#2: No Middleman

A middleman is someone who steps in between you and the supplier and takes out a bit of your profit. This happens because the “middleman” buys from the supplier and then sells the products to you at a profit. That means you're selling to your end consumer at a higher cost and lower profit for you. You can see why I'm stressing the point of not using a middleman. Drop ship suppliers with your best interest at heart should not be middlemen.

Another problem with middlemen is that you can only sell what they have in stock. If you get a drop ship directory without a middleman, you have a nearly endless selection.

#3: Diversity in Products and Wholesale Suppliers

Make sure that any drop ship directory you sign up with has diversity in the products and suppliers they carry. Signing up with a drop ship directory without diversity will be severely detrimental to your business. Let's say you want to sell i-pods. You sign up with a drop ship directory you believe has i-pods. When it comes down to it, they only had one supplier and that supplier was not accepting any more clients.

You next decide you would like to sell cordless drills. This drop ship directory doesn't sell drills. Now you're in a bit of a bind because the drop ship directory you began to use is useless to you. There is a solution to this problem. Ask the drop ship directory about how many categories of products they have before you sign up to use the directory. Doing this will help you ensure that you can find the products you want to sell.

#4: Your Best Interest In Mind, Customer Service

A good customer service consultant realizes that he/she is there to help the customer, hence, “customer service”. They should have the customer's best interest at heart and want to help them succeed. They should not lose their temper or become overbearing. A customer should be able to express his/her issues with the company and feel that they have received a legitimate explanation.

If your a customer service representative, it's okay to put yourself in the customers shoes in order to help solve their problems, in fact, a great customer service consultant will do this. They will empathize with their customer. Realize, however, that empathizing does not mean giving the customer everything they want. A customer has a few things to remember too like the fact that they're dealing with a business that needs to make money in order to pay employees and make a living for themselves.

Top 5 Must-Haves of a Drop ship Directory

This post and the following four posts will be about the top five necessities that must be found in a drop ship directory before signing up with the directory.

#5: Excellent Customer Service

It's very important to make sure that the drop ship directory you plan to use has excellent customer service. If they don't have excellent customer service, then you may find yourself lost in an abyss of endless questions about how the directory works. Some ways you can make sure that a high quality customer service exists is to put it to the test and to take mental notes.

Put the customer service to the test by asking a few questions that you may have. If the customer service associates are courteous and answer your questions in a timely manor than you know they have good customer service and may very possibly have your best interest at heart.

Brainstorm, Research, Discuss, Then Dropship, In That Order

We get a lot of calls here at GoGo Dropship from people who are really interested in dropshipping, but they don't quite know how to find a product that sells. You see, the problem is that a lot of people get so involved with products they think are the next best thing since sliced bread that they forget to do their research on those products.

Please make sure that you are not choosing a product simply because you like it. Choose a product that is going to be useful and appealing to your customers as a whole. While I was going to college I was working in a fairly large craft store. I remember the day I walked in to see the freight I was to put out on the floor that day. In those boxes were some of the most hideous bags. The bag itself was useful enough but the design on some of the bags was horrific. I remember realizing right then that we were not going to be able to sell those bags very quickly.

What was the problem? Well, I think that the owner who ordered the bags did not look into the market surrounding her. Here she had a university blocks away from her store and a town full of younger generations and she was selling bags designed for older women.

Research had not been done, adding to the disaster. You see, had there been research into the competition it would have revealed that the local university bookstore was selling the exact same style of bags with better designs for a third as much as the craft store was trying to sell them for.

The lesson to be learned here is that research is a necessity to achieve success. Don't just wing it and assume that everyone has the same tastes as you; people need options and you need to give them good ones.

My Dropshipping Thought Process

I went to a 4th of July parade this weekend and heard someone say that the economy must have hit this parade. It made me think about the economy and how it is effecting everyone in some way or another. It also helped me realize just how important every dollar is to some families in America and throughout the world. Which eventually led to my thinking about the people who have made extra spending money by starting an online business even on eBay.

Seriously though, I think just about anyone can make a profit on eBay if they are willing to pay the price. There are those who say that it isn't possible, but I have seen it work for people around me. It is because of the misconception that dropshipping cannot be done on eBay that we created the eBay Weekly Seller Report. There is further information about the eBay Weekly Seller Report in a previous blog post.

