We are getting more and more requests to handle dropshipping for our clients. Mainly what our clients want to do is to operate their own site, sell our products and have us handle the shipping for them.
Does CS-Cart have functionality for this? How would I set this up?
Or are there any addons for this?
What would be the best way to set up the payment processing? Should the client handle this and pay us or should we handle the payment processing and pay out a fee?
Opinion: I would use the API to create the orders and then to charge them automatically. If you do not store CC data and/or do not hold receivables for your clients, then this approach will be problematic.
Alternatively you could develop an interface that would allow clients to import order(s) from CSV that would essentially do an add to cart, and use a different 'ship to' address and take them directly to checkout for each order.
The cost and complexity of each of these solutions is more a function of they types of products you sell as well as the purchasing options related to each. You might have something as simple as:
Order_type,Product_code,Product_options,Quantity,Name,Address,City,State,Postal_code
new,product_code1,option_a|option_b|option_c;1,Frank Tank,123 Some St,Somewhere,TX,70700
,product_code2,option_a|option_b|option_c;1,,,,,
new,product_code3,option_a|option_b|option_c;1,Sue Boo,123 Somewhere Else St,Somewhere,TX,70700
Parse it and add to the cart, then (assuming logged in registered user) pre-fill the cart with BillShip info and go to checkout. User should be at the shipping selection step.
But again, going to depend on the complexity of your product definitions.