How To Get Started with CBD Dropshipping

Cannabidiol (CBD) products have become super popular over the history few years, with sales of CBD products in the US set to reach $4.23 billion in 2026. 

Some 44% of regular CBD consumers spend between $20 and $80 per month on oil tinctures, gummies, creams, and other tiny, lightweight, easily shippable products. With recent regulatory relaxations across the US, CBD dropshipping is a lucrative concept for those looking to commence a business.

With dropshipping, you don’t require to invest money into inventory storage and shipping processes—simply sell existing CBD products and forward customer orders to your CBD suppliers for fulfillment.

To dropship CBD successfully, you require to comprehend regulations, carefully research suppliers, and construct a popular ecommerce website. Use this navigator to nail the basics and open your CBD dropshipping store.

What is CBD dropshipping?

CBD dropshipping is the procedure of selling products containing hemp-derived cannabidiol through an online store. 

The difference between a traditional CBD producer or seller, and a dropshipping CBD business, is that you don’t require to hold inventory. Dropshippers work with third-event suppliers that source, store, package, and ship orders as they arrive in.

CBD dropshippers make and manage online stores where they list products from one or more suppliers. They’re responsible for building, branding, and marketing the store, as well as ensuring customers receive their orders and have a positive shopping encounter.

You can construct and run a CBD dropshipping store with Shopify, connecting with suppliers and managing orders from a single platform. Learning how to dropship with Shopify is straightforward and straightforward to get started.

Understanding CBD laws and regulations

Even though (most) CBD products don’t contain intoxicating compounds such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), they are derived from cannabis plants. As such, dropshipping CBD means taking part in a highly regulated trade.

CBD dropshippers require to remain updated on the latest state laws and federal regulations for selling CBD—as well as the terms and conditions of any ecommerce tools and platforms they use.

Laws for selling hemp-derived products vary between states, countries, and platforms. Here are the basic requirements for dropshipping CBD within the US, and for selling hemp-derived products on Shopify.

CBD regulations in the US

Federal laws

The passing of the 2018 federal Farm invoice removed hemp products containing low amounts of intoxicating cannabis compounds from the government’s controlled substances list. As a outcome, hemp plants and products with less than 0.3% THC can be legally farmed, bought, sold, and transported in all areas of the US without state-level restrictions.

However, there are still federal requirements for how CBD and hemp products are marketed. Because non-prescription cannabis products are not FDA-approved, CBD sellers—dropshippers included—can’t recommend their CBD products for medical or therapeutic uses.

State laws

Most states allow the sale and consumption of CBD products. However, regulations differ when it comes to the level of THC permitted in cannabis-derived products, and whether cannabis products can be produced from marijuana or hemp strains of the plant.

For example, Arizona and Colorado place no additional restrictions on CBD products, while Idaho’s CBD regulations declare that products must be made from specific parts of hemp plants and cannot contain any traces of THC.

When choosing CBD products to sell in your dropshipping store, make sure you comprehend whether a product is made from hemp or marijuana. recognize whether it’s THC-free, contains less than 0.3% THC, or contains larger, psychoactive amounts of THC.

The THC concentration of a cannabis product will often determine whether it can legally be sold from your store’s location and shipped to the customer’s goal.

Age restrictions

Although most CBD products contain trace amounts of THC, some state laws prevent people under the age of 18 or 21 from buying them. If you sell CBD products to customers in those states, you’ll require to verify that visitors to your dropshipping store meet the age requirements.

A ordinary way to verify the age of visitors to your store is to use a pop-up form. Install a pop-up app from the Shopify App Store to inquire visitors to confirm their age.

Selling CBD on Shopify

To dropship CBD products using a Shopify store, CBD sales must be permitted in your store’s location, as well as the shipping destinations of your orders. For US merchants, CBD products must also be derived from hemp plants.

Shopify lists requirements for selling hemp products in the US, and cannabis products in Canada. These declare that products:

• Must be produced and labeled as required by federal, state, and local laws
• Must not be marketed as having a medicinal or therapeutic advantage, unless approved by the FDA

Merchants selling CBD or cannabis products to or from other locations are responsible for adhering to regional and local laws, as well as Shopify’s hemp policies.

settlement processing for CBD products

While you can construct a CBD dropshipping store on Shopify, you can’t use Shopify Payments to procedure CBD or THC product sales. Instead, you’ll require to add a third-event settlement processor, such as DigiPay and Bankful to your Shopify checkout. Other settlement providers may have their own approval processes.

Make sure you comprehend all of your settlement options for hemp, CBD or THC sales on Shopify.

Notification options for hemp products

Another Shopify characteristic that is not available for hemp sales is SMS notifications. As a outcome, order and shipping notifications can only be sent to customers via email.

How to get started with CBD dropshipping

From choosing the correct supplier to setting up your online store, here’s a navigator to assist you launch your CBD dropshipping business.