Dropshipping With Direction and Focus

Let's assume that you now have a product to sell, and you've had direct contact with the supplier. Now what do you do? You found a product but you're not sure how to design your web site to fit the product and your target consumer. In fact, you're not sure who your target consumer is. This post will briefly cover some questions you need to answer before moving on with your business.

What's My Target Market?

Okay, first determine what demographic your target fits into. Let's say you're selling makeup on your site. I think we can safely assume most of your customers, if not all, are going to be women. Your target could have other demographics such as age.

How Do I Market to My Target?

So, now that we know you're marketing to women, it's very important to show that on your website. Let's take Mary Kay for example. If you go to their website you will find that it features pictures of women in their 20-30's and contains shades of pink. There's one particular picture of a woman with long-stem roses around her. This is advertising the new bridal virtual makeover. You see, if I were in my 20-30's and getting married or knew anyone getting married, I would relate to this image.

This has been a very brief overview of just a couple questions to ask yourself. It's not all-inclusive; it's simply a reminder to look into different aspects of your target market and begin with direction and focus.

The Importance of eBay Feedback

I was speaking with a gentleman, we'll call him Bill, a couple nights ago who asked what I do for a living. I told him that I do search engine marketing for a dropship directory company.

After further conversation with Bill's wife, I learned that her husband had actually had a dropshipping business. Apparently things were going well and he was making a lot of money. The problem is that he had started the business with his sister who later bought out the company. She made a few of the classic eBay mistakes like not delivering on time and not delivering very high quality.

Needless to say she got several negative feedback scores from various customers which ended up driving the company into the ground.

The moral of this story is not only to watch out who you go into business with; it's to be aware of the importance of your eBay Feedback if you're going to be dropshipping on eBay.

The Best Day Ever

I got to work today thinking it would be the best day ever...then everything hit the fan. You know how I felt, we all have days like that. I've known very few people who could reach the best day ever and hold onto it.

There was one man, however, who won a blue ribbon for positive thinking. He was like a father to me at times, consoling me and helping me to see what positive and truly amazing things could come from someone of as little consequence as I. I will never forget the last conversations I had with him before his passing. He must have noticed what a hard day I was having, because he immediately came to me to cheer me up. It wasn't a long speech that encouraged me to think of the positive things in life, It was his positive attitude and his warm smile.

For those of you who may be asking what this has to do with dropshipping and business, I'll clue you in. I learned from this man not to get so caught up in my troubles that I forget to keep trying.

And so, it is on this day, that I remember him and what he has taught me. It is out of respect for him and out of his memory that I pass on his secret to you. Life is short, bad days may try to show their ugly face but because this is a new day, with new opportunity, it is the best day ever!

Find Dropship Companies and Become a Part of a $50 Billion Industry

Kimberly-Clark is cutting around 1,600 jobs in the near future due to the economic downturn. They are not the only corporation that is planning cutbacks. This is pretty disheartening to anyone who is an employee at Kimberly-Clark, especially those who are on salary. That's 1,600 more people who are going to be looking for new jobs to support their families, 1,600 people who are going to know first hand what an economic downturn can do, and 1,600 people who can't stand the thought of not being able to pay their bills.

What if I told you that those 1,600 people could have a chunk out of a 50 billion dollar industry? No, this is not one of those silly get rich quick scams you find all over the place, this is the industry of e-commerce.

Setting up an online business isn't a bad idea; there's a lot of money to be made. However, if you aren't willing to work hard, you probably won't be successful. My advice is to do your research, find a niche market you are interested in and then get some help getting started. You can find help through coaching companies and if you're looking for dropship companies, go ahead and give gogo dropship's drop ship directory a try. Good luck and, if you need any help, please let me know.

-Charly

The Solution to Your Problem

Are you having a problem finding a good drop shipper? Well, Gogo Dropship has the solution to that problem. Gogo Dropship offers a unique and very effective way to find a drop shipper that will work for you. In fact, we'll do the initial work for you! Our Product Research Team is standing by to find you a supplier that will meet your needs; the team is only a phone call, chat, or email away.

How Does it Work?

Customers of Gogo Dropship who are signed up for the Gogo Package have the option of putting in Product Research Requests to the Product Research Team. The Product Research Team will then take the request, find a drop shipper that will meet our customers needs and then get back to the customer within one to three business days.

What Do I Need to Do?

When turning in a research request to the team, you should always make sure that your request is specific enough that the team really knows what you're wanting from them. For example, instead of requesting suppliers for “sports”, try requesting suppliers for “baseball equipment” or “baseball bats”. You also need to make sure your request isn't too narrow. We are willing to take any requests and we will try our best, but you need to know that there are some name-brand products that do not drop ship.

