External E-Fulfillment and dropshipping are very similar in terms of shipping to the end customer. However, the role of the retailer is different. With dropshipping, products from a manufacturer are sold by an E-Commerce retailer at a mark-up and usually sent directly to the end customer by the manufacturer or direct mail order company. With external E-Fulfillment, the retailer manufactures the products himself and must first send them to the Fulfillment center of a logistics service provider. After an order has been placed, the goods are then sent from there to the end customer.