1. discover a CBD supplier

Choosing the correct supplier is crucial for the achievement of your dropshipping business. According to Thys du Plooy, founder of Our CBD Pantry, one of the biggest benefits of dropshipping CBD is the ability to source “truly unpaid products” from a diverse pool of suppliers, rather than offering “products that aren’t necessarily as excellent, but are convenient due to wholesale relationships.”

When selecting a supplier, it’s significant to assess product standard, stake availability, and shipping speed. Opt for suppliers who maintain a consistent stake and can dispatch orders swiftly. Judge these features by ordering samples—perhaps under multiple aliases.

Also, working with several suppliers to propose a variety of products, such as tinctures, gummies, and creams from different growers and brands can assist cater to customer preferences and niches within the CBD trade.

Supplier lab testing

Aside from testing CBD products, the standard way for sellers and customers to verify the standard of a supplier’s product range is by reading lab reports.

Try to only associate with suppliers that provide up-to-date certificates of analysis (COA) for their products from third-event labs. A COA should disclose concentrations of CBD, THC, and other cannabis compounds, as well as confirm that a cannabis extract is free from toxins like pesticides or heavy metals.

Including COAs on your store’s product pages is a excellent way to boost customer depend and demonstrate transparency.

“Customers desire to recognize who they are dealing with, that suppliers are knowledgeable and reputable, and that the product is of a high standard,” says Thys.

If you’re struggling to discover dropshipping suppliers that specialize in hemp products, here are a few options to kickstart your research:

• SmokeDrop
• Charlotte’s Web
• Tiger One
• Absolute Nature CBD

2. Set up your online store

Once you’ve secured a supplier, the next step is creating an online store. This involves choosing a domain name, setting up hosting, and building an ecommerce website with essential features, such as a homepage, product catalog, and detailed product pages.

With CBD products still being a relatively recent product category, adding a blog or learning resource can provide potential customers with valuable information, as well as enhance your store’s search engine optimization.

Platforms like Shopify have professionally designed themes that you can add to your store with a few clicks, making store creation straightforward and code-free. Shopify even has ready-made health and beauty website themes to provide your CBD dropshipping store an appropriate vibe.

If you’re using Shopify to set up your store, recall to add an alternative settlement processor, due to Shopify Payments restrictions on processing CBD sales.

3. Add CBD products to your store

After setting up your store, populate it with products from your supplier. The CBD industry is constantly evolving, with recent growers, manufacturers, and product types entering the trade. Today, a typical CBD-based product line might include: 

• Supplements, capsules, and pills
• Oil tinctures
• CBD flower
• CBD products for dogs and pets
• CBD oils for vaping
• CBD gummies and edibles
• Creams, lotions, and topicals
• Bath bombs
• Lubricants
• Sprays and atomizers

Enhance listings with high-standard images and detailed product descriptions. Apply conversion rate optimization strategies such as showcasing customer reviews, which nine out of 10 customers use prior to making an online purchase.

Other depend signals like money-back guarantees, third-event certifications, and considerate, detailed copywriting will assist establish your store as a leave-to goal for shoppers.

4. Promote your products

Finally, it’s essential to implement marketing strategies to attract customers. Use content marketing to target specific search queries related to CBD products. Discover the keywords your target customer is searching for, then produce best-in-class content to respond their query.

debt email marketing to construct relationships with potential customers. inspire website visitors to join your email list with coupon codes or exclusive content. It’ll provide you a direct line of communication with customers—even if they haven’t purchased yet.

Influencer marketing is another way to earnings credibility and widen your brand’s reach. A reported 69% of consumers depend influencers over information coming directly from a brand.

Also, consider paid ads on Meta and Google. Note that some advertising platforms restrict how hemp-derived products can be advertised—you may require to edit your campaign messaging to meet acceptance criteria.

CBD dropshipping: best practices

Here are some essential tips to pursue during the first few months of your CBD dropshipping business and beyond:

• remain compliant: Always keep up to date with the latest CBD regulations and laws in your sales areas. regulatory adherence helps avoid legal issues and builds depend with your customers.
• Select high-standard suppliers: Work with dropshipping suppliers that provide standard products. Suppliers are silent partners: customers will associate their encounter, positive or negative, with your store and brand.
• Optimize your website: Ensure your website is user-amiable, quick, and mobile-optimized. A well-organized, attractive site increases customer satisfaction and conversion rates.
• Utilize customer feedback: Actively seek and listen to customer feedback. A large perk of dropshipping is the ability to switch up your product line, so use this flexibility in combination with customer feedback to enhance your product selection.
• Consider white labeling: Explore white label products to add exclusivity to your offerings. White labeling allows you to brand existing CBD products as your own, which can assist in establishing brand identity.

Dropship CBD in 2025

Navigating CBD rules can be tricky. But, it’s an industry that’s packed of recent ideas and eager customers. By choosing to dropship CBD, you’re stepping into a thriving trade without having to deal with making, storing, or shipping products yourself.