Dropship Experiment / Project


designyourown
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6 Apr 11 01:53:05 am
Hey All,
I haven't posted yet but feel that I should contribute to this valuable resource of information. I'm based in New Zealand and have spent a considerable amount of time researching the market in terms of online auction sites.

Right, Well having carried out a cursory search on here under 'dropship experiment' I didn't come up with much.

My idea is to open up several online auction accounts just like other people on here and then list 'popular' items which I have carefully researched on here and google. I will then use a well known dropshipper to source the items and deliver them to my customers who have ordered their items.

Once I have tested the waters I will then source some of these products through Liquidators or Wholesalers to increase my mark up. I have created an Excel Spreadsheet to monitor the projects performance and will post weekly updates once my weekly sales have been completed.

I made $100 (NZ Dollars) in my first month on Trademe, however they are not keen on Dropshippers so I had to abort that idea once they started asking me for items to be photographed with NZ newspapers and sent through to their proof department, which of course I couldn't carry out.

I am going to keep this project open for a minimum of 1 year in order to inspire and help others over time. The ultimate aim of this project is to then 'branch out' with a coroporate website which will then sell dropship items imported from their webiste.

I don't profess to knowing everything! So any information that you think would help this project succeed would be greatly welcomed.

Will post further updates soon,

Rob.


richelle_salehoo1
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6 Apr 11 03:42:35 am
Welcome to SaleHoo, Rob :)

Thanks for sharing your 'dropship experiment'. It's always nice reading how our members get on with their online businesses - this is a great way to pick up a few tips too!

As far as I know dropshipping is NOT allowed on TradeMe so it might be best you try other auction sites to pursue your experiment. Keeping tabs is a great way to see your progress, but don't be too hard on yourself otherwise you might end up frustrated always take things a challenge that you can overcome :)

Usually most sellers after gaining experience and capital will venture to start their own sites and to sourcing products in bulk or through wholesaler/liquidators. Reading your post, I'm sure you'll get to achieve this too!

All the best, do keep us posted :)


Richelle

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SaleHoo Group Limited

fudjj
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6 Apr 11 05:14:56 am
Here's a way out there Drop Shipping business idea for those brave enough to give anything a try.

We have members from all over the world here, and if they all looked hard enough in their little local weekend markets and such, could probably find some quite unique items specific to their own area.

You create a network of people all sourcing unique products from their own areas, create a site where each person can contribute to the network as a supplier and makes a commission on each of their items sold.

OK, so there isn't much detail there lol, but that's the framework. Absolute nightmare to pull that type of network together, but if someone could do it, wow, what a cool drop shipping resource.

You would have suppliers of products drop shipping other members products, as well has have open products for anyone who wanted to drop ship from the directory as well, and the real beauty is that it would give so many people something new to drop ship, not have everyone tripping over each other selling the same old things from the same old suppliers all the time.

There you go, if there is someone brave enough to dream big enough, go away and make that happen : )


Mark (fudjj)

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designyourown
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6 Apr 11 06:26:30 am
Thanks for your kinds words Richelle. fudjj thanks for your suggestion it seems to have some potential although like you said it would be hard work (the best of ideas require lots of initial legwork!) - however with over 75,000 members on here it could be made easy if costs were kept to a minimum and everybody who is serious about partaking in a Salehoo community based project gave a little of their expertise to this project - in return we all have equal shared ownership as senior contributing members.

So I would say 5-10 people would be required to design, maintain and be responsible long term for the maintenance and upkeep of the site - these would be the senior members. Once we have completed the design, testing and launch phase of the site - Salehoo star members from all different parts of the globe could then sign-up and offer their items whilst at the same time earn commison per sale.

We would need (off the top of my head)
Web Designers / SEO
Content Management
Reasearchers
Persons with applicable legal knowledge
Marketing Specialist(s)

Any other suggestions? Are you going to join us fudjj?


fudjj
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6 Apr 11 08:06:06 am
You know DYO, I think you've covered the nuts and bolts type of requirements for a project this size, and those types of things can usually be put in place when there is a framework top build around.

