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TJG210 
LSU Fan
New Orleans
Member since Aug 2006
18444 posts
| Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 1:16 am)
I'm looking into the possibility of starting an online store and want to know what I need to do to get started.
What licenses do I need? Are permits necessary?
Any reading material you can recommend?
This post was edited on 2/13 at 1:17 am
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LSUTigers00884 
LA-Lafayette Fan
Lafayette
Member since Oct 2011
619 posts
 Online
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