If you’re curious about Zendrop, you’re in the right place.
In this article, we’ll explore what it is, how it works, and why over 30,000 Shopify stores use it.
We’ll cover the good stuff, the not-so-good stuff, and everything in between.
All for you to understand if Zendrop is the right fit for your business!
| Zendrop Overview | |
| Shopify App Store Rating | 4.8 out of 5.0 (6k+ reviews) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.8 out of 5.0 (5k+ reviews) |
| Pros | – Fast shipping times of 10-12 days on average – Automated order fulfillment and tracking – 24/7 Customer support – 500,000+ US products – Branding options – Great return policy – Product sourcing service – Easily create subscription boxes |
| Cons | – The most useful features are only available on the Pro plan – Relatively high product prices – Custom packaging and private labeling require a MOQ – You cannot bulk import products to your store |
| Pricing | $0 / $49 / $79 per month |
| Shipping location | China / United States |
| Shipping time | 10 to 12 days (on average) |
| Free trial? | Get 30 days of Zendrop Plus for free here (Cancel anytime.) |
Ready? Let’s go!
What is Zendrop?
Zendrop is a dropshipping platform for Shopify stores.
With years of combined experience in ecommerce, Zendrop’s founders knew the common pain points of dropshipping all too well and wanted to provide a better solution.
So, they built a platform, Zendrop, that connects you, the dropshipping store owner, with thousands of products from suppliers in China or the United States.
What’s unique about Zendrop is that it’s built with a focus on automation.
From processing orders to updating your inventory, Zendrop handles it all behind the scenes!
But there’s more!
Zendrop also offers special services like private labeling and the addition of personalized thank-you cards in orders, giving your brand that extra personal touch.
Is Zendrop legit?
One of the common questions about Zendrop is, “Is this legit?”
So, let’s clear it up: Zendrop is absolutely legitimate.
As a complete beginner who has just started with dropshipping I can confidently say that Zendrop is amazing.
CleanyFlow™️
However, it wasn’t always this way.
Originally, Zendrop was called Silkroad, and the first few months after launching in August 2019, they had quite some issues.
However, Silkroad’s team has since had the time to fix all problems, and they’ve rebranded to Zendrop to start on a clean sheet.
Here’s what Zendrop’s COO said on Reddit:
Zendrop has changed a lot in the way it operates since it’s inception (originally Silkroad). We’ve opened our own fulfillment operation in China, and have ironed out a lot of the flaws that we had in the original product when we launched back in August of 2019, hence the re-brand to Zendrop.
Brad Loeffler (Source)
Zendrop currently sources all of its own products in China, and it even has access to US-based product warehouses.
And if that’s not enough for you to believe that Zendrop is legitimate, maybe you can take a look at the 6,000+ reviews of Zendrop on the Shopify App Store, averaging 4.8 out of 5.0 stars:
How does Zendrop work?
If you’re curious about what it looks like to start using Zendrop, here’s what you can expect!
Step 1: Register on Zendrop and connect to Shopify
First things first, you’ll need to create a free account on Zendrop.
It’s an easy process that just requires some basic information about you:
Once you’re registered, the next step is to link your Zendrop account with your Shopify store.
Tip: Have you already created your Shopify account? If not, sign up by clicking this link here to get a free 3-day trial + 1 month for $1!
This integration is also simple, as you can simply install the Zendrop app on the Shopify app store:
Note: Zendrop also integrates with WooCommerce and CommerceHQ, but only for high-volume clients.
With a few clicks, Zendrop will sync with your Shopify store. This setup allows you to manage your store’s inventory and orders directly from Zendrop!
Step 2: Select a product
Now, the fun part begins!
Zendrop offers a large number of products you can choose from.
Whether you’re in the fashion, home decor, or pet niche, Zendrop has some great products:
So, browse through the product catalog and pick some potentially winning products.
On the product page, you’ll find details like pricing, product descriptions, product images, and shipping information:
Once you’ve found a product you like, you can click on the green ‘Add to Import List’ button.
