Teenage dropshipping

[Sproz]

Hi,
Please be gentle on my first post!!
My wife currently runs a website and ebay shop, this gave us an idea that we could get our 16yr old son making a bit of pocket money during the summer and more importantly inbetween studying at 6th form next year, we would prefer him to do this rather than being someones slave for a few hours a day earning a pittance, as you never know it may become succesful and sales can be made whilst he's studying. He has quite a good business head on him and I could see him doing well once he has the bug!!

So..... have you any advice for a 16yr old who would like to start off with a no risk e business?? we though of dropshippers as it saves the hassle of stock and expense, albeit at the cost of profit and maybe using ebay as the sales channel to start. Specifically I really need a good source of dropshippers so he can look at the goods on offer and profit margins.

Has anyone had experience of dropshipping?

Your advice/thoughts/ideas would really be appreciated!
Thanks

 

[evocart]

I believe you have to be 18 or over to use ebay & paypal, also you have to be 18 for the majority of dropshippers due to legal contacts etc.

So you would have to have everything set up in your name, not your sons, then you are responsible for any bad debts that the company may get through chargebacks etc.

Also remember that dropshipping is unlikely to pay as much as a shop job in the short term as it can take a long time to get off the ground.

So whatever you decided, make sure everything is legal and above board and your not giving your son unrelistic expectations.

Good Luck.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

My daughter (10) has her own websites and she makes her money with adsense and affiliate stuff. Don't get into products at that age as it is a legal nightmare if you get complaints.

 

[freeroam]

Personally I say go for it. I wouldn't let him do it alone though, think of yourself as a partner and devote a lot of time into it yourself at-least initially. Drop shipping is great, but like the others say be prepared to fork out cash if you start losing money and also legal costs. You will have to take responsibility for his business for now.

As OldWelshGuy says affiliate stuff is great... but it's a very slow-starter. This is more likely to be the kind of thing he can maintain during sixth form though and he can blog/write/provide a service he thinks is current to young people and something he enjoys. Surely the better route, but don't write off drop-shipping entirely.

 

[BizGurl]

My daughter (10) has her own websites and she makes her money with adsense and affiliate stuff. .

Impressive

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Impressive

yes and no, as she now is of the opinion that you don't need qualifications to make money, btu on the bright side she got a great school report yesterday, and loves school.

Hopefully, by the time she leaves school, she will not have to work (traditionally).

 

[Sproz]

Interesting re the affiliate stuff and well done to her!! the idea of the dropshipping is that is should be lower risk, i.e. he won't need to purchase stock at first, we would of course have to help and I already have an ebay site that I just sell bits on that he could use for now until he's 18.
If he went down the ads and affiliate route I guess it would be a xbox games blog site/meeting up site as is with most teenage lads he spends his life on it!!
I could really do with knowing a good dropshipping site that sells sports stuff, weights, etc as he's also taking A level P.E. and is very interested in that side of things.
Keep the ideas coming please!!!