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Dropshippers = Google Ads?

 
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thecheapskirt



Posts: 2123

PostPosted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:13 pm    Post subject: Dropshippers = Google Ads? Reply with quote

I'm confused, some say if you are drop shipping, ecrater places ads in your listings.

But I see quite a few sellers who are selling items with stock photos and stock descriptions, even listing the companies they are drop shipping from, and they don't have ads.

So, is this the policy or not?

Last time I asked this question I was pestered by multiple sellers via PM to remove it. Apparently this is a touchy subject. Why is that? Isn't a rule a rule? Isn't it in the best interest of us all to know what the rules of a the site we are using are?
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maggiethehousecat



Posts: 2457

PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 5:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

a lot of people don't want to draw attention to their stores as they haven't been picked up as drop shippers yet. Also many people who are drop shipping insist they aren't.

I think the rules are complicated. It is one way if you are in a particular store and another way if you are on an eCRATER page. I've not been to bed yet so don't dare try to explain them to you.
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SheilaDeesPostcards
moderator


Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 6:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thecheapskirt wrote:
some say if you are drop shipping, ecrater places ads in your listings.
In the FAQs Solutions to Common Questions - Google Ads, two of the reasons given for having eCrater placed Google Adsense would be 'affiliate type store' and 'using stock photos after it has been flagged by our team'. (Note, for some readers who may not know, these are the Google ads that appear between your description and the gallery of other products.) In order for the ads to appear, the seller has to be identified by eCrater and we all know the staff is small. Some / most / all of the categories have moderators assigned who try to flag listings that don't comply with the TOS, plus the site has always relied on the help of the entire eCrater seller community to help police the site. Is every seller who violates the TOS identified? Probably not.

The eCrater Terms of Service state:
"4.6 All products from affiliate websites will receive lower rank in eCRATER searches and categories in the main eCRATER marketplace. Affiliate website is a website provided with products, images and texts from another company to sell their products. Dropshippers and distributors are considered as affiliate too."

I have noticed during the time I've been here that eCrater has adapted their Terms of Service to meet the restriction by Google for having your products listed in Google Shopping. I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think the last sentence in the above paragraph was in the TOS when I started here, but was added later. In the Google Shopping policies dealing with "Unacceptable product categories", one of the unacceptable categories is:
"Affiliates, cataloged drop-shipping programs, and multi-level marketing

The promotion of affiliate or pay-per-click links, products sold through a commission-based relationship, or sites that bulk list products fulfilled through drop-ship consolidators is not allowed. This includes item pages that are made up almost entirely of advertisements, or pages where advertisements obstruct the view of the submitted product. The promotion of multi-level marketing (MLM) business products is also not permitted, such as businesses that recruit members and offer them rewards for recruiting others and/or selling services".

thecheapskirt wrote:
So, is this the policy or not? ... Isn't a rule a rule? Isn't it in the best interest of us all to know what the rules of a the site we are using are?
Above is the eCrater policy and, since eCrater does the feed to Google Shopping for us, I've copied the Google Shopping policy with which eCrater must comply. The policy is clearly stated in both cases. Anyone listing on eCrater who expects their items to be feed to Google Shopping have clear access to both policies and should have read both policies.

In my personal opinion, the rules for both sites were directed at the thousands of sellers on the internet who offer nothing for sell except the items from large dropshippers who provide them with the title, description and photo. In these cases, the only difference is the price, shipping, customer service and who takes your money. Both sites were trying to prevent the case where a search for an item returned hundreds of hits for the same item, with the same title and description which would fill pages of "all the same". There are sellers who sell on "a commission-based relationship" with very small companies or even individuals who are located in another town who does the shipping for them. The seller has seen the products, taken their own photos and written their own descriptions. Are they dropshippers? Well, they fit the broad description. There are a lot of sellers who fall somewhere in-between these two extremes.

"Isn't a rule a rule?" I compare this to the car going 74 mph down the interstate on a clear day with no traffic when the posted speed limit is 70 mph. Is the driver breaking the law? yes Can the driver be stopped and given a ticket? yes Will the driver be stopped and given a ticket? Probably not because they are not causing a safety issue which was the original reason for posting a speed limit.
Is the seller using their own photos? Is the seller writing their own descriptions? Is the seller writing their own titles? Are they a drop shipper? Are they part of the original problem? Should they "get a ticket"? ........ Again, in my personal opinion, no. .....
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thecheapskirt



Posts: 2123

PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The people I'm referring to are the ones using stock photos and the exact same descriptions, word for word, as 7,000 other sellers. It is pretty obvious they are drop shipping.

I'm not entirely stupid. Rolling Eyes
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I'm not entirely stupid.


I don't think anyone was implying you were stupid.

I generally don't get worried about drop shippers as they have their own hard row to plow and many of them don't suspect when they sign up how hard it will be to make a dime when in competition 7000 other sellers with identical products. Not saying that drop shippers shouldn't follow the rules, but isn't there a thread for reporting seller that aren't in compliance?

I remember the first time I heard someone talking about how they had signed up to sell on line and they wouldn't have to do anything because someone would supply the product and ship the stuff and they would be making great money! HA! I doubt that she has made anything yet, but some of those drop ship folks really suck people in.
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thecheapskirt



Posts: 2123

PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MoonwishesStore wrote:
ot saying that drop shippers shouldn't follow the rules, but isn't there a thread for reporting seller that aren't in compliance?


Really? I've not seen that. I've only seen one for items in the wrong category.

And yes, I do think someone was implying I was stupid. Judging by the private messages I got from them last time I asked this.

If a mod finds my question inappropriate, they are welcome to remove it.
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SheilaDeesPostcards
moderator


Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 6:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thecheapskirt wrote:
The people I'm referring to are the ones using stock photos and the exact same descriptions, word for word, as 7,000 other sellers. It is pretty obvious they are drop shipping.

I'm not entirely stupid. Rolling Eyes
The people you are referring to have probably not been noticed yet by eCrater. You could send an email to eCrater with a link to the store or you could post on the forum topic eCRATER sellers only > Report Miscategorized and items against eCRATER terms here. It would probably be better to contact eCrater since the items aren't miscategorized or against eCRATER terms. I think eCRATER counts on the community to help monitor the site.

I hope your comment wasn't directed at me, because I think you are extremely smart. I have learned a great deal from you through your posts here in the forum and I always read every post you make. I've followed the development of your blog and facebook pages and I both admire and marvel at what you've accomplished.
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vintagecornerstore



Posts: 151

PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love the thecheapskirts posts! And always enjoy reading them. I always read a thread that she has started or has responded to.
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