Why is Getting Too Specific Detrimental?

When you start asking for name brand products, such as Nike brand swim goggles, there may not be a drop shipper available. There's a possibility that there is a knockoff brand sold out of China or somewhere but you have to make sure that your customers know you are not selling the actual name brand product. If you sell the knockoff brand without advertising it as such, you are breaking the law.

Further Questions?

If you have questions you may contact us by email at support@gogodropship.com or by phone at 1-866-975-5396.

Click Here to Learn More About Dropshipping and eBay

This video podcast will tell you how to stand out from the rest of the drop ship listings on eBay. Listen to hear some quick tips that will have a positive impact on your eBay selling.

Click Here to Learn About Dropshipping and eBay

This Video Podcast will cover dropshipping on eBay and how to choose the right products to dropship on eBay.

Click Here to Find Out if You Need a Dropship Directory

This video podcast will help you decide if you need a drop ship directory. It talks about the things you will have to do if you decide not to use a drop ship directory.

Click Here to Learn How to Find a Good Drop Shipper

This video podcast will cover a variety of topics to help out business owners looking to expand their business product line with minimal to no upfront cost. Basic information for those who are new to the drop ship industry is also available.

Gogo Dropship Podcast Radio

This video podcast will cover a variety of topics to help out business owners looking to expand their business product line with minimal to no upfront cost. Basic information for those who are new to the drop ship industry is also available.

Drop Shipping With Direction

Have you ever been completely lost? Imagine yourself in the middle of a great forest with trees reaching up; creating a towering sky line all around you. You're not sure where you're going but you do have a compass with you. You pull it out and the arrow begins to direct you in the direction you need to go. The compass is used as a tool to get you where you need to be but getting there requires action on your part.

Gogo Dropship's Product Research Team works the same way as this compass does. When you're lost and you're not sure where to find a drop ship company that will work well for you, the Product Research Team will step in and point you in the right direction. You can submit research requests to the team if you have the Gogo package. The team will then find qualified drop ship suppliers for you. If you're having trouble finding a supplier or don't have time, all you have to do is submit a research request and the Product Research Team will find a supplier to suit your needs.

After that, they stay with you, offering excellent customer service via phone, email and live chat. Just as the compass is always pointing the way, the Product Research Team will be there to assist and direct you through great customer service.

What is Dropshipping: In Laman's Terms

Last week I was trying to explain drop shipping to a friend of mine. I explained and then he asked me to explain it again as if he were a fifth grader. I kind of laughed to myself and tried to explain the concept once again. I think I must have explained it in a very similar way, because he just sat there and looked at me. I will give it one more shot just for you.

Drop shipping is when you go to a supplier of a certain good or service and you ask them to send out products to your customers using your companies return address. This is called blind drop shipping, because, as far as the customer is concerned, the product really did come from your business. Little do they know your business may be run out of your home office or even driving down the street using your laptop and an internet connection.

Drop shipping is a pretty easy concept to understand, it is finding a good drop shipping company that can truly be difficult. Gogo Dropship is dedicated to helping each of their clients find a legitimate drop shipping company to supply the needed products.

Gogo Dropship is a drop ship directory dedicated to the success of its clients. Our team of research professionals is constantly working to add new suppliers to the directory. We are proud to say that we have always been able to help our clients reach their desired goals.

Treat Them With Respect

You've probably heard the phrase “the customer's always right”. Well, I bet they aren't, but I also know that to maintain good customer service more often than not you have to pretend like they are. Please realize that your customers are people just like you. They also have bad days and good days, they have stress and inconvenience just as much as you. Good customer service comes a lot easier if you realize this early in your company's life.

Let's walk through a typical example of bad customer service before we go into a good example of great customer service and then an example of mediocre customer service.

I was in an accounting class a few years ago where we had to do research on the financial statements of two competitors and then report on our findings. We chose two candy companies. A friend of mine wrote to both companies to see if they would give us some free goods to give to the students in our class when we presented. One company sent some fliers too late to pass out; not exactly what we were hoping for. The package from the other company came and we found there were enough containers of candy for each class member to have their own. They went above and beyond and to this day I'm still telling people about this company and how cool they are. I forgot what the other company even was. You see, the company that sent us the candy bought some great word of mouth marketing with the gift. The other company kind of fell by the wayside with their mediocre customer service.

