This is crazy! Shopify's Oberlo, one of the world's biggest dropshipping automation companies, is closing down forever! Yup… sunsetting and never to be seen again.
Announced on May 11, 2022, Oberlo says, “Our dropshipping app is shutting down on June 15, 2022. After this date you won’t be able to access your Oberlo account”. Oberlo supports and automates over 12,600 businesses worldwide, and as of June 15, all of those accounts will be terminated for good!
If you are one of these 12,600 businesses or were looking to start dropshipping with Oberlo in the near future, you might ask yourself, “Now what?”, “Where do I start automating dropshipping?”, “Why is Oberlo shutting down?” or “Is the recommendation of DSers Automation as good as Oberlo?”
So, what happens when no one has any access to their accounts or information? Don't panic. In this article, we are going to guide you through what to do next so your business keeps thriving or is started off right!
Here is what we are covering to ensure your business is ready to rock ’n roll on the 15th of June:
(1.0) Why is Oberlo shutting down? (The Hard Truth)
(2.0) What Exactly Happens When Oberlo Shuts Down?
(3.0) What should I do with my business when Oberlo closes?
(3.1) Do I Have To Integrate With DSers?
(4.0) What Are Some Alternatives to Using DSers?
(5.0) DSers Vs Dropified
Why is Oberlo Shutting Down? (The Hard, But Real Truth)
Here is what Oberlo says about why they are shutting down:
“Shopify’s top priority is doing what is in the best interest of merchants. We are sunsetting Oberlo on June 15, 2022 and transitioning how we enable drop shipping to a more optimal solution developed by a trusted Shopify partner, DSers.” Then it goes on to say, “This product deprecation, which is a routine occurrence, is in pursuit of providing merchants with the best solutions to reach their customers wherever they are.”
In other words, the traditional way we have been dropshipping is dead, and there needs to be a change-up. Although it still can work and does work for many businesses, let's face it… dropshipping from places like AliExpress and Alibaba is not as easy as it used to be, and it is getting less and less popular. It makes sense why a company like Shopify’s Oberlo (built on its now tiny empire of China drop shipping) is cutting off its branch and handing the operation to an outside party.
What Exactly Happens When Oberlo Shuts Down?
On June 15th, 2022, Oberlo will be completely uninstalled from your Shopify store. This means that all of the data and products you have stored within Oberlo will be gone. All of the data will be deleted and not to be accessed again. Your store's sales will be put to a halt until further action is taken, or orders can be chosen to be fulfilled manually.
As far as payments go, Oberlo says,
“If you’re currently on a paid Oberlo subscription plan, then you can cancel it immediately, and then receive a refund or Shopify app credits depending on where you’re billed:
- If you’re billed on Oberlo, then you will receive a refund.
- If you’re billed on Shopify, then you will receive Shopify app credits.
On June 15, 2022, all remaining Oberlo subscription plans will be canceled, and affected Oberlo accounts will receive refunds or Shopify app credits for unused subscription days.”
The last day you can create an Oberlo account was May 11, 2022. After this date, Oberlo is removed from the Shopify app store, and you will no longer be able to create an account.
What Should I Do With My Business When Oberlo Closes?
If you are interested in continuing your dropshipping business, there is much other similar software to help you continue. Oberlo is suggesting users migrate to a platform called DSers in order to continue with their dropshipping business.
Although DSers will work to automate orders and import products from suppliers, it is not necessarily the best option to use according to previous Oberlo customers. As more and more customers are having issues with the DSers software and migration, it is worth looking into other tools that will do just as much and, in some cases, more than what DSers offers in order to get the perfect software for your business.
Do I Have To Integrate With DSers?
No, although Oberlo makes it easy with an import option, lots of other software have an import option as well. Oberlo does suggest some other automation software to try as well. We highly suggest doing your research before picking another company to immerse your business in completely.
After all… it is your business!
What Are Some Alternatives to Using DSers?
1.) Dropified
Now, you might have noticed that you are on the Dropified site, but we highly encourage checking out the other alternatives to ensure you choose the right automation tool. We offer dropship automation and much more. We have been one of Oberlo’s largest competitors and know the dropshipping space very well. We are also working on our new Dropified 2.0 which is going to change the game when it comes to Dropshipping!
