Question
Hi All
I have been a successful ebay seller for a while now and have seen the Ebay Drop off model used in the States - where people can drop off their items they want sold on Ebay to a third party who will then sell on their behalf retaining some of the profit.
Do any of you have any thoughts around this as I would like to try it in the UK and so far what I have seen of the few companies trying it here - its not hugely inspiring or successful.
Is it a good idea - or am I barking up a wrong tree!!
Many thanks all
Jean
Answer
Hi Jean
I tried using that service several years ago and found that the profit margins for me were too steep and then the restocking fee for returns, refunds etc. was a losing battle as well... I personally don't care for dropshipping I think a person is much better off purchasing wholesale, which most of the dropshipping places are doing themselves...
Answer
Hi there
Thanks for the insight - I was wondering about returns and its interesting that drop off shops are doing wholesale not customer items - or at least I think thats what you mean
Its interesting that on the surface they appear a good idea but don't work in practice - if they were to work what do you think I would need to enable it to happen
Thanks again
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Open your own dropshipping service is the way to profit
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Okay - so if I was to offer my own drop shipping service - how would that work - do you think people would use it ?
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intersting thread
two subjects Dropshipping you are basicly selling for a distributor who wharehouses and ships
drop off you have individuals who cant/dont want sell on ebay so they drop the item off and you list /sell for commsion
dropshipping is a suckers game in my opion
drop off has some merit , I have been watching local shop and have been giving some thought to getting into it.
One of the biggest problems I see is time wasted convincing peaple that there item is baxicly worthless and not worth listing
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Ohhhhhhhhhhh, you mean drop off like in a store front... Not enough this am...I think that is a cool idea, thought about doing that for several years myself, but don't have enough resources to do that the way it should be done...
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I don't have a storefront to sell for others, but am a registered trading assistant, and I can tell you, just from that in itself isn't worth my time or effort in selling other peoples stuff, unless it be higher end items.. It's kinda like running a pawn shop...
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locally the guy that seems to be the most succsefull had a existing ebay business , had a existing local business with a storefront and combined the two
the stand alone storefront by itself is certainly a big step up from trading assistant but I dont know that it woud produce enough of a profit
we used to have a B&M if we still did then the drop off could be a nice aside
Answer
I am not a registered trading assistant, but I do have a half dozen clients for whom I regularly list stuff. It's a LOT of work for not much money. I charge 20% of the final bid; they pay listing and final value fees; the bidder pays for handling and shipping.
Most drop off shops (and you do not absolutely have to carry the overhead of a storefront-- it can be a service run from your home) charge 50% and most pay the fees out of that. I agree that it "isn't worth my time or effort in selling other peoples stuff, unless it be higher end items..." I break that rule too much of the time, but I do agree 100%.
Clearly, there are legal implications and liabilities. You've got other people's stuff, and you need to both act accordingly and protect yourself at the same time.
Right from the start you'll need good recordkeeping. All details of every aspect of the items and the transactions must be kept and maintained. If it becomes at all successful you will quickly need to familiarize yourself with listing tools as well, because too much of your time will be taken up with the other aspects of the transaction to be listing things one at a time in "real time".
Like everyone is saying, a LOT of work, and I don't know anyone who has done it for a long period of time, a year, maybe two... before they burn out. But it certainly can be done.