Beware of the Anti-Profit, the Middle Man

Watch out for the menacing middle man that seems to pop in the picture when so many are trying to drop ship. The middle man will come in and make a huge cut into your profits if you're not careful. Who is this rebel you may ask, it's anyone who claims to be a drop ship company but is not and is charging you more than a drop ship company would cost you.

These are the companies who purchase from a drop shipper, raise the price, and then sell the products to you at a higher cost than a drop shipper would have sold them to you for. This causes your profit to be substantially less than if you had contracted with an actual drop ship wholesaler and not a middle man.

I strongly caution you to do your research before signing up for anything. Know who you are dealing with and don't work with them unless they are a legitimate drop ship company, not a middle man. For more information, please visit www.gogodropship.com.

Watch out for Cheap Drop Ship Directories

Remember the old saying “you get what you pay for”? Well, this old saying is true to drop ship directories as well as other products. Watch out for want-to-be drop ship directories that try to sell you nothing but old information that won't benefit you. These are the directories that charge you so little that you think you're getting a great deal until you receive the service and find out otherwise.

There are easy ways to tell if a drop ship directory is going to work for you. Ask for some kind of reassurance that, if you are not happy with the list of suppliers provided, the company will research and find other suppliers that will work for you. Ask if the product you want to sell is featured on the drop ship directory, and make sure that it will be if it's not.

Also, make sure that you are purchasing some kind of help service that you may contact if you have any problems with the drop ship directory.

#1 Reason to Blind Drop Ship

Hey guys, I want to make sure you all know what blind drop shipping is and why it is so beneficial to your company. Blind drop shipping will help keep your product source confidential. This means that if your company is currently working with a drop shipper, they will send out the products without the wholesalers company information being involved, thus keeping your product source private.

Non blind drop shipping does take place but please keep in mind that if your wholesale supplier does not blind drop ship; your company information will not be printed on the package the wholesalers information will be.

You want your customers to remember your company, not the wholesaler. Plus, your customers want to be able to know that you have some control over your shipments and product movements. Take my advice and use a blind drop shipper and your business will run more smoothly.

Dare to Dropship

I would suppose that before I debate anything, I should present the facts without any bias toward either direction but after reading a certain article, I'm having a really hard time doing that. I recently read an article proclaiming that dropshipping basically isn't going to work no matter what, for a variety of reasons. This particular article read like an infomercial; they even threw in a free item toward the end, reminiscent of the infamous free set of steak knives.

After reading this article I wondered a couple different things. I wondered first if this guy is serious and then I realized it was nothing more than an advertisement for his guide. My personal opinion is that he had some legitimate points he was making, but he turned it all into one big advertisement against dropshipping and promoting his guide; I lost interest somewhere in the middle.

So is it okay to dropship on e-Bay? Personally, I advise you to do your research and see if it's going to work. Even if you only make a few dollars, you're still gaining valuable experience that will help you in selling more profitable products on the internet. If you need help finding a supplier, Gogo Dropship is here to help you.

The Internet | It's a Jungle Out There

I'm sure you have all heard the phrase, “it's a jungle out there”. This is true to the world of dropshipping. It's so easy to become entangled in the mess of jungle vines we call the world wide web; there are predators with ominous intentions looming around almost every corner. These are those who take “survival of the fittest” to mean survival of the fittest by whatever means needed, including scams.

The internet can be very tricky to deal with at times. There are so many scam and rip-off reports around that it's amazing anyone can maintain a proper business. I would strongly suggest that you do your research first in order to familiarize yourself with exactly what you're getting with any particular dropship directory.

Doing your research should prevent future trouble with unethical businesses. Remember also that if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.

The Delicate Balance

There is a delicate balance between a product that is too broad and one that is too narrow. It's not easy to figure out where this balance will take place but there are experienced professionals standing by to help you. There are many companies on the internet which offer coaching and advice to their clients; I would suggest using one of them if you're not familiar with e-commerce. There are also dropshipping directories like Gogo Dropship which offer thousands of wholesale suppliers who can dropship your products for you. You really need to check and see if your niche idea can be dropshipped before you get your heart set on it.

You may ask yourself “how can I tell if my niche is too narrow?” Well, let me tell you and clear up any confusion you may be having on the subject. If I don't explain it well enough, please feel free to leave a comment and I'll try to clarify. A product niche is too narrow when you choose one specific brand of a specific product to sell on your website. For example, if you choose to sell a specific brand of designer jeans, you're making your niche too narrow. Maybe you should open it up a bit and include other styles and brands.

