Need help starting up a E-commerce site!

**smhiggins1** · 01-28-2010 08:45 AM

Hi,
i want to create a e-commerce site, but i dont want to physically send out all the orders and buy all the stock, so i wanted to know how i get create the site that they buy the product off but the brand sends of the item and i get a commission. or something. if you can help it would be very greatful. thanks.

**Vindexus** · 01-28-2010 01:10 PM

You may want to look at setting up an Amazon affiliate site. It's not exactly what you're looking for but you would get a commission off of sales.

**criniit** · 01-28-2010 02:24 PM

What your looking for is called dropshipping. Figure out what type of products you want to sell then google, "neon signs dropshippers" or whatever your product is, and youll find plenty of wholesale/dropshippers.

**peteVA** · 01-28-2010 06:28 PM

sm, you got two entirely different answers there. One is to become an affiliate. That basically makes you a commissioned sales person for a company / web site / whatever. As mentioned, you can become an "Affiliate" of Amazon and earn commissions on all sales you send their way. You won't get rich on the 5% or less, unless you do some good volume, but it's there if you can manage to do it.

One thing to keep in mind, if you are in it for the long haul, these customers "belong to" Amazon or whoever you are an affiliate of. You do not collect the money, you do not even know who they are in most cases, so you can't claim them as your customers and you will not get their email addresses to "build your list."

Also, with an affiliate program you have to wait to get paid. They may pay weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc. But selling today with Amazon will not give you cash tomorrow.

Then, the other method is Dropshipping. That is where you have your own site, sell on eBay, take orders from a catalog at work or school, etc. and get paid up front for the goods. Also, these are your customers. You get the order and pass it on to the Dropshipper, who ships it out Under Your Name, not theirs. This is referred to as Blind Shipping, and the buyer thinks it is you who sent the goods.

You get paid, let's say $40 for an item that costs you $30, including shipping. So, you take $30 and place the order with the dropshipper. This gives you $10 instant profit - less eBay / PayPal, etc. fees. The dropshipper fills and ships the order and you are in business.

The key to this is finding a dependable dropshipper who will treat you right. If you google dropship in any form you will get all sorts of offers, most of them from "middlemen" who do not actually hold any goods, they just have "programs" to sell. And they take a handful of profit on the way. Most have dues, fees, etc. Best to avoid them, most of the time by they get through with you the cost is higher than the regular selling price of the item.

Then, there are dropshippers like me, who do hold inventory, don't charge and fees and sell to you at regular wholesale prices. There are actually quite a few of us around, but you will not find us on google's first page, we can't afford to be there.

It's the guys with the "programs" and the "high prices" who are there and on the paid listings on the right. These are the guys people are always cussing, saying it doesn't work. And they are right. The prices are simply too high to be competitive.

So, there you have it. 2 ways to get started with no money. Take your pick, but don't try both, since to be successful with either will take time and devotion to the task at hand. Don't spread yourself too thin, pick one and run with it.