Even though you sell your products online, it is possible to make some of the same mistakes that brick and mortar store owners do. Without a plan in place, you could fall behind on orders and lose customers before you can get your online shop off the ground. If you are starting an online shop, here are a few issues that you should prepare for.
Storing Your Products at Home
A commonly believed misconception about operating an online shop is that you can store all of your products at home.
- Construction supplies, which includes everything from lumber and steel I-beams to bolts and nuts, are often stolen from construction sites when unattended. If you are experiencing this problem, or you have a lot of supplies that are being destroyed by the elements, you need onsite storage solutions. Here are three ways to keep your supplies dry and prevent theft. Tarps and Guards The cheapest approach is probably the use of tarps and security guards.
- While you're getting started as an online merchant, self storage units are a great place to house your business inventory. But keeping the storage unit clean and accessible will be key to running your business effectively from this space. Here are some tips on how to organize the unit. Label Each Box's Contents The first step is to make sure that you have a list of your inventory; the easiest is to mark the sides of each box with the contents.
- Letting go of items you've had for a long time is difficult, even if you don't use them anymore. Sometimes it takes a bit of setup to help you figure out which items to leave behind. Use these tricks to help you whittle down your possessions easily. Make a Vision Board Create a vision board or other similar exercise can help you to focus on what you want your new space to look like.
- If you live in an area that is prone to earthquakes such as California or North Carolina, or even an area that has had earthquakes related to fracking or other issues such as New Jersey, you need to be sure that you are ready in case another earthquake occurs. There are a number of preparation tips to keep in mind, but if you are storing items in a storage locker, there are special precautions you should take to protect those items.