WWYD? Got screwed over by a dropshipper

6 replies
Recently I endeavored to sell a couple of items through eBay and with a dropshipper I found, of all places, right here on WF. Long story short, items were listed on eBay Germany, with the provision the dropshipper sends the invoice to the buyer. I am the middle man so to speak and get a small cut of the profits.

What has happened is that the German buyers have tried to send me money, which I have refused and sent them a notice to wait for an invoice from my associate. Fair enough, except the buyers have received the wrong invoice, and the dropshipper is refusing to answer any communication from me. Strange? I think so.

This is a lesson learned for me and anyone else who wants to try this method of income. get everything in writing first. It will save you a headache and probably a black mark on your eBay account. I am pretty sure I will be getting one now on my aged (2003) 100% positive eBay account. Coulda, woulda, shoulda.
#dropshipper #screwed #wwyd
  • Profile picture of the author BinaryQwest
    That's the problem with any dropshipper.. Your business integrity is based on whatever they decide to do. If the customer doesn't get a product or gets a crappy product, your business name or ebay account is the one that suffers from it. And really there's not much you can do about it.
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  • Profile picture of the author timpears
    Getting something in writing is not going to help you with someone that is not ethical to begin with. The writing serves to give you something to take to court, but good luck on that, especially international.

    Drop shipping has been a very iffy business model in my opinion. I had a situation where I was trying to drop ship and I had a decent product that I made a few dollars on but the vendor ran out. I got an order for it and I tried to fill it, but couldn't. I didn't know what to do as new shipment wasn't for some time. The buyer finally contacted me and I told them I had shipped it but it must have got lost in the mail and told her that we didn't have any more of them so I could either reship when they came in or I could refund. She took the refund. I did get a good feedback out of her though.

    That is a major problem with drop shipping and selling on eBay.
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    Tim Pears

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  • Profile picture of the author Marketing Merit
    Originally Posted by Charlotte Jay View Post

    What has happened is that the German buyers have tried to send me money, which I have refused
    I think you may be breaching eBay's terms also by refusing to directly accept payment for items Charlotte. It's not something that I would consider doing as a seller.
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    • Profile picture of the author Charlotte Jay
      Originally Posted by Marketing Merit View Post

      I think you may be breaching eBay's terms also by refusing to directly accept payment for items Charlotte. It's not something that I would consider doing as a seller.
      Ugh, yes probably. I feel like a fool for getting sucked into this. I haven't used eBay in quite some time and I admit I should have read things through properly
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert Mangan
    Charlotte,

    I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience using a dropshipper. I run an ecommerce site that retails 100% in the U.S. - Fitness Equipment | Exercise Equipment | Gym Equipment - and sells only to customers with U.S. addresses. I use 100% dropship. I had to do this as I'm based in Melbourne, Australia and didn't want to store goods here then ship out overseas or use a fulfillment service in the U.S.

    I also decided on using dropship because I had next to no money when I set up my business and dropship is great if you can't afford to buy stock in bulk.

    Anyhow, I get a little upset when I hear people say that dropshipping is somehow 'dubious'. Dropshipping as a means of conducting business has been around for decades.

    Let me ask though who think dropshipping is no good: when you go to your department store and select a sofa you want, do you think that the dept. store has that sofa in their storeroom. Now way. The dept. store sends your order along to the manufacturer (or distributor) who then 'fulfills' your order. This is dropshipping and we've all been involved in some form of dropship commerce transaction whether we realize it or not.

    The secret to avoid crappy dropshippers is to thoroughly check them out. Communication must NOT be email alone. Each company I use I can contact by phone, fax and email. Also each company I use has a dedicated sales rep that I direct all orders and queries to; the sales rep should also have a direct line or an extension off the main switchboard.

    I have found very little problems with my suppliers because I deal with a human being at the end of the telephone rather than some general email address that you just know will never get answered.

    Finally, Charlotte, unless I read things right, it sounds more like you're being an affiliate rather than a retailer. If this is the case, then you don;t really have a dropship arrangement and I'd be careful about using eBay.

    Could you not contact the supplier and go the legitimate dropship route or find another, genuine, dropshipper for your line of products?

    Robert
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  • Profile picture of the author Fernando1954
    I agree with Robert Mangan above,i too have 2 ecommerce dropship sites and sell on ebay with 100% 2600 positive feedback.

    I have never come across a dropshipper who invoices and takes payment for your sales on ebay or web site very strange set up.

    True dropshipping you take the payment from the customer, then you make payment and place the order with your dropshipper.A good dropshipper will then send the order out quickly and no reference to themselves on any paperwork that is sent with the order.

    A very strange agreement you seemed to have going there.
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