Learn about dropshipping business models, how to identify them, and what it means for you as a consumer.
What is Dropshipping?
Dropshipping is a method of selling products online without actually stocking or handling them. Instead of owning the items they sell, dropshippers act as a middleman between the customer and a supplier, usually located overseas.
White label dropshipping is when a seller puts their own logo or branding on a generic product made by someone else. This makes it harder to tell where the product really comes from.
How It Works
Here's what happens behind the scenes when you order from a dropshipping store:
You place an order on the website.
The store forwards your order to a third-party supplier (often in China, using platforms like AliExpress).
The supplier ships the product directly to you.
The seller never touches the product.
What's the Catch?
Many dropshipping sites don't tell you the full story.
They buy cheap products from AliExpress or similar sites
They mark them up heavily (sometimes 5x or more)
They use fake branding, pretending they designed or created the product themselves
Product photos and descriptions are often copied or misleading
Photos often don't match across the site, for the same product, you might see inconsistent images, with different backgrounds, lighting, or even incorrect colors
For clothing, it's common to see multiple models with totally different looks, suggesting the photos were pulled from various sources
Quality is usually not what you expect, and shipping may take 2–4 weeks or more
Is This a Scam?
Not always, but it's often misleading.
Dropshipping itself isn't illegal. Some stores use this model honestly, by being transparent about shipping delays and where the product comes from.
But many dropshipping websites try to trick customers:
They pretend they designed or manufactured the product
They hide the fact that it ships from overseas
They copy reviews and product photos
They inflate prices way beyond the real value
They offer little or no customer support
What Makes a Store Not Dropshipping?
Real contact info (address, phone number)
Transparent shipping times (2-5 days is common)
Clear refund and return policies
Custom product photos or branding that matches the company