Zendrop Review – I Wouldn’t Use It!!

I initially used Zendrop over two years ago and my experience was good, but not great. I wrote a review about Zendrop and gave my honest feedback. Since then, I have had a number of people email me and tell me their experience with Zendrop has not been overly positive.

So I decided to investigate and re-write this article to provide my readers with a re-viewed, review. I was an affiliate for Zendrop, however, I decided to remove myself from the Zendrop affiliate program so you can be sure the information I provide in this article is unbiased.

There are NO Zendrop affiliate links in this article. Therefore, there is zero incentive for me to promote or criticize it. Hopefully, as a beginner at dropshipping, you will be able to make a more informed decision whether Zendrop is worth your money or a waste of your money.

Spoiler Alert: I do not believe Zendrop is worth it and you’ll discover why as you read the article.

What is Zendrop?

Zendrop was originally named Silk Road but has since had a name change.

Zendrop is a specialized platform designed to address the challenges dropshippers encounter when sourcing products from China. It offers a solution for product sourcing, order fulfillment, branding, and more.

It’s designed to simplify a large part of the dropshipping process and is typically targeted toward beginners who are inexperienced and require assistance getting their business started.

Zendrop is an online business, they do not have a physical location. Many beginners assume they are located in China and the USA and have multiple warehouses around the world. They act as a middleman between suppliers and dropshippers.

How Does Zendrop Work?

Dropshippers can connect their Shopify store with Zendrop and run their entire dropshipping business from one platform. They can choose whichever products Zendrop has stocked and import them directly to their Shopify store.

Click here for a FREE Shopify trial and 3 months of Shopify for Only $1

As orders are made from your Shopify store, you can then go to your Zendrop dashboard and fulfill orders as they come in. The entire process is relatively simple once you understand how to navigate the dashboard and utilize all the features.

Zendrop Products – Are They Worth it?

Let’s face it, if Zendrop does not stock viable products to dropship, the entire platform is a waste of time and money. I’ll give you the good news and the bad news. Lets start with the bad news.

I spent a lot of time scrolling through the Zendrop products list and found the vast majority of their products too generic and boring to make a profitable dropshipping business. I personally didn’t find a single product I would consider building a one-product dropshipping store around.

If want want to start a general store and upload a ton of Zendrop products to your Shopify store and hope they sell, go right ahead. Personally, I don’t think that strategy will work long term and building a brand around viable products will be a better tactic.

Now for the good (Slightly better) news, Zendrop can source products they don’t already have listed. For example, if you want to start selling a portable blender, you can request that Zendrop sources a supplier that stocks that product for you.

Zendrop gets their products from Chinese suppliers which are typically trading companies or factories. Once an order is made on the Zendrop platform, the Chinese factory or trading company will ship the products directly to the consumer.

Whilst this service is beneficial, it means the product pricing on Zendrop is higher than if you sourced the product from a factory yourself. Personally, I would rather source my own products and negotiate better pricing and faster shipping.

You can order samples from Zendrop which can be an effective way of validating the product quality prior to selling yourself and checking the shipping and processing times.

Zendrop has products in multiple categories including:

Zendrop Shipping

Shipping costs with Zendrop are generally comparable to those of AliExpress. While some products on Zendrop offer reasonable shipping rates, others may incur higher costs. This is often because the factories supplying these products set lower product prices but add additional fees to shipping to compensate. As a result, the overall shipping cost for certain items can be more expensive.

It depends on the supplier and the shipping options they can access. If you check the shipping option for random products on AliExpress, you will see the same significant disparities between shipping costs as you’ll find on Zendrop.

Zendrop Shipping Times for Every Country

Zendrop ships to most countries worldwide including the UK, Australia and Canada. Many readers have reported that actual shipping times from Zendrop can be longer than those listed on the Zendrop website. Additionally, expect extended shipping and processing times during Q4 due to increased demand and around Chinese New Year due to holiday closures.

Below is a list of the countries Zendrop ships to and the estimated shipping times.

