What should I ask about a dropshipping store’s delivery times and complaints?
Ask for the store’s delivery times by product and by supplier, along with every complaint, refund request and chargeback from recent orders. Slow shipping and repeated complaints often point to the same weak supplier, so ask how the seller tracks both and what has been done about them.
Delivery promises are where a dropshipping store is most likely to disappoint customers, because the seller does not control the warehouse. Ask for the delivery times the store quotes at checkout, then compare them with how long orders really took. Request tracking data for a sample of recent orders, including ones that arrived late or never arrived.
Then turn to complaints. Ask for the inbox, the helpdesk history and any review pages. Look for patterns: the same product, the same supplier, the same carrier. Ask how refunds are handled, who pays for them, and how many ended with the customer filing a dispute with their card company. A store that settles problems quickly and keeps notes on them is easier to take over than one that answers by instinct.
Finally, ask what the seller changed after the worst episodes. Did a supplier get dropped, did the product page get a longer delivery estimate, did a product come off sale? Ask for proof that the changes helped, such as later delivery times and fewer complaints. Your accountant can show you how refunds and disputes appear in the financial statements, so you can see whether the sales figures you are shown are before or after them.
Key takeaways
- Compare quoted delivery times with actual tracking records.
- Group complaints by product, supplier and carrier to find the weak link.
- Check that sales figures are shown after refunds and disputes.
Related reading
12 pages on the same subject, grouped by topic.
Due diligence
- Expert answerHow do I check a furniture store’s damaged goods and customer complaint records?
- Expert answerHow do I check a convenience store’s supplier delivery and invoice records?
- Expert answerWhat should I ask about a furniture store’s delivery and assembly team?
- Expert answerHow do false-alarm complaints reflect on an alarm company’s service quality?
- Expert answerHow do I check a cleaning company’s complaint history before buying?
- Expert answerWhat should I look for in a motel’s guest complaint records before buying?
Buying
- Expert answerHow do I check a pet store’s delivery service for heavy bags of food?
- Expert answerHow do I check a pet supply store’s regular food delivery customers?
- Expert answerHow do I check a store’s delivery and shipping partners before taking over?
- Expert answerWhat should I look at in a grocery store’s receiving area and delivery schedule?
Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAfter buying a business, what is the next step?
Deavo is an advertising and listings platform, not a brokerage, law firm or valuation firm. This page is general information, not legal, tax, accounting or valuation advice, and rules differ by province. Confirm anything you rely on with a qualified professional before you act on it.