Last week we discussed drop shipping and its risks. I found out for myself what problems can happen when a company relies on a dropshipper. I ordered a shelving unit from a company and didn't realize it was being sent via dropshipping. First, it took 3 weeks to ship-a very long time by most standards-and when it got here it was a mess. Unpacking it took me almost an hour because it was wrapped in ton of tape and Styrofoam. When I finally got all the pieces unpacked and laid out(and there were quite a few), I discovered there were absolutely NO instructions whatsoever. It took me 3 hours but I finally managed to get it put together. Quality was an issue as well-the pre-drilled holes didn't align up with the parts to be screwed on to them at all, and the shelves were several different shades of the same color. Needless to say, I won't be ordering from that company again.

My experience illustrates why drop shipping is a bad idea for your business. You have no control over the quality or shipping time, and if either or both are poor, you risk losing a customer-so beware!