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Drop Shpping!
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I dropshipped and discovered something was out of stock, I would look for another place to buy it. Even if I could only break even, at best, I would instantly place the order and have it shipped direct to the customer. The only time I would contact a customer in that case is if the shipping date exceeded my 1-3 business day timeframe. I've had to do that at least a few times, but never had to contact a customer, thankfully.

I began noting in descriptions when something shipped from a warehouse rather than direct from me. But simply so customers would be aware because policies differed a bit on those items, specifically when it came to returns because suppliers had their own sets. I now include return/exchange policies on all sales receipts, but would have to include a slightly different set for those items to reflect a supplier's policies.

You know you've found a good supplier when they do well to keep things in stock and treat your customers as well as you do. I expect nothing less and will drop one like a hot potato if they displease my customers. If you can't do it at least as well as I do, then I won't have you serving my customers.
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Amazon’s post stated, “If you fulfill orders using a third party, a practice known as drop shipping, you must follow all Amazon policies in order to ensure a consistent customer experience that easily identifies only you as the seller of record.” That includes the following provision: “You may not ship orders with packing slips, invoices, external packaging, or other information indicating a seller name or contact information other than your own.”


MmmHmmm. Basically Amazon wants to be the end-all, where you can buy anything. And if it has to come from somewhere else, we don't want Amazon's customers to know that, we want them to keep coming here, and not to the other place (eBay, eCRATER, BrickLink, Etsy, Bonanza, etc, etc). Basically they are telling the AMZN sellers to make it look like that, even if they have to connive to get the seller with actual product to go along with the bamboozle.

Nothing has really changed here.
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Basically they are telling the AMZN sellers to make it look like that, even if they have to connive to get the seller with actual product to go along with the bamboozle.

Nothing has really changed here.


Which is why for the occasional OOS problem, I will explain to the buyer what happened and who they will be receiving their product from. In some cases the other seller is willing to insert my packing slip in the package. This way the buyer knows they are not being bamboozled. The last time I had to do this, I got a wonderful feedback from the buyer that I was a good enough seller to round up what they needed for them, rather than just cancel the order. I think if we are not 'drop shipping' in the traditional sense of the word, we do need to communicate this to the buyer so that they are not confused and also will understand why there might be a day or two discrepancy in the arrival time.

But drop shippers if this is their routine practice, I would think that they aren't going to do this. They want the buyer to keep buying from them. On the Amazon forum, many 3P sellers that get orders from a drop shipper will then have returns of items that are not what they sent them. I don't know if they are looking to see who sends them stuff or they are upgrading their inventory, etc. The whole thing gets so convoluted.

I don't think most buyers would even consider you a drop shipper, if you explain things to them. The drop shippers that have sales in the 5 and 6 digits are not explaining things and leave the venue whether Amazon or even here, if they get away with it, with egg on their face many times. They make their money on huge turnover and a a few refunds a day isn't going to bother them.

One of the worst drop shippers is Fishpond. I have seen my actual descriptions and pictures on their site with prices at around double what my price is. I noticed them on my radar, when I was using endicia to ship orders as every order I had from them went to a different box number. I haven't had one of them for a long while though, which is fine with me. I know that some think who cares as long as they get their item. I would matter to me, if the description mentions something special or significant and by the drop shipper grabbing product from any seller, they may be sending something that doesn't have that special thing the buyer wanted.
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 7:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, there are very few dropshippers that would agree to what Cosmic quoted. So, why bother trying, really?
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are two major problems with drop shipping. When it comes to products, which are severely limited in availability, drop shippers will list what they don't have (physically) and make it look like more product is out there, than actually exists.

As an example … Someone lists on Amazon expecting to use eBay to fill the order. The eBay seller is listing expecting BrickLink to fill the order. It appears there are 3 available, when there is only 1. If the BL seller sells to someone on BL, then there is a delay before the other two figure it out and delete their listings. In the meantime, because BL is now sold out, buyers begin to look on more expensive venues (i.e. eBay and Amazon) and may well place orders there, for product which no longer exists. So who deserves the blame ? Not the seller on BL.

If the dropshippers are listing stuff that is widely available, then this situation might no exist. A couple of months back, I had the same buyer place an order on BL and on eCRATER, for the same product. They are a reseller. I only had one in stock. To make it even more interesting, USPS took 13 days to move that one to the buyer. Dropshipping, in the best of circumstances, is a dicey business model.
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I had the same buyer place an order on BL and on eCRATER, for the same product.