Then, you can head to the ‘My Products’ tab, click the yellow ‘Review & Publish’ button, edit the product details, and import it to your store:
Step 3: Customer purchases and order fulfillment
Once your store is filled with products, you can start attracting customers.
When a customer makes a purchase from your store, Zendrop takes care of the rest.
The order is automatically forwarded to the supplier, who then prepares and ships the product directly to your customer.
This process is automated, meaning you don’t have to worry about ordering the products, choosing the shipping methods, or updating the tracking numbers!
The pros and cons of Zendrop
Now that you know how it all works, let’s look at the pros and cons of using Zendrop!
Pros
Every app has its set of unique benefits, and Zendrop is no exception:
1. Fast shipping times of 10-12 days on average
With online shopping, shipping times can make or break a business.
Zendrop offers an average shipping time of just 10-12 days for packages shipping from China.
However, due to heavy order volumes, Zendrop’s shipping time can increase to 14 days during Q4:
Still, this is notably quick for dropshipping, as AliExpress shipping times can be anywhere between 12 and 30 days.
Additionally, it’s important to note that Zendrop’s shipping times depend on the country:
Faster shipping is a huge plus for your customers, who increasingly expect quicker deliveries. It can lead to higher customer satisfaction and repeat business.
It’s also a competitive edge, setting your store apart from others that might take longer to deliver.
2. Automated order fulfillment and tracking
Automation is becoming increasingly popular in ecommerce, and Zendrop has embraced this fully.
The platform automates the entire order fulfillment process, which means from the moment a customer places an order to the time it’s delivered, everything is handled by Zendrop.
This automation extends to order tracking as well.
Customers and store owners are kept up to date with automatic updates on the status of the shipment.
By automating these processes, Zendrop allows you to focus more on growing your business, marketing your products, and interacting with your customers!
3. 24/7 Customer support
Having access to immediate support can be super valuable.
Zendrop understands this and offers 24/7 customer support.
This means whenever you encounter an issue or have a question, help is just a message away, regardless of the time or day.
Of course, we wanted to test this claim for ourselves!
First of all, we noticed that Zendrop’s AI chatbot was already incredibly helpful:
It was challenging to think of a question that the AI chatbot didn’t have a helpful answer for, but we managed to find one:
And guess what? We received a helpful reply within two minutes of asking the question!
4. 500,000+ US products
Besides over 1 million products stocked in China, Zendrop offers an extensive catalog of over 500,000 US-based products:
This not only extends Zendrop’s product catalog, but it also means that you can offer faster shipping times to US customers.
In fact, Zendrop’s US warehouses ship orders to your customers in just two to five days!
5. Branding options
Zendrop offers several branding options, which are excellent for building brand recognition and loyalty among your customers.
First, you can add custom thank-you cards to your orders.
This personal touch can really make your customers feel special. It’s a great way to show you care and to make your brand memorable.
However, Zendrop can even customize any part of your delivery package, including private-labeling products!
6. Great return policy
Zendrop actually has a very lenient refund policy for a dropshipping supplier.
For shipped orders, Zendrop will issue a no-questions-asked refund if you have also issued a refund to your customer, and it is within 30 days of the order being delivered.
Zendrop also doesn’t require anyone to return anything. Shipping an item back to the warehouse in China is very expensive, so it doesn’t make sense to do that.
They will also send a free replacement product or issue a refund in case a product is damaged or lost in transit.
Lastly, Zendrop will even issue a free replacement order if your order has been in transit longer than five days outside of the estimated delivery window!
7. Product sourcing service
If you’re looking for something specific that’s not already in Zendrop’s catalog, don’t worry.
Zendrop offers a product sourcing service.
This means you can request them to find unique items for you.
It’s perfect for when you want to offer something different in your store that you can’t find anywhere else.
8. Easily create subscription boxes
Subscription boxes are super popular these days, and Zendrop makes it easy to jump on this trend.
