Oberlo is Shutting Down
Oberlo is one of the most popular Shopify apps having over 100 000 active installs. Dropshippers were using Oberlo to fulfill their dropshipping business via AliExpress and an integrated group of suppliers branded as Oberlo Supply Marketplace.
What is Oberlo?
Oberlo is an online marketplace integrator that’s specially designed for dropshippers to use on Shopify. This application allows you to source products from multiple platforms and acts as the central dashboard. Oberlo makes the entire process of dropshipping a breeze, from finding products to listing them on your Shopify site.
In 2017, Shopify acquired Oberlo for around $15 million from a Lithuanian startup.
The Shut Down of Oberlo
The app “Oberlo” was removed from Shopify App Store since May 12, 2022 and it will be officially shut down on June 15, 2022. Oberlo users are encouraged to cancel their account immediately. For those who have paid Oberlo subscription in advance, you will either receive a refund or app credits on Shopify.
There was no clear reason given why Shopify is sunsetting this popular app but they actively recommend Oberlo users to migrate to DSers app:
If you wish to continue dropshipping, please either automatically migrate your historical data from Oberlo to the DSers app using our migration tool or manually migrate to any other dropshipping app.
– Oberlo App FAQ
Oberlo Alternatives
There are several drop-shipping apps doing almost the same job as Oberlo – we will look at some of the best ones below.
1. Spocket
While Spocket may have a more limited number of products and suppliers available, it makes a departure from reliance on China-based suppliers. Technically, Spocket suppliers are available in 28 countries but by their own admission focus remains on a handful, namely the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany.
This makes them a bit of a hit and miss for many dropshippers who might be hoping for a global reach. However, if your intention is to pick and serve very specific markets then Spocket might be a good choice for you.
Spocket has a very limited starter plan which you can try out for free over a period of 14 days. After that you must pay $12 per month to remain on the same plan – or more for a better plan to sell more products. This platform is designed for use with WooCommerce.
Key Benefits of Spocket Shopify App
- Support print-on-demand collections
- Auto-updated inventory
- Try out products with sample orders
- Real-time order tracking with branded invoicing
- Works with Aliexpress, Alibaba, Amazon, and Handshake
2. Shipbob
Shipbob specializes in helping customers move their products from point A to point B anywhere in the world. Think of it as a postal service assisting dropshippers to improve their workflow.
One of the biggest challenges dropshippers face is getting their products to customers on time. Relying on shipping from source locations can be iffy. That’s where ShipBob comes into play. They'll manage your entire fulfillment process.
Moving products across the US can be done within two days, with variable timeframes for the rest of the world. It’s not just shipping either. ShipBob will also pick up items, package them, and even provides storage space for things to be shipped.
How much you pay for fulfillment with ShipBob depends on several factors, including dimensions, weight, locations, and storage requirements.
Key Benefits of Shipbob Shopify App
- Easy integration with your online store with ShipBob
- Automated order fulfillment and tracking information sync
- Same-day shipping
- Affordable 2-day coverage of the entire US (and a growing international footprint)
- Simplified, transparent pricing based on delivery speed
3. BrandsGateway
BrandsGateway is a B2B online marketplace for designer clothing and accessories. Based in Europe, this dropshipping supplier provides fast and secure 5-day delivery to any location around the globe. One of the characteristics that make BrandGateway the ideal choice for dropshippers interested in selling clothing and accessories it’s their portfolio of over 90,000 designer items from luxury brands offered at discounts up to 90%.
BrandsGateway’s all-in-one dropshipping packages include three types of subscription – Monthly package at $360/mo, Start-up package at $720/3 months, and Annual package at $2,070/year.
By choosing BrandsGateway as your supplier of luxury clothing you'll get plenty of benefits. To guarantee a seamless dropshipping experience, they ensure no minimum order, real-time inventory synchronization, and automated integration with Shopify and WooCommerce.
In addition, for dropshippers that sell on Amazon or eBay, or have a store based on other platforms such as BigCommerce and Prestashop, BrandsGateway ensures simple and easy integration of CSV/XLSX files.
Key Benefits of BrandsGateway Shopify App
- Simple category mapping – import products of choice with images, SKUs, quantities, and tags.
- Huge portfolios in clothing and fashion accessories
- Real-time order tracking
4. SaleHoo
SaleHoo is one of the more unique offerings on this list since it’s specially designed for dropshippers by a former dropshipper himself. It has its own marketplace of suppliers who support both dropshipping as well as wholesalers. Each of these are reviewed directly by SaleHoo’s own staff so they are more likely to be reliable than those on platforms which handle a massive number of retailers.
The SaleHoo platform works like a search engine, allowing you to quickly drill down general searches to specific categories and then products for you to choose from. You can also talk to suppliers directly through their site – a great way to get more information and build trust.
Unfortunately, SaleHoo does not have a free version and there are only two plans available – annual or lifetime. For the serious dropshipper, the lifetime plan does present a good value-for-money offer though. Both plans are backed by a money-back guarantee.
Why SaleHoo as Oberlo Replacement?
- 1-click import from vetted AliExpress items
- Marketplace for both dropshippers and wholesalers
Updates: SaleHoo is currently not included in Shopify App Store.
Final Thoughts
As you can probably tell from this list, there isn't any one-size-fits-all solution for dropshippers. In this case of Oberlo, it’s actually a good thing since you can reconsider and choose the dropshipping suppliers that best fits your business and (if you are going with SaleHoo) enjoy extra savings during the migration.
