9 Untapped Countries for Shopify Dropshipping in 2025

If you launched a Shopify dropshipping store in the last year and targeted the United States, you probably ran into the same brick wall: saturation.

The USA is the undisputed king of e-commerce consumer spending. But in 2025, it is also the most overcrowded, expensive, and competitive advertising battleground on Earth. CPMs (Cost Per Mille) on Meta and TikTok have skyrocketed, eroding profit margins for all but the most established brands.

If you are struggling to break even in the US, the problem might not be your product or your store. The problem is your geography.

9 Countries for Shopify Dropshipping in 2025

The secret to profitable dropshipping right now is geo-arbitrage: taking products that are saturated in Tier-1 markets (USA, UK, Canada) and introducing them to hungry, growing markets where ad inventory is still cheap. Below, we break down why you need to pivot and list the 9 untapped countries offering the best balance of low competition, high purchasing power, and e-commerce readiness in 2025.

1. The Nordics (Sweden, Norway, Denmark)

The “Wealthy English Speakers”

The Nordic region is arguably the best alternative to the US/UK. These nations have incredibly high GDP per capita and citizens who love to shop online.

• Why it’s untapped: Many dropshippers wrongly assume the populations are too small to scale.
• The Advantage: Almost the entire adult population speaks near-fluent English. You don’t need to translate your store. You can run your standard English ads and target these wealthy countries with much lower competition than the UK or US.
• Best For: High-ticket items, sustainable/eco-friendly products, design-focused gadgets.

2. The Netherlands

The European E-commerce Hub

The Dutch are sophisticated online shoppers with a dense population and excellent logistics infrastructure.

• Why it’s untapped: Often overshadowed by its larger neighbors, Germany and France.
• The Advantage: Extremely high internet penetration and trust in digital payments (especially their local method, iDEAL, which Shopify supports). Like the Nordics, English proficiency is very high here, reducing barriers to entry.
• Best For: Tech accessories, home organization, fashion.

3. Germany

The Engine of Europe

Germany isn’t exactly “unknown,” but it is massively underutilized by US-based dropshippers due to one fear: the German language.

• Why it’s untapped: The language barrier scares off lazy dropshippers.
• The Advantage: Germany has the largest economy in Europe and a massive consumer base. If you use a translation app (like Weglot or Langify) to localize your store, you unlock a market almost as powerful as the UK but with less ad saturation. Germans value quality and detailed product descriptions.
• Best For: Problem-solving products, tools, automotive accessories, hobbies.

4. Spain & Italy

The Mediterranean Opportunity

We group these two because they share similar characteristics in the e-commerce landscape. They are growing rapidly but still have ad costs significantly lower than Northern Europe.

• Why it’s untapped: E-commerce adoption was slower here historically compared to the UK/DE, but it has exploded post-2020.
• The Advantage: Passionate buyers who respond well to emotional, visually appealing advertising on Instagram and TikTok. The CPCs here can often be 50% cheaper than in France or Germany. Localization (translating store/ads) is required here.
• Best For: Fashion, beauty products, jewelry, summer/beach related items.

5. Brazil

The Latin American Giant

Brazil is a volume game. It has a massive population (over 215 million) with a rapidly growing middle class that loves social media consumption.

• Why it’s untapped: Logistics and customs can be tricky (the infamous “Brazil Cost”). Many suppliers refuse to ship there due to customs delays.
• The Advantage: If you find a supplier with a dedicated Brazil line (many private agents have this now), the ad costs are incredibly cheap. Brazilians are heavy users of Instagram and WhatsApp and respond amazingly to influencer marketing and impulse-buy ads.
• Best For: Low-to-mid ticket impulse buys, beauty gadgets, novelty items.

6. Mexico

The North American Neighbor

Mexico’s e-commerce market is booming, benefiting from its proximity to the US and increasing internet access.