They provide tools to help you put together subscription boxes:
This could be a fun way to offer your customers something new every month, like a surprise box of goodies.
Cons
While Zendrop offers many benefits, no platform is without its drawbacks. So, let’s explore some aspects where it might fall a bit short:
1. The most useful features are only available on the Pro plan
First of all, Zendrop has three main pricing plans, and many of its most attractive features are locked behind the paid plans.
This means that if you’re using the free version, you don’t have access to the full range of features that make Zendrop stand out.
For instance, you can only fulfill 25 orders per month and don’t have access to automated fulfillment, custom branding, or US products:
Plus, for those just starting out, the cost of the Pro plan ($49 monthly) might be a bit steep. This limitation can be something to consider, especially if you’re on a tight budget.
2. Relatively high product prices
Another factor to consider is the pricing of the products on Zendrop.
Users have noted that the prices can be higher compared to other dropshipping platforms or online marketplaces:
Used Zendrop for a bit. Their prices in my opinion are just way too high to be sustainable. I actually messaged them once because a price they had on a product was significantly higher than competitors. They responded by “taking a look at it” and actually increased the price.
Source: Reddit
And here’s another one:
I liked Zendrop, so I bought their services for a month, very impulsively. However, I find their products to be extremely expensive, some even more expensive than similiar items that I can find at the local mall.
Source: Reddit
We generally found these experiences to be true.
For example, check out this dog ball launcher on Zendrop, which costs $94.38, including shipping:
However, we found the same product on AliExpress for $59.55 with fast and free shipping to the US:
So, these higher product prices can definitely limit the products you can offer competitively.
On the other hand, you can also view it from the perspective of this Zendrop user:
Honestly, we thought Zendrop products were too expensive and delivery time was relatively long, BUT their customer service is really great and the suppliers are reliable, so it’s really worth it.
Happy Pearents (Zendrop user)
3. Custom packaging and private labeling require a MOQ
While Zendrop offers the option of private labeling and custom packaging, there’s a catch: you need to meet certain minimum order quantities (MOQs) to access these services.
This means you have to commit to ordering a larger number of products upfront.
It requires a significant investment and confidence that the products will sell.
This feature of Zendrop might not be ideal for everyone, especially if you prefer to stick to the dropshipping business model.
4. You cannot bulk import products to your store
Another limitation of Zendrop is the absence of a bulk import feature.
Here’s what a Zendrop user had to say about it:
Zendrop has a comfortable range of products, but the interface is terrible. Who designs an interface where you cannot bulk import to your store. Selecting each product individually and publishing is horrendous.
Geek Barn (Zendrop user)
While we don’t agree with the terrible user interface, the fact that there isn’t a bulk import feature is a shame.
Such a feature is crucial if you want to add a large number of products to your store quickly.
Without it, you will spend a lot of time manually adding products one by one.
Zendrop pricing plans
When choosing a dropshipping platform, pricing is always a crucial factor.
Here’s an overview of Zendrop’s current pricing structure:
- Free Plan
- Zendrop’s Free Plan is a great starting point if you’re still exploring the platform. It allows you to test Zendrop for free.
- The Free Plan includes access to Zendrop’s product catalog and basic dropshipping features.
- Limit of 25 orders per month.
- Pro Plan ($49 per month)
- The Pro Plan is where Zendrop (almost) unlocks its full potential.
- It includes all the advanced features like unlimited orders, automated fulfillment, US products, and the ability to add custom thank-you cards.
- Plus Plan ($79 per month)
- With the Plus Plan, you can unlock some additional useful features, like product bundles, subscription boxes, and being able to list new products privately on the platform.
3 Zendrop store examples
Before you install Zendrop, you might be interested in some examples of successful Zendrop stores.
So, here are three examples!
1. Pillow Slides
Pillow Slides is a one-product store selling ‘Pillow Slippers’ for men, women, and the youth.
