- Sep 23, 2013
- 649
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@Flyleaf
I can't thank you enough for sharing this information.
I can't thank you enough for sharing this information.
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Hey Randall,Awesome! If you don't mind, regarding outsourcing your programming:
Are you saying that you are outsourcing adding tangible product descriptions, weights, packaging requirements to marketplaces?
The reason why I ask is that you mentioned you had approximately 25,000 items you are selling online. This has been one of my biggest dilemmas on adding more dropshippable products do to the fact of having to provide the data for others to add to various marketplaces, websites.
If you are doing that, can you share a generic process of making that happen?
If not, I understand, but you are making me think that this might be possible without having to oversee every dotted I and crossed t.
Or, are you referring to outsourcing your programming of developing an online store only?
Again, thanks for your time!
Randall
Something I should make clear here is that I never go out looking for "dropshipping companies". If a company advertises that they are a dropshipping company then I stay away. Many of them are scammy where they want a big fee up front, or even if they are legitimate then everyone else and their brother is already using them.
I hope people caught this little tidbit of information.
When he first mentioned "drop-shipping" I thought, "utt oh, entry violation." Why? Because everyone is looking for dropshippers who will make their life easy. How he fixes the entry issue is he doesn't use company's that specifically mention dropshipping because that is where the crowd, or the herd is looking.
Instead, he uses his personal capital and tries to establish relationships with manufacturers that are off-the-grid, and not advertising dropshipping. Heck, some of them might not even know what it is.
Easy - Oh look at this list! This website lists 100 dropshippers. I'm gonna call em!
(Problem is, every tom-dick-and-harry is using them, crowding the space.)
Hard - Call 2 dozen manufacturers that don't necessarily "drop ship" and establish a personal relationship with them.
Result: Unique products without fly-by-night money chasers crowding the space.
Hey Randall,
Well for me I outsource all of my programming. I know enough web design and HTML to get by but nothing major. A good developer will be able to go to a site and develop a system that automatically pulls product descriptions, weights, SKU's etc. put that into a program that can then input that information into an ad or listing for whatever marketplace you are targeting. From my understanding It can be done in a number of different ways. Again, I found mine at freelancer.com but I've also heard that elance.com is good as well. Just read feedback and discuss your expectations with any programmer before hiring them. In the beginning some of these things can maybe be handled with an excel spreadsheet or even by hand. But once you start getting into even hundreds of items it starts to become more necessary to integrate programming. Don't let programming intimidate you though. I can't program my way out of a paper bag. lol But a good programmer will walk you through everything that needs to be done. They are out there you just have to look.
Have you ever received heat for not being an authorized reseller of the merchandise? There are two models here :
1. creating new drop ship relationships (legit and awesome) and
2. buying products from places like Amazon and reselling them on eBay for more than market (consumers get screwed)
I applaud the first one, and distain the second one.
Yeah I have seen people doing the model you guys are describing and it is not sustainable for the long term. This is really more of an issue on eBay.com then other sites like Amazon where there is one product page and image with multiple sellers. I think when you are starting off then it is an okay way for people to get their feet wet but as you said you would begin dealing with Copyright and Trademark issues of companies who either don't want their products listed or their images used. Of course you have to respect this and if you don't then you'll get your business shuttered. In my experience about 95% of the companies out there have no problem with you using their images as long as you are buying the product directly from them. But you can't just assume that. I always try and get permission if I am unable to take my own pictures, but even then some companies will open a violation against you on various channels. Usually this is just a case of a company where the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Establishing relationships is always the best way to go but using other retails sites for arbitrage is a model that works well. Anytime I have ever had anyone accuse me of anything like copyright, trademark or even counterfeiting I always contact that company immediately and explain the situation. 9 times out of 10 the problem is fixed over the phone. If you are doing things right then you have nothing to worry about, but no you can't just copy and paste everything you find on the internet. Apologies if I gave that impression.
Don't be a bottom feeding dickhead.
I apologize if indeed you are building relationships with all of these suppliers, but it doesn't sound like you are. Let it be known my disdain with copyright infringement.
Some of your company's money is made illegally. You should hope you never come across my products or those of business owners I know who take brand protection very seriously.
Some of your company's money is made illegally.
He admitted to doing exactly what I am talking about. He said he doesnt always get permission. Ill drop it.
...But the fact that some companies didn't want me to use their images was what led me to seek permission with all the companies I now use...
So if I were to use target.com or Walmart ...
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