Have you ever thought about starting an online shop? It always looks so simple when you see other people doing it, but it really is one of those things where once you give it a go you realise there’s actually way more to it than you thought. There’s a awful lot to take in at first, and it’s so normal to feel like you’re missing something that everybody else somehow already knows. But take it one step at a time and keep on learning. Here are a few things to consider to get started.
Fulfilment
If you’re running a retail business from home, then you’ll of course need a way to store, ship and generally fulfil orders. Using a fulfilment centre company means products are stored, picked, packed and posted which means that you can still run everything from home if you want to. There is tech out there that can move data straight from your warehouse into the apps you already rely on and it means you can keep an eye on everything without feeling like you’re juggling too many screens. You could start by keeping stock in the house and manage the posting yourself while you’re still finding your feet. Or consider turning a garage or outbuilding into a storage area, you’d have to make sure that everything is watertight and labelled and organised well to make things as quick and efficient and possible. And don’t overlook security too.
Marketing
Marketing is such an important element of any business, but when it comes to retail you’re in always going to be in such a saturated environment pretty much no matter what it is you sell.. If you want to run a retail store you need to be clever about it, work out what it is that your company does which is different to all other businesses out there. Getting clear on your niche makes it a lot easier to speak to the exact people who will actually buy from you which can feel a lot more natural than trying to appeal to everyone at once. It can be well worth working with a marketing agency to help you to pin down exactly what it is you want from your branding and to then get the message out there about your business.
Platform
There are all kinds of ecommerce platforms out there these days that give you the option to list your products with a secure cart, and essentially enable you to run an online retail business in any niche from. Each will differs slightly and will have their pros and cons, the one you choose should ultimately come down to what you sell and how your customers are likely to want to shop. Some platforms can feel like they are built more around business to business needs and others will be set up in a way that keeps regular shoppers happy (which lets face it is the bit that matters).
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