Dropshipping

For online stores sourcing from China, dropshipping usually means either ordering each sale from an AliExpress seller or using a China-based agent that buys, stores, packs and ships orders for you. It keeps start-up costs low, but delivery takes longer than from local stock and you control less of the product and packaging.

Import rules apply to dropshipped parcels too. The US ended duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value shipments in August 2025, and the EU introduced a €3 duty on low-value parcels from July 2026. See China dropshipping agent vs AliExpress for a full comparison.