No MOQ · No inventory · 24–48 hour dispatch · Blind shipping
Paint by Numbers Dropshipping — Sell Kits You Never Touch
List our kits on your store, and we pick, pack and ship each order directly to your customer in plain unbranded packaging. No minimum order, no stock to buy, no warehouse to rent.
What paint by numbers dropshipping means
Paint by numbers dropshipping is a fulfilment arrangement where you sell kits through your own storefront and we ship each individual order directly from our Tianjin factory to your customer, in packaging that carries no trace of us. You never buy stock, never hold inventory and never handle a parcel. You set the retail price, keep the margin, and own the customer relationship.
It is the lowest-risk way to enter this category. Paint by numbers is a good fit for the model specifically because the product is flat, light, non-fragile and non-perishable, it has no sizing or fit problem to generate returns, and its retail markup is wide enough to absorb international shipping on a single unit. Compare that with dropshipping ceramics or apparel and the difference is obvious.
How an order flows
| Step | What happens | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your customer buys a kit on your Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, TikTok Shop, eBay or Amazon store | Instant |
| 2 | The order reaches us — automatically via app or API, or by daily CSV upload, or by email | Same day |
| 3 | We pick the design, print a custom photo canvas if it is a personalised order, kit and pack it in plain packaging with your insert | 24–48 hours |
| 4 | We hand the parcel to the carrier and send you the tracking number automatically | Day 2–3 |
| 5 | Your customer receives the kit, believing it came from you | 7–20 days by region |
What is included
- No minimum order quantity. One kit is one order. There is no monthly fee and no commitment.
- Blind shipping. Plain mailer, no Chinese-language markings, no invoice showing our price, no reference to our company.
- Your insert, free. Your thank-you card, discount code, review-request QR code or branded sticker goes in every parcel.
- 24–48 hour dispatch on stocked designs; 3–5 days on custom photo kits.
- Product data pack. High-resolution images on white and lifestyle backgrounds, titles, descriptions, bullet points and suggested pricing — ready to import.
- Automatic tracking sync so your customer gets the carrier update and your store marks the order fulfilled.
- Live stock counts so you never sell a design that has just run out.
- Human support by email and WhatsApp, in your time zone's overlap, not a ticket queue.
Custom photo kits — the highest-margin product you can dropship
A generic 40 × 50 cm kit competes on price against every other seller on the marketplace. A kit made from the buyer's own photograph does not, because there is no identical listing to compare it with. Your customer uploads a photo of their dog, their wedding, their house or their late mother's garden; our designers convert it into a numbered layout; we print a one-off canvas and ship it.
Standard kits retail at $19.99–$34.99. Custom photo kits routinely retail at $49.99–$89.99 with the same fulfilment cost structure, which lifts gross margin per order far more than any advertising optimisation will. It is also the product buyers most often photograph and share, so it markets itself. Our full breakdown of unit economics, photo quality requirements and conversion rate data is in custom photo paint by numbers.
Dropshipping prices and shipping rates
Dropship unit prices are higher than wholesale, because we are handling, packing and posting one parcel instead of one carton. The trade is margin per unit against zero capital tied up in stock.
| Kit | Dropship unit price | Suggested retail | Your gross margin before ads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 × 30 cm | $3.20 | $16.99 | $13.79 (81%) |
| 30 × 40 cm | $4.10 | $22.99 | $18.89 (82%) |
| 40 × 50 cm | $5.40 | $29.99 | $24.59 (82%) |
| 40 × 50 cm framed | $9.80 | $49.99 | $40.19 (80%) |
| Custom photo 40 × 50 cm | $8.50 | $59.99 | $51.49 (86%) |
Product price only. Shipping to the customer is charged separately at the rates below, and you can either pass it through at cost, mark it up, or absorb it into a free-shipping offer.
| Destination | Economy registered (tracked) | Express (DHL, FedEx, UPS) |
|---|---|---|
| United States & Canada | 9–16 days · $4.80 – $6.90 | 4–7 days · $21 – $29 |
| United Kingdom & Europe | 10–18 days · $5.20 – $7.40 | 4–7 days · $22 – $31 |
| Australia & New Zealand | 10–18 days · $5.60 – $7.90 | 4–8 days · $24 – $33 |
| Middle East & Gulf states | 10–20 days · $6.10 – $8.60 | 4–8 days · $25 – $35 |
| Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia | 7–14 days · $4.40 – $6.20 | 3–6 days · $19 – $27 |
| Rest of world | 12–25 days · $6.50 – $11.00 | 5–10 days · $28 – $42 |
Rates are per parcel for a single standard kit and change with carrier fuel surcharges and peak season. We confirm current rates when you register, and pass carrier increases on without markup.
