Help with setting my shipping prices for my drop ship business

[janasloan]

Hi, I am starting an online boutique, I have many many different dropshippers, and they all charge for shipping. How do I set my drop shipping rates for customers who may buy 5 items from one of my dropshippers, or customers who may buy 5 different items from 5 different dropshippers. The difference would be all 5 items shipped from 1 vendor, would be about $7.95, but if they ordered from 5 different vendors, then they would EACH charge $7.95 ending up with shipping equalling about $75.90!!!!!!!!!!!!! Should I just mark up my prices to include shipping? Also how do these companies offer FREE SHIPPING for orders over $100???? Someone with some experience, please help me, as far as I can see, I would have to factor in shipping in my retail price, but that would really jack up my prices, and would I still charge for shipping after I up the prices? or offer free shipping on all items, because its already factored in??? I could really use some help.

Thanks,
Jana

[wowgold]

wow,it is cool...

[kimbeckers]

Hi Jana,
I had a similar problem as you are explaining when I ran my lingerie shop online. When dealing with several suppliers I found the easiest way to account for the shipping fee was as you suggested to mark up the product to include the shipping fee. This way if the customers orders from all 5 drop shippers you are covered. Of course this only works if there is enough profit margin in the products that you are selling.
Good luck,
Kim