I had a customer do that to me once. Bought a copy of a hard to find book off me on eBay and then within a minute bought my copy off of Amazon. Some sellers use different names depending on the venue, but I don't. You would have thought that she might have thought that I was only selling the book. But nope so she was disappointed because she wanted another copy of a Hebrew/English Old Testament so they could study it together. That was a case where I literally couldn't take down the other listing quick enough.

That is all part of the tunnel vision that buyers can develop when buying. They don't read the whole description, they don't look carefully at the photo, and they aren't paying attention to the seller's name or feedback (otherwise why would anyone buy from a seller whose feedback is 60% or below!).

I was just looking at some pants on Amazon last night and looked at the feedback to find one complaining that the legs were 32" long and that was 4" too long for them. Somewhere in the midst of the review, she noticed that the listing stated the pants legs were 32". So she admitted they were as listed, but she didn't change the number of stars she left.
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dccollectibles



Posts: 2759

PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 4:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tunnel vision is being generous. I'd call it more "blind buy". I've had customers insist that the description ends with the title and price. I just do the equivalent of a virtual smile and nod or politely pointing out the obvious if I have the time... while in reality banging my head against the wall and making cuckoo for cocoa puffs signs.
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://moonwishesstore.ecrater.com/view-feedback.php?storeid=36434

While it is not the same pattern it is close enough to illustrate what I went through a year ago. A guy buys a pattern like this (Same type of garments, size ranges, fabrics, etc.). When he received it he complained because he got an envelope full of paper and no pair of pajamas. He had not indicated anywhere on his order what size he wanted, what fabrics and colors he wanted. He bought something that could be made for a 2-year old to a guy with a 48" chest and expected to get an actual garment. He didn't even indicate if he wanted shorts or long pants, etc. I guess he would get one of everything. A banging the head against the wall moment. Magic thinking vision. He wants PJs so he buys a pattern for them as buying the pattern is the cheapest way to get them I guess. Shocked Rolling Eyes

Years ago I bought an eBay item that the title said NEW embroidery kit. It came to me, open, partially worked, and reeking of cigarette smoke. As the title had said new, I wasn't suspicious that she hadn't mentioned anything about the condition. When I complained, she stated that she had never said it was NEW. Uh, yes you did in the title. She ignored me and wouldn't give me a refund. She got what she deserved by way of feedback. eBay wasn't as generous at giving buyers refunds when the seller won't like they do now.

While buying online has become more and more of a way to shop yet buyer's still don't pay attention to what is listed. It is crazy. And we have this lovely generation coming along where nothing is their fault.
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cosmicray



Posts: 7286

PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dccollectibles wrote:
I just do the equivalent of a virtual smile and nod or politely pointing out the obvious if I have the time... while in reality banging my head against the wall and making cuckoo for cocoa puffs signs.

Someone (a prospective customer, but in actuality a PITA) made my day this morning. They called me that very respectful word that is nominally used to describe a female of the canine species. What a way to start the day !
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MoonwishesStore
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Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 9:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry to hear that! I do not understand why people can be such potty mouths in the midst of a business transaction.
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dccollectibles



Posts: 2759

PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 9:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep sounds like a real winner there. I usually just ignore those peoples' whines. They kind of dig their own graves by giving up their power. What really gets me in a fighting mood is outright lies, either to Paypal or feedback, that have the intention to affect our business. It's just business. Unless you seek to damage its rep. Then there's not much else more personal. Plus it just wastes time having to defend the rep, taking time away from other customers. That I take pretty personally as well.
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, exactly the type of customer I won't tolerate for any reason. This is my business, hopefully someday my livelihood, but if you "come into my shop" in a manner that would disturb other customers "in the shop", then you will be shown the virtual door. Some people take it too far because they think they're anonymous online. I'm sorry, but you're in my shop and you won't be disturbing me or my other customers. If they can't conduct themselves as they would in a B&M and want to make a stink about it, then tell it to the cops. None of us needs customers like that and they SHOULD be treated accordingly. They have to learn one way or another -- or stick to shopping at B&Ms where they know how to behave.

Tell me one B&M store that would tolerate such behavior. They would be thrown out and rather quickly, even if security were required. They may even be denied their return if they act bad enough. So, why should we be expected to put up with it?
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