Should I just call it a day?

[LostProphet]

ANOTHER pissed off customer due to my dropshipping issues.

There is nothing I can do to change this.

I feel like shit every time someone is let down through this. I can't run a decent business without the stock from dropshipping...

what are you selling?

cloth nappies

Interesting as we are also doing drop shipping - what problems are you having? Stuff just not turning up to the customers?
Know how you feel though - you get it in the neck from customers and suppliers at once.
bah

(Sorry, not helping your original question at all!)

They say they have stuff in stock on the site, then about 10 days later I get an email saying it will be in stock on x date (normally at least another 10 days), and THEN if I am lucky they actually send it, or they are emailing saying either delay again or they won't be getting that size/colour in stock ever!!!! I wouldn't mind if it was just the one product etc coming from a certain other supplier as I would know it was a general chain hold up, but they come from various different suppliers.

It has been appalling these last few months. I simply haven't the money behind me (or the house space) to hold all the stock myself, and without the range, there is little point in the business as it is.

on your behalf, that's so rubbish, your business is depending on them.
We're having some probs too, but mostly to do with the supplier dragging their feet to get orders sent out so we keep breaking our lead times. It's bloody annoying but at least they HAVE the stuff! For the moment anyway, that might change of course.
I don't know what else to suggest other than the obvious which is finding an alternative supplier, but I would have thought that was your very first possible solution!
But I didn't want to leave unanswered and to offer some empathy. Hang in there x

can you change to a different brand of nappy/company?

what is your business model? you have a website, take orders but then a 3rd party/the manufacturer fulfils them directly?

what delivery timescales do your customers expect / what is on your website?

I am in the process of seeing if I can switch companies.

I have a website and do private demos. About 30% of my stock I hold directly, the other 70% is taken by me, but a 3rd party delivers them (they are NOT the manufacturers though).

My delivery is stated as 5-7 working days. I state that some items are dropshipped to speed delivery ( it used to) and increase range Which it used to be no problem, and if they have it in stock it still is, they are just getting more unreliable. I don't know if they are having their own issues though which is causing it.

couriers are a nightmare at the moment. we are having to use next day delivery only - the home delivery service which used to be 1-5 days, was sometimes taking 2 weeks.

could you just focus on the stock you hold yourself? be more specialist? or maybe some packs it is ok to wait - e.g. newborn packs bought in pregnancy, not so urgent?