The absolute key for a massive project like this to work is to have members with the drive and passion to unglue their backsides from their computer chairs, get out into their local communities, where ever they are in the world, and take a look at what is available!

Products like hand made jewellery, craft type items, art, organic health care products, home made cosmetics and so on. There is a wealth of products that aren't usually considered prime drop shipping products, that could well find a big market if promoted correctly.

People are screaming out for unique products to drop ship, products that aren't already completely saturated. Creating our own trading environment would be a massive undertaking, but once created would create such a massive buzz within the drop shipping industry ..... well the mind actually goggles at the potential that lays behind such an idea.

This is one of these world domination type of ideas that I tend to have floating around in the shadows of my demented little mind from time to time, however this one has been sitting there festering away for a year or two now.

Of course I have given it much more thought that what I outlined in my previous post, and it's an idea that I have always had a lot of faith in myself. I wouldn't say that I am blessed with a stack of free time, but to be honest I couldn't sit back if an idea like this started crawling and watch from the side lines.

In other words, I'm stupid enough to climb on board, give the tree a good shake and see what falls out : )


Mark (fudjj)

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designyourown
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6 Apr 11 08:42:22 am
Well fudjj - I think it’s a very good idea; everything is here to make it a success. I always think of the pros and cons with a suggestion like this and the pro's far outweigh the cons. I'm not blessed with bundles of time either but I have enough to contribute and it's great that you will be able to come on board too as a senior salehoo member.

This would be a great advertisement for salehoo if we could pull this one off, the dropshipping world would be re-vitalised.

So we need a clear strategy / framework in place, a plan........

Who feels they can contribute as a senior member? As previously mentioned I think we will need people with:

Advanced Web Design / SEO Skills
Graphic Design Experience
Experienced internet marketing knowledge
E-commerce legal experience
Content Management
Internet researchers

Any other suggestions would be more than welcome....Oh where the hell do we start? :) Costs need to be kept to an absolute minimum and we need to rely on people giving their time for free in return for future financial incentives from any website that is designed. 10 senior members = 10% of any future profits. The most important members (star members) would also be paid commissions for sourcing and selling their items on the site.

Anybody who feels they can contribute to this project and has a get up and go attitude who wants to come on board as a senior contributing member please apply within lol :)

Would Salehoo endorse this idea? Lets see how many of the 75,000+ members will come on board. Over to you people - feedback and suggestions needed.


fudjj
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6 Apr 11 09:10:15 am
Absolutely massive project to pull off and would no doubt be headaches at every turn, that said, is it possible?

Absolutely, as they say, go big or go home lol!

This kind of massive venture needs members who think far in advance of drop shipping iPhones, it needs members who do think big, members who want to create, members who have drive and ambition.

Now as you say, we have so many members here on the SaleHoo, however one of my biggest frustrations has always been member's lack of interest in utilizing such an amazing opportunity to build networks with other members to create opportunities for themselves.

I don't know if it's people being apathetic, a lack of imaination or just a serious lack of ambition, but the focus is always on building networks with suppliers, hardly ever on developing networks with other members!

10s of thousands of members from all over the world and I'm not aware of any venture where more than two members are networking with each other to create an opportunity. Sure, every now and then someone floats the idea of group buying, but the concept is usually ill conceived and goes no where.

Do we have members here that are capable of dreaming this big. members that have the drive to pull a venture like this together?, well I know we have a few, and I live in hope that we have plenty more waiting in the wings, because the engine room for this sized project are our members!

That to me is the very first place to start, build the engine and this bus can move, it all comes down to members putting their hands up and saying, count me in. I'm going to get out and about and take a look at what possible products are available in my area.

That's where this starts, the technical and legal aspects of a venture like this can be put in place easily enough, but we need the engine running on all cylinders to build the basic framework that the rest can be built around.

