How dropshipping works
Shopify defines dropshipping as a retail fulfillment method where an online store sells products without keeping them in stock; when an order comes in, the store forwards it to a supplier who ships it (Shopify).
- You list a supplier’s product in your store at your own price.
- A customer orders and pays you.
- You order the item from the supplier and pay their price.
- The supplier ships it to your customer.
The real costs and risks
- Thin margins once ads, platform fees and returns are paid.
- Slow or unreliable delivery you do not control.
- Quality problems you only hear about from unhappy buyers.
- Payment timing: you may pay the supplier before a COD order is collected.
Doing it well
Order samples before you list anything. Work with suppliers who share tracking. Price in the cost of returns. Check each marketplace’s rules first, because some limit or ban dropshipping from other retailers. Many Pakistani sellers use dropshipping to test demand, then hold their own stock once a product proves it sells.