Ever wondered how to spot if a website is dropshipping?
We've spent a lot of time researching and testing different methods to bring you the clearest guide possible.
In this article, you'll discover ten smart ways to tell if a store is dropshipping, even if they try to hide it!
While you can't always be 100% certain, using these tactics together will get you extremely close.
Quick Answer: How to tell if a website is dropshipping
To tell if a website is dropshipping, check for long shipping times, generic product images, copied product descriptions, no phone support, mentions of customs charges, and multiple package notices in the FAQ.
Also, reverse search images, look for imported reviews with 'seller' mentions, and inspect simple store designs and vague About Us pages.
Use the Dropshipping Store Checker below to get a quick verdict on how “dropshipping-like” any store looks based on its shipping times, products, branding, and contact details:
Keep reading this guide for the full 10-step breakdown, real examples, and extra checks you can use to confirm whether a store is dropshipping!
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1. Check their shipping times
One way to tell if a website is dropshipping is to check the shipping information in their product description, FAQ page, or Shipping page.
Does it take more than 2 weeks to get delivered?
That's a big indicator that that store is dropshipping.
Keep in mind that some stores may refer to it as business days. This way, they can write fewer days because weekends are not business days.
So, in the example above, that means they estimate it will take between 9-12 days (if you're lucky, that includes only one weekend).
If you include the processing time, you're looking at a shipping time that most dropshipping stores offer.
2. Take a look at the products that they are selling
Another way to determine if they are dropshipping or not is to examine their products.
This might take some time, but after researching numerous products for your dropshipping store, you will eventually know which products most people dropship.
You have probably seen some of these products before, right?
3. Look if they've got something regarding customs charges
Another way to determine if they are dropshipping is to review their website and search for information regarding customs charges.
You will most likely find this on their FAQ page:
If they include information about customs charges and state that you need to pay for them, then that's a great indicator that they are dropshipping.
Most likely that they are dropshipping from China.
4. Look at their product reviews
Another way to determine if a store is dropshipping is to check its reviews.
As I mentioned earlier, many people open their stores without putting any effort into them.
Are you curious now about what I'm talking about?
This is not always the case, but some people simply import reviews from the AliExpress page where they sourced the product, and many of them don't even examine how these reviews are written.
Which is great because now you have another option with seeing if they are dropshipping or not!
Most people who leave a review on AliExpress use the word 'seller'.
If you browse through the reviews of the store and you find a lot of 'seller' in these reviews, I'm almost 100% sure that they are dropshipping:
5. Look at their product images
Most dropshippers just copy the images from their dropshipping supplier (for example, their AliExpress supplier).
Most of these product images have a white background, and these stores don't make any effort to make them better.
Now, this is great for you if you want to see if a store is dropshipping or not.
Just do a reverse image search on Google; if you see more of the same images, that's a great indicator that that store is dropshipping.
I'll show you an example of a dropshipping store below where I use a reverse image search on Google.
One thing to note about this dropshipping store is that they put a lot of effort into their store, but they still had one image that many other stores also used.
Now that we've selected a product, it's time to use the reverse image trick.
If you use Chrome, you can simply right-click on the image and press "Search Google for image."
If you can't find that option, just go to Google and copy the image there:
If you see a lot of stores selling the same product with the same image, that's a great indicator that that store is dropshipping!
6. Look at their product descriptions
This is another big one to see if an online store is dropshipping or not.
You need to check their product description.
This is the same as with the product images; most people who are dropshipping don't put any effort into their dropshipping store.
They simply copy the information from their dropshipping supplier, create ads for that product, and expect to become rich overnight.
See, for example, the product description below (I used the same product as with the reviews above).
Yes, not all dropshipping stores have these kinds of product descriptions, but if you see a description like this, you can be almost sure that that store is dropshipping.
7. No phone number available
This is not a big indicator, but it can still help you see if a store is dropshipping or not.
Most dropshipping stores don't have a phone number for customer support.
They mostly only show an email address on their contact page.
8. A few more things that you can check on their FAQ page
I've got a few more things that you can check on the FAQ page of the store that you're checking.
Keep in mind that they could also have this information on a different page (like a Shipping or Refund Policy).
The first thing to check is whether they offer multiple packages when you order more than one product.
This is because they most likely have multiple dropshipping suppliers, so they can't combine their orders. That's why you will get multiple packages:
The next step is to check if they have any information regarding returns.
Do they mention anything about being unable to return the item(s) to the address on the package? Then that's another great indicator that they are dropshipping.
The address on the package will probably be from their dropshipping supplier, and they may want to handle the returns themselves.
So they don't want you to send it back to their dropshipping supplier.
9. Look at their store design
Like I said above, a lot of people open their (Shopify) dropshipping store without putting much effort into it.
This is great for you now because it gives you another way of seeing if a store is dropshipping or not!
If the store design looks really simple, and a lot of the tactics above checked out as well, you can be almost sure that they are dropshipping!
One thing though, the example I used above still looks a bit good (there are far worse examples, but I couldn't find any at this moment, so if you've got one, send it to me!).
However, it's still great for this section because it's a basic store design; anyone can put this online store together.
10. Look at their about us page
The last tactic is going to be a quick and easy one.
Many dropshipping stores like to write something like "we bring you the best deals" or "we search every place to get you the lowest price possible" on their About Us page.
If you find something like that on their About Us page, it's not a big indicator of whether they are dropshipping or not, but if all the tactics above are screaming "this store is dropshipping," then this is the cherry on the cake!
Conclusion
So, there you have it; you're now a real dropshipping detector!
This was every single way that you can see if an online (Shopify) store is dropshipping or not.
Of course, it's best to combine these ten tactics if you want to be sure if they are dropshipping or not.
If you have any additional ways to identify if an online store is dropshipping or if you have any questions regarding dropshipping, please let me know by commenting below or contacting me directly by pressing the “Contact Us” button at the top.
Good luck!
Getting started with dropshipping in 2025
So, are you ready to get started with dropshipping? Or maybe you have already started, but you're looking to get some inspiration?
If so, I suggest reading my complete Shopify dropshipping guide!
It's a huge article, but it contains everything that you need to know to create your own Shopify dropshipping store in 2025. It's like a dropshipping course, but for free!
Reading this article will help you to get started and stay motivated while beginning and continuing your dropshipping journey!
Just don't forget that success takes time. Keep improving each and every day!
Shopify Dropshipping: A 20-Step Guide to Starting Your Store
Here are some of our best articles:
- AliExpress Dropshipping: A 20-Step Getting Started Guide (2025)
- The Complete Guide: Can You Start Dropshipping Without Money in 2025?
- 12 Reasons Why Most People Fail With Dropshipping in 2025 | Beat Them!
- 23 Awesome Shopify Dropshipping Store Examples
Also, if you want to get started with Shopify, then you can click here to get a free 3-day trial + 3 months for $1 each!
Want to learn more about dropshipping?
Ready to move your dropshipping store to the next level? Check out the articles below:
- What Is Shopify's Shop Channel? (And How Do You Use It?)
- ImportYeti Review: Find Any Online Store's Suppliers! (2025)
- 6 Tips to Not Get Sued When Dropshipping in 2025 (Must Read)
Plus, don't forget to check out our in-depth guide on how to start dropshipping here!
