In the past few weeks of selling on eBay, I have noticed that I'm receiving orders from somebody by the same name (different eBay user ID's though) ordering the same set each time, 3189 Heartlake Stables. Each time they order from me they send me something similar to the following message through eBay:

"This is a GIFT so please package well inside a sturdy box so item box does not get damaged in the mail. Please do NOT include a note or receipt. Thank you! Can you ship tomorrow? Address as given: ..."

Also, the shipping addresses are all unique.

 

I suspect that I'm being used to fill orders for a drop shipper. Do you think this what's going on? If this is what's going on, should I be concerned about someone doing this? It's hard to complain from one side because I am making money and moving inventory. On the other hand, the price looks a bit higher on Amazon right now and someone could actually be making a profit at my expense. Also, could there be recourse to me if the customer isn't happy? Any advice or insight would be appreciated.

Yes

Most likely you have been used for drop shipping.  I do not see the minus for you if you are moving sets at the price you are comfortable with.  As far as eBay concerns, the dropshipper (his/her id) is your buyer.  Any complaints from the recipients should not have any affect on you.

So, um, what's your eBay id again?  

In the past few weeks of selling on eBay, I have noticed that I'm receiving orders from somebody by the same name (different eBay user ID's though) ordering the same set each time, 3189 Heartlake Stables. Each time they order from me they send me something similar to the following message through eBay:

"This is a GIFT so please package well inside a sturdy box so item box does not get damaged in the mail. Please do NOT include a note or receipt. Thank you! Can you ship tomorrow? Address as given: ..."

Also, the shipping addresses are all unique.

 

I suspect that I'm being used to fill orders for a drop shipper. Do you think this what's going on? If this is what's going on, should I be concerned about someone doing this? It's hard to complain from one side because I am making money and moving inventory. On the other hand, the price looks a bit higher on Amazon right now and someone could actually be making a profit at my expense. Also, could there be recourse to me if the customer isn't happy? Any advice or insight would be appreciated.

Don't be so greedy. No one's using you. You offer the price of the sale, someone buys it at your offer price so why does it matter if they're making money from the sale or not. That shouldn't be your concern. If the customer is unhappy, it doesn't matter if it's his customers or your customer, it's the same unhappy customer. My advice is to bump your price higher so no one buys it if you feel happier this way.

Edited September 28, 201510 yr by Lego_Monsters

 

I suspect that I'm being used to fill orders for a drop shipper. Do you think this what's going on? If this is what's going on, should I be concerned about someone doing this? It's hard to complain from one side because I am making money and moving inventory. On the other hand, the price looks a bit higher on Amazon right now and someone could actually be making a profit at my expense. Also, could there be recourse to me if the customer isn't happy? Any advice or insight would be appreciated.

More than likely this is what's happening.. Somebody is selling on Amazon and using you to drop-ship.

It's an interesting problem since the Amazon seller is relying on you to deliver the parcel on time, in good shape, etc. If everything goes smoothly, then you'll be fine. If there is indeed a problem, the Amazon seller will have to contact you to resolve it at which time you'll have to sort a few things out but the risk is pretty low and not unlike what you'd encounter selling the set to a buyer on eBay anyways.

- there is a risk they return it (no longer want it)
- there is a risk they open it, steal anything valuable, return it as "not as described" (not sure what Amazon calls that)

But it's a risk for the Amazon seller as well. If the "buyer" contacts you about a problem, just be sure to tell them that they must pay for return shipping at their expense if the "real buyer" sends it back to them rather than to you.

And I know it's frowned upon, and not everyone is comfortable doing it, but if you're a risk taker ... try to contact that person outside of eBay and make arrangements to sell direct to them cutting out the middle man. You might both end up with more $$ in your pocket.

My advice is to bump your price higher so no one buys it if you feel happier this way.

Nice one... hehe, thanks for the chuckle.

Bah, often times I was not the lowest price and others still dropshipped off of my store because they KNEW I would deliver. Just saying sometimes the story is not either black or white.

Does the paypal confirmed address match the eBay address?  If it does not, I would be concerned.  I don't ship to addresses not listed in paypal. 

I think drop shipping adds to the probability that the transaction can go wrong.  It is an extra customer that could cheat you.  This is a low % of buyers to begin with but what if they are drop shipping to new customers or customers with negative feedback.  If they have multiple eBay accounts they may have multiple other accounts and may not care as much about negative feedback as you do.  Obviously I am risk averse... 

It's hard to complain from one side because I am making money and moving inventory. On the other hand, the price looks a bit higher on Amazon right now and someone could actually be making a profit at my expense. 

If there is such an imbalance in prices between selling platforms that someone can come in and use you as a drop shipper and still profit I would definitely advise selling on that other platform yourself to capture those extra profits. This could be a blessing in disguise and a great new avenue to increased profits for your business.

