An eCommerce business is one of the easiest business models to start from home; not only that, but pick your products well and research your target market thoroughly, and you could find that you are turning over a profit in no time at all with very little by way of outlay and minimal amounts of hard work involved.
But how exactly do you do this? Here are several key factors to consider.
#1 Office Space
It goes without saying that you will require an area to work from, whether it is a spare room that can be turned into your office or a corner of an already used room where you can set up a laptop to work. Your storage space will also be dependent on whether you are looking for a dropship eCommerce business or a more conventional one.
#2 Passion for Your Products
When it comes to selling anything, it is far easier to entice buyers and get your desired price per unit if you are genuinely interested in what you are selling. If you are interested in your products, you will know more about them, giving your potential customers the feeling that they are dealing with a specialist or expert in your particular niche. It will also mean that you enjoy what you are doing, so running your operations and making a profit will come more naturally.
#3 Means of Transport
Of course, you will have to consider your shipping options, and when it comes to shipping abroad, you will do well to use the services of a shipping broker to ensure you are getting the best possible prices.
However, suppose you find that your customers are on your doorstep or it would be expensive to get a shipping company involved. In that case, you will need to make sure you have reliable transport that is big enough to carry your products to the local post office. You might even want to deliver your goods to customers if they are within driving distance to you, which might be a more convenient idea, not to mention it can save a lot on shipping.
Plus, it’s not just about delivering your goods or posting your items to your customers; as a business owner, you will need a vehicle anyway since you will be doing runs not only to the post office but also to your accountant’s office, suppliers and stores, and many other establishments you need to go to as part of your business operations.
Wherever you need to go for whatever reason, purchasing a brand new car straight off of the manufacturer’s conveyor belt is an expensive thing to do; however, buying one of the used cars east Lothian specialist dealers have may be far more in your business budget.
#4 A Platform to Sell From
You will also have to select a selling platform to showcase your products on. It is always best to pick more than one platform while monitoring where every sale is coming from so you can see which platforms are doing better and which are underperforming. These can be sites such as eBay, Amazon, Shopify, and Esty, as well as social media platforms. Having your own website is also imperative within this market to ensure that you are getting all of the sales that you possibly can, but in this, it is a good idea to have a qualified and experienced web designer on board and an SEO expert.
Written by Rida Sheppard
Source: TG Daily – How to Start a Profitable eCommerce Business from Home