Dropshipping - Can I try to sell something without buying it

it was my understanding that i could post a product from a dropshipper on ebay w\out buying it. then when somebody bought it and paid me i would then order the product from the drop shipper. If that's correct then where do i get the pic to post of the product i'm trying to sell and where it says item location on the ebay listing do i put my location or dropshippers location. if i can get some basic idea of this dropping method works then i can get something going.

Its best to use your location. Most will know if thier item was dropshipped anyways. All they care about is that they got what they ordered.

If you need product pictures, do a picture search of the model item you are selling. save the best picture you find and upload it to a place like photobucket.com and put the url from your pic in your listing.

If your dropshipper does not have the product you sold then you should immediately refund the buyers money and say you mistakenly listed a test auction.

If you get a buyer offering you more money for an item then its worth and wants you to ship to his brother in wherever. Do not even respond. It they did a buy it now and paid for it. And want you to ship somewhere else then refund the money and report them to ebay.

i got stung with ebay once. they wanted proof i had items and they told me that a person must have the items in hand to post on ebay, which many do not, they dropship.

I drop ship out of Tulsa and live in Chicago. It may depend on what you are selling ~ category wise...check it out. You can also do a manual changing of the 'Location' when you post the item (quick little get around). Just change the zip code to the drop ship zip code. I DO know that eBay does NOT like to have 'Drop Shipped' in the verbage ~ they will kick your listing back to you for editing, but I've never run in to a problem with them. Hope this helps! :P

PS3's and stuff like that are the only thing I've heard of for needing it in-hand. I dropship 75% of my items and never had a problem.

Haus1028 has it correct.


You should always use your local zipcode where you live, and develop a closely knit relationship with your supplier.


Or if the supplier is very big and busy, talk to them on the phone and develop one that is as good as it can be.


If you're out of stock, it will be a problem for doing test sales.

Like Jimmy said, a secret technique is just search google, webcrawler, or altavista for pictures of the item. Find the bests ones possible then upload them to photobucket or some other server for free.

Throw them into your product page, DON'T use the extra HTML offers eBay or Ubid throw at you, and you will be charged the BASE COST (lowest you can get) for selling anything.

So if it doesn't sell, you're home free again and can do it more.



WARNING: BEWARE of product keywords.....If you start listing alot and put product keywords in your TITLE, eBay, uBid, and bid-alot will SUSPEND your ACCOUNT for no reason!


This is a double negative if you put the keywords in there and then use Google Adwords or some other trick and pile hundreds of people there through the traffic exchange......then they will be REALLY mad.


So its best to know exactly what you are selling, DO NOT EVER put brand name keywords in the title of what you are selling. Unless it is official and won't confuse buyers.


ALOT OF CLEVER POPULAR BRAND NAMES put their keywords in their titles and are allowed to do this....because they are the actual brands or close to it as possible it never matters.


But if its not the actual brand and is being compared to XYZ brand, it always matters and is taken seriously.

Its best to use your location. Most will know if thier item was dropshipped anyways. All they care about is that they got what they ordered.

ALWAYS USE YOUR DROPSHIPPERS LOCATION!!! I WAS SUSPENDED FROM EBAY FOR ADVERTISING SOMETHING FROM MY DROPSHIPPER WHO IS IN HONG KONG BUT I PUT THE ITEM LOCATION AS UK. IF IT HADN'T BEEN STOPPED, THERE WOULD'VE BEEN A HUGE IMPORT TAX ISSUE!!! Thankfully, I was re-instated without problems.