For a full DSers vs Dropified Comparison of our Retro Plan, check it out below!
Oberlo Migration Tool: YES
Price: $67/Once-Time-Payment
Some of Dropified’s Features:
- Unlimited products
- Sell on FB Marketplace & eCommerce platforms (Including Shopify)
- Auto Fulfill from eBay, Alibaba, AliExpress
- List products from 50+ Retail Platforms
- 3 Store Integrations
- Rapid ordering w/ the AliExpress/ Alibaba API
- Organize product research with Product Boards
- Automate pricing markups
- Add unlimited sub-users
2.) Spocket
Spocket helps with allowing you to choose the best products to sell from thousands of dropshipping suppliers all over the world. You can order product samples right from the dashboard in a few clicks to easily test out the products and suppliers. And connecting to an e-commerce store is very easy on Spocket.
Oberlo Migration Tool: NO
Price: Free, $24.99/month, $49.99/month, $99.99/month
Some of Spocket’s Features:
- 250 unique products
- 25 premium products
- Branded invoicing
- 24×7 Chat support
- AliExpress Dropshipping
3.) Modalyst Dropshipping
For Retailers, “Modalyst makes it simple for an online store to source, list, and sell an array of niche products. Experience zero upfront inventory costs and total ease of automation when you start your dropshipping business today.”
Oberlo Migration Tool: NO
Price: Free, $35/month, $90/month
Some of the Modalyst Features:
- Add Products in 1-click
- Import All Products Info, Images, and Variants
- Easily Edit All Product Information
- Real-Time Product Update
- Real-Time Inventory Updates
- Order Tracking with Tracking Numbers
- Product Editing Before Adding to Store
- Image & Variant Mapping
- Bulk Add Products to Ecommerce Store
DSers Vs Dropified
Below you will find a full comparison of Dropified’s dropship Retro Plan vs the DSers monthly plans. For even more features, check out the Dropified pricing page!
Feature | Dropified Retro | Dropified Retro Lifetime | DSers Basic | DSers Advanced |
Price | $47/month | $67/one-time | Free | $19.00/month |
Auto Fulfill from AliExpress | ||||
Set up Tracking in Shipping Confirmation Email | ||||
Import List | ||||
Publish Products to Store in Bulk | ||||
Unlimited Product | ||||
Send Customized Order Notes from Customers to Suppliers | ||||
Organize Product Research with Product Boards | ||||
Sell on eCommerce Platforms | ||||
3 Store Integrations | ||||
Chrome Extension | ||||
Auto Fulfill from eBay | ||||
Automated Address Fixing | ||||
Advanced Pricing Markup Rules | ||||
Automated Tracking Number Sync | ||||
Split Product | ||||
Add Unlimited Sub Users |
Time Zone & Currency Settings | ||||
Bulk Order Processing | ||||
Profit Dashboard | ||||
Rapid ordering w/ the AliExpress/ Alibaba API | ||||
Auto Fulfill from Alibaba | ||||
Automated Pricing Markups | ||||
Sell on FB Marketplace | ||||
Insiders Report (Weekly) | ||||
AliExtractor PRO | ||||
Ad Design Studio | ||||
Variants Mapping | ||||
BOGO/Bundle Mapping | ||||
Cost Change Management | ||||
High Speed Captcha Solver | ||||
Orders Audit | ||||
Multi Integrations | ||||
Custom Product Descriptions | ||||
Advanced Image Editor | ||||
Bulk Product Editing | ||||
Vendor Control | ||||
Simple Image Editor | ||||
Product Feeds | ||||
Image File Uploader | ||||
Customer Service Playbook | ||||
Swipe Box Headline Generator | ||||
YouZign Graphic Design Studio | ||||
TubeHunt |
It is important to note, DSers also have a “PRO” plan ($49.99/Month) and an “ENTERPRISE” plan ($499/Month). The only difference between these plans and the “ADVANCED” plan is more products, stores, and more AliExpress Saver Shipping Adaptor products.
Interested in trying the Retro Plan? Sign up here!