Full-time workers setting up online retail stores

[chris]

I came across this today and thought it summed up a lot of what I'm seeing.

Increasing numbers of full-time workers are exploring their own online retail start-ups, according to new research by online sales platform Bigcommerce.

Analysis of 1,800 stores on the software platform has found almost half of retail work by owners takes place outside of standard business hours.

...

“In the ‘90s, we used to say the big Australian dream was to own your own home. Today, the new Australian dream is to own your own business.”

http://www.startupsmart.com.au/sale...line-retail-stores-research/201306039884.html

Cheers,
Chris

 

[James]

I have clients who work 3-4 days a week and also run quite large eCommerce sites.

 

[dave]

I reckon this article is probably on the money, however I am always very sceptical of anything coming out of the mouths of the BigCommerce founders given their history with the truth.

 

[snoopy]

It has definitely become a lot cheaper and easier to start a home based business, though still it doesn't work out for many. Would be interesting to see the % who sign up with them who are still with them a couple of years later.

 

[FleurF]

It is certainly true Chris, many people are testing their own prowess and ability by running an online business at the same as maintaining a full time job. They are generally "keeping their options open" rather than dropping the security of a job before launching headlong into their own business.

The fact remains though, regardless of a home based or after-hours business, it is still a business and the challenges and the basic principles remain the same for all businesses. It is never truly "easy" and is certainly not the walk in the park that is often reported in the media.

In the e-commerce world, meeting consumer support expectations, staffing / time allocation and supplying customers are all incredibly important and only those people who address all of the above will operate successful businesses.

Many people drop the secondary e-commerce option because they say it doesn't work for them or it "is too hard" but in reality they were not really committed to their own business in the first place and should have remained an employee all along! (Neither is wrong or right / better or worse - it is horses for courses).

I think businesses are a sum of the commitment of the owner / founder rather than a question of when they choose to run the business.

 

[chris]

The fact remains though, regardless of a home based or after-hours business, it is still a business and the challenges and the basic principles remain the same for all businesses. It is never truly "easy" and is certainly not the walk in the park that is often reported in the media.

Well said Fleur

Here's something related that demonstrates your point, starting a business doesn't mean it will survive (as Snoopy pointed out).

https://www.dntrade.com.au/resource...rvival-rates-australian-small-businesses.html

Cheers,
Chris

 

[Blue Wren]

Just on this topic; what e-commerce platforms are ecom members here using? Shopify, Bigcommerce ??

 

[snoopy]

Just on this topic; what e-commerce platforms are ecom members here using? Shopify, Bigcommerce ??

Use zen-cart and magento myself, plus an ebay store.

 

[Data Glasses]

are any of these drop ship based ?

 

[FleurF]

I am using BigCommerce, a proprietary platform (which I am soon to dump in favour of open source) and an eBay store as well.

Spacey - with a bit of tweaking - BigCommerce can operate as a great drop ship platform. A very simply "how to" (I love anything simple) is here http://www.bigcommerce.com/ecommerc...ng-e-commerce-101-from-our-friends-at-ordoro/

 

[FleurF]

I am using 1. BigCommerce, 2. a proprietary platform (which I am soon to dump in favour of open source) and 3. an eBay store.

Spacey - with a bit of tweaking - BigCommerce can operate as a great drop ship platform. A very simply "how to" (I love anything simple) is here http://www.bigcommerce.com/ecommerc...ng-e-commerce-101-from-our-friends-at-ordoro/

 

[Blue Wren]

Thanks snoopy.

 

[chris]

I'm using mainly WooCommerce and Shopify.

 

[findtim]

---- this post on my view of shopping carts ------

Just got to say a BIG thanks to johno69, my china issues are still around but johno69 has put me onto and helped me with woocommerce and i have gone " SH^T why didn't i do this 2 months ago" ????????

it is sooo well thought out, if your brain runs on wordpress then its a dream.

if you are on "getshopped" then get out as i now know i have wasted so much time and money on that .

magento i do here good things about 99% of the time but normally from people who can hand code, shopify and bigC i have seen people leaving for more cost effective alternatives, ebay i would consider a side line personally only because i want to be in control and not have someone else delete my business because a silly misunderstanding or something? same goes for people who run businesses via facebook ONLY

i think if i was selling 1000's of items i would have a look at magento again.

spacey: drop shipping, would love to get some networking on that subject going perhaps in another thread.

tim

 

[Blue Wren]

spacey: drop shipping, would love to get some networking on that subject going perhaps in another thread.

tim

I'd like to hear this too.


Everyone who chimed in, a big thank you.

 

[petermeadit]

It has definitely become a lot cheaper and easier to start a home based business, though still it doesn't work out for many. Would be interesting to see the % who sign up with them who are still with them a couple of years later.

I have seen this too, many don't last. Also, I have seen there is a real reluctance for ecommerce by traditional store owners. They seem to prefer customers walking in off the street. Just my experience with small retailers.

 

[petermeadit]

I'm using mainly WooCommerce and Shopify.

Yup WooCommerce.

 

[snoopy]

I have seen this too, many don't last. Also, I have seen there is a real reluctance for ecommerce by traditional store owners. They seem to prefer customers walking in off the street. Just my experience with small retailers.

I think it is along way out of their comfort zone & a steep learning curve. A lot may not have that much to gain from selling directly online.

 

[findtim]

----- this post on my view of full time workers ---

had a meeting yesterday with a couple that want to build an online business, they have a good plan and are currently self employed in bricks and mortar product sales.

online will work for them as its not a huge leap, more like an extension.

but ma and pa who want to leave their $xx,xxx jobs and find the holy grail i would never advise them to UNTIL they worked their bums off online and got the website to be paying most of their bills, then work even harder from there to chase the holy grail.

the problem is people tell people "this is the answer" and thats when problems happen.

statements i say to clients:

the internet takes more time then bricks and mortar retail
no ranking is guaranteed....... EVER
a website that is not updated will DIE
blog short blog often
if you are not going to blog then don't have a blog
if you are not going to facebook then ..........
twitter most times for SMB's is for twits
can you survive 12 months without internet income?

tim

 

[findtim]

I have seen this too, many don't last. Also, I have seen there is a real reluctance for ecommerce by traditional store owners. They seem to prefer customers walking in off the street. Just my experience with small retailers.

umm no ! i hve seen a massive increase as SMB's see their sales start to deplete from online sales.

I'm actually REALLYYYY pushing this from a web dev point of view and its working WELL in regional areas.

what i do is find the stores that have easy items to post to "out of towners" or "online order and then pick up"

the sales pitch is really to long to type sorry, i'll have to talk to chris about creating an article or something? basically either " they only have to park ONCE in town"

i'm just into it now so i have nothing to show you sorry but i have already sold 4 websites into the concept without PROOF of concept ! and have another 4+ waiting and i will honestly say this will BOOM for me in 2014.

bottom line is people want to buy online BUT if they know the shop is in their local town they REALLY want to buy online, it gives them security of purchase.

all i can say is its working from a marketing my services area and i am sure it will work for the SMB's i am doing it for as i have spent the last year doing "ground research" on what people want , so i asked my clients to ask their clients how they could serve them better and the major result was " order online and pickup "

NOTE: regional towns, but i do think it would work in cities

i'm about to work on a melbourne CBD website to prove this method as well.

tim