Perhaps your niche is too broad if you find it difficult to get hits to your website. Watch out and don't get overwhelmed.

Run Your Company Based on a Hobby

There are a lot of dropshipping directories out there. In fact, it's sometimes very difficult to find the right product niche. I would recommend that you start off by thinking through your various hobbies and picking out two or three ideas based on what you are passionate about. After you have chosen these ideas, make sure you do your research on the products. You want to see if there is demand, dropship capabilities, and a high enough profit margin to fit your needs.

Running a company based on a hobby can be really great. You already have the background you need about the product or service. Therefore, you already have the necessary customer service capabilities. You also have the ability to create a great article base for an article directory.

The Importance of Trends: To Everything There Is a Season

You have probably heard of the popular song by the Byrds, “Turn! Turn! Turn!” but some may know it as “To Everything There is a Season”. As the lyrics of this song are true to life and to business. There is a time to sell and a time not to. There is a time to compete and a time to bale out.

Let's take Beanie Babies as an example of a product that has had its season come and go. The Beanie Baby craze began in the early 90's and continued for years after. This time period was a great time for business owners online and otherwise to step in and make a killing on a fad. We look at Beanie Babies now, however, and see different results. Most of the Beanie Baby line is changing in order to keep up with changing fads. Beanie Baby trading is no longer a popular pastime and, therefore, fewer companies are selling them in large quantities. This is a great example of a niche that can become a craze. The thing you have to watch out for is the declining trend in the product. This is something to think about as we examine some of the current trends. It's not a question of if the craze will diminish but when it will diminish.

For example, the Hanah Montana craze ripped through the United States and other countries like a tsunami. The craze is continuing with the recent release of the Hanah Montana Movie. As a result, store owners, online and off, are taking advantage of this product niche. It seems like everywhere I go I see Hanah Montana this or Hanah Montana that. My own niece has Hanah Montana board games, t-shirts, and various other Hanah Montana products. This is a great example of a product that is having it's “time”. There are also products which have had there time and come back down the road to become the trend of another generation.

My Little Pony and Care Bears is a good example of generational leap. When I was a kid, I loved Strawberry Shortcake, Rainbow Bright, My Little Pony, and Care Bears. I've realized now that my nieces are very interested in My Little Pony. In fact, I think they would be perfectly content to own all the My Little Pony Toys. It's weird though, there was a small gap of about ten years in between crazes. The toys have changed a little in look but they're the same old My Little Pony and Care Bears. So, this goes to show that you have no idea when trends will come back again. Who knows, we may see a re-appearance of the Beanie Baby trend.

So you see, To everything there is a season. There is a time for every product to be sold online and finding that precise time when a normal, ordinary product becomes a trend will lift you high above the competition. You have to get on the bottom floor of a trend before the market becomes saturated. Good luck; don't over or under estimate things, simply feel it out.

Don't Get Discouraged Drop Shipping

Catherine Pulsifer once said, “Do not be discouraged if your plans do not succeed the first time. No one learns to walk by taking only one step.” There is most often a price to be paid to be successful but do not be discouraged; there are many resources at your disposal. There are a lot of low-cost, highly effective, dropship directories but you want to make sure you get one that is going to agree with your company and the product you are trying to sell.

Also, be aware, there are a lot of internet scams out there now. Don't be deceived by companies that claim to be doing you a favor by doing everything for you, this is more than likely a scam. At Gogo Dropship, our researchers find possible suppliers for you but then let you do the talking and get familiar with how it works. However, do not think for one moment that we are going to leave you stranded. Our team of experts is standing by to answer your questions through a phone call, live chat, or email to make sure you are satisfied.

If you're interested, Gogo Dropship is ready to help you. One of many good things about us is that we are willing to work with you. Our team will actually research various suppliers for you and suggest the ones that will be most beneficial and fulfill the needs of your company. The research team at Gogo will go to great lengths to help you become successful. In fact, that's why we started this blog. We're hoping to supply worth-while tips that can help you start dropshipping.

Please do not be discouraged about setting up the dropshipping for your e-business; there are dedicated experts standing by to assist you with your needs. You may visit our website at www.gogodropship.com or contact us at support@GogoDropship.com to learn more.

Please visit our blog again as we will be posting valuable tips in the near future.