Starting online business.

Found this old thread while searching around and now I'm curious how it worked out for you, especially if you ended up going with the dog accessories idea while spending more time with your grandkids.

I went through something similar with a small online store. Getting the website set up was the easy part. Getting people to find it was a completely different challenge.

I ended up working with Riordan SEO because I was wasting money on ads and wasn't sure what people were even searching for. They helped me improve product descriptions, target better keywords, and make the site easier for Google to understand. It wasn't an overnight fix, but after a while I started getting visitors without paying for every click, which made a big difference for a small business.

This is an old thread so perhaps the OP might come back and let us know what she decided to do.

I still run an Ebay shop and have done for 20 years or so. Ebay has got so complex that I often wonder how new sellers learn the ropes. Also I find that buyers have become more and more dishonest in making claims of "lost in mail" so I send everything tracked. Even then some of them will try it on.

This last week I had a challenging time because the Royal Mail suspended post to the USA where most of my customers are. This was because of the new tariffs introduced by Trump. I had to use of of the couriers which was more expensive. You always need a Plan B when you are in business for yourself.

I forgot to say that on the strength of the eBay shops, I then designed websites for both the Uk and France. Practising my rusty French was great, and people were very quick to help me get the wording and phraseology right. I found it was a good way to earn money at the time. That said, I don’t think a website done in that way would work now. The costs would be too prohibitive.

Some years ago I started an eBay shop selling craft items. It was such a success that I opened another one on eBay France. That went extremely well too, even though there was a higher chance of parcels going astray as it involved posting abroad. It was great to practice my rusty French.
But then, along came Create and Craft, and Barbara Grey with her Clarity stamps and tv programme, and that was the end of that. There was no way I could match the prices, and my customers, understandably, went for the cheaper prices and amazing choice of goods.
Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

If you end up going ahead with selling physical products (especially dog bits or anything gift-style), definitely look into your packaging early. Even with drop shipping, sometimes you’ll want to handle a few items yourself: returns, samples, or special orders. I started small with an online shop and got my first packaging bits from Carrier Bag Shop, they’ve got starter packs with tissue, paper bags, stickers, that kind of thing. Was handy to just get a bundle without overthinking it when I was starting out.

Also agree with others, platforms like Etsy or eBay might be a better starting point than building a full website from scratch. Once you get the feel for what sells and how much work’s involved, you can decide if it’s worth scaling up.

During the appropriate seasons we trade off a canal boat (licensed traders) and also have a static website built by ourselves and linked to our shop site.

We use SumUp for our card reader and they also offer as part of their system a full blown shopping website for no additional charges. SumUp readers vary from £25 to £40 and the charges are around 1.5% per transaction, miniscule if added into your retail price, with no additional monthly fees.

KickingK

Tizliz.
With respect,I don't only ever talk business,I was just after some advice and you are on here too..Not sure what your point is.Do I have to mention xmas and/or New Year...some strange attitudes about.

You have taken me too seriously - it just seems like business comes first but perhaps that’s just my OH

I am not sure that all businesses need their own website these days with platforms like Shopify and Ebay available. I have a small online business, but my products are digital so I don't need to carry stock as such. I am not in it for the money so much as not losing my skills, so don't spend as much time on it as I could if I was trying to make a living from it.
I think if you do your research and are willing to put the hours in there is no reason why you can't make a successful business.
I wish you the best of luck.

I think you can try this out with a few (maybe niche) items via one of the existing selling platforms.

I have friends who sell mainly online.
I think the drop-shipping is a bit hir and miss though.
I like to know that the person I'm buying from actually has the item in stock.
I often phone to check!

NotAGran55..
Sorry..you didn't make that clear, my apologies.

Tizliz.
With respect,I don't only ever talk business,I was just after some advice and you are on here too..Not sure what your point is.Do I have to mention xmas and/or New Year...some strange attitudes about.

NotAGran55

KinkingK we do have an online and high street business, hence my advice!

The ££££ required to set up a transactional website is eye watering at the outset. We only started the online side on the back of a very profitable ‘high street’ company after 12 years of gaining a reputation in the business.

Good luck if you decide to go ahead.

Same with a relative of mine who set up a website to support his high street business. After 5 years the annual costs just about equalled the profit. Not counting any payment for all the hours it took.

He closed the online down this year.

I find the worse thing is that you only ever talk business. Having a few days off and what have we done this morning? Instagram postings. Not much of a break.

KinkingK we do have an online and high street business, hence my advice!

The ££££ required to set up a transactional website is eye watering at the outset. We only started the online side on the back of a very profitable ‘high street’ company after 12 years of gaining a reputation in the business.

Good luck if you decide to go ahead.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and advice.nobody actually doing this so think I'll continue with my research elsewhere but once again thanks,all advice very useful.Have a great day.😄

Hi, thanks for your reply.Yes I am currently "thinking this through",that's why I've come on this site,to ask for advice.Im only just starting out with my research and feel that I am competent enough(having spent over 30 years in a senior civil service role) to take it slowly,get proper advice(from a variety of sources) and to do thorough research and due diligence.What I was really after was someone on here who is actually doing this currently,or has in the past.I will take your advice on board.

I wouldn’t even entertain the thought, unless you are a web designer yourself with a healthy marketing budget.

Lots of great input already on the thread.

I’ve also been researching this. From what I’ve read, drop shipping is a waste of time. If you decide to have a website who will find it? Your best bet is to sell on EBay as a start and see how it goes.

drop shipping - not cop

Drop shipping means you don’t have to hold your own stock which reduces capital outlay. But it also means that others will be offering the same product because the origin company will not limit their outlets.

You will need a top class website and to pay a hefty fee to come top in searches or if you pay for something like Amazon you’ll have to offer lowest price. It’s a cut-throat way of trading.

Bear in mind that with cop shipping you don’t have control over delivery and quality but you still bear all the responsibility towards the customer.

Before you decide to sell anything look for the item as though you are the buyer. If you can compete with the price or quality it may be worth doing, however as a new business and without a lot of money behind it I doubt your products would show on a Google search.

I haven’t done this but clearly you need to think about how you are going to source what you plan to sell. You will have to have ample stock in each colour and size. People shopping online expect a quick turn round. You also need to think about packaging and the costs of the product, packaging and drop shipping. Then you need a good website - if you have to pay someone to develop this, that is another cost, and to join Not on the High Street. You also need to research your chosen field to see what the competition is and how you will gain an edge. As with any new business you should have a business plan. I wonder if you have really thought through the detail of this?