Having to guess the weight of products due to the drop shipper not displaying weights on their sites

Shopify Discussion
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1

I am paying additional for drop shippers. I have over 1000 products and the drop shipper does not display the weight of the product. I am having to google the internet to estimate the product weight. Is anyone else having this issue? I am paying over a hundred dollars a month to Shopify to find out that, I cannot ship because my products do not have a weight. Well, the drop shipper is not providing a weight on the products. I am so close to closing this shop.

2

Hi @Sonya9407

I hear you, and I completely get how frustrating this is. You’re investing money into your Shopify store, relying on a drop shipper, and then hitting a roadblock because they don’t provide product weights—making shipping calculations a nightmare. It’s definitely not fair to be stuck manually searching for product weights, especially with over 1000 items.

Here’s What You Can Do:#### 1. Check for Alternative Data Sources

Some dropshipping platforms don’t list product weights, but suppliers might have them elsewhere. Try:

  • Contacting the supplier directly – Many are willing to provide weight details if you ask.
  • Checking manufacturer websites – If the drop shipper sources branded items, the manufacturer’s site might list product weights.
  • Looking at competitors – Some online stores selling the same product might display the weight in their listings.

2. Estimate Based on Similar Products

If you can’t get exact weights, try estimating using similar products. For example, if you’re selling a ceramic mug, look at Amazon or eBay listings to get an approximate weight.

3. Use a Flat Rate or Weight-Based Guesswork System

If exact weights aren’t available, you could:

  • Set a flat shipping rate per category (e.g., small items = $5 shipping, medium items = $10).
  • Use Shopify’s weight-based shipping with estimated weights (if you know similar product weights, you can assign rough weight categories).

4. Use Third-Party Apps

There are Shopify apps like AutoDS, Spocket, or CJ Dropshipping that sometimes pull product weight details. If your current supplier doesn’t provide this info, you might consider switching to one that does.

Final Thoughts

I totally get why this is frustrating, and honestly, your drop shipper should be doing better. But before closing your shop, try reaching out to them, looking for alternative suppliers, or setting a simple flat-rate shipping model. You’ve already built a store, and that’s a lot of work—don’t let this issue be the thing that stops you.

If you need extra help, just let me know asap. Thanks
Daisy.