Dropshipping in Lithuania: what it is, what it costs to start and whether it is worth it

Dropshipping is an online selling model in which you sell products you do not keep in a warehouse: the buyer orders in your online shop, you pass the order on to the supplier, and the supplier ships the product straight to the buyer. In Lithuania “dropshipping” and “dropshippingas” are searched for about a thousand times a month, yet almost all the information is in English and written for the US market.

This guide is about dropshipping in Lithuania: how the model works, what it costs to start, where to find suppliers, which taxes and customs duties apply from 2026, and when it makes sense to choose a different way of selling online.

How dropshipping works

You are the intermediary who looks after the shop, the advertising and the buyers. The supplier looks after the products, the warehouse and shipping. Your income is the difference between the price the buyer pays and what you pay the supplier for the product and shipping.

1. The buyer orders and pays in your online shop.
2. The order is passed to the supplier automatically or manually, and you pay the supplier’s price.
3. The supplier packs the product and ships it to the buyer.
4. You are responsible for customer service, returns and complaints – to the buyer, the seller is you.

Advantages and disadvantages

What it costs to start

Dropshipping is often advertised as a business “with no investment”, but that is not true. You do not need to buy products in advance, yet there are costs:

• Online shop platform – a monthly fee or a one-off build cost.
• Domain – a small annual fee.
• Advertising – the biggest cost and the hardest to predict. Without advertising or an audience of your own, buyers do not appear.
• Product samples – worth ordering for yourself so you can check the quality and take photographs.
• Payment system fees – on every sale.

Realistically, plan a budget for several months of advertising tests and be prepared for some of them not to pay off.

Where to find suppliers

Suppliers fall into two groups: European warehouses, from which products reach buyers within a few days, and Chinese suppliers, whose products are cheaper but travel longer and from 2026 are subject to an additional customs duty. How to choose a supplier and what to check is covered in the part of the guide on dropshipping suppliers.

Taxes, VAT and customs duties

Dropshipping is trade, so the activity has to be formalised: as self-employment (individuali veikla) or through a company. The main things to know in advance:

• from 1 July 2026, parcels from non-EU countries with a value of up to 150 € are subject to a 3 € customs duty for each type of goods, with VAT added on top;
• VAT on such parcels can be paid at the time of sale through the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS);
• when selling to buyers in other EU countries, the VAT rules for distance selling apply.

More detail is in the part of the guide on dropshipping taxes. Which form of activity suits you is explained in the ACS.lt article “Self-employment: registration certificate or business certificate”.

Is dropshipping worth it in Lithuania

Dropshipping can work if you find a niche where products are hard to find in local shops and you know how to attract buyers for less than you earn from one sale. It does not work if you sell the same products as hundreds of others and expect advertising to pay for itself.

Alternatives without a warehouse

If dropshipping looks too risky, there are other ways to try selling without a warehouse:

• Print on demand – you sell T-shirts, mugs or posters with your own designs, which are produced only once ordered.
• Affiliate marketing – you recommend other people’s products and receive a commission. You need neither a shop nor customer service.
• Selling your own things or handmade goods – smaller volume, but a higher margin and no suppliers.