The Oberlo shutdown came as quite the surprise to a lot of ecommerce companies on Shopify. For years, Oberlo stood as one of the most popular apps on the Shopify marketplace, offering companies an easy way to import AliExpress products into their Shopify store.
In fact, Oberlo was so popular, it caught the attention of the Shopify platform. In 2017, Shopify purchased Oberlo for $15 million, listing it as the go-to dropshipping app for Shopify users.
So, why did Oberlo shut down, and what does the end of this dropshipping app mean to Shopify store owners in 2023 and beyond?
What We Know About Oberlo Shutting Down
The Oberlo shutdown originally began in 2022. On May 12th, the app was removed from the Shopify store, and Shopify informed all users currently using the platform that they could continue to access it until the 15th of June. This date was moved to the 30th of June shortly after.
Oberlo released a statement at this point, saying that Shopify was searching for new ways to provide merchants with he best ways to reach their customers, wherever they are.
After June 30th, all remaining Oberlo subscription plans were cancelled, and affected accounts received refunds or Shopify app credits for the subscription days they could no longer use. Shopify then began encouraging customers to use an alternative app, DSers, as a substitute for Oberlo.
This makes sense after Shopify chose to strengthen its ties with DSers. Shopify and Oberlo even came up with a migration solution for users of Oberlo to move to DSers in a couple of clicks.
The company also announced a series of new integrations for various dropshipping solutions for Shopify retailers to use.
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Why Did Oberlo Shut Down?
Unfortunately, Shopify and Oberlo haven’t revealed a lot of information about why the service was shut down. Some users have speculated that the end of the solution is the result of the app quality deteriorating over time, leading to more negative reviews on the app store.
Others believe Oberlo was shut down because of an internal Shopify decision. In recent years, Shopify has been investing in new fulfillment solutions for store owners, such as the Shopify Fulfillment Network. They also purchased the Deliverr company for $2.1 billion in 2022.
These moves could indicate Shopify wants to focus less on AliExpress dropshipping options, and more on fulfilling orders for its own clients.
Some industry analysts have also suggested the issue had something to do with Oberlo’s connection with AliExpress, through its API service. Many merchants didn’t like the AliExpress API, and Oberlo didn’t offer any other options for sourcing dropshipping fulfillment.
Did Oberlo Shut Down or Partner with DSers?
In May 2022, DSers announced a partnership with Oberlo for a fast migration solution, to allow former Oberlo users to switch to DSers without having to migrate all their data manually. However, outside of this announcement, the two companies haven’t engaged in any further partnerships.
DSers has, however, taken over as the official partner of AliExpress in Oberlo’s absence, and they promise customers a more accurate, intuitive interface than they could have gotten with the Oberlo solution. The platform comes with powerful automation features, an order optimization system, and a reasonably affordable pricing structure.
What Does the Oberlo Shutdown Mean for Retailers?
Companies on Shopify using AliExpress for dropshipping purposes will no longer be able to use the Oberlo app. It’s not available on the Shopify store anymore, and there are no indications that Oberlo’s app will be returning to the Shopify platform.
However, Oberlo does still maintain an active website, used primarily to share blogs, articles, and guides with ecommerce retailers, and promote the Shopify platform.
The company no longer advertises its dropshipping service, but does offer a range of courses to ecommerce entrepreneurs looking to take advantage of the business model.
Today, most companies using the Oberlo app will have already migrated to an alternative solution. However, any company looking to start dropshipping will need to research Oberlo alternatives if they want to continue their business model with the Shopify platform.
What are the Best Alternatives to Oberlo?
The good news for anyone investing in a dropshipping business model with Shopify, is that there are still a variety of apps available on the marketplace to support this service. The main solution advertised by Shopify is DSers, the official AliExpress dropshipping app.
DSers has a 5.0 star rating on the Shopify app store, with more than 16,000 reviews at the time of writing. It also offers a host of benefits, from optimized supplier listings to product management tools, bulk order placement, and automation.
Outside of the recommended DSers solution, ecommerce store owners can also consider Oberlo alternatives such as:
- Spocket: EU and US dropshipping with a variety of product options, wholesale prices, and discount options to choose from. You can also create branded invoices, and invest in premium packages to get access to unique products from exclusive suppliers.
- AutoDS: AutoDS connects ecommerce retailers to more than 25 US, EU, and global dropshipping suppliers, including AliExpress, Alibaba, CJDropshipping, Amazon and Walmart. The app also features automatic pricing and stock syncing.
- Zendrop: Dropshipping and POD platform Zendrop was designed by seasoned dropshippers to help users find top-tier fulfillment solutions from around the world. It features a one-button solution for adding new products to any Shopify store.
- CJdropshipping: The CJdropshipping app for Shopify offers access to a wide range of dropshipping suppliers, as well as convenient features like a shipping calculation tool, automated importing for products, and packaging customizations.
- Syncee: A global dropshipping solution where customers can find products from a range of worldwide retailers. The app automates product uploads, updates, and order syncs. Plus, it comes with customization options to help manage your listings.
The End of the Oberlo Platform
After a long history as the go-to AliExpress dropshipping app for Shopify, Oberlo is no longer an option for ecommerce retailers. However, the Oberlo shutdown doesn’t prevent would-be entrepreneurs from exploring the dropshipping market with their Shopify store.
There are now dozens of alternative apps available on the Shopify marketplace that offer a similar service to Oberlo, some of which even have more advanced features. It may be officially the end of Oberlo, but it’s not the end of Shopify dropshipping.
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