Would SaleHoo get behind a project like this?, well I think we would need to get this baby down the road a little before even contemplating taking this to admin, but saying that, I'm sure if it did start rolling in the right direction, it's something that admin would possibly take a look at also getting behind.

For starters, it's up to those of us brave or stupid to think big enough to get this rolling. Once the wheels move, you would most likely find other wanting to jump on before the bus left the station.

From the very start, what we don't want to do is fill the forum up with ideas and questions about this type of thing, because I've seen it before, it can go nuts and questions and opinions can open up in all different threads and are impossible to cover and keep control of.

My suggestion would be to start a network through Skype or similar, somewhere where those members were interested could talk through ideas and essentially build a consensus on how best to proceed.

This venture isn't about throwing money in right now, it's about what interested members can contribute, either as a product supplier or catering to one of the specialty categories that we would need serviced as the venture grew.

So, I'm with you DYO. Lets throw the door open to general level of interest at this point, and lets see where it goes from there : )


Mark (fudjj)

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designyourown
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6 Apr 11 10:07:55 am
I agree totally fudjj.... I am trying to reset my password on skype as I haven't used it in a while. However people can discuss this is in a private domain / forum via facebook - I think most people have accounts on here these days.

I have created an account which brings up my name Rob Chester however I have put a request in to change it to - 'salehoo dropship project' I have set the privacy settings so that the content and our discussions remain private.

For people wishing to discuss ideas further please type in this email address into the search bar on facebook: salehooproject@live.co.uk - then add as a friend.

It will bring up a name of 'Rob Chester' but like I said it should change in the next 24hrs.

Once you have added fudjj I will message you with the login / password and make you an admin.

"High achievers spot rich opportunities swiftly, make big decisions quickly and move into action immediately. Follow these principles and you can make your dreams a reality"


fudjj
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6 Apr 11 08:52:55 pm
Request sent Rob, under Marc. : )


Mark (fudjj)

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richelle_salehoo1
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6 Apr 11 09:52:49 pm
Looks like you guys were business brewing a up a storm (of ideas) while I was out :) The best of luck to your SaleHoo dropship project!

An update of how things go would be great!

Cheers:)


Richelle

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fudjj
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6 Apr 11 10:02:45 pm
What's this about updates lol.

I expect to see plenty of SaleHoo staff on board with this one, so I'll look forward to seeing you on the Facebook network Richelle : )


Mark (fudjj)

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designyourown
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6 Apr 11 11:45:50 pm
Fudjj you have been added to the page...onwards and upwards! I think Richelle needs to send in a request to keep updated ;)

Still need lot's more people to join....people power!


richelle_salehoo1
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7 Apr 11 01:33:37 am
Request sent! Just waiting for confirmation :)


Richelle

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SaleHoo Group Limited

designyourown
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7 Apr 11 05:52:32 am
Request sent! Just waiting for confirmation :)


Richelle you have now been added to the community - need more people to join us and add their expertise to this project in order for it to be a success.

We need people who are experienced (for starters) at:

Web design
Graphic Design
Dropshipping

To come forward if interested and help this project to grow onwards and upwards. Every little helps even if your time is precious.

:)


cozziemomonz
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10 Apr 11 08:48:22 am
Hi There,

Good to hear another trader floating on salehoo from our little corner of the world.

Trademe are complete pricks to deal with and unless you want to buy and hold niche market products, i would not even go there!.

There are other opportunities where you can make money via drop-shipping.

!) www.sella.co.nz - Free commission based website - Not as big as trademe but you can still sell a far bit there.

2) build a website - There are great companies that offer e-commerce templates with flatrate hosting and unlimited storage, and free domain name like: www.vodahost.com

if you are serious about drop-shipping, it is absolutely no picnic and is like raising a child - it needs your full time attention if you wish it to be successful.

Always happy to help if you have any questions or growing concerns.

Cody
Cozziemomo NZ


 

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