You do not need a finance degree to price profitably, but you do need a clear, consistent system. In AliExpress dropshipping, small fees compound fast across payment gateways, cross-border surcharges, and shipping choices. This guide gives you a simple margin formula you can reuse on every product, backed by current gateway rates, AliExpress shipping timelines, and proven AOV boosters so you can scale with confidence on WooCommerce or Shopify.

The profit-first formula you can reuse on every SKU

Use this pricing equation to protect margin before you launch ads:

Target Price P where Net Profit = Target Margin% of P

Net Profit = P − COGS − Payment Fees − Shipping − Discount − Other Per-order Costs

• COGS: AliExpress item cost plus supplier shipping. See definitions of cost of goods sold and shipping cost optimization.
• Payment fees: percentage of P plus a fixed fee. Stripe pricing lists 2.9% + 0.30 dollars per domestic card, plus 1.5% for international cards and 1% if currency conversion is required. PayPal merchant fees list 2.99% + a fixed fee for standard cards and add 1.5% for international transactions.
• Discounts: coupons, bundles, free shipping you plan to apply.

Example 1: domestic US card via Stripe

• AliExpress item 7.00 dollars, AliExpress Standard Shipping 2.50 dollars. COGS = 9.50 dollars.
• Payment fees = 2.9% of P + 0.30 dollars.
• Target net margin = 25% of P.

Solve 0.25P = P − 9.50 − 0.029P − 0.30, which yields P ≈ 13.59 dollars. At this price you keep roughly 25% after the gateway fee and COGS.

Example 2: international card with FX via Stripe

• Fees = 2.9% + 1.5% + 1% of P + 0.30 dollars, so 5.4% of P + 0.30 dollars.
• Solve 0.25P = P − 9.50 − 0.054P − 0.30, which yields P ≈ 14.08 dollars.

You can adapt the fee inputs for PayPal or local methods in your market. For a refresher on how fee structures affect take-home margin, see our wiki on payment processing fees and payment gateways.

Tip: if you expect a 10% promo to run frequently, bake the discount into the equation before you set your final price. The equation works the same, just subtract Discount from the right side.

Shipping choices on AliExpress without margin surprises

Shipping speed impacts conversion and refunds, but the method you pick also changes COGS. The Alibaba Seller Central overview of AliExpress methods states that AliExpress Standard Shipping tracks and typically arrives in 10 to 45 days, AliExpress Premium Shipping runs about 5 to 10 days, while Cainiao Super Economy is cheap but often 30 to 50 days and may lack end-to-end tracking. See the breakdown in the AliExpress shipping methods article.

How to price around shipping:

• Bundle standard shipping into the product price when possible, then offer Premium or DHL as a paid upgrade at checkout. This matches consumer expectations that shipping fees should not be a surprise.
• According to the Baymard Institute’s cart abandonment analysis, the average abandonment rate is about 70% and 39% of shoppers cite extra costs like shipping, taxes, and fees as the reason they bail. Hiding shipping inside the price or using a clear free shipping threshold reduces this friction.
• If you sell to the EU, understand taxes and import programs like IOSS and link to a clear policy page. Our entry on import duties and taxes can help.

For WooCommerce users, the WooDropship plugin lets you import AliExpress products in one click, then set pricing rules and bulk edits that include shipping buffers. The built-in Chrome extension keeps tracking numbers synced and fulfillment simple inside WooCommerce.

Discounts that lift AOV instead of killing margin

Discounts work best when they move customers up to a profitable threshold. Shopify’s free shipping guide explains that a threshold increases average order value, and cites that many consumers are willing to add items to hit the minimum for free delivery. As the Shopify article on free shipping and conversion notes, a threshold just above your AOV nudges bigger baskets without eroding unit margin.

A quick way to set a threshold:

• Find your current AOV or modal order value. The Shopify AOV guide notes the global AOV is around 145 dollars across industries, but your store’s value will vary by niche.
• Set free shipping about 20% to 35% above your typical order size.
• Re-run the margin equation to confirm you can absorb average shipping on qualifying orders without going negative.

If you operate internationally, remember that checkout method determines your fees. Stripe pricing adds 1.5% for international cards and 1% for currency conversion. PayPal’s fee page adds 1.5% for international commercial transactions and uses a higher fixed fee than Stripe in USD, so your profitable threshold may need to be slightly higher for PayPal-heavy audiences. Consider showing local methods to reduce cross-border surcharges where possible.

To test thresholds, placements, and messages like “You are 8.40 dollars away from free shipping,” use our entries on A/B testing, conversion optimization, and abandoned cart.

Smart AOV boosters that compound profit

You do not need to discount everything to grow order size. These tactics raise AOV while preserving margin:

• Bundles and build-your-own kits. The Shopify AOV playbook recommends bundling complementary items or offering gifts at a threshold to lift AOV without training customers to wait for sitewide discounts.
• Pre and post purchase upsells. Offer low-friction add-ons like extended warranty, gift wrap, or accessories right before or right after checkout. See our wiki on upselling and cross-selling.
• Free shipping progress bars and low-cost add-ons. Baymard’s research shows extra costs trigger drop-off, so framing “Add one 6.99 dollars item for free shipping” cuts perceived pain at the right moment.

WooDropship’s prebuilt Shopify stores ship with conversion boosters like bundles, popups, countdowns, bought together, and quick view turned on, and are delivered in 7 days for a one-time 49 dollars. If you prefer to build on Shopify yourself, you can start a trial from this Shopify link.

Put it all together with WooDropship

Whether you are launching on WooCommerce or validating a product line on Shopify, you can speed up your pricing workflow:

• Import AliExpress products in one click, edit titles and descriptions with AI, and auto-sync tracking using the WooDropship plugin. It is a lifetime license for 89 dollars, no recurring fees.
• Apply pricing rules that follow your margin equation, for example cost multiplier plus fixed buffer to cover payment processing and shipping.
• Launch AOV experiments with bundles and thresholds, track performance with website analytics, and scale winners. See our blogs on pricing strategy, boosting AOV, and abandoned carts.

Questions or need guidance on your pricing rules, shipping setup, or payment approval? Reach our team through Contact Us. Policies are listed at Legal, including our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Mini checklist to price your next AliExpress product:

• Confirm supplier cost and preferred shipping time, then set COGS.
• Select primary gateway and market, then plug in current Stripe or PayPal fees.
• Choose your discount or free shipping rule, then solve for P with your target margin.
• Add an AOV booster: bundle, progress bar, or post purchase offer.
• Monitor AOV, conversion rate, and net profit. Tune with small tests rather than sitewide sales.

If you want a ready-to-sell store with 30 vetted products and conversion features preinstalled, order a prebuilt store at WooDropship Dropshipping Stores. Your store is delivered in 7 days, backed by our guarantee and helpful guides on AliExpress, WooCommerce, and more.

Happy WooDropshipping!