The Best Dropshipping Themes for Shopify Stores in 2023

Today we're gonna try and give you a guide of some sort, a few things to consider, and a few examples of great themes that are working for other stores right now. Hopefully, we'll throw a few themes your way that you might've not seen before and that could bring a fresh look to your store.

1. About Shopify Themes

Picture this: you've done some product research and you chose what you believe to be winning products. You're looking to make some bucks, so you set up your dropshipping store on Shopify... now it's time to pick a theme.

Some people will tell you that Shopify themes are like clothes for your store; dress it however, you want and give it a different look. But we don't think that's quite right. Shopify themes can change your store in a more substantial way than just a change of clothes.

To better understand the importance of which Shopify theme you use we suggest thinking in terms of architecture. Sure, you've got a solid foundation - Shopify, but themes are preset that create different buildings on top of that foundation. They're literally website templates for Shopify. While a lot of themes share similarities, some are templates that build very different sites.

What we're trying to say is that how your store looks and feels can vary widely from one theme to the next. That means that choosing the right one for you is important.

But what's important to you?

a) A Few Things To Consider

We're gonna talk about a few things to keep an eye out for when searching for a Shopify theme for your store. They may sound like small differences but every bit adds up, that's what makes or breaks your conversion rate. So read on and find out how to choose the best theme for your store.

i. Loading Speed

Loading times vary from Shopify theme to theme so be mindful of that when you're out there trying out different themes. Slow loading times will absolutely plummet your conversion rate. It's serious business.

Also, try to figure out whether it's the theme slowing things down, because you may be using heavy media that is slowing down your site... you should fix that ASAP. Use an image and video cruncher app or call a friend who knows a thing or two about video and image editing software, do whatever you need to do to get your store to load fast.

But do try different themes and try and pay attention as to whether a particular theme is affecting your store's loading speed. You can also check out Pluginuseful's "What's the fastest free Shopify theme?" article.

ii. Price

Premium vs free themes on Shopify, the age-old battle. The truth is there are some very cool themes out there on both sides and whether you go for a free or paid theme is a decision you're gonna have to make for yourself. We cannot make that judgment for you.

We can, however, offer a word of advice - choose the theme you like the most. If you have to pay, then pay. It's an investment, and if you're aiming big with your store, having a paid theme is a definite advantage as it will provide more features to start with at the beginning of your adventure with Shopify themes. But keep in mind that free doesn't mean bad and paid doesn't mean better.

iii. Mobile Friendly

Do consider whether or not the theme you're trying looks good on mobile.

It's not an unbreakable rule but it's as close as it gets. If you want to know why, take a look at your data - what's the device your audience is using to view your store? Even if less than half of them are using a phone, it's very likely that there's a considerable percentage of them looking at your store through their phone.

But hey, don't listen to us, do what your data tells you.

iv. Intuitive

A good Shopify theme shouldn't prompt you to ask questions like "What is this?" or "What am I supposed to do?"

It should be self-explanatory. It should look like a store and anyone should know at a glance where to click to see a product in detail or to add something to their cart.

Obvious is good.

Weird could maybe sometimes work for someone, but that's generally not the case.

2. Why Change Your Shopify Theme

Alright, so you may be thinking "But I already have a Shopify theme, why should I change it?"

Fair question. If you're happy with your Shopify theme, don't switch to a different one. If it ain't broke don't fix it! Well, that's just a saying. In the real world, if it ain't broke, then optimize.

But if you're unsure as to whether you should change your store's Shopify theme or not, try holding your theme to the standards we just mentioned: does it load fast? does it look good on mobile? is it intuitive?

If the answer to either of those is no, then perhaps it's time to switch.

So, without further ado, let's look at some themes!

3. Top 5 Free Shopify Themes for dropshippers

The first thing we need to be clear about is that there's nothing wrong with the default Shopify theme. As long as you customize it enough so that it doesn't look generic, customize it enough so as to make it your own, it's a competent theme. That being said, let's explore a few of the other options that are available for free.

Also, let's remember that we're looking for the best dropshipping Shopify themes, which generally means a medium to large catalogue, and not as focused on storytelling as other stores, at least generally, but nothing's written in stone. You do your own thing.

Minimal

Supply

Venture

Debutify

EcomSolid

Top 3 Premium Shopify Themes

Again, keep in mind we're focusing on medium to large catalogs, so if you're dropshipping a single winning product or something like that, there's something different out there that will work better for you, but because that's not generally the case, our list stands as follows.

Empire

Warehouse

Venue

Beyond Shopify Themes and Customization Options

So let's assume, be that from our list or elsewhere, that you've found the best Shopify theme for your store and you've already customized it to fit your brand. Awesome. Now what?

It's never over. The work is never over.

Making your store better is a continuous process. So be patient and enjoy the ride, don't beat yourself up overthinking "Oh there's more to be done". That's always going to be the case, especially if you want to build a successful dropshipping store in 2021.

So what comes next?

a) Optimizing

We mentioned this briefly in this post, and with good reason. Make sure your store is loading fast and that it's looking good via the device - and browser - that your audience is using (probably mobile, probably an iPhone, but look at your data and get your hands on that device and make sure everything is working correctly).

You can do this by making sure the media you're using in your store is of reasonable size or compressing it if it's not.

If an image you're using isn't looking like you expected when viewed in the ratio of the device your audience is using, consider looking for a different image or editing it and resizing it to better fit within that ratio.

b) Adding Reviews

Adding customer reviews is a great way to add to your store and create social proof so that your potential customers feel more comfortable about making a purchase, knowing that others have done so and gotten what they expected.

The easiest way you can go about doing that is with Opinew because we offer a service that includes everything you need like importing reviews from AliExpress, eBay, and Amazon, sending review request emails automatically, creating coupons to offer in exchange for reviews, and of course, a customizable review widget among many other things.

Our plans start at just $9.99 / month.

c) Customize Your Shopify Theme Editing CSS

So once you've taken things as far as possible within the options for customization that each theme offers, it's time to get serious. That means editing CSS. Granted, that's not something you're supposed to do if you're not familiar with it, but if you do wish to take things further, it's never too late to learn. Alternatively, you could hire someone who is already competent at editing Shopify themes to offer further customization.

It's certainly a pro move and not something you should be considering if you're just starting out. So if that's the case, don't worry about this. This is only here to let you know that there's more out there and that once you reach this point, there's another hill to climb.

As we said, the work is never over.

We hope we answered most of your questions and if you've got any remaining questions be sure to contact us, we'd love to hear from you.

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