Posted on 11/07/2008 8:25:30 AM PST by hsmomx3
FReepers are great when it comes to opinions so I thought I would ask all of you some questions.
My husband lost his job a few months ago and I lost my job over the summer.
We have been contemplating trying to sell items on-line and at times the thought of using a "drop-ship" company has come up.
Do any of you have experience with drop-ship companies?
We have read so many reviews and the reviews are so varied. It is not always easy to tell if reviews are written by people working for those companies or if it is a legitimate person with a real experience.
My neighbor tried that. Lots of the products were inferior. She sold mainly to friends and family and they complained about the quality of the products and the condition they were in when received.
I’m in real estate. Need I say more? Looking for legit home based business also.
We have been reading dropship reviews, and you just do not know if what they are saying is true or if they work for the dropship companies.
We also read at ebay and it is just difficult to know whom to trust/believe.
Looking for something here too.
ping
Gee, I was almost afraid to begin this thread but now I am glad I did.
It is really scary. The fact that we could soon not be able to meet our mortgage payments. Praying each and everyday that does not happen.
Any business that requires that a person use their friends as customers renders that person friendless
I am uncomfortable using my friends for business purposes and will never do that.
Many people make a living on eBay and I believe there’s room for plenty more to do so. I do NOT, however, believe that the drop-ship route is a good one. Cheap crap and everybody and their brother is doing it. There are several ways to sell stuff online that might work for you:
1. eBay — Develop a discerning eye for what sells well, and work yard sales, flea markets, pawn shops, Craigslist, classifieds, etc., to find those items at a price that allows you to sell at a nice profit. Offer to put the pawn shops’ choice items on eBay for them, you handle all the hassle and take a cut.
2. Take the last sentence of the above scenario and take it to the next level. Start a business that puts other people’s items on eBay, sells them, ships them, etc. for a cut. There are quite a few of these around, but you could take it to the next level AND avoid the expense of a retail location, by offering to make “house calls” and “store calls” to pick up the items.
3. There are plenty of niche areas in which I believe you can create a successful online retail store right now. This will require a more substantial investment IMO, a truly professional website, inventory, etc.
There are some thoughts. Hope they help.
MM
I have been selling on ebay for a while. The drop ship stuff never sold for me.
I can understand that and considering where most things are made these days...........not here, that’s for sure.
I have tons of homeschooling books I can sell which is what I am getting ready to put together and list all of the info before I actually get ready to sell.
It is good to sell something you enjoy messing with: makeup, purses, electronics, collectible sports items. What the previous poster said about hitting garage sales etc will also give you things you can make a profit on. Case in point, discountinued china patterns. Some one broke their gravy bowl last Thanksgiving and GOTTA get the matching one for their set. Plenty of ideas out there!
Get a scale because if you can weigh at home you can print the shipping label and the post office will pick the pkg up from you.
Be blessed!
I sell some items on ebay, but hadn’t for a few months, until this morning. Frankly, I find their new format difficult.
Pay Pal is the only choice sellers are given as a payment option. that adds 4 or 5% on to the transaction fee. Shipping has to be stated as a fixed amount now, no variables allowed for actual distances reflecting actual shipping costs.
Also I prefer shipping Fed Ex because their terminal is convenient for me, but no, cannot offer Fed Ex.
I need to find another site. Ebay has become too restrictive, costly, and not user friendly.
My brother in law has tried some of those home marketing sites. Mostly junk. Things we really can do without. Especially with the economy a big question. All made in China. Good luck.
Right now there is money in recycling. It may be a short time solution but one of my neighbors is picking up newpaper and cans and metals from folks in the area and hauling it to the various recycling plants. I do not know a great deal about it but I asked if I could give them a little $ to help out with Christmas coming up, but they said they were doing pretty well right now.
Forget drop ship. Find a company that will take you as a 100 percent commissioned sales rep. Get used to starting the day at 7 AM at the plant gate or buyer’s office. Look for gritty industrial products that have a competitive advantage or a limited number of competitors.
YIKES: Hit preview and post was longer then I expected. Sorry in advance.
I tried the drop shipping thing last year. Didn’t sell nothing and lost money on the drop ship company fees and ebay auction listings.
YMMV of course, but here are three main points that I have learned when I tried. Don’t want to talk you out of it, but just some things you should be aware of.
Part of the problem with Ebay and drop shippers is that you are up against the power sellers if you are just starting. You’re listings will show you’ve sold very little while the power sellers have sold multitudes of items. People generally go to the long time sellers not trusting the others because of fraud.
In order to compete you have to undersell, which on many items you can’t because you don’t get the deals they do or you are limited to the manufacturers lowest advertised price. There really isn’t much you can add on an auction to boost value without also boosting your or the customer’s cost.
Other thing...DON’T do electronics (phones, computers, games etc) everyone and their dog does electronics and unless you’ve got a fast track on a super product that nobody else has your selling at a loss or not selling at all.
Friend of mine has made money though by buying storage auctions. When someone doesn’t pay their rent on storage sheds the owners lock em up and auction the inside sight unseen. Problem with that is it is a gamble and one I’m not willing to take.
Friend says sometimes he buys an empty space for $300 but other times he scores big, like about $20,000 to $30,000 in misc industrial quality tools for $100 (that was his biggest score).
There is still a LOT of money to be made out there, it’s just a matter of finding your niche and honestly this is one industry where luck does play a part in your success.
You have FReepmail.
ping
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