Found out the products I'm selling on my website are on Amazon/Ebay

[Valsore]

Hello Guys

I've started an e-commerce drop shipping website where I sell martial arts equipment and clothing, such as Adidas Boxing shorts or Everlast Punching Bags. I managed to get approved for a trade account from some suppliers and now I can offer decent prices to customers. I am getting a bit of traffic due to putting my products on Google Shopping, however still no sale.

I don't know if I am allowed to post my website on here, but I am doing it strictly for feedback purposes. (www.zeusfightclub.com) I found out recently that the products which I am able to get a good deal on, are being sold for less then the Recomended Retail Prices on Amazon and Ebay by the suppliers I am using and by some third party online stores. Has anybody else ran into this problem and what did you do?

Thanks,

Valsore

 

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[Randomized]

Woah....

I didn't realize people were still drop shipping!

I can't really help you but I wish the best of luck!

 

[Walter Hay]

Hello Guys

I've started an e-commerce drop shipping website where I sell martial arts equipment and clothing, such as Adidas Boxing shorts or Everlast Punching Bags. I managed to get approved for a trade account from some suppliers and now I can offer decent prices to customers. I am getting a bit of traffic due to putting my products on Google Shopping, however still no sale.

I don't know if I am allowed to post my website on here, but I am doing it strictly for feedback purposes. (www.zeusfightclub.com) I found out recently that the products which I am able to get a good deal on, are being sold for less then the Recomended Retail Prices on Amazon and Ebay by the suppliers I am using and by some third party online stores. Has anybody else ran into this problem and what did you do?

Thanks,

Valsore

You have identified a major problem among the many involved in dropshipping. Suppliers competing with their own reseller customers.

I won't list all the other problems. They have been dealt with in other threads, but the business model is so deficient that large numbers of people have shifted to carrying inventory and consequently making good margins.

Walter

 

[Randomized]

Suppliers competing with their own reseller customers.

I would agree with this. Most companies now sell their own products them self....

 

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[Mark Anthony Le]

If you're focused on prices then you are definitely going to fail. You should've done your homework before you even jumped into the field.

You need to become the authority for martial arts equipment. You need to become the go-to respectable brand that people go to find things. You need to educate your consumers. You need to JUSTIFY in the eyes of your customers why YOU can charge the prices youre charging whether it be brand authority, security, reputabiltiy, etc. etc.

In this day and age, playing the price game will only get you nowhere. There will always be someone else thats willing to undercut profit and margins to make their inventory move.

 

[Jon L]

While your mistake might be obvious to someone that has sold online before, it wasn't obvious to you, and that's OK. What you don't want to do with this mistake is quit (not saying that you will, but if you're anything like me, you'll consider it). Figure out the next step for your business, get some feedback on it in here, and then go try it again.

 

[Valsore]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I came upon Drop Ship Lifestyle.com, and the business model was sold really well. I followed all the steps, got approved for a trade account from some big suppliers and set up the website. I've had two customers so far proceed to checkout and fill out their details only to abandon their carts.( This is all with less than 65 clicks from google adwords)

Based on this evidence would you say their is potential for this if I step up my copywriting in order to convert better.(Which I am working on right now)

I have noticed that the original suppliers descriptions of products is very bland and boring, and so I'm thinking if I can present the products in a more interesting way than the suppliers than that could be my competitive advantage.

Would you say that this is sufficient enough evidence to proceed with this or should I be looking at other ventures?

I do plan on importing in the future, however I am currently a student and just don't have the capital.

 

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[Randomized]

I do plan on importing in the future, however I am currently a student and just don't have the capital.

I started my importing business with less than $200....

Start with smaller products then proceed to bigger more valuable items.

 

[Metabaron]

Have you looked into creating your own brand and selling that way?

 

[Randomized]

Have you looked into creating your own brand and selling that way?

I think he wants to but in one of his replies he stated that he is a student with low capital.

 

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[The Irish Guy]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I came upon Drop Ship Lifestyle.com, and the business model was sold really well. I followed all the steps, got approved for a trade account from some big suppliers and set up the website. I've had two customers so far proceed to checkout and fill out their details only to abandon their carts.( This is all with less than 65 clicks from google adwords)

Based on this evidence would you say their is potential for this if I step up my copywriting in order to convert better.(Which I am working on right now)

I have noticed that the original suppliers descriptions of products is very bland and boring, and so I'm thinking if I can present the products in a more interesting way than the suppliers than that could be my competitive advantage.

Would you say that this is sufficient enough evidence to proceed with this or should I be looking at other ventures?

I do plan on importing in the future, however I am currently a student and just don't have the capital.

I don't think anyone here can conclusively answer if using more exciting descriptions will make this a viable business for you but you have said yourself you dont have the capital to import now. The commodities you have are your time and knowledge so use your time to increase your knowledge by trying the different ideas you have, it might not be enough to make the dropshipping business viable but any increase in your marketing/copywriting skills will pay dividends and might make the difference between success and failure when you do have the capital to import...

 

[Metabaron]

I do plan on importing in the future, however I am currently a student and just don't have the capital.

This here. I suggest removing this belief that you don't have capital. Hustle and make some extra coin, or do some side work training people. Check out some of the mindset threads from Limitless or Sinister Lex.