Country	Average Shipping Time (Days)
United States	11.2
Canada	10
Australia	9.5
United Kingdom	8.4
Brazil	19.1
Germany	10.1
Sweden	11.3
Spain	9
Ireland	10.4
France	9.4
New Zealand	11.1
Norway	12.3
Netherlands	7.3
Switzerland	10.4
Mexico	12
Belgium	7.6
Czech Republic	11.8
Denmark	17.1
Poland	10.2
Lithuania	19.1
Austria	12
Finland	11.5
Portugal	8.3
Italy	11.2
Greece	16.8
Romania	15.2
Slovakia	14.1
Hungary	18
UAE	11.5
Chile	17.1
Pakistan	12.6
Saudi Arabia	9.5
Japan	6.1
Cyprus	19.9
Croatia	11.1
Kuwait	9.2
Colombia	20.2
Bulgaria	17.4
Hong Kong	6.2
Qatar	7.5
Thailand	10.9
Iceland	14.2
Estonia	16.4
Philippines	10.3
Israel	15.9
Luxembourg	13.7
Malta	14.6
South Africa	21.8
Bahrain	14.9
Ghana	21.5
Kenya	14.6
Monaco	18.8
Oman	26.1
Turkey	13.3
Serbia	12.4
Singapore	6.5
Bosnia/Herzegovina	18.4
Ivory Coast	7
China	2.9
Costa Rica	24.7
Jordan	25.7
Morocco	26.9
Montenegro	14.4
Malaysia	6.7
Nigeria	11.5
Panama	10.1
Peru	25
Russia	24.3
Slovenia	13.8
Ukraine	18.5
US Outlying Islands	47.1
Angola	15.2
Gibraltar	32.1
India	14.2
South Korea	12
Liechtenstein	16
Latvia	14.8
Puerto Rico	17.4
Paraguay	29
Reunion	21.6
Taiwan	21.3
Tanzania	11.3

For more information and estimated shipping times to more countries, I suggest you check out Zendrop’s Terms and Conditions.

Where Does Zendrop Ship From?

Zendrop acts as an intermediary between Chinese suppliers and dropshippers where most of its products originate from various regions in China.

The vast majority of Zendrop products are being shipping from factories based in China. They claim that they do offer some US shipping options for pro and plus users, but they may just be referring to print-on-demand products which I would avoid.

While a small number of products ship from the US, Zendrop primarily offers US shipping for bulk orders. Personally, I would not bulk order from Zendrop as I would want to deal with Chinese manufacturers myself and negotiate the best possible deal for myself.

It’s a common practice for some AliExpress suppliers to claim US shipping when, in reality, they’re dispatching from China. You can read about this strategy in my article titled “Where does AliExpress ship from?“

Remember, Zendrop is an online business only and simply acts as a middleman. The idea that they’d maintain worldwide warehouses full of staff and stocked with thousands of unsold products makes no sense.

Even if Zendrop does stock some items in the US, be aware that this inventory is not only limited but also ever-changing. So, if you establish a selling pattern based on US stock, you might soon find it depleted and be left with China as the primary shipping source. Relying on limited stock isn’t a viable business and you can never scale your business.

In my opinion, it’s much smarter to source products in bulk directly from Alibaba or work with a China-based agent. This way you not only can you potentially secure better prices and faster shipping than Zendrop, but you can also fulfill orders from your Country of residence if you prefer.

I have several articles describing this process in more detail if you’re interested.

• Inquiry letter templates to contact Alibaba suppliers
• How to order samples from Alibaba
• How to find a reliable dropshipping agent?
• How much are Chinese sourcing agent fees?

Zendrop Pricing

Zendrop provides three pricing plans: the Free, Pro, and Plus.

While Zendrop isn’t completely free, they do offer a basic Free plan. Under this plan, you only pay for the products you sell. However, its features are limited and cap you at 50 orders per month. This is a solid choice if you’re keen on testing the waters without shelling out cash upfront.