This is actually currently one of the top dropshipping store examples, and they’ve been using Zendrop since August 2022!
Just listen to Jake, the founder of Pillow Slides, who claims he’s making $10M+ with this store:
2. Crazy Productz
Crazy Productz is a general dropshipping store that uses Zendrop to sell various popular dropshipping products.
According to Similarweb, they get over 50k monthly visitors per month through a mix of social, paid search, and organic traffic.
When you look at their social traffic, you can see they primarily focus on Instagram and Pinterest:
3. Robust
Robust is a Zendrop dropshipping store selling straps and bands for the Apple Watch.
However, it didn’t start out with that.
Robust has been using CJdropshipping at first and even left a review on the Shopify App Store in July 2021:
However, they’ve since switched from CJdropshipping to Zendrop in April 2023.
Go check them out for some inspiration!
Interested in more store examples? Find the most successful Shopify dropshipping stores here!
3 Zendrop product examples
Interested in finding out what kinds of items are available on Zendrop?
Here are three Zendrop product examples:
1. Circa knee brace
The Circa knee brace is a fantastic product for your health dropshipping store.
Imagine a knee brace that not only offers the support of a traditional brace but also the flexibility and comfort of a sleeve. That’s what this product does.
It’s designed to help with knee pain, a common issue for many people, including sports enthusiasts and older adults.
Plus, it’s made to be comfortable to wear all day, being lightweight and breathable.
In short, it’s a win-win!
2. Coco-bear’s jumpsuit
The coco-bear’s jumpsuit is an adorable product for a dropshipping store, especially if you’re targeting parents.
It transforms a child into a cuddly bear cub!
The fluffy exterior and interior provide warmth, ideal for cooler weather. Plus, the bear details, like ears and paws, add a cute touch.
3. Non-slip cat litter mat
The non-slip cat litter mat is a great product for a dropshipping store in the pet niche.
This mat is designed to keep the area around a cat’s litter box clean. The design with deep grooves traps both larger granules and finer dust.
So, it’s an excellent addition to any pet product lineup!
What do users say about Zendrop?
We all love reading honest reviews before making a decision, right?
And guess what?
Zendrop has an excellent rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot!
Customers especially praise their customer service:
After I finished my free trial, I downgraded to the free version but was accidentally charged for the plus program. Within less than 5 minutes customer support had helped me with my refund, no questions asked.
ScrubMate Pro
Amazing customer service. I received the wrong sample, I contacted them for the issue, they responded quickly and sent me a new sample immediately.
Kaila Boucher
On the other hand, most negative reviews are about the high product prices on Zendrop:
Every single product is so expensive you can’t make more then 20 something dollars profit and if you run ads… good luck with your store… you see a product 5-10 dollars and when you go on the page of the product is like 20-30-15 dollars some crazy number for shipping… I prefer to deal with AliExpress.
Baxy Mihai
3 Zendrop alternatives
To make it easier to find a dropshipping platform, let’s compare Zendrop with some popular alternatives, starting with AliExpress:
1. Zendrop vs. AliExpress
AliExpress is a public online marketplace filled with products offered by Chinese suppliers.
The main difference between Zendrop and AliExpress is that Zendrop stands out with built-in automation features, better customer support, and more branding opportunities, while AliExpress offers a broader range of products at lower prices.
Here is a quick comparison table:
| Zendrop | AliExpress | |
| Product range and pricing | A substantial catalog, especially with US products. | Lower prices and a wider variety of products. |
| Shipping | Zendrop has faster shipping (10-12 days on average). | AliExpress typically has slightly longer shipping times. |
| Features | Lots of automation features. | You typically need a 3rd-party app like DSers. |
| Ease of use and support | User-friendly interface and excellent customer support. | Does not offer the same level of personalized support. |
| Branding | Private labeling and custom thank-you cards. | Does not provide the same level of branding opportunities. |
| Pricing | $0 / $49 / $79 per month. | Free. |
Full Review: AliExpress Dropshipping: A 20-Step Getting Started Guide
2. Zendrop vs. Spocket
Spocket is another popular dropshipping platform, particularly known for its focus on high-quality and unique products, often sourced from suppliers in the US and Europe.
