The Wholesale Forums

[MustHaveMobiles]

Its like anything, it takes work to see the benefits. Lots of forums dismiss dropshippers/dropshipping as a no no but in all honesty as long as you do your research and avoid all the cliche markets then there are some really great opportunities. Dropshipping alone can provide a good income, however as a support stream it is even more a powerful tool.

Don't get me started on promotional dropshipping either, its an area I am quite heavily involved in when testing and launching markets...

[Pete]

I think it's great. I've made a lot of money selling dropshipped goods. But I've worked at it, I've promoted my sites, I've paid PPC's, etc. There can be very good money made selling dropshipped products, but even if you do it part time you have to set aside some time for "work" and work at it.

It's not a cash machine, it's another way a selling. But like all sales, you must work at it.

Although, when Overture was 5 cents a hit for keywords, I did go a couple of years with hardly any effort except paying Overture. But then Yahoo bought them out and it's never been the same.

[Simmondsp]

Hi pete.

whats your going rate for a website with a zen cart?

Thanks
Paul

Originally Posted by pete

Amen! I can't tell you the number of people who have paid me to put up a cart for them to sell dropshipped goods. Doesn't matter what the products, it works out the same. They open a hosting account and I install a free cart for them. It sits for awhile, then they pay me to actually do the whole cart, enter the items upload the images, all the rest. They even want me to write the About Us and such pages. I refuse that, tell them I'll put up what they provide.

So, I end up with a single site hosting account and $ 100 or more for the work and within 3 or 4 months they haven't sold the first thing. They cancel their hosting and throw in the towel. I preach finding a niche, doing some seo, maybe some PPC. Nope! Build a site, let it sit and wait for the money to come in.

Yeah, right!

So many really believe that a website is a gold mine with the gold just lying on the ground. They hardly want to bend over to pick it up, let alone dig at all.

One forum where a bunch of them come from I post stuff like this, they say "that won't happen to me", they pay me and 3 or 4 months later they haven't done a thing. I try and talk them out of it and they just have to do it. I like money as well as anyone, but I like to feel like I'm helping someone, not just sticking my hand in their pocketbook.

[Pete]

Send me an email at pete at smallbusinesshoster dot com. I'll tell you all you want to know. I'm not supposed to give prices in the forums.

[Comspec]

Pete - you have hit the nail squarely on the head there...

It's not a cash machine, it's another way a selling. But like all sales, you must work at it.

I have said it before, and I will again - those who work at it, put the effort into their business and market it properly - WILL make money. Thos who just expect the sales to come to them will make much less. As in all aspects of business really.

[GettingRicher]

I earn around 80% of my income through dropshipping. The rest comes from writing and selling eBooks and a little from Google Adsense.

It requires hard work in the beginning. You have to find a niche market and become familiar with the products so you can answer any question. You have to find warehouses that stock the products and visit them in person to persuade them to handle your orders.

[Jayden]

I think you need a stable job to be on the secure side...Dropshiping is just a bonus...But when you see that you are making a lot of money and could substantially live for a while on it...why not?

[Simmondsp]

Im looking to solely dropship one day. but like Jayden says i need to get into the warehouses, talk to them and ask them to handle my orders. This is very hard. Also alot of markets these days move so quickly either by taste or technology so you have to stay completly up to date to maximise profits.

[GettingRicher]

Originally Posted by Simmondsp

like Jayden says i need to get into the warehouses, talk to them and ask them to handle my orders. This is very hard.

I wrote that. And it is hard. If it wasn't, everybody would be doing it.

You just have to put your suit on and bite the bullet. 9 out of ten will say no. Of the ones that say "yes", at least 1 in 3 will fail to deliver on any promises. It takes time to build up a relationship and continual badgering to keep them efficient. But the rewards are worth it.

Also, look for niche products that nobody else is selling. Forget iPods etc. Apple has the monopoly. Any "cheap" ones you find will be fakes or refurbished.

Before thinking about drop-shipping, just look around the trade suppliers near home. If you know they have plenty of something in stock, advertise it on your web site. Look for a *minimum* clear profit of at least 40% (low cost items) or £10. When an order comes in, nip out, buy it and despatch it the same day. Become an expert on whatever you are selling. Be able to answer any question (and put the common questions and answers on your site). This will attract more customers. People like to be "led by the hand" and they like to know there's someone they can ask when things don't work as expected.

[giftstogo]

Originally Posted by Anthony

That's your opinion. Needless to say I doubt many here would agree with you.

Hi Anthony - I have to agree that I wouldnt choose the safety of a regular wage over being my own boss.

I noticed the Avatar - I wonder what would have happened to RB if he had chosen to go the 'regular wage' route.

My son commented the other day that since my landlord ordered me to clear my stock (fire hazard according to them) - instead of having a room full of stock, I now have access to 6 warehouses full of products just waiting for me to do something with them.

If we think small - we'll stay small