Note: Zendrop only works with Shopify and you’ll need to link your Shopify store to access their dashboard and product catalog.

The Pro plan is $49 per month or $399 if you go for the annual subscription. You will be forced to pay for this plan if you start making sales from the free plan as 50 orders per month will not be adequate.

Besides unlimited monthly orders, it brings added perks like automated fulfillment, custom branding, and access to US products. This plan is likely the go-to for most paying Zendrop users.

Lastly, there’s the Plus plan, which will set you back $79 monthly or $549 for the year. While it boasts some extra sales tools, they aren’t vital for a standard dropshipping operation. However, if you’ve thrived on the Pro plan, the Plus might be a worthy upgrade.

I found these prices to be far too high for what you receive, I recommend you try the free plan first and see if the products, prices and shipping options align with your business plan. If I was to use a paid plan, I would opt for the Pro plan, I see no reason to use the Plus plan as a beginner.

Who Should Use Zendrop?

Zendrop’s primary target are beginners to dropshipping. Often beginners don’t recognize the pitfalls of relying on a middleman supplier like Zendrop for the long-term strategy.

I’d be genuinely surprised to see experienced dropshippers or e-commerce experts turning to Zendrop. They’re well aware of reducing the number of middlemen between themselves and the manufacturers and Zendrop is essentially taking a piece of their profits.

From my standpoint, I wouldn’t direct anyone toward Zendrop, given there are superior alternatives out there. But if you’re leaning towards giving it a go, I’d suggest it’s best suited for dropshipping newcomers who aren’t too tech-savvy. Even then, I’d advise using Zendrop in the short term only, a month or two only.

Why? Because Zendrop simplifies the entire dropshipping process. This can be helpful for beginners and makes the learning curve easier.

Though I feel the drawbacks of using Zendrop overshadow its benefits, it’s undeniable that there’s some value for novices. If you plan to use Zendrop, I’d caution against committing to their annual subscription until your sure it’s the right choice for you.

My related articles you might be interested in:

• Is CJ dropshipping better than AliExpress?
• Is Spocket dropshipping worth it? NO Way!
• Phone script for calling dropshipping suppliers!

Who Should Not Use Zendrop?

For those serious about wanting to learn the dropshipping business model, I would not recommend Zendrop. Simply because you aren’t going to learn some of the most important skills required if you’re using Zendrop.

Here are some of the skills that Zendrop manages for you but that you will eventually need to learn:

• Sourcing suppliers
• Establishing and negotiating with these suppliers
• Product research
• Coordinating shipping
• Order fulfillment
• Managing inventory
• Crafting a brand identity … among other key tasks.

Zendrop handles these for you, but I’d argue that anyone running a dropshipping business could manage these tasks more efficiently on their own.

From my experience, I know I can source better suppliers, obtain superior products at a more cost-effective rate, and secure quicker, more economical shipping than what Zendrop offers. So, the question is why would I pay $49 each month?

Consider this: if your rivals are retailing identical products, yet they’re directly sourcing, how will you compete?

Zendrop Pros (What I Like)

1. Ease of Use

I really do like the fact that Zendrop makes dropshipping easy. Many of the confusing tasks such as product and supplier sourcing as taken care of.

2. Dashboard

The dashboard and navigation of the Zendrop platform are perfect with an easy-to-use interface that makes the user experience simple for beginners.

3. Product Sourcing

Zendrop has a product sourcing feature that enables you to request a product that the Zendrop platform does not already stock. They will try and source the same or a similar product you are looking for.

4. Free Trial

There is a free plan with Zendrop, however, be aware that you will need to connect your Shopify store to access it. Both Pro and Plus plans do come with a 7-day free trial.

5. Features

Zendrop has a decent number of features for dropshippers including branding, bundles, chargeback management, automated fulfillment and trending product finder. Be aware many of these features are only available on the higher tier plans.

Below is a list of features that come with the Zendrop paid plans.

