Question
I have an opportunity to hook up with a non-profit that provides fulfillment and mailbox services for a number of local companies. Would like to hear other peoples' experiences.
Thanks.r
Answer
I had several disaterous purchases from sellers using fullfilment houses. Without exception, they all took about 7 weeks to get the item to me. One was damaged (5 gal air compressor and had to send it back and wait another 4 weeks for an exchange). The second seller refused to deal with me and told me to contact the drop ship company when item didn't arrive after 5 weeks of waiting. Gave him an instant neg. Third didn't know anything about the item when it didn't work (electric hoist) and refered me to mfg in Taiwan. Yea, I'm going to call right away.
Avoided the last one when I asked about the model number for a microscope and she told me she has to contact the manufacturer because it ships direct from "a warehouse" and she doesn't have it there.
I think sellers should be forced to reveal that they don't have the item in their posession and it will be drop shipped or handled through a fulfillment house.
Answer
I think you might be comparing apples and kumquats here. Drop shipping is where the seller doesn't own any inventory but merely passes along orders to be filled. I dislike drop shipping as much as you do (maybe more). I thought there was already an eBay rule requiring sellers to disclose if they don't own the item to be shipped.
Fulfillment, on the other hand, is a mailing service using the seller's inventory. There are any number of ways fulfillment can be set up (i.e. could include inventory management, upselling, etc.), but my primary interest is in paying a service to ship my stuff for me, freeing me up for more profitable activities.
Answer
why not find someone and set them up in business someone close, say a stay at home mother who could pick items up at night, and ship the next day - that would solve your problem and also with them packing away from your business you would not have to claim them as an employee, because, well, they would not be
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If you took Nyquil and No-Doz at the same time, would you dream you couldn't sleep?
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I'd be cautious about employee status - if the stay at home mom works for no one else and you control how she does her job (which you will unless you want negs) then she's most likely an employee.
Wouldn't a stay at home mom have kids? Sounds like trusting your inventory there might be a prescription for disaster.
Maryanne
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Agreed, mdubbs. I have already tried a number of other options, including "hiring" a friend. That was a monumentally bad idea.
The non-profit org I've been talking to already does fulfillment for a number of local companies, though no eBayers as yet. They are eager to have the business and think this could grow by signing on other eBay high-volume shippers. They have great references. And it looks like my margins will accommodate an outside fulfillment expense.
I'm just wondering what drawbacks there might be other than the obvious (loss of control of inventory, the possibility of shoddy packaging, theft, etc.)
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The most obvious drawback would be cost.
With marginal profit margins in so many categories, any additional costs could easily price such goods beyond salability.
And adding such costs under 'handling' charges is likely to raise alot of hackles, especially on inexpensive items.
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THE DREAM OF REASON PRODUCES MONSTERS - Goya
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"I have some concerns about Ashcroft..." - A certain green feller
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>likely to raise alot of hackles<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
A thankless endeavor if ever there was one. You try to raise them right while they're eating you out of house and home, staying up all hours of the night playing loud music and annoying the neighbors, and generally making your life a living hell. All the while, you've got everybody and their brother telling you how you're raising them wrong, and how they could do a better job of it. Well, I'm sorry, but I'm just not going to do it anymore.
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Does this mean there will be no more tater tots? http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_frown.gif
cariad
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Doing fulfillment for traditional companies is very different than for an ebay seller.
The biggest difference is the customer, who would give a lot more leeway to the "company" for not shipping immediately, vs. the "person" who did not immediately take their package to the post office.
I am afraid that fulfillment might be too slow, that your orders might not receive the same priority you would give them, and that the time needed for communicating names and records back and forth could complicate your life rather than simplify it.
Who processes the package label, sends the confirming email to the customer, has posession of the mailing/shipping record for inquiries?
If you have the products on hand, why not discuss pre-packing them, and slapping the label on yourself.
Unless I could devise a system that resulted in 24 hour turnaround from when I provide the name and address to when it is delivered to the post office, I would not do it.
Then again, in a competitive world, it is my service that helps me rise above the competition. It also creates a lot of return business.
Larry