The main difference between Zendrop and Spocket is that Zendrop has more products from China, while Spocket focuses on US/EU products.
| Zendrop | Spocket | |
| Product range and pricing | A mix of China and US-based suppliers. | Often sourced from suppliers in the US and Europe. |
| Shipping | Fast shipping from China. | Fastest shipping due to US/EU suppliers. |
| Features | Lots of automation features. | Fulfill orders with one click. |
| Ease of use and support | User-friendly interface and excellent customer support. | Often praised for its user-friendly interface. |
| Branding | Private labeling and custom thank-you cards. | Branded invoicing and packing slips. |
| Pricing | $0 / $49 / $79 per month | $40 / $60 / $100 per month |
Full Review: Spocket Review: Does It Have the Best Suppliers in 2024?
3. Zendrop vs. CJdropshipping
CJdropshipping is an online platform that lists a wide range of products from suppliers from China and various other countries. It primarily focuses on dropshipping.
The main difference between Zendrop and CJdropshipping is that Zendrop offers more US-based products and a more user-friendly platform, while CJdropshipping has a broader range of products, potentially lower costs, and warehouses in various countries.
| Zendrop | CJdropshipping | |
| Product range and pricing | A more US-centric product range at higher prices. | Extensive product range at low prices, with a strong focus on Chinese suppliers. |
| Shipping | Generally offers faster delivery times, especially for US-based products. | It might have slightly longer shipping durations. |
| Features | Lots of automation features. | In-house CJdropshipping app. |
| Ease of use and support | User-friendly interface and excellent customer support. | Less user-friendly but offers 24/7 support. |
| Branding | Private labeling and custom thank-you cards. | Sourcing and custom packaging service. |
| Pricing | $0 / $49 / $79 per month | Free |
Full Review: CJdropshipping Dropshipping: How To Start in 2024 (+ Review)
Related reviews
Not sure yet about using Zendrop for your dropshipping business? Or are you interested in seeing what other companies are out there?
We’ve got you covered! Check out the reviews below to find great companies that will help you:
And for more reviews, visit the review hub!
Taking action
Reading and absorbing information and knowledge is great (definitely if it’s free!), but do you know what’s even better?
Taking action!
So, to help you with taking action with what you have learned in this article, take a look at the bullet points:
- Consider your own needs. Are you looking for a platform that focuses on offering an excellent user interface and customer support? Are you looking for products shipped from China or the US? If so, Zendrop can be a great option for you.
- Try out Zendrop yourself. Remember that Zendrop has a free plan that is made for browsing the platform. With it, you can actually see what the platform has to offer. After that, it’s definitely easier to decide if it’s for you.
- Sign up for a paid plan. If you end up liking Zendrop, you can opt for one of their paid plans, which allows you to start using the platform’s full potential.
- Integrate Zendrop with an ecommerce platform. At this point, you should integrate your Shopify store with Zendrop.
- Add products to your online store. After you have selected your plan and integrated Zendrop with your ecommerce platform, you can go ahead and start integrating the products.
Conclusion
We’ve gone through a lot about Zendrop, and it’s time to sum things up.
Zendrop is packed with handy features like fast shipping, easy ways to handle orders, and a big selection of products. Plus, the support team is there for you 24/7, which is pretty awesome.
But it’s not all perfect. Some of the best features are only in the Pro plan, which can be quite expensive for some.
Also, the prices of products on Zendrop might be a bit higher than on other sites, and if you’re into customizing your products, you’ll need to order a bunch at once.
In the end, if quick shipping, a user-friendly experience, and great support matter to you, and you’re okay with spending a bit more for the Pro plan, Zendrop could be a great fit!
Best of luck with your online store!
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