You are probably here because you saw a
button
and link on an eBay auction that looked like this:
Ordering from me is safe. I do not use drop shipping to fill my
orders.
This little button is meant to inform
you that the seller who's auction you were viewing does not use the
dangerous practice of drop shipping to supply the products they sell on
eBay. Although this does not necessarily mean you are dealing with
a reputable eBay seller (check
their feedback!) it means that you are lowering your risk
significantly.
What is drop shipping?
Drop shipping is a method some eBay sellers use to source their products
and, in short, it means that the products they are selling are not
actually in their possession. In fact, they may have never seen
the product, handled the product, or used the product in their life.
It works like this...
The eBay seller finds a drop shipping
supplier, there are many of them. They then browser the drop ship
supplier's catalog for products they wish to sell on eBay. Once
they find a product that looks good, one they can profit with, they list
the item on eBay.
Then, when and only when you buy the
product they contact the drop shipper and use the funds you have sent
them to purchase the product and have it shipped directly to you.
They are acting as a middleman. You are paying the eBay seller but
actually buying the product from a third party.
THIS PUTS YOU AT RISK.
How does buying from an eBay
seller who uses drop shipping put me at risk?
A seller who uses drop shipping has no control of their
inventory. Since they (the eBay seller) do not actually order the
product you have purchased until after you have paid them for it there
is always a chance -- and a good chance on a popular product -- that
when the seller goes to complete the order they will find the product is
SOLD OUT.
This means that you will not be
getting your product. Of course an honest eBay seller will then
tell you this and refund your money, but if all you wanted was your
money then you never would have bought the item in the first place.
But it gets worse...
Some eBay sellers will have spent
some of your money. As a middleman they have of course sold the
product to you for more than they pay the drop shipper for it. So,
the difference is their profit and they may have already spent that
money and literally cannot afford to refund you -- not right away
anyhow.
Also, if you need to return the
product for any reason -- if you do not like it or if it is defective --
then you will run into trouble as well. You will be communicating
to the eBay seller who then has to pass the information on to the drop
shipper. When you send the item back, usually you will have to
send it to the eBay seller who will then send it to the drop shipper
which means it is going to be a long time until you're satisfied.
How can I tell if an eBayer is
using a drop shipper?
There is no way to tell 100% of the time, but there are some
clues that could help you determine if the eBay seller you are
interested in buying from is using drop shipping:
-
If the auction reads "item ships
from" such as "the item will ship from our warehouse in Utah"
-
If the search (list) shows the
distance from one state but the "Item Location" shows another location
-
If there is feedback with a buyer
response similar to "sorry, my supplier ran out of the item"
-
If the shipping time seems too long
as most ebay sellers try to ship promptly
-
If you see the words SMC or
Specialty Merchandise Corp in the listing
Those are just some quick things to
look for when checking to see if an eBay seller is using drop shipping.
The best way to find out is to ASK THEM BEFORE BUYING OR
BIDDING!
Good luck and remember if you shop
smart and stick to sellers with good feedback and realistic prices (not
too good to be true) then eBay is a fun, safe, and low-cost way to shop.
If you are interested in starting
to sell products on eBay then we can help you get started without the
need to invest a lot of money in wholesale products and without using
the dreaded drop shipping.
To learn more,
click here.
A SAMPLE OF MY EBAY NO-DROPSHIP LISTINGS: 