Zendrop Cons (What I Don’t Like)

1. Product Pricing

I found product prices were similar to or slightly higher than you typically get on AliExpress when you combine product and shipping costs.

2. Shipping

Shipping prices and times vary drastically between products. In some countries, the shipping times were far too long to build a business. I also found the shipping prices high with some products that making a profit after shipping expenses was virtually impossible.

3. Price

Whilst there is a free plan, you’re forced to upgrade as the free plan only allows 50 orders per month which is less than 2 orders per day. When you consider CJ Dropshipping is free and you only pay for the products, it’s hard to justify $49 and $79 per month.

4. Support

I did see a lot of complaints online about Zendrop support, however, I can only judge from my own experience. I found the responses to my emails reasonably fast but I found the support unhelpful and rude at times.

5. Product Variety

Probably my biggest gripe is the product selection on Zendrop. I know what makes a good dropshipping product and the majority of Zendrop products are not ideal, especially if you want to build a brand. They are products that are only suitable for general stores which is my least favorite store type, I believe you should build a niche or one-product store.

Below is a screenshot of pet products on Zendrop. Each product will have a shipping price which is shown on the product page when you click on each product.

Zendrop Reviews – What Do Users Think?

When searching for Zendrop reviews, chances are you’ll stumble upon feedback on Trust Pilot and the Shopify app store. On Shopify, Zendrop boasts an average rating of 4.7 out of 5, while on Trust Pilot, it’s slightly higher at 4.8 out of 5.

Now, you might wonder, how genuine are these reviews? Well, the only ones who can vouch for their absolute authenticity are the folks behind Zendrop. But, it’s worth noting that generating fake reviews isn’t challenging. There are many platforms out there where one can buy heaps of fake 5-star reviews.

Given the notoriously low success rate in dropshipping, the probability of a platform in this space consistently earning so many 5-star ratings is questionable. But, maybe I’m underselling them. Perhaps Zendrop genuinely outpaces its competitors.

Here’s a suggestion: sift through those 5-star reviews. Do they appear legitimate? Afterward, read reviews with varied ratings to gather a rounded perspective.

From the reviews I’ve read, recurring complaints around product quality, long shipping times, unresponsive support, and refund issues.

Below is an example of a positive 5-star review and a negative 1-star review. I have my opinion as to which I believe to be real but I’ll let you be the judge as to whether they sound like genuine people leaving a review.

I want to emphasize: that I can’t definitively classify these co plaints as genuine or fake. It’s always worthwhile to approach these reviews with a discerning eye and a pinch of skepticism.

Conclusion – Is Zendrop a Good Supplier?

While I acknowledge that Zendrop might have certain perks for newcomers to dropshipping, it’s not a service I’d endorse. I find it hard to reconcile with the idea of shelling out $49 a month for a platform that, in my view, offers less than the free-to-use AliExpress.

AliExpress trumps with its expansive product range, comparable pricing, and diverse shipping options. Plus, AliExpress offers a VIP link with a slew of benefits for merchants. For a deep dive into this, check out my article on AliExpress VIP links.

The one big issue with AliExpress is the unreliability of suppliers. If you’re concerned about this, I recommend using CJ Dropshipping, they have a large catalog of reasonably priced products with fast shipping and they are free to use.

To wrap up my thoughts on Zendrop: My intention isn’t to bash, but to guide. I’m wary of anyone potentially being misled.

Let’s be clear: Zendrop isn’t a scam, they are a legitimate business. But I get why they might be tempting to the uninitiated in e-commerce. The problem is I cannot see how you are able to build a long-term and sustainable business using Zendrop.

A similar alternative to Zendrop is Spocket, I have an unbiased review if you want to see if Spocket is worth it for your business.

With already thin margins in dropshipping, introducing another middleman doesn’t seem smart or necessary. I’d genuinely be intrigued if anyone has managed to thrive with them over an extended period.

If you’ve ever dabbled with Zendrop, I’m all ears. I’d genuinely appreciate hearing about your experience, good or bad.

Zendrop FAQs