Platform integrations
- Shopify — product CSV import plus order export, or automatic sync through a dropshipping app of your choice
- WooCommerce — CSV or REST API order import, tracking written back to the order
- Etsy — daily CSV of new orders; personalised photo listings are a strong category here
- TikTok Shop — order file export, dispatch inside the platform's handling-time requirement
- Amazon & eBay — flat-file order reports; note that Amazon requires tracking with a valid delivery scan, which we provide on every parcel
- Anything else — send a CSV with columns for name, address, SKU and quantity and we will work with it. A REST API is available for higher-volume partners.
Full setup instructions, app recommendations and the exact CSV columns we accept are in our paint by numbers dropshipping playbook for Shopify sellers.
The honest limitations
We would rather set expectations correctly than win an application we cannot serve well. Dropshipping from China has three real constraints:
- Transit time is 9–20 days for most destinations. That is acceptable for a hobby purchase people plan to paint over weeks, and it is not acceptable if your market expects next-day delivery. State it clearly on your product page — stores that hide it collect chargebacks, and stores that disclose it convert almost as well.
- Unit economics are worse than wholesale. You pay $5.40 for a kit that costs $1.42 at 1,000 units. Dropshipping buys you information about what sells; wholesale buys you margin.
- You cannot inspect stock or bundle it. No kitting two designs into a gift set, no inserting samples of other products, no same-day local delivery.
The right strategy is usually to start here, learn which three designs actually convert, then move those to wholesale stock or a private label range. Most of our wholesale customers began as dropshippers, and we will help you plan that transition rather than keep you on the higher unit price.
Dropshipping is one of ten services we provide — the full capability list is on our services page, and the FAQ answers 77 buyer questions.
Dropshipping FAQ
Is there really no minimum order and no monthly fee?
Correct. There is no MOQ, no setup fee, no monthly subscription and no requirement to buy stock in advance. You pay only for orders you have already been paid for by your customer. Registration is free and we review applications within one working day.
Will my customer see any reference to your company?
No. Parcels go out in plain packaging with your store name or no branding at all, a customs declaration describing generic art and craft materials, and no commercial invoice showing your cost price. Our company name, address and Chinese-language markings do not appear anywhere on the parcel or inside it. The only exception is the postal origin country, which cannot be concealed and should be disclosed in your shipping policy.
Can I put my own branding inside the parcel?
Yes, and you should. We print your thank-you card, discount code card, review-request card or branded sticker and include it in every parcel at no charge beyond print cost — about $0.03 to $0.06 per card. Full branded packaging with your logo on the box is available from 500 units; below that, a printed sleeve or sticker over a plain mailer works well.
How do I get product images and descriptions for my store?
We send a product data pack on registration: high-resolution images on white and lifestyle backgrounds for every design, SEO titles, long descriptions, bullet-point features, size and weight data, and suggested retail prices by market. You get a licence to use them across your own sales channels. We do not supply imagery for use in paid advertising that misrepresents the product.
What happens if a parcel is lost or arrives damaged?
Tell us within 14 days with the order number and photographs. We reship the order at our cost or refund it in full — your choice. Lost-parcel claims are ours to pursue with the carrier, not yours. Parcels that show delivered but did not arrive are assessed case by case against carrier proof of delivery.
Do I need a business licence or a registered company to apply?
No. Sole traders, individuals testing a first store and established companies are all welcome. We do ask for a live store URL or a marketplace profile so we can confirm the designs suit your audience, and we decline applications selling infringing artwork.
Can I sell on Amazon using your dropshipping service?
Yes, provided you comply with Amazon's drop shipping policy: you must be the seller of record on all packing slips and external packaging, with no third-party seller information visible. Our blind shipping meets that requirement. Tracking with a valid delivery scan is uploaded for every parcel. Many sellers still prefer to send stock to FBA for the Prime badge once a design is proven.
Apply for the dropshipping programme
Send us your store URL, your main markets and the design styles your audience buys. We will reply within one working day with the product data pack, current shipping rates and your first steps.