Using multiple drop-shippers

[Bill]

I am looking to set up an online shop that would have possibly 10 different brand name products. If these products are all coming from different locations, is it possible to use drop-shipping to create my business with 0 inventory?

My fear is that I may have to take inventory if I want to have a good selection of items for my customers.

Thanks for your response in advance.

[Drewkerr]

Before you decide what to put on your website make sure it can be dropshipped. Start by making a list of all the products you want to sell, then narrow it down to ones that can be drop shipped, then sell those products only. No inventory needed!

Drew

[Bill]

Drew,

Thank you for the response. My question is more along the lines of, how do I dropship products that have more than one manufacturer? For example, lets say I want to sell toy cars. There are two producers that I want to use, and both will dropship, Hot Wheels and Matchbox. However, they are in different locations.

My problem is, what do I do if a customer orders products from both manufacturers? If I am dropshipping, would my customer have to expect two packages coming from different locations? In my mind, this is not the ideal situation.

The toy cars is a rather simplified example. The product I am looking at actually has many more suppliers than this.

Thank you again.
Bill

[Drewkerr]

A simple disclamer in the checkout process that not all products are shipped together. That would clear up any problems.


Drew

[Bill]

Awesome, thanks Drew. That sounds a lot better than taking on inventory!

Bill

[Webzu]

That's what Amazon does when things are shipped from different vendors they just mention it they will be shipped separate.

[TravelDog]

One of the issues, of course, with multiple vendors and shipping locations is the multiple shipping charges that you will incur. There's a limit to how many different charges a customer will accept. With a single order being filled by five drop shippers, you will probably be eating some shipping charges, particulary if all items ordered would fit into a single reasonably sized box.

Does anyone have some good insights on how to deal with a not-so-simple muse that involves numerous products that range from fairly cheap to fairly expensive (i.e., not all in the $50 - $200 range)?

[coollikeme]

different tracking numbers for each product. I email my customer, and let them know my products come from different warehouse's. So you will have different tracking numbers. Try to keep the shipping cost close to the same price as you can. To make life easier for the customer. Watch out for the tax laws each state is different, that can be a pain. I have products that range from 5$ to 1000$. So just make it clear to the customer, and you should have no problems. Good luck!!