list
├── Launch paid advertising
├── Add complementary products
├── Improve customer service
└── Consider private labeling

Moving Beyond Basic Dropshipping

Evolution path:

1. Start with AliExpress dropshipping
2. Validate products and audience
3. Find US/EU suppliers
4. Negotiate better terms
5. Consider private label
6. Build inventory business

Troubleshooting

Orders Not Syncing

Causes:

• DSers not connected
• Payment not confirmed
• Product mapping issues

Solutions:

1. Check DSers connection
2. Verify Shopify order status
3. Review product mapping
4. Manually sync if needed

Tracking Not Updating

Causes:

• Supplier delay
• Tracking not uploaded
• Sync issues

Solutions:

1. Check AliExpress order
2. Contact supplier
3. Manually add tracking
4. Update customer

High Return Rate

Causes:

• Quality issues
• Wrong expectations
• Long shipping

Solutions:

1. Order samples
2. Improve product descriptions
3. Set shipping expectations
4. Better supplier selection

Best Practices Summary

Product Selection

• Test before mass selling
• Order samples
• Check supplier ratings
• Verify shipping times

Customer Experience

• Set clear expectations
• Provide tracking
• Respond quickly
• Handle issues professionally

Operations

• Use automation
• Monitor supplier performance
• Track key metrics
• Optimize continuously

2025 Snapshot

Quick benchmarks for the DSers workflow. Use these as planning ranges, then validate against your own data.

Practical Implementation Notes

Data sync and ownership

Most Shopify integrations follow the same lifecycle: a one‑time historical import (customers, products, orders) followed by ongoing incremental updates via API/webhooks. In practice, the biggest failures come from identity and mapping—not from missing features. Before you activate anything customer‑facing, decide which system is the source of truth for customer identity (email vs phone), consent flags, segmentation, and lifecycle fields.

Treat the first week as a controlled rollout. Start with a small segment (internal addresses or a low‑risk cohort), validate that events fire exactly once, and then scale automation volume. This approach prevents silent double‑sending, broken attribution, and hard‑to‑debug “it looks connected but nothing happens” situations.

QA checklist (run once, then reuse)

Use a seed dataset (test customers, a few SKUs, a low‑value test order) to run an end‑to‑end path: signup → first purchase → fulfillment → refund. Confirm that reporting matches your store’s order IDs and timestamps.

Operational checks:

• App permissions/scopes match the features you actually use
• Timezone aligns across scheduled sends, reporting windows, and dashboards
• Edge cases are represented correctly (partial refunds, cancellations, multi‑location fulfillments)
• Baselines are captured so you can measure lift after go‑live

Next Steps

Starting or continuing dropshipping:

1. Install DSers - Official AliExpress partner
2. Research products - Find proven winners
3. Test suppliers - Order samples
4. Set expectations - Clear shipping info
5. Launch marketing - Drive targeted traffic

# List the 5 most recent orders (GraphQL)
curl -X POST "https://your-store.myshopify.com/admin/api/2025-01/graphql.json" \
  -H "X-Shopify-Access-Token: $SHOPIFY_ADMIN_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d "{\"query\":\"{ orders(first: 5, sortKey: CREATED_AT, reverse: true) { edges { node { id name createdAt totalPriceSet { shopMoney { amount currencyCode } } customer { email } } } } }\"}"

Sources

• DSers on Shopify App Store
• Shopify: Dropshipping guide
• Shopify: How to start dropshipping

For print-on-demand instead of dropshipping, see Printful integration. For shipping optimization, check ShipStation integration.