The Death of DIY Dropshipping For Developers

The Promise of Modern E-commerce

When I want to build something, I reach for code, APIs, and infrastructure I control. So when I decided to explore dropshipping as a side project, a baby clothing store for the Dutch market, I assumed it would be straightforward: call some APIs, build a slick Next.js frontend, deploy to AWS, done.

I was very wrong.

On paper, dropshipping sounds perfect for developers. You don't hold inventory. Suppliers handle fulfillment and returns. You just need a website that shows products from a supplier, takes payments, forwards orders to the supplier, and tracks shipments. That's just API calls, right? We do this in our sleep.

My requirements were simple:

• Custom Next.js site (I want control, not some drag-and-drop builder)
• EU-based suppliers (for fast shipping to the Netherlands)
• Supplier handles returns (truly hands-off operation)
• Low or zero monthly costs (it's a proof-of-concept)

What I discovered sent me down a rabbit hole that fundamentally changed how I understand modern e-commerce.

The Gatekeepers Have Arrived

My first pick was Syncee, a marketplace connecting retailers to thousands of EU-based suppliers. Free tier, unlimited orders, REST API in the documentation. Perfect.

Except when I dug into their API access, I hit a wall.

Syncee doesn't offer a standalone API for custom websites. Their "API" is only a connector to established platforms: Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, BigCommerce. If you're not on one of these platforms, you simply cannot access their supplier network.

Okay, I thought, let's look at alternatives.

Spocket? €39/month minimum, and still requires a platform connector. Orderchamp? Great Dutch suppliers, but they don't handle returns, so not true dropshipping. CJDropshipping? Ships from China. Two-week delivery times don't work for European customers.

The pattern became clear: the aggregators that make dropshipping accessible have all locked themselves to platform ecosystems.

The Vendor Lock-in Tax

Here's what the modern dropshipping landscape actually looks like for developers:

• Access to supplier marketplaces: Requires Shopify, WooCommerce, etc. Cost: €29-79/month
• Direct API access (few suppliers): BigBuy, Printful. Cost: €69+/month
• True custom integration: Direct supplier deals. Cost: weeks of negotiation

The irony is painful. The very platforms that democratized e-commerce for non-technical users have now created a tollbooth that developers must pass through.

Want to call an API and build your own thing? That'll be €69/month (BigBuy) or you're limited to print-on-demand (Printful). Want access to the largest supplier networks? Install Shopify first, pay their fees, and play by their rules.

The Math Doesn't Math

Let's break down what "low-cost dropshipping" actually costs:

The Developer Dream (what I wanted):

• Custom Next.js site: €0
• AWS hosting (free tier): €0
• Direct supplier API: €0
• Total: €0/month

The Reality:

• Shopify (to access Syncee): €29/month
• Or BigBuy API access: €69/month + €90 setup
• Or WooCommerce hosting + Syncee: €5-10/month

For a proof-of-concept, even €29/month changes the economics. You need to sell roughly 5-10 products just to break even on platform fees before you make a cent of profit.

And this is the cheap end. BrandsGateway, for fashion dropshipping, charges €295/month just for API access.

The Headless Workaround (and Why It's Ridiculous)

I found one workaround: the headless WooCommerce approach.

The idea is to run WooCommerce on cheap hosting just as a backend, connect Syncee to it, then use the WooCommerce REST API from your custom Next.js frontend. Your customers never see WordPress; it's purely a data bridge.

It works, technically. But think about what this means:

You're running an entire WordPress installation, with all its security concerns, update requirements, and hosting overhead, purely as a translator between a supplier marketplace and your actual website.

We've gone from "call an API" to "maintain an entire legacy PHP application as middleware."

This is the state of modern e-commerce integration in 2024.

The Only Free Path: Print-on-Demand

After all this research, I found exactly one option that actually works the way developers expect: Printful.

They offer a genuine REST API. No monthly fees. EU fulfillment from Latvia. They handle returns. You can build whatever frontend you want.

The catch? They only do print-on-demand. You can sell baby bodysuits and bibs, but only if you're putting custom designs on them. Want to sell regular branded clothing? Sorry, that's not their model.

So my "dropshipping baby clothing store" became "custom printed baby clothing store," purely because that's the only supplier with a real API that doesn't require a platform subscription.

What This Means for Developer Side Projects

Here's the uncomfortable truth I discovered: the e-commerce ecosystem has been optimized for vendor lock-in, not for builders.

If you're a developer who wants to:

• Build a custom storefront with modern tech
• Connect to dropshipping suppliers
• Keep costs near zero
• Stay independent from platforms

You essentially cannot do this anymore. The aggregators have made a business decision that their value isn't in the supplier connections, it's in the platform integrations. And those integrations only go one way: through Shopify, WooCommerce, and friends.

Key Takeaways

After weeks of research, here's what I learned:

1. Platform taxes are unavoidable. Whether it's Shopify at €29/month or BigBuy at €69/month, you're paying someone.
2. "API access" often means "platform connector." Always verify that API means what you think it means.
3. The real business model is the middleware. Syncee, Spocket, and others have realized that supplier access is a moat, and they're monetizing it through platform exclusivity.
4. Print-on-demand is the exception. Printful and similar services still operate with traditional API access, but they're a specific niche.
5. Direct supplier relationships are the only true alternative. But negotiating individual deals with wholesalers takes weeks and usually requires minimum volumes.

I went in thinking I could build something lean and independent, and I came out understanding that modern e-commerce has a tax. The platforms have won. The middlemen are now mandatory.

For a developer used to calling APIs and building things from scratch, that's a bitter pill to swallow.

Building a side project and running into similar walls? I'd love to hear about it. Maybe there's a better way I haven't found yet.