Does the paypal confirmed address match the eBay address?  If it does not, I would be concerned.  I don't ship to addresses not listed in paypal. 

The eBay address means nothing. It is the PayPal address that matters .. I won't ship to unconfirmed PayPal addresses unless it's a polybag or something with hardly any value. If someone uses you to drop ship, as long as they've gone through the necessary steps to confirm the address you really can't avoid selling it to them.

I think drop shipping adds to the probability that the transaction can go wrong.  It is an extra customer that could cheat you.  This is a low % of buyers to begin with but what if they are drop shipping to new customers or customers with negative feedback.  If they have multiple eBay accounts they may have multiple other accounts and may not care as much about negative feedback as you do.  Obviously I am risk averse... 

Of course you don't know who the buyer is, but the Amazon seller risks the same thing selling to new customers. You can't NOT sell to zero feedback buyers unless you have some magic way of blocking them. I understand that you're risk averse but unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it. If they have multiple eBay accounts then they could buy from you from anyone of them.... and if they've got a confirmed PayPal address you've promised to sell it to them.

For the record, I've had it happen to me and never had a problem. In fact, the fellow has bought many sets from me now and he seems to be a legit and friendly guy. I think there is more risk to a one-off drop-ship than someone who comes back multiple times (they are obviously happy with your price and shipping).

 

I remember this guy who owns a B&M toy store and sold online, too, noticed something similar. He started dropping a business card into the order to get the business direct lol

maybe your filling orders for Jet.com 

For the record, I've had it happen to me and never had a problem. In fact, the fellow has bought many sets from me now and he seems to be a legit and friendly guy. I think there is more risk to a one-off drop-ship than someone who comes back multiple times (they are obviously happy with your price and shipping).

 

I enjoy this!  I just say, "Ya'll come back now, ya hear!"

The eBay address means nothing. It is the PayPal address that matters .. I won't ship to unconfirmed PayPal addresses unless it's a polybag or something with hardly any value. If someone uses you to drop ship, as long as they've gone through the necessary steps to confirm the address you really can't avoid selling it to them.

Of course you don't know who the buyer is, but the Amazon seller risks the same thing selling to new customers. You can't NOT sell to zero feedback buyers unless you have some magic way of blocking them. I understand that you're risk averse but unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it. If they have multiple eBay accounts then they could buy from you from anyone of them.... and if they've got a confirmed PayPal address you've promised to sell it to them.

For the record, I've had it happen to me and never had a problem. In fact, the fellow has bought many sets from me now and he seems to be a legit and friendly guy. I think there is more risk to a one-off drop-ship than someone who comes back multiple times (they are obviously happy with your price and shipping).

 

I was recommending the confirmed Paypal address as well.  With that, I would not have any concerns and would not even wonder if it was a drop ship situation. 

What I would do if the customer was buying directly from me with zero feedback or negative feedback buyers is take extra steps to document and track delivery.  This is not possible to know in a drop ship situation so I would take the extra steps as a precaution if I suspected a drop ship situation. 

I was recommending the confirmed Paypal address as well.  With that, I would not have any concerns and would not even wonder if it was a drop ship situation. 

What I would do if the customer was buying directly from me with zero feedback or negative feedback buyers is take extra steps to document and track delivery.  This is not possible to know in a drop ship situation so I would take the extra steps as a precaution if I suspected a drop ship situation. 

Sorry, but you said you'd be concerned if the PayPal confirmed address didn't match the eBay address.

I don't do anything differently for zero or low feedback buyers. I always pack sets well and ship with tracking on anything but smaller, less valuable polybags. Documenting that you sent something is impossible and as stated many times, eBay won't back you if you took a picture of the set sitting in a box prior to be taped up if the buyer claims SNAD. You have a picture? Great.... Unless you have a video of you boxing it, sending it, it being transported and delivered, it doesn't mean much. And even then, videos can be edited pretty seamlessly nowadays.

I'm just giving you a hard time because for me the rule of thumb is ... Ship it the way I'd want to receive it. If I do that, I feel comfortable knowing that I did my part and that certain parts of the equation are beyond my control.

The eBay address means nothing. It is the PayPal address that matters .. I won't ship to unconfirmed PayPal addresses unless it's a polybag or something with hardly any value. If someone uses you to drop ship, as long as they've gone through the necessary steps to confirm the address you really can't avoid selling it to them.

The PayPal address was confirmed.

I appreciate all your feedback and I definitely understand that if they are making money off of me, I can sell on the same platform as them and maximize my profit. I only mentioned profit to say, is that the WORST thing that's happening here is I'm missing out on a couple dollars? I was more concerned of some kind of scam or any fallout that could happen related to filling orders for a drop shipper.