Arslan, a 26-year-old graphic designer from Lahore, dared to try his hand at drop shipping fitness accessories straight from the comfort of his apartment in 2023. He started off with a mere investment of Rs. 50,000. So, he created a Shopify store that targeted international buyers who were specifically looking for resistance bands and yoga mats. 

After just eight months of operation, the revenue from the store per month went over $4,000, which was enough for him to resign from his job and devote himself entirely to e-commerce.

His secret? He was well aware of the different drop shipping models and the right niches to enter with the good suppliers that would deliver internationally, providing excellent products.

Arslan’s case is not only about him anymore; it is about the market as a whole. There are hundreds of entrepreneurs in Pakistan who are realizing that Shopify drop shipping is the best and least risky way to build profitable online sales without the problems of stock or high initial investments. Here comes your full roadmap to walking in their footsteps.

Understanding Drop Shipping

The drop shipping business model discards the main obstacles faced by retail. You will not be obligating yourself to buy the products upfront. You usually will not have to deal with warehouses, and the shipping issue is not your concern either.

What you do is create an online store where you present and advertise your products, and upon getting the customer orders, the supplier will take care of shipping directly to the customer. Your profit is merely the difference between the price at which you sold it and the price at which the supplier sold it to you wholesale.

One of the main reasons why this model is so attractive for entrepreneurs in Pakistan is the efficient use of capital. Retailers must invest millions of rupees’ worth of stock to operate. Drop shipping allows the businessman to just cover his Shopify subscription, domain, and the initial marketing budget as an investment.

Step 1: Choose Your Profitable Niche

The graveyard of failed drop shipping stores is filled with entrepreneurs who tried selling everything to everyone. They have all been selling things indiscriminately. However, the successful stores are those that take zero time and effort on niches, whereby they can build their marketing and target audience more effectively through the establishment of their authority.

Niche Selection Criteria

Make use of Google Trends and keyword tools to get the demand research done. It’s better to search for products that have a steady search volume, not just passing trends. The product that you are looking for should have a 30-50% profit margin after all expenses, including supplier, advertising, and other miscellaneous costs. 

Passion and knowledge should be considered—marketing is going to be a lot easier if you are to sell something that you are familiar with. If you are a fitness enthusiast, know a lot about pet care, or are good at home organization, then that’s where you should be. Your true enthusiasm will lead to such marketing that would be very appealing to and would thus resonate with the customers. 

Competition should be evaluated quite realistically. Niches that are very saturated, such as generic phone cases, make it hard for a business to acquire customers and thus expensive. The ideal way is to find a sub-niche that is not too well known or served—instead of “fitness equipment,” go for “home workout gear for small apartments” or “resistance training for seniors.” 

Winning Niches for Pakistani Drop Shippers 

• Home and kitchen gadgets solving specific problems, 
• Eco-friendly and sustainable products appealing to conscious consumers, 
• Pet accessories for specific animal types, 
• Hobby-related items for niche communities, and 
• Health and wellness products addressing particular concerns. 

Step 2: Set Up Your Shopify Store

Account Creation 

Go to the ecommerce platform Shopify.com and get the free trial going! An email and basic business information would be required first. The 3-day free trial is the offer from Shopify, and that can be used to get familiar with the platform before deciding. 

Plan Your Choice 

The Basic Shopify plan (when paid annually, $39/month) is suited for persons who are just starting with their online businesses, as it contains unlimited products, 24/7 customer service, and major e-commerce features. You can move to newer tiers with advanced reporting and lower transaction fees as you grow. 

Domain Name

Your domain represents your brand. Pick something that people can easily remember, spell, and relate to your business area. Either buy from Shopify ($14/year) or use domains you already have with other registrars like GoDaddy or Namecheap.

Choosing a Theme

Shopify has a variety of themes, both free and paid. Try free themes like Dawn or Sense—they are designed for mobile use, load quickly, and have the touch of a professional. Change colors, fonts, and layouts to fit your brand without any coding knowledge needed.

Important Pages

Make your About Us, Contact Us, Shipping Policy, Return Policy, and Privacy Policy pages engaging. They help gain trust and credibility. Before making a purchase, especially from new stores, a lot of customers look at these pages. 

Step 3: Find Reliable Suppliers

The relationship with your supplier dictates the quality of the product, the time of shipping, and ultimately the satisfaction of the customer. Bad suppliers ruin even the best marketing campaigns. 

Major Supplier Platforms

Although AliExpress is still the leading and most bought supplier due to its wide range of products and buyer protection schemes, it is still the most preferred one. Try to find suppliers with excellent ratings (4.8+), thousands of orders, and positive feedback that highlights shipping speed and product quality. 

Spocket is all about US and EU suppliers, and the most important advantage it provides is faster shipping times (2-5 days) compared to Asian suppliers. The premium membership ($39/month) gives access to the best products and exclusive discounts. 

CJDropshipping provides sourcing for the suppliers, quality control, and shipping options to speed up the delivery process. Their payment systems, suitable for Pakistan, secures the easiest transactions. 

