Selling goods online has never been so easy. Thanks to the number of online resources, anyone can build an e-commerce store and market it to a global audience. You don’t even need any previous experience, which makes it the perfect business for moms who are looking to earn some extra money while their children are very small.
The beauty of an online business is that you can work from home. You can set up your online store from a spare room using only a computer, storing stock at home, and dealing with customers and orders as around your family commitments. However, whilst setting up an online store is not difficult, making it a success requires more effort. Read on for some tips from people who have traveled this path already and know the pitfalls.
Use the Right Platform for Your Store
There are multiple e-commerce platforms for would-be entrepreneurs, but if you have no previous experience, it is sensible to stick to something like WordPress, which is easy to use and requires no technical experience. The WooCommerce plugin for WordPress provides everything you need to set up a fully-functioning online store, including a shopping cart system.
If you are not sure whether your embryonic business is going to work, or you want to test the water first, open an account on a platform like eBay and begin selling your stock on there. Many e-commerce store owners started off on eBay and once they had a customer base, they took the plunge and opened an e-Commerce store. Selling on eBay is low risk, but you will have to pay commission on your sales.
Decide What to Sell
Babies use a lot of gear, so it is sensible to pick a niche, at least to begin with. Decide what you want to sell and start looking for suitable stock. Cute baby clothes are popular with moms on chicksnews.com, but you will have a lot of competition from other businesses. Instead, consider specializing in a specific niche of baby clothes. For example, you could stock luxury clothing for stylish tots or party frocks for little girls. Start small and test demand for your products before you branch out into other areas.
Buying Stock
Once you have decided what to sell, you need to source the stock. The suppliers you choose will depend on what you sell, so look for local suppliers or venture on to a site like Alibaba and price check international suppliers from countries such as China. Order samples before you commit to a large order, so you can be certain of quality.
Marketing
You need to market your online store. Pay attention to SEO and network on popular mom and baby websites. Create a presence on social media and work at building a brand. Promote your products on Facebook and encourage people to share your posts. Social media is very important in e-commerce marketing, so be willing to devote time and effort to chatting with customers online.
Lastly, make sure you pay attention to good customer service. Nurture existing customers and they are more likely to turn into loyal customers.
