Although there are many ways to start a coffee business online, here are three of the most popular ways of selling on the internet:
1. Shopify
With Shopify you can customize your store the way YOU want to. It looks like an actual website and you will be able to use your own domain name, for example, www.littleboxcoffee.com. Not only is it user friendly but there are so many templates to choose from to make your website look professional right from the start.
(If you would like to see how Shopify works and whether it will suit you, make the most of their 2 week free trial.)
Shopify charges are made up of a monthly fee plus credit card transaction fees. If you want to make your store look professional, you will need to purchase your own domain name, for example from GoDaddy.
I would highly recommend Shopify, which is why I’ve made it number 1. This is especially true if you’re planning on scaling up your business in the future.
2. Amazon
Amazon is one of the most well known online ecommerce platforms in the world! This trusted online platform is visited by millions of visitors each and every day. Setting up shop with Amazon means that your products can be sold to many countries throughout the world, not just the one you live in.
A great plus to setting up shop with Amazon means that you don’t need to hold inventory as stock is kept in their warehouses. There is no real shop to speak of and all you need to do is list your product in order to get selling, after you are approved of course.
The cost of listing and transaction fees does mean that profit margins are cut but that being said, every business will have running costs.
These costs will typically be in the form of listing fees and transaction fees.
3. Etsy
Etsy is best know for selling products that are or related to handmade goods. I would definitely recommend promoting your product through Etsy ads, if you choose to sell items via this platform. And, the more products you are able to offer for sale, the better. A minimum of 10 products should be available to the public when you set up your store. Now although you may only have one type of coffee to sell initially, you could make up gift sets. These are really popular and can be suited to a variety of occasions from birthdays and Christmas to simply saying thank you. Selling coffee prints or bespoke cards could also bulk up your shop, giving customers a wider choice of products while your brand builds.
Listing fees and transaction fees will also apply when using Etsy to sell your coffee online.
One Comment
Ethan
The one thing you left out or at least did not cover is to whether you would recommend full bag mockup print or labels and what recommendations you could provide besides Roastar …which happens to be a pricey product printing business. Usually their MOQs start at around 500 on up, which could put a damper on those who have smaller budgets.