Hi guys,

Think i'm in the right area (sure Lozza will move me if i'm not )

Wanna pick your brains.

I'm thinking of trying this dropship thing.
All the pointers are for companies that 'profess' to sell thousands of products but rarely allow you in to have a look at what they sell, prices etc.
As you can imagine we have real varying products and I wondered if people could suggest sites that we could go for that a)would stock most/all of these items or b) a few different companies where we could get the majority from.

A few more questions

1) What is the general price per annum to join these sites
2) Would people recommend using a few sites
3) Would people recommend trying to stick to one and where might I find one that stocks everything that we need.

__________________
Enjoy shopping online at Just 4 Girlz. Cosmetics, jewellery, bath & shower products, hair accessories, stationery, and even dressing up clothes! It's all right here at your fingertips. Stay in the stress free zone and enjoy an online shopping experience at Just 4 Girlz.
www.just4girlz.co.uk
www.just4let.co.uk

Have you tried asking your current suppliers if they dropship? I've found that many wholesalers will dropship if you ask them, but they don't advertise the fact.

The problem with the large dropshippers is that so many other people are selling the same goods. If you look on eBay, you'll usually find loads of other sellers with the same stock all trying to undercut each other. Not only do they all have the same stock, but many of them use the same photo, but worst of all, if they use the dropshipper's product feed, their product descriptions will be identical which won't do them any favours with the search engines.

I'd rather use more than one dropshipper as relying on one company for your whole business leaves you vulnerable. The disadvantage of using more than one is, if a customer makes a multiple purchase and the stock comes from different suppliers. Obviously in this situation, there will have to be two more than one delivery and you won't be able to offer a discount on the postage (unless it's a big enough order to make it worth your while to swallow the extra cost).

There are some dropshippers that will allow you to view their price lists without subscribing, but others I've seen charge £50+/yr before you can even look at their full product range. I wouldn't part with a penny until I knew exactly what I could get and at what price from them.

Also, be wary of any that post testimonials from "satisfied customers" as all may not be as it seems, check the link below for an example.

http://www.netprofitstoday.com/blog/...pship-example/

That's what you call getting caught red handed!

__________________
Lawrence

What exactly are you looking for?
I haven't come across anyone doing hair accessories, probably because they are so cheap to buy in. There are afew jewwllery sites out there though and I have a very good one for bags, ie hello kitty and pucca etc. I don't use then anymore simply because they ddn't fit in with where my site was going, but they were 100% reliable and no join up fee either! I can send you the details if you like.Dropship is good for starting out but to be honest you are established so wouldn't think you would need it you just need to find a niche.
Jewellery has a good mark up so that may be a start adding to your range but using small companies who may be interested in dropshipping for you.Approach manufacturers direct and ask them, you may be pleasantly surprised how many would say yes.
Makes it easier if we know what you are looking for.Ideally you want something no one else has, or very few competitiors.
The site that I used for the bags did a good mark up by the way

__________________

Childrens Fancy Dress Costumes and Fairtrade Clothes
Childrens Costumes and Dancewear

Thanks Lawrence and Blush for your replies.

Basically this is the plan,
As you rightly pointed out we are established and doing ok. I'm looking to replenish stocks and restart selling on ebay, ebid and Tazbar again so I'm not too concerned about Just4Girlz.
We have also re assigned our admin side to openmind, Phil has been a diamond and I'm sure that in a couple of days the new 'back end' will be up and running.

We're thinking of buying another license from Phil and getting the Just4Boyz site up and running, to do this obviously we will be needing to get some stock. My initial thought was to dropship all the products that we may need to start the site off and 'appear' that we have more stock than we actually do!! haha

__________________
Enjoy shopping online at Just 4 Girlz. Cosmetics, jewellery, bath & shower products, hair accessories, stationery, and even dressing up clothes! It's all right here at your fingertips. Stay in the stress free zone and enjoy an online shopping experience at Just 4 Girlz.
www.just4girlz.co.uk
www.just4let.co.uk

ah Boys!!! Not sure what kind of thing you are looking for and to be honest I may have come across some buy probably overlooked them.But I have seen a football one! It has al the football gifts, blankets , bedding etc which would go down well I would imagine.They advertise in the trader magazine and I think int he wholesaler too.Do a search on boys gifts or somethign and see what other sites are doing first though. I only have daughters so I owuld suggest you do a little research and see what boys are after as all I know is Football!
I have 3 brand new spiderman hats you can buy off me though!
I bought 5 as I needed two for presents so I have 3 spare and I don't do biys accessories as such.They are fully tagged atc and include hat, scaf and gloves that should get you going
Sorry, seriously though if you want them send me a pm.
I have all nephews and they are aged 2, 5, 8, 14, and 17 so I can ask if you like.
I think it is mainly footie, power rangers, dr who, spiderman, star wars etc etc Biys are really hard to buy for I think so I shall be waiting for your site for some inspiration for birthday s etc!

__________________

Childrens Fancy Dress Costumes and Fairtrade Clothes
Childrens Costumes and Dancewear

Haha, blush, yet again you are a diamond, Thanks.

Yeh we'll take the spiderman hats off you to get us going (one of them is destined for the nephew though for christmas.
Think once they arrive i'll just put a boyz button on the girlz site til we get more stock in.
PM me your price and paypal/BACS details and i'll send the payment over.
Gareth

__________________
Enjoy shopping online at Just 4 Girlz. Cosmetics, jewellery, bath & shower products, hair accessories, stationery, and even dressing up clothes! It's all right here at your fingertips. Stay in the stress free zone and enjoy an online shopping experience at Just 4 Girlz.
www.just4girlz.co.uk
www.just4let.co.uk

Just sent you a pm , have to go now kids bedtime etc, will be back on later though.Sent you a link for a supplier for similar things though, with no minimum order too.

__________________

Childrens Fancy Dress Costumes and Fairtrade Clothes
Childrens Costumes and Dancewear

Do you know the name of the drop shipper?

__________________
http://fleeceblanketstore.blogspot.com

I use several companies that will dropship and that has minimised the risk of finding anyone selling identical products to mine.

I went on eBay yesterday and found only one seller there with listings of one of my product lines.

I dont have the problem of not being able to offer a discount to my customers if they get sent parcels from different suppliers as I charge the same rate per order to all my customers no matter what they buy.

I have seen that on just about every website and mail order catalogue I have come across so I dont see why anyone would offer discounts on postage. I only ever did that on auction sites - never on my own site.

__________________
http://www.sunnycreatives.co.uk

For Free Monthly Prize Draws and Charity Fund-raising