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| PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SCAMS! Research all business opportunities thoroughly, and never blow off other people's bad experiences. Ask around (and listen!). The Scams101 Message Board is a good place to start. What's that? You've found a Biz Op and you're wondering if it's endorsed by FIB?... Not unless it's listed in MaaMaw's Magnificent Toolbox. |
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FIB - Scams 101
Re: Chris Malta Worldwide Brands
Posted By: Bob E. In Response To: Chris Malta Worldwide Brands (Sue Fleming)
Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2008, at 12:36 p.m.(pst)
Chris Malta & Worldwide Brands may or may not be a scam. Read what I have to say and judge for yourself. But I can tell you that his wholesalers/drop shippers are legit. The problem with his wholesalers and drop shippers in his list and any others you will find that sell brand new name brand products is you cannot use these wholesalers/drop shippers successfully on ebay or any other marketplace because their wholesale prices are too high. Most of the time their wholesale prices are right at or above retail prices you find at the big box store like Walmart etc. You can't make a profit on ebay either because sellers on ebay are selling surplus goods for less then retail and many of them are actually taking a loss. They are simply selling to liquidate older stock, damaged box stock, returns, overstock, or surplus stock.
It's very hard (actually impossible) to sell brand new, name brand items on ebay if you are a small guy because you cannot get real wholesale pricing. And if you plan on having your product drop shipped, forget it. Your wholesale price will definitely be too high.
Why Chris Malta has the relationship he has with ebay I have no idea. Both he and ebay know that his suppliers or any other small box suppliers/drop shippers of brand new, brand name products cannot supply goods low enough for you to make a profit on ebay. IMO, Ebay really hurts their own image by teaming with any so-called "wholesale expert", not just Malta or his WWB company.
Ask Chris if he himself actually sells any of this stuff on ebay or elsewhere. If he says yes, I bet he's lying because it's way too hard (or impossible) to make a buck selling this stuff. In fact, I think the proof that he probably does not retail anymore (if he ever did) is the fact that he sells a directory of wholesalers. There is MUCH more money in selling wholesale directories and that why he does it.
If he does tell you that he sells items from the drop shippers in his list and he even gives you the URL to a site of his own, then that still is not proof because he may just have a site up just in case some one asks. He used to have a site up 5 or so years ago where he claimed to sell dartboards but there is no way to tell if he really does makes sales from it, and he knows that.
Tell him to give you his ebay seller account ID so you can check to see if he is an active seller and how well he sells. He will either tell you that he does not sell on ebay anymore because it takes up too much time away from WWB or he will tell you that he cannot give you his ebay ID as he is afraid you might copy him and ruin his ebay business. These are typical excuses any internet guru will give you. Basically they will tell you that you have to have faith in them and trust them without proof and if you complain about that (and rightfully so) then you must be a crybaby.
The only way you can make money using drop shippers or buying in small quantities using distributors (as opposed to manufactures) is to build niche ecommerce sites. However, that is still a very hard way to make a buck anymore. I used to do this some 5 years ago but anymore it's really dog-eat-dog because the internet today is saturated with sites selling all these drop shipped products and they sell them for every little markup. Very hard to compete. That is what happens in all seller saturated markets. This is why you need to find a niche that is willing to pay more than the lowest price.
The best way to get decent wholesale pricing is to import no-name product directly form overseas manufacturers. But this is another ball game and you really have to research a company before you buy form them. Many Chinese and other international manufactures are dishonest and you will have to fly to their location to check them out before you do business with them, if you don't want to get screwed.
If you are new to making money on the internet, I would ultimately urge you to stay away from drop shipping or selling any brand new, name brand, physical products. There really is no money in it for the small guy anymore. Retailing physical products on the net isn't the only way to make money online.
This is all from experience and it's all true.
Bob E.
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