Is it allowed to buy Off eaby for reselling?

Yago · #1 09-01-2014

Hi Guys,

I have a question hope you guys can help.
I reviewed the forum and could not get a conclusive answer.

Is it allowed to constantly buy items off ebay and resell it in a dropship mode, meaning, buying different items and ship it to a different addresses? won't I get flagged or banned? I prefer not to establish stealth accounts but to do a legit (by my eyes) business.

Thanks!!!

rsot · #2 09-01-2014

How will you pay - with PP?

Are you dropshipping to OTHER buyers on eb?

JamesNorth101 · #3 09-01-2014

Are you suggesting that you buy an item, then sell it, then have the seller from whom you have purchased the item post it to your buyer?

If so that is a recipe for disaster

GreenBean · #4 09-01-2014

Usually fails.

It's not the better method of drop-shipping.

ebay will not see this as legit, even if you do.

Yago · #5 09-01-2014

Wow! very fast responses thanks so much!
Yes I plan to buy using PP but drop-shipping on my own web-store using other ebay seller (only picking the 99.9%) what do you think?
Also, will PP ebay will have an issues with that?

Thanks

jeffweico · #6 09-01-2014

OK... So, you have a website and you want to sell items. The plan is to buy them cheap on eBay and sell them for more on your website? Instead of receiving the items yourself, you will instead use your customer's address as the shipping address when you buy on eBay?

YIKES!!!

The first problem I see is a lot of complaints. You buy a book on eBay for $1 + $3 shipping and sell it on your website for $10. The eBay seller is willing to ship to a different address than what is on file with PayPal and agrees to do so. Your customer gets the book and sees on the packing slip that you paid $4 for it and complains. While that is not illegal or anything and you could even argue it is just taking advantage of an inefficient marketplace, your customer probably will see it as being ripped off.

Another problem will be that many sellers will only ship to the address you have on file with PayPal, since there is no seller protection if they ship to an alternate address.

Basically, you would be using eBay sellers as your drop-shippers - unless I am misunderstanding something?

I don't see this as being a workable situation or a sustainable business. There are too many pitfalls here.

Yago · #7 09-01-2014

Thanks jeffweico!

Regarding the 1st problem, I will ask the buyer to ship the item without any invoice or packing slip, I'm pretty sure most of them will be willing to do so, the ones that will refuse I will stop using them from that point.

About the 2nd problem, I'm pretty sure you are able to change the delivery address in PayPal during the checkout process, so the address will be verified.

I may be wrong...

GreenBean · #8 09-01-2014

I see.

One of those threads where the asker is going to do their own thing despite all the issues.

Good Luck

JamesNorth101 · #9 09-01-2014

I really would not advising changing the delivery address each time. It would be better to have it delivered to your address and then ship it yourself if you must go ahead with this.

Yago · #10 09-01-2014

Thanks James,
But it will massively increase the delivery time to my end user, you suggest that because you think ebay won't like it or because the 2nd problem jeffweico covered?

Thanks

JamesNorth101 · #11 09-01-2014

eBay and PayPal will in the long run likely have issues with it.

Yago · #12 09-01-2014

Ok James this was really helpful it does put this project at risk.

GreenBean - I wasn't trying to waste anyone time, just to fully understand the consequences, I really wanted to get feedback regarding how ebay and PP see that.

So now I have more info than I started

Thanks Everyone!

GreenBean · #13 09-01-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yago

Ok James this was really helpful it does put this project at risk.

GreenBean - I wasn't trying to waste anyone time, just to fully understand the consequences, I really wanted to get feedback regarding how ebay and PP see that.

So now I have more info than I started

Thanks Everyone!

I hear you.

BUT: changing info on paypal flags accounts.

You have to try to operate without being flagged.

You can not think sellers are going to be 'nice' to you. You might accidently end up being reported by a seller if you ask about a different address.

Most sellers want safe sales.

Most do not want to sell to buyers who want a variation of address. These are things that prevent your concept having a chance to work.

andyframpton · #14 09-01-2014

I had this idea a few years ago. It would cut down on shipping cost and would work fine.
But it didnt. Things got lost in the post. The hassle of explaining why you don't want any shipping information included.( there are only so many times you can tell people it's a present). Refunds. The list went on and on. People was more the problem than eBay or PayPal.
It might work for you and I wish you luck but there are many pit falls.

Yago · #15 09-01-2014

I appreciate this, thanks GreenBean!

Yago · #16 09-01-2014

Thanks Andy!

Did you choose the right ebay sellers? like 99.9 positive?

I might be wrong but I figured if someone is able to sell an item or many items through me as I'm reaching for him new markets, than I won't need to hide that I'm doing reselling (hiding the price) it's a mutual win win situation.

I'm not naive, I'm selling on ebay myself for many years just figured by opening my own website I'll be able to increase my own SKU's by adding more suppliers (ebay suppliers).

andyframpton · #17 09-01-2014

Yes they all had good feedback.
When someone want to return something that's where the problems start.
The buyer don't want to send it back to someone else when they bought it off you.
Then you have to return it to the original seller. Then he has to refund or replace it. It takes lots of time and effort.
Maybe drop shipping could be the answer for you?
Unless you move lots of stock quickly it's a lot of money to keep stock sitting there.

Yago · #18 09-01-2014

I didn't thought about that, the refund and replace stuff, it would be a big hassle :-(
What do you mean drop shipping could be the answer? You mean conventional drop shippers? does anyone has a good source they can share?

MM78 · #19 09-01-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yago

does anyone has a good source they can share?

This is where the help might stop....People are not going to be willing to share their sources.

Yago · #20 09-01-2014

Unless there are people here that are wholesalers/drop-shippers owners/sales people.

MM78 · #21 09-01-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yago

Unless there are people here that are wholesalers/drop-shippers owners/sales people.

If there are these people on the forum....I've never met them, and I've been on the forum for a while but I could be wrong.

andyframpton · #22 09-01-2014

People here will give you great advice about loads of stuff. But nobody would share the way they make money. We all all here to earn some so the more people know how we do the less we earn.
Google drop shippers and compare them if that's the route you choose.