Dropshipping suppliers: how to choose a European or a Chinese supplier

The supplier is the most important partner in a dropshipping business. Product quality, delivery speed, returns and, ultimately, whether the buyer comes back again all depend on them. Those searching for “dropshipping tiekėjai” usually face two choices: European warehouses and Chinese platforms.

This part of the guide covers how these suppliers differ, how they have been affected by the customs duty applied from July 2026 and what to check before starting to work together.

European and Chinese suppliers: a comparison

Buyers in Lithuania are used to receiving products at a parcel locker within a few days. Waiting several weeks means more enquiries, cancellations and poor reviews, so delivery speed often matters more than a price difference of a few euros.

How the 3 € customs duty changes the calculations

The Customs Department (Muitinės departamentas) states that from 1 July 2026 the EU introduces a temporary 3 € customs duty on each type of goods in a parcel that has a value of up to 150 € and is sent from a non-EU country. Lithuania Post (Lietuvos paštas) gives an example: if a parcel contains a pen, a notebook and a key ring, the duty will amount to 9 €, while two identical pens are treated as one type of goods. VAT is added to the duty, and if the product is returned the duty is generally not refunded.

For cheap products this means the duty can eat up a large part of the margin. So when calculating the price, include the duty and VAT, or choose suppliers that have warehouses in Europe.

Types of suppliers

• European wholesalers with a dropshipping service – ship from warehouses in the EU and often have integrations with popular online shop platforms.
• Chinese dropshipping platforms – a huge range; some also have warehouses in Europe for faster delivery.
• Print on demand manufacturers – produce items with your design only after receiving an order. They are covered in a separate part of the guide.
• Local manufacturers and wholesalers – some agree to ship products straight to your buyers if you arrange it with them directly.

What to check before starting

To the buyer, the seller is you, so if the supplier is late or sends the wrong product, the complaint will come to you. The buyer also has the usual distance selling rights, including the 14-day right to withdraw from the contract – this needs to be taken into account when negotiating with the supplier.

Payments to the supplier: real cases from police reports

When working with foreign suppliers, the biggest risk to your money is not a faulty product but a payment to the wrong recipient.

• Trakai district, October 2026. A company received forged account details of its foreign partners by email and transferred 54 374 € to the specified account at a foreign bank.
• Vilnius district, October 2026. A man transferred 199 900 € to the crypto wallets of a supposed seller for two cars being bought in Slovakia and did not receive the cars.

What to take from this:

• Confirm any change of bank details through another channel – by phone or through your account on the supplier’s platform, not by replying to the same email.
• Pay for the first order through the platform’s protected payment or by card, not by transfer to a private individual’s account or a crypto wallet.
• If you become a victim – call your bank immediately and report it to the police via epolicija.lt or by calling 112.

Product samples and photos

Order the product for yourself before you start selling it. That way you will check the quality, packaging and delivery time, and you will also be able to take your own photos. Your own photos set the shop apart from hundreds of others using the same supplier photos.

Frequently asked questions