 

[Ecom man]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I came upon Drop Ship Lifestyle.com, and the business model was sold really well. I followed all the steps, got approved for a trade account from some big suppliers and set up the website. I've had two customers so far proceed to checkout and fill out their details only to abandon their carts.( This is all with less than 65 clicks from google adwords)

Based on this evidence would you say their is potential for this if I step up my copywriting in order to convert better.(Which I am working on right now)

I have noticed that the original suppliers descriptions of products is very bland and boring, and so I'm thinking if I can present the products in a more interesting way than the suppliers than that could be my competitive advantage.

Would you say that this is sufficient enough evidence to proceed with this or should I be looking at other ventures?

I do plan on importing in the future, however I am currently a student and just don't have the capital.

65 clicks is not even close to enough data to make a decision. Many people won't buy from Amazon or eBay because they have had a bad experience there or because they like to support small businesses.

A couple of things about your site. Add a contact us page at the top (can be done through shopify admin). That will allow customers to contact you with any questions. I would also make shipping either free no matter how much they purchase or a specific price to anywhere in your country. I have to scroll down quite a ways before I see the products on your home page. You might consider removing the whole graphic Where it says train like a god etc. maybe combine that in with your top logo or something. Each product description is super generic with no additional information. I would change that.

Your shipping and returns is horrible. That would definitely keep me from buying from you. A 6 day turn around time where you might or might not ship my item? No thanks I will order from some other place. A 10£ fee if I cancel my order even if it hasn't shipped? The sounds of the customers running to another site is getting louder. In my opinion either you need to get some new dropshippers who can get things sent in a timely manner or start stocking items yourself. With a might ship might not time of 5-6 days And charging me 10£ To cancel my order for no reason other than you feel like it, I wouldn't buy from you either.

 

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[Walter Hay]

I started my importing business with less than $200....

Start with smaller products then proceed to bigger more valuable items.

I have had many of my book users start with $300 or less. Some of them have gone on to develop big importing businesses, others have been content with staying on the sidewalk, with plenty of pocket money to spend.

Walter

 

[Valsore]

65 clicks is not even close to enough data to make a decision. Many people won't buy from Amazon or eBay because they have had a bad experience there or because they like to support small businesses.

A couple of things about your site. Add a contact us page at the top (can be done through shopify admin). That will allow customers to contact you with any questions. I would also make shipping either free no matter how much they purchase or a specific price to anywhere in your country. I have to scroll down quite a ways before I see the products on your home page. You might consider removing the whole graphic Where it says train like a god etc. maybe combine that in with your top logo or something. Each product description is super generic with no additional information. I would change that.

Your shipping and returns is horrible. That would definitely keep me from buying from you. A 6 day turn around time where you might or might not ship my item? No thanks I will order from some other place. A 10£ fee if I cancel my order even if it hasn't shipped? The sounds of the customers running to another site is getting louder. In my opinion either you need to get some new dropshippers who can get things sent in a timely manner or start stocking items yourself. With a might ship might not time of 5-6 days And charging me 10£ To cancel my order for no reason other than you feel like it, I wouldn't buy from you either.

Thank you very much for this feedback, If I had more than 6 $ Rep I would transfer

I have implemented the changes you have stated, (removed the banner, fixed the shipping policy so now I don't charge customers if it hasn't shipped, also I am offering free shipping on all products, currently working on fleshing out the product descriptions). However I have a bigger question to ask you, after having looked at your other posts, and seeing that you have a lot of experience in e-commerce. Do you think that my website(factor in the fact that I am drop shipping) will be able to compete? I have already spent more than 50 pounds (almost 100 USD) on google shopping ads and I have made no money. I don't care about failure and I am never going to give up until I make it, but I am not particularly attached to this particular business. So to avoid wasting time and begin working on other ventures, it would help if you can give me your opinion on this.

 

[Valsore]

As for everybody else, thank you for the feedback. I am most definitely going to read more in depth about importing now.

 

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[Valsore]

This here. I suggest removing this belief that you don't have capital. Hustle and make some extra coin, or do some side work training people. Check out some of the mindset threads from Limitless or Sinister Lex.

I totally agree, thanks for pointing out these threads.

 

[Ecom man]

Thank you very much for this feedback, If I had more than 6 $ Rep I would transfer

I have implemented the changes you have stated, (removed the banner, fixed the shipping policy so now I don't charge customers if it hasn't shipped, also I am offering free shipping on all products, currently working on fleshing out the product descriptions). However I have a bigger question to ask you, after having looked at your other posts, and seeing that you have a lot of experience in e-commerce. Do you think that my website(factor in the fact that I am drop shipping) will be able to compete? I have already spent more than 50 pounds (almost 100 USD) on google shopping ads and I have made no money. I don't care about failure and I am never going to give up until I make it, but I am not particularly attached to this particular business. So to avoid wasting time and begin working on other ventures, it would help if you can give me your opinion on this.

How competitively are your products priced? They don't have to be the cheapest option around but if other sites are selling the exact same product as you and you are double or triple their price you won't sell many or any.

Whether your website will be able to compete is impossible to guess without more data. In regards to Adwords, are you sending customers to the exact product page or your homepage? Do you have a separate campaign or ad group for each product? Are you using broad match, phrase match, or exact match? Have you looked at the search terms that people are clicking onto your site from? Are the search terms relevant? If not start adding negative keywords. There is a ton of tweaks to make to ad campaigns. If you are just throwing up one campaign for your site in general with general keywords it probably won't convert well.

 

[biophase]

This is tough because all the products you are selling are branded. So people will search for them specifically elsewhere. Can you get any non-branded stuff from your dropshipper?

 

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