The blog for people who actually ship
Sourcing, fulfillment, and DTC ops from the team shipping for 1,000+ Shopify brands. Written by operators, for operators.
More from the team
Section 321 in 2026: How DTC Brands Ship China-Direct Without Paying Duty
The de minimis exemption survived 2025 repeal attempts. Here is how to ship from China to US customers under $800 with zero duty, plus when to route around it.
Beyond AliExpress: The Premium Dropshipping Model Nobody Talks About
AliExpress dropshipping hit its ceiling years ago. The DTC brands actually making money switched to direct-factory partnerships with branded packaging and 7-day delivery.
Factory vs Trading Company vs Alibaba: Real Cost Math for DTC Brands
Factory $2.40. Trading company markup +30%. Alibaba listing markup +60%. The same product, three sourcing channels, three completely different margins. Here is the breakdown.
5 Sourcing Mistakes That Kill First-Time DTC Founders
Samples that do not match bulk. MOQ surprises. Lab dips drifting between rounds. Five specific sourcing mistakes I see weekly, with the fix for each.
Dropshipping in 2026: What Actually Works Now (And What Died Quietly)
Cheap-good arbitrage died with TEMU pricing pressure. AliExpress 30-day shipping died with customer expectations. Here is what survived: branded, factory-direct, sub-10-day.
What TEMU and SHEIN Taught Every DTC Brand About Cross-Border Fulfillment
You will never have TEMU's ad budget. But the cross-border fulfillment playbook they proved out is now available to anyone shipping 100+ orders a month.
How DTC Brands Cut Returns From 8% to 2%: 5 Operator Levers
Industry average return rate is 8 to 10 percent. The best-run DTC brands run 2 to 4 percent. Here are the five operator levers that close the gap, with specific implementation.
The Drop
Five winning products every week. Real margins, real factories, ready to import.
