Starting a business? (ecommerce)

[clueless]

I have an idea for a niche ecommerce business that I'm considering having a go with. Has anyone here got any experience in starting up on their own? I'd love to hear your stories/advice.

I'm going to look into grants and help with preparing a business plan, but I flip between feeling really excited to overwhelmed. I think I have a good idea with a nice story behind it, I'm fairly creative and confident in writing and photography, but I don't have business acumen. I'm not confident in pitching or 'selling' myself and I'm not a natural leader at all, I don't like the thought of hiring people or managing a team. I'd like to be my own boss but nobody else's! At the moment I'm dreaming modestly; no world domination plans, I'd just like to create something pretty small but successful, fairly lucrative (to make it a full time venture) and that I can manage on my own (or am I being naive?!).

 

[BettyCrockerr]

First off you need to do your research and figure out if there’s actually a demand for whatever it is you are trying to sell. You say it’s a niche business, So by nature that’s goinarrow down your target market. Are there any other companies doing what you want to do?

you will need to start off very small. I’m not sure exactly what it is you are selling but your going to want to start with a few units, say 10, and see what the demand is like but you’ll have to advertise your product in order to get it out there for people to buy - how are you going to advertise?

if it’s appropriate for what you are selling, look to sites like Etsy or EBay to start off with and get set up with Instagram etc - cheap ways to get your product out there and platforms to sell from very easily.

stop worrying at the moment about being someone else’s boss/hiring/firing etc etc etc - you are a world away from that yet and many businesses can run for years and years with just the business owner working for it.

 

[Chita]

First off you need to do your research and figure out if there’s actually a demand for whatever it is you are trying to sell. You say it’s a niche business, So by nature that’s goinarrow down your target market. Are there any other companies doing what you want to do?

you will need to start off very small. I’m not sure exactly what it is you are selling but your going to want to start with a few units, say 10, and see what the demand is like but you’ll have to advertise your product in order to get it out there for people to buy - how are you going to advertise?

if it’s appropriate for what you are selling, look to sites like Etsy or EBay to start off with and get set up with Instagram etc - cheap ways to get your product out there and platforms to sell from very easily.

stop worrying at the moment about being someone else’s boss/hiring/firing etc etc etc - you are a world away from that yet and many businesses can run for years and years with just the business owner working for it.

Yeh - getting people to know you exist is key in my opinion.

I had a go with facebook ads and got likes and shares from facebook friends. A few "new" people followed the facebook business page.
And a couple of strangers messaged but they didnt want to buy from me.
One asked if I would donate some of my product for them to raffle off at a fundraiser and another asked if I would sponsor an under 12's football team!
My product is not sport related.
I started selling on eBay.
Now I'm trying to work out how to set up an instagram business account.
I had a look at that platform but didint find it easy to understand.
And on facebook all Ive had is likes.
Nothing has turned into a sale.

Ive now got a website which claims to have Search Engine Optimisation on it, but so does everyone elses.
The ones who pay big bucks for google ads will always be on page one of searches so its hard to compete.

Google My Business is a must but it does seem to favour businesses with a physical store address and is not as good if you create stuff at home but dont have an actual shop people can visit.
However if you can get some google reviews it helps.

Good luck with whatever it is.

Take the plunge and enjoy the experience.