Why We Don't Drop Ship - by Art Rothafel

This week alone, I received the same request from 3 very professional trainers: Matthew Hickey, Denise Larson and Bobby Grimski.  Each wanted to know about "drop-shipping.

Here's the scenario.  A trainer has numerous clients who purchase private- label supplements from him / her.  However, a training studio has a limited amount of space and most trainers would prefer not to capitalize the inventory since it ties up dollars.  Sounds logical.

The idea is to send clients to his/her website to order and then have us "drop-ship" to their home.  This makes the whole process much easier / less time consuming for the trainer.  It all makes sense. 

Here's why we don't do it

1.)   From a sales and marketing standpoint, drop-shipping delays the purchase process.  Most often, supplement sales, as well as other product sales within a fitness studio, are "impulse purchases."  In today's instant gratification society, a delay is a lost sale.

2.)  Not all, but many companies that drop-ship (especially supplement companies, multi-level marketers, etc) are also in the business of collecting data.  Your client data.  Before long, these companies are marketing their products directly to your clients. 

3.)  And, even though they claim they don't do it, drop-shippers often sell this data to other marketers.  Your clients are bombarded with all kinds of products targeted at "fitness enthusiasts."

At this point, we have no plans to drop-ship.  From our perspective drop-shipping kills sales.  And we will never, ever market or sell information about our customers (you) much less your clients.  Since 1991, it's been the "high road" for us!

Comments

[Bill Hart]

Art. Glad I met you today. Your products look great and you appear to be a guy who gets it!!! Over here in WV we are setting the trend for Insurance-Based Weight Management. We have approximately 140 clients in our program where they recieve Exercise Physiology and Registered Dietitian services for 3 months as part of their membership. We get reimbursed by their participating insurance company...which is a state ran organization called PEIA (Public Employees Insurance Agency). So far so good, the program has moved from pilot stage to a full-blow Wellness Program. It falls into the same category as Diabetes Management, The Ornish Program, etc. We are pumped and packed w/ these people who need PROFESSIONAL SERVICES to be successful. I am looking forward to networking with you. If anyone would like to discuss in detail please contact me at billh07@bodyworkshfr.com.

Thanks.

Bill Hart
BOODYWORKS Health.Fitness.Rehabilitation
Associate Clinical Director
Health & Fitness
Beckley, WV 25801
304.255.2376 ext.379