I am interested in investing profits from one small business into something new. I would like to start an online store and think there is a good chance for success in my chosen market (what I will sell and where I live).
There is competition, don't get me wrong, but ther eis opportunity. I just have a newbie question as I have not done a business like this type before and would like any advice from you all and any links to other help you could provide.
Assuming I want to sell High end Home Electronics (HD TV, LCD TV, Home Theater Systems, Canon/Nikon Cameras, etc...), How do you go about getting the arragements set up with the companies?
1. Do you typically buy directly from Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Canon, Nikon, etc or from a wholesaler? Is there a site or catalog of contact numbers and names to start getting the contracts going?
2. Do you need to carry large inventory or do they easily do drop shipping (to my customer) or on demand shipping (to me) - important for an online store 
3. What is a typical discount that I should expect from the list price? Nobody sells at list price - anywhere. So if the selling price is $1000 for a TV, what should I expect to pay? --this will help me calculate stuff considering sales volumes, monthly costs, etc.
Thanks for your help in pointing me in the right direction for the new venture
a_gajic posted this at 16:01 — 10th December 2006.
They have: 66 posts
Joined: Aug 2001
Hi,
I'm not too hot on the topic but I do know if you Google 'dropshipping list' there are a lot of websites that are willing to sell you the information about dropshippers, including their contact details etc.
Good luck,
Adam
Freelance Web Developer, Adam Gajic
andy206uk posted this at 21:05 — 10th December 2006.
He has: 1,754 posts
Joined: Jul 2002
Hi,
Personally I would never pay for something as expensive as a TV online without checking it out in the flesh first. I bought my LCD HDTV earlier this year from a bricks and mortar store. However, I bought my new SLR camera online but direct through the manufacturers site.
Personally I think unless you have a massive budget, selling general electronics is going to be a hard market to enter because you're fighting with some really big companies. You'd be better off trying to locate and satisfy a niche market (maybe accessories for one of the new games consoles or something similar).
As for your questions, it all depends on the product - I doubt that the manufacturers will ship small quantities, it's likely that you'll have to buy from a secondary or tertiary wholesaler. Drop shipping is rare from wholesalers, it's usually other retailers looking to expand their horizons that dropship in my experience.
Andyk
Blog of a Web Designer
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to use the Net and he won't bother you for weeks.
a_gajic posted this at 22:03 — 10th December 2006.
They have: 66 posts
Joined: Aug 2001
I've come across an "American Drop Shippers" list out of a bundle that I've had for a while. PM me if you want it.
Adam
Freelance Web Developer, Adam Gajic