The Elephant in the Room
Let's be honest — delivery times are the biggest weakness of most dropshipping businesses. Your customers are conditioned by Amazon Prime's 1-2 day delivery, and you're shipping from a warehouse in Shenzhen with a 15-25 day transit time. That gap is where chargebacks, negative reviews, and "where is my order?" emails live.
You can't teleport packages across the Pacific. But you can control how customers feel about the wait. And feelings are what drive refund requests and reviews, not just calendar days.
Typical Dropshipping Delivery Timeframes
Before you can set expectations, you need to know what's realistic:
Domestic US Suppliers (US warehouse): 2-5 business days. This is the gold standard for dropshipping. Companies like Spocket, Printful, and some AliExpress sellers with US warehouse stock can ship like a normal e-commerce business. Customers rarely complain about 3-5 day delivery.
Chinese Suppliers via ePacket/Standard Shipping: 10-20 business days. This used to be the default dropshipping model. ePacket was the budget-friendly option that made Chinese dropshipping viable. Delivery times have gotten slightly worse since USPS reclassified some international mail classes, but 2-3 weeks is typical.
Chinese Suppliers via AliExpress Standard Shipping: 15-30 business days. The cheapest option, and it shows. Packages sometimes sit in transit for weeks with no tracking updates. This is where most customer complaints originate.
European Suppliers (to EU customers): 3-7 business days. If you're selling to European customers, sourcing from EU-based suppliers through CJdropshipping EU or Spocket's European catalog cuts delivery times dramatically.
Express Shipping from China (DHL/FedEx/UPS): 5-10 business days. Faster, but the cost — often $15-30 per package — eats your margins alive. Only worth it for higher-priced items where the margin can absorb it.
Transparency Beats Speed Every Time
Here's something most dropshippers get wrong: they try to hide the shipping time. They bury it in a FAQ page nobody reads, or they use vague language like "please allow time for processing and delivery." Then customers order expecting a 3-day delivery, get radio silence for two weeks, and file a PayPal dispute.
The fix is dead simple — tell people upfront how long shipping takes, and tell them early and often.
On Your Product Pages:
Add a shipping information section directly on each product page. Not in a tiny font at the bottom — in a visible callout box near the Add to Cart button. Something like:
"Shipping Time: 8-15 business days. This item ships directly from our supplier's warehouse. You'll receive a tracking number within 3 business days of ordering."
Be specific. Ranges like "8-15 business days" are honest and set the right expectation. Customers who order after reading that are mentally prepared for a 2-week wait. Customers who would've complained about it simply won't buy — and that's fine. A lost sale is better than a chargeback and a 1-star review.
At Checkout:
Reinforce the shipping timeline on the checkout page. Display the estimated delivery date range based on their location. Shopify apps like Estimated Delivery Date can calculate and display this automatically.
In Order Confirmation Emails:
Your confirmation email should include:
- The estimated delivery window (specific date range)
- A note that tracking will be provided within 2-3 business days
- A link to your shipping policy page
- Your customer support contact
Choosing Suppliers with Better Shipping
The single most impactful thing you can do about delivery times is pick better suppliers. Here's the hierarchy:
Tier 1 — Domestic suppliers: US-based suppliers who hold inventory domestically. CJDropshipping US warehouse, Printful, Printify, Spocket US suppliers. Delivery in 2-5 days. Customers don't even know you're dropshipping.
Tier 2 — Overseas suppliers with domestic warehouses: Chinese manufacturers who've pre-stocked popular items in US or EU warehouses. AliExpress sellers with "Ships from United States" options. Delivery in 3-7 days.
Tier 3 — Overseas suppliers with fast express shipping: Suppliers who offer DHL/FedEx/UPS express as a shipping option. 5-10 day delivery but higher shipping costs.
Tier 4 — Standard overseas shipping: The classic AliExpress ePacket or standard shipping model. 10-30 days. This still works for low-priced impulse products where customers aren't in a rush, but it's getting harder to justify.
Moving from Tier 4 to Tier 1 or 2 will transform your customer satisfaction metrics overnight. Yes, your per-unit cost goes up. But your refund rate drops, your reviews improve, and your customer lifetime value increases. In my experience, the tradeoff is worth it for any product with a margin above $15.
Tracking: Your Best Defense Against "Where Is My Order?"
The dreaded WISMO email. It accounts for 30-50% of customer service inquiries for most dropshipping stores. Every WISMO email costs you time, mental energy, and potentially a refund.
AfterShip is the go-to tracking solution for dropshippers. It supports 1,200+ carriers worldwide, including obscure Chinese logistics companies like Yanwen, YunExpress, and 4PX. You can set up a branded tracking page on your store and configure automatic email/SMS notifications at each shipping milestone.
17Track is a free alternative that's surprisingly good. It aggregates tracking data from hundreds of carriers and handles the China-to-US handoff tracking that trips up most single-carrier tracking tools.
ClickPost works well if you want more control over the notification flow, with conditional triggers and multi-language support for international stores.
The key is providing tracking proactively. Don't wait for customers to ask. Send them:
- Order confirmed email (immediately)
- Tracking number assigned email (within 1-3 days of order)
- Package in transit notification (when carrier first scans)
- Out for delivery notification (day of delivery)
- Delivered confirmation email
Each notification reduces anxiety and resets the customer's patience. A customer who gets 5 updates during a 14-day shipping window feels informed. A customer who gets silence for 14 days feels forgotten.
When to Eat the Shipping Cost
Sometimes the math says to pay for faster shipping yourself. Here's when:
- High-value orders (over $75): A $20 express shipping upgrade is worth it to protect a high-margin sale from a chargeback.
- Repeat customers: If someone has bought from you twice, spring for faster shipping. The lifetime value math works out.
- Gifts or time-sensitive purchases: If the customer mentions it's a gift or there's any sense of urgency, upgrade shipping preemptively and let them know.
- After a complaint: If a customer is unhappy about shipping time on a current order, offer to upgrade shipping for free. It's cheaper than a refund.
Finding Domestic Dropship Suppliers
The best long-term move for any serious dropshipping business is transitioning to domestic suppliers. Here's where to look:
- Spocket: Curated marketplace with US and EU suppliers. Higher product costs but fast shipping.
- SaleHoo: Supplier directory with verified domestic wholesalers who offer dropshipping.
- Inventory Source: Connects you directly with US-based brand distributors.
- Faire: Wholesale marketplace where many brands offer dropshipping or small MOQ orders.
- Direct outreach: Contact brands you want to sell and ask about their dropship program. Many mid-size brands have them but don't advertise them publicly.
Reducing Complaints: The Under-Promise Framework
The number one tactic that actually works: under-promise on delivery dates, then over-deliver.
If your supplier says 10-15 days, tell your customer 15-20 days. When the package arrives on day 12, they're pleasantly surprised instead of frustrated. Amazon does this constantly — they'll estimate Thursday delivery and the package shows up Tuesday. It works because exceeding expectations triggers a positive emotional response that outweighs the initial reaction to a longer estimate.
Combine under-promising with proactive tracking notifications, and you'll cut your WISMO inquiries by 50% or more. That's not a guess — I've watched multiple dropshipping stores implement this exact playbook and see their support ticket volume drop by half within a month.
The delivery time problem doesn't go away, but with the right communication strategy, it stops being the thing that kills your business.