How to Import Products from AliExpress to Shopify

Getting an AliExpress product into Shopify takes about a minute with the right tool. Getting it into a state where a customer will trust it and buy it takes longer, and that second part is where most new stores cut corners. A raw import usually has a keyword-stuffed title, a description full of supplier notes, images with Chinese text or watermarks, variant names like "Color: 1PC-A", and a price that ignores shipping and payment fees.

This guide covers both parts: the import itself (with DSers, a Chrome extension importer, or a manual CSV), and the work that turns an imported listing into one you can sell. It also covers how to check a supplier before you commit, how to set a pricing rule that leaves you a margin, and how to be honest about shipping times.

What you need before you import

Have these in place first so you are not fixing settings halfway through:

• A Shopify store on a paid plan or trial. Apps install from the Shopify App Store, and you manage them later under Settings > Apps and sales channels.
• An AliExpress buyer account. DSers links to it so orders can be placed with suppliers. Use one account for all dropshipping orders so order history stays in one place.
• Store currency and markets set. Set your store currency under Settings > General before importing, because pricing rules are calculated in that currency.
• Shipping zones and rates. Decide whether you offer free shipping (with the cost built into the price) or charge a flat rate. This changes your pricing rule.
• Policy pages. A refund policy that reflects real delivery times and return shipping to China matters more for dropshipping than for local stock. The refund policy generator gives you a starting draft.

Three ways to import AliExpress products

There is no built-in AliExpress importer in Shopify. You pick one of three routes, and the right one depends on whether you also need order automation.

Many stores use two of these: DSers for the products they fulfill through AliExpress, and an extension importer for testing products from several sources before committing to a supplier.

Method 1: Import with DSers

DSers describes itself on its Shopify App Store listing as an official Alibaba Group partner, and it is the app most AliExpress dropshippers use for ordering. As of 2026, its free Basic plan allows up to 3 stores and 3,000 products, with paid plans (Advanced at $19.90 per month, Pro at $49.90 per month) adding automated pricing rules, faster stock sync and more staff accounts. Check the current plan table on the DSers site before you rely on a specific feature.

1. Install DSers from the Shopify App Store and approve the permissions it asks for.
2. In DSers, link your AliExpress account when prompted. This is what lets DSers place orders later.
3. Install the DSers Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store if you want one-click imports while browsing.
4. Open the product on AliExpress and click the extension button, or copy the product URL and paste it into the search box on the DSers Import List page. The extension can also add several products at once from a search results page.
5. Open the product in the Import List. Edit the title, description, variants, images and price (the sections below explain what to change).
6. Remove variants you do not want to sell. Fewer variants means fewer stock problems.
7. Push the product to Shopify. Choose whether it goes live immediately or as a draft. Draft is safer, because you can review it in Shopify before customers see it.
8. In Shopify, open Products, find the item, and finish the edits DSers does not handle well: SEO title, meta description, collections, product type and tags.

After you have orders, DSers matches each Shopify line item to the AliExpress variant it was imported from. If a supplier goes out of stock, you can map the product to a different supplier without re-importing.

Method 2: Import with a Chrome extension importer

A browser extension importer reads the product page you are looking at and sends the title, images, variants and prices to your store. The advantage is range: the same tool can pull from AliExpress, Amazon or an independent store, so you can compare products from several sources before you choose one.

1. Install the extension and connect it to your Shopify store (you authorize it once).
2. Open the AliExpress product page and pick the ship-to country your customers are in, so the prices and variants shown match what you will actually pay.
3. Click the extension, review what it captured, and deselect images or variants you do not want.
4. Apply your pricing rule or type a price manually.
5. Send it to Shopify as a draft, then finish the listing in the admin.

The AM Jarvis Chrome extension works this way for AliExpress, Amazon and other product pages, importing into either Shopify or WooCommerce. It handles the listing, not the supplier order, so pair it with your own ordering process. If you are copying products from other Shopify or WooCommerce stores rather than marketplaces, see the broader guide on how to import products to Shopify.

Vet the supplier before you import

The listing is only as good as the supplier behind it. A great product page means nothing if half the orders arrive late or broken. Check these on AliExpress before you import:

• Store age and rating. The store page shows how long it has been open and its positive feedback rate. Prefer stores that have traded for several years.
• Orders on this specific product. A store with good ratings can still have a new, untested listing. Look for real sales volume on the item you want.
• Buyer photos in reviews. Photos from customers show real color, size and packaging. Read the three-star and one-star reviews, which tell you what goes wrong.
• Delivery estimates for your customers' country. Change the ship-to country on the product page and note which shipping options are available and their estimated dates.
• Consistency across variants. Some listings mix products from different factories under one page. If reviews mention that one color looks different, drop that variant.
• Responsiveness. Message the store with a specific question (packaging, whether invoices or logos are included in the box). A clear, quick answer is a good sign.

