Dropshipping also provides creators and entrepreneurs a direct production and distribution source, applying personal designs and brands to mass produced goods and apparel in a way that can directly earn them a living at something they're passionate about.

It's great when you can network with local producers but that's not always an option, and often requires a lot of additional steps. And the less time spent personally handling the shipping and production end of things, the more time can be spent developing new content, goods, etc.

So by providing fulfillment infrastructure services that address the needs of creators, such as instant mockup generation tools, e-commerce platforms, quick turnaround times on production and shipping, they are more than just marketing middlemen or scams...at least if they're doing it right.