• Why it’s untapped: Often overlooked in favor of South American countries or Europe.
• The Advantage: Very low CPCs on Facebook and TikTok. Shipping times from China are reasonable, and US-based suppliers can also ship there relatively easily. The consumer base is hungry for American-style trends. Spanish localization is required.
• Best For: Trendy apparel, phone accessories, beauty products.

7. The United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The High-Spenders

Dubai and Abu Dhabi boast some of the highest concentrations of wealth in the world. The population is highly urbanized and always online.

• Why it’s untapped: It’s a smaller geographical area that many ignore.
• The Advantage: Extremely high average order value (AOV). You can sell luxury-adjacent or high-ticket dropshipping items here successfully. While the official language is Arabic, a vast portion of the population are expats who shop in English.
• Warning: Cash on Delivery (COD) is still very popular here. You may need a specialized COD funnel or courier partner to maximize sales.
• Best For: Luxury watches, high-end gadgets, jewelry, premium car accessories.

8. Poland

The Gateway to Eastern Europe

Poland has a rapidly developing economy and a young population eager for consumer goods.

• Why it’s untapped: It’s rarely on the radar of Western dropshippers.
• The Advantage: Very low advertising costs compared to Western Europe. The e-commerce market is growing double-digits year over year. Shipping from China to Poland is surprisingly fast due to rail links.
• Best For: Budget-friendly fashion, home goods, electronics.

9. Malaysia

The Southeast Asian Jewel

While much of Southeast Asia has very low purchasing power, Malaysia is a notable exception with a strong middle class and high English proficiency.

• Why it’s untapped: Overshadowed by the sheer size of nearby Indonesia or India.
• The Advantage: Very cheap traffic, English-friendly advertising, and consumers who love shopping on mobile devices. It’s a great testing ground for new products before scaling to more expensive countries.
• Best For: Gadgets, mobile accessories, trendy asian-style fashion.

Why the “USA-First” Strategy is Failing Beginners in Shopify Dropshipping

Before we look at where to go, we need to understand why we are leaving. The US market is suffering from three major issues for new dropshippers:

1. Ad Cost Inflation: Everyone from Fortune 500 companies to your neighbor’s side-hustle is bidding on the same US-based audiences on Facebook and Google. This drives up CPC (Cost Per Click) to unsustainable levels for low-ticket items.
2. Consumer Sophistication (ADHD): US consumers see thousands of ads a day. Their attention spans are short, and they are skeptical of unknown brands. You need incredible creatives just to get a click.
3. The Amazon Effect: US customers expect 2-day Prime shipping. A 12-day AliExpress delivery time is often a dealbreaker, leading to high abandoned cart rates and customer service nightmares.

The Solution? Move to markets where e-commerce is booming, but advertiser competition hasn’t caught up yet.

The Criteria: What Makes an “Untapped” Market?

We didn’t just pick these countries randomly. To make this list, a country needs the “Goldilocks” combination of factors:

• High Disposable Income: People must have money to spend on non-essential items.
• High Internet/Credit Card Penetration: They must be comfortable buying online digitally.
• Low Advertiser Competition: The CPCs must be significantly cheaper than the US.
• Decent Logistics: Shipping lines (like YunExpress or CJ Packet) must have reliable routes there. 

Your Action Plan: How to Pivot in 2025

Moving away from the US requires a few strategic adjustments to your Shopify store:

1. Install a Multi-Currency Converter: Use a Shopify app that automatically detects the user’s location and shows prices in their local currency (e.g., Euros in Germany, Krona in Sweden). This is non-negotiable for conversion rates.
2. Translation is Key (For Non-English Markets): Don’t rely on Google Translate. Use professional translation apps like Weglot or hire a native speaker on Upwork to translate your ads and product pages for markets like Germany, Spain, or Brazil.
3. Check Your Supplier: Before running ads, confirm with your AliExpress supplier or private agent that they have reliable shipping lines (like “Special Line” or “YunExpress”) to your chosen country.

Conclusion

The Bottom Line: The gold rush in the USA is over. The smart money in 2025 is moving to where the audience is growing, and the ad auctions are quiet. Pick two countries from this list, localize your offer, and start testing.

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