Step 4: Add Products and Optimize Listings

Product Import 

Install Shopify apps like DSers or Oberlo to bring in goods from the suppliers you are dealing with. These apps will automatically update your inventory and fulfil your orders, thus saving you several hours of manual work. 

Product Description Optimization 

Create distinctive descriptions that spotlight benefits, not just features. Instead of saying “stainless steel water bottle,” say “the one that keeps drinks cold for 24 hours during Pakistani summers—great for both gym-goers and outdoor adventurers.” 

Mention specifications, dimensions, materials, and care instructions. Reply to common concerns beforehand to lessen customer inquiries. 

Image Quality 

Provide high-quality images that show the product from different angles. Use lifestyle images that illustrate products in their respective usages. Bad images can lead to no sales even if the price is very competitive. 

Pricing Strategy 

Research competitor pricing using tools like Commerce Inspector. Calculate all costs: product cost, shipping, Shopify fees (2.9% + 30¢ per transaction), payment processing fees, and advertising costs. Aim for a 3x markup minimum on product cost to ensure profitability after all expenses. 

Step 5: Set Up Payment Methods 

Pakistani entrepreneurs face unique payment processing challenges. Shopify Payments isn’t available in Pakistan, requiring alternative solutions. 

• PayPal Business Account 
• Stripe (via Payoneer) 
• 2Checkout (now Verifone)
• Wise (formerly TransferWise) 

Step 6: Configure Shipping Settings 

Transparent shipping policies prevent cart abandonment and disputes. 

Shipping Strategies 

Free shipping alone is a major factor for driving sales up. It is recommended to incorporate shipping costs into product pricing and not charge separately. If shipping is to be charged, then offering free shipping for orders above a certain value ($50-75) would be a good way to increase the average order value. 

When it comes to delivery time, make sure they are realistic. For Asian suppliers, the delivery time can be quoted as 15-30 business days. For US/EU suppliers, 5-10 days is a good promise. It is better to promise less and deliver more; the customers will be happy with the goods arriving earlier than expected. 

Shipping Zones 

Set up various rates for several countries. The first focus will be the US, Canada, UK, and Australia because these markets have good purchasing power and already trust online shopping. 

Step 7: Market Your Store 

Without traffic, even the prettiest store will fail. Marketing makes the difference between successful drop shippers and those who give up in months. 

Facebook and Instagram Ads 

Spend $10-20 a day at the beginning to test various audiences and ad creatives. The emphasis will be on video ads showcasing product advantages. Rather than targeting broad demographics, focus on interests that are related to your niche. 

• Influencer Marketing 
• Content Marketing 
• Email Marketing 
• TikTok Organic 

Step 8: Provide Excellent Customer Service

Customer service determines long-term success. Happy customers write great reviews, tell friends, and buy more. 

Maximum 24 hours to reply to any inquiry. Create follow-up emails for order confirmation, shipping updates, and delivery notifications. Deal with complaints professionally—sometimes it’s cheaper to refund unhappy customers than have them leave you with negative publicity. 

Step 9: Analyze and Optimize

Use Shopify Analytics to measure your: Conversion rate (percentage of visitors who buy), average order value, cost to acquire a customer, and source of traffic. You know your best-performing products, how to scale marketing on those, and when to cut an underperformer. 

A/B test everything—product descriptions, images, pricing, and ad creatives. Small improvements compound into significant revenue increases over time. 

Legal and Tax Considerations 

Register your business properly. In Pakistan, consider registering as a sole proprietorship initially, upgrading to a private limited company as you scale. Consult an accountant about tax obligations—international income may require specific reporting. 

Know the import rules if you intend to have some stock in Pakistan someday. Though dropshipping obviously allows you to avoid this right away, knowledge prepares you for scaling. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid 

Avoid products based only on competition. If no one is selling something, perhaps there is not demand for it. It’s hard to work in saturated markets, but it is also very difficult to work where there are no people left. 

Avoid neglecting mobile optimization. More than 70% of e-commerce traffic is coming from mobile. Before you launch, test your store extensively on smart phones. 

Don’t ignore customer feedback. There is constructive feedback in the bad reviews. Be transparent about problems and constantly evolve what you offer. 

Final Thoughts 

Starting Shopify drop shipping in Pakistan offers genuine opportunities for entrepreneurs willing to learn, adapt, and persist. While it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme, it provides a legitimate path to building location-independent income with minimal startup capital.

The journey from setup to profitability typically takes 3-6 months of consistent effort. Some succeed faster, others take longer. What matters is treating drop shipping as a real business requiring strategy, customer focus, and continuous optimization. 

Ready to accelerate your e-commerce success? Partner with Khired Digital for expert digital marketing services that drive traffic, optimize conversions, and scale your Shopify drop shipping business profitably. 

Our team specializes in helping Pakistani entrepreneurs compete globally through data-driven strategies tailored to your unique goals.