People Dropshipping (or otherwise), posing as 'buying local'

callaway92

What are people's thoughts on this?

I'm seeing it happen almost too much now in the following format:

1) Someone, often 'well-known' like a GAA player or 'Influencer' starts what they call a business venture/company

2) Sell their clothing item on Depop or something similar at abhorrent prices

3) Have noted on the website that orders may take up to 3 weeks at times 'due to Covid 19 🙄'

4) In their marketing etc. they often use the slogan 'buy local', even though they never actually have the product at hand themselves but rather it is shipping from China to the buyer etc

I'm pretty sick of seeing it and would love to call people out on it. As mentioned, it's basically buying from AliExpress type stuff and just selling them on then at stupid prices because it's someone well known selling it. Of course they get the usual 'wow congrats on the business John' comments then and people do end up paying the money

Allinall

It's the fault of the buyer, not the seller.

callaway92

EDIT: Wanted to edit the OP

Almost ALWAYS, returns are not possible, of course in their Ts and Cs 🙄

djan

You're still buying local, unless they are stating that goods are manufactured in Ireland, IMO its fair game.

callaway92

Fair enough

I suppose from my side it’s frustration of the prices they are charging, but yes I agree it’s down to the buyer to do the research

Flinty997

Often if you look at the contact details for these "sellers" its a private house. Which means drop shopper.

If you value a bricks and mortar or a established seller you'll do your homework and make sure thats what your using.

Are all items in the local shop produced locally?

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119234525#Comment_119234525

No, obviously not

But even at that they are stocked here and customer service/staff are based here

Drop shipping skips all of that, so your money is essentially going to one individual resident here rather than staff in a shop etc

Flinty997

Well it supports the delivery infrastructure here too.

Even if it did go to one person (which is doesn't) what of it?

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119235152#Comment_119235152

I dunno man, I was only asking for opinions on it as a whole

Again, I'm more referring to the prices that they're charging, while not stating that they themselves are just ordering them from China etc.

darragh o meara

I have no problem with people setting up dropshipping companies "When" they advertise as such. Its when you deal with a local seller and find out your items are coming from the other side of the world after payment is made.

Case in point, a few months back I was in need of a part for a 3D printer fairly urgently. I went online and seen that I could get the parts from UK, China or a business here in Ireland. I contacted said business and asked if he had the parts in stock and if they could be shipped fairly quickly to which I was told, it could. So happy that I was supporting a local business I made the order and waited. 2 weeks later and after countless emails my parts showed up from China.... I was pretty annoyed at this point as I could have had them in a day or two from amazon or in a similar timeframe but significantly cheaper from Aliexpress.

From then on, I always ask the question before I make the order.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119235253#Comment_119235253

Well I'm having the discussion with you. I've nothing against drop shipping and I agree it should be highlighted when this is what they are doing. I avoid such retailers as (I assume) its too much hassle/risk if there is a problem. It why I stick to the main big retailers online.

But this is more about being smart when shopping online than the issues you've raised IMO.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119235257#Comment_119235257

Same issue on Amazon 3rd party sellers. Hence I avoid them also.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119235293#Comment_119235293

It’s about being smart (the buyer) but I think the seller should be open-and-honest too rather than portraying in a sneaky way (which I’ve seen them do) that these are locally made products

Usually it’s younger people (or influencers/GAA players doing it)

B.A._Baracus

Just the way it goes. It's on the buyer to be savy.

There was once a product called the Pet Rock. The dude made 4 million. If people are willing to buy anything, drop shipped, insane prices or not. Its on them.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119235701#Comment_119235701

I think thats a different issue.

Its not a bad idea that drop shipping should be flagged on the sites that do it.

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119235943#Comment_119235943

If something is legal then its legal. Even if it is over priced or drop shipped or what not. Its on you the buyer to be savy enough to spot.

Flinty997

I think the point is it's not obvious is not an established business with some resources behind it. If it's a business it should a higher level of consumer protection to private sale.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119236149#Comment_119236149

This is along my thoughts too

Buyer protection on Depop for example is only limited to defunct products or ones that are not as they were advertised

Sellers don’t need to offer any returns terms etc

Ubbquittious

I would avoid buying from these places. They are a pain in the hole. Basically you are supporting a parisitic middleman who brings nothing to the table. If he kept stock locally and dispatched quickly there would be an advantage to using him. Drop shipper does nothing you can't do yourself for less

scottygee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119234422#Comment_119234422

Dropshipping was a foreign concept to me something 2 years ago. I came across this article on my Quora feed that basically talks about dropshipping suppliers (which, you can predict already is a lot–think large parts of China, India, and Vietnam).

For me, as long as they're not purposefully ripping off products from local businesses and are in cahoots with suppliers–it's just business. But there's a special place in hell for the bigger corps that passes of smaller businesses' products as their own with a HUGE markup...