I am setting up a store for the first time to sell Swag for my new company Kinnd. We have created a t-shirt using SPOD for dropshipping and I was very surprised by the amount they had initially set for shipping ($14.99 CAD). It’s hard to imagine that 1 t-shirt which will cost $30 has a $14,99 shipping cost! I see I can set my own shipping flat rates but I am concerned that I might set them to low and then end up having to pay the cost? How do I know how much to charge for shipping? Most of our orders are being placed in Canada.
Also, would anyone suggest using a different dropshipping company other than SPOD? Are there any inexpensive and reliable Dropshippers in Canada that are on Shopify?
We have an article that explains how to add a shipping rate on Shopify. Shopify system enables you to add a preset shipping rate or you can make a new custom rate. Please take a look at it to see how to do it right.
I’m Miles from the Social Care team at Shopify. This is a common question we get around shipping costs with Print on Demand and Dropshipping.
When you’re working out the cost you’d like to charge you’ll need to account for the total cost you’ll be charged by the supplier. Let’s use your example to help out. If a t-shirt costs $30 + $14.99 shipping, that means you’ll be charged a total of $44.99 for the order. You can then choose how you’d like to set the pricing. You can choose to include the shipping price in the cost of the item (i.e. charge your customer $44.99 for a t-shirt), or split the cost between them both (i.e. charge $35 for the t-shirt and then charge $9.99 for shipping). In amongst this, you’ll need to account for what kind of profit you’d like to make.
There are loads of different print on demand suppliers that may have different pricing structures. I’ve recommended a couple below, but you’ll be able to find the one that works best for you.
Access all the best Printing Partners from the US, UK and China in one place – select by price, location and shipping time
We manage automated order printing and shipping directly to your customers – with your branding.
For a full list of print on demand apps, check out this list.
Setting up a print on demand store doesn’t need to be costly. I’ve included some links below with some information to help you set yourself up for success. If you’re ever in need of a hand, please let us know.
We’ve compiled a list of 10 poplar print on demand suppliers
To make it even easier to choose the best print-on-demand site for your specific needs, we’ll look at these key factors:
Shipping: How long does production take after a customer has placed an order? Where does the company ship from? What are its standard shipping times? How is shipping calculated?
Printing options: What printing techniques and customizations do they offer?
Unique features: Are there any unique features or offerings that set them apart from the rest?
Recommended for: Who is this print-on-demand solution best for?
Product catalog overview: What are some of the customizable products the service offers?
I see Miles has explained the shipping rates already in detail. In addition, I would just like to point out that once you get your dropshipping business off the ground and the orders start coming in, you should think about shipping automation.
Shipping automation will help you to keep track of your inventory, set up an order tracking system, send automated updates to customers and apply various automation rules that will make your work much smoother.
But for now, good luck! Hope you will find a reliable dropshipping partner.