I've read several messages speculating on the rumor that since an order
placed at Ferret Depot was shipped from Wolcott, NY, where Marshall
Farms is located, that this means that Marshalls has bought out Ferret
Depot.

While it's possible, and I don't have any specific knowledge, it seems
entirely possible that the order was just drop-shipped from Marshalls
to the customer.

Drop shipping is a very common practice, where a seller like Ferret
Depot, instead of having the manufacturer ship the product to the
seller's warehouse, where it is stocked and then packed to ship to the
customer, instead they will arrange for the manufacturer to ship the
product directly to the customer. It is done all the time, and doesn't
necessarily mean that the manufacturer bought out the vendor.

[Posted in FML 8135]