Keep a backup supplier for every product that sells. Note the backup store's URL in the product's internal notes or a spreadsheet so you can switch quickly when stock runs out.

What to edit after the import

Treat every imported product as a draft. These are the fields that almost always need work.

Title

AliExpress titles are written for marketplace search and often run to 150 characters of stacked keywords. Rewrite it to say what the product is, the main attribute and who it is for, in plain words. The guide on Shopify product title SEO covers the structure in detail.

Description

Delete supplier notes ("please allow 1-3cm error", "the color may differ"), size charts in image form, and any mention of the factory or marketplace. Write a short opening paragraph, a list of real specifications, and care or usage notes. Convert size charts into an HTML table so they are readable on mobile.

Images

Remove images with watermarks, foreign-language text or other brands' logos. Keep clean product shots and lifestyle images. Set the first image to the clearest front view. Add alt text that describes the image.

Variants and options

Rename option names and values: "Color: 1PC-A" becomes "Color: Black". Delete variants you will not stock. Make sure each variant has its correct image assigned, and check that weights are filled in if you use calculated shipping rates.

Vendor, type, tags and cost

Some importers fill the Vendor field with the supplier's store name. Replace it with your own brand name or leave it neutral. Set Product type and tags so the item lands in the right collections. Fill Cost per item with your landed cost so Shopify's profit reports show real margins.

SEO title and meta description

Scroll to the search engine listing section of the product page in Shopify and write a unique SEO title and meta description. Imported products otherwise reuse the long supplier title.

Set a pricing rule that covers every cost

A pricing rule is a formula your importer applies to supplier cost to produce your price. The mistake is basing it on the item price alone. Your real cost per order includes:

• The item price from the supplier
• Shipping from the supplier to the customer
• Payment processing fees on the sale
• Any Shopify transaction fee if you use a third-party payment provider
• Ad cost per purchase, which is often the largest line
• A buffer for refunds and reships

A worked example: the item costs $8.40 and shipping to the US is $3.10, so landed cost is $11.50. A 2.5x multiplier on landed cost gives $28.75, which you round to $28.99 with a price-ending rule. If you show a compare-at price, set it only when it reflects a price you actually charged; invented "was" prices can create legal and Merchant Center problems.

Before you settle on the multiplier, run the numbers through the Shopify fee calculator to see what is left after processing fees at your plan's rates. Then subtract your expected ad cost per sale. If the result is thin, the product needs a higher price, a bundle, or a different supplier.

Most importers support three rule types: a multiplier (cost times 2.5), a fixed markup (cost plus $15), or tiered rules (2.8x under $10, 2.2x from $10 to $30, 1.8x above $30). Tiered rules work well because cheap items need a bigger multiplier to cover fixed per-order costs.

Shipping times and customer expectations

Shipping is where AliExpress dropshipping stores lose customers. Delivery estimates vary by supplier, shipping method and destination, and they change during Chinese New Year and peak season. Use the estimate AliExpress shows for your customers' country with the shipping method you will actually select, not the fastest option on the page.

1. Pick one default shipping method per product (in DSers you can set default shipping methods by country).
2. Write the delivery range on the product page and in your shipping policy, in business days, using the slow end of the estimate.
3. Name the shipping rate in checkout clearly, for example "Standard shipping (8 to 15 business days)".
4. Send tracking numbers automatically. DSers syncs tracking back to Shopify, which triggers Shopify's shipping confirmation email.

For US customers, note that the US suspended its $800 de minimis exemption for low-value imports on August 29, 2025. Parcels shipped directly from China to US buyers are now subject to duties, so check whether your supplier's shipping option includes duties and whether you need to raise prices to cover them. Many sellers now prefer products stocked in US or EU warehouses, which some AliExpress listings offer as a ship-from option.

Common mistakes after importing

• Publishing straight from the import list. Always push as draft, review in Shopify, then set the status to Active.
• Importing 200 products on day one. A small catalog of well-edited products converts better and is easier to support. Add products after you validate demand. If you are still choosing what to sell, start with the guide to dropshipping niches.
• Ignoring weight. Missing variant weights break calculated shipping rates and some feeds.
• Keeping supplier branding. Customers search the text on your images and find the same product for a fraction of the price.
• No stock sync. If the supplier sells out and your store keeps selling, you end up refunding orders. Use an app with stock sync or check stock on best sellers weekly.
• Forgetting the product feed. If you plan to sell through Google Shopping, missing GTINs and brand values need attention before you submit the feed.

Importing is the fast part. The stores that last spend their time on supplier checks, honest delivery estimates and clean listings, and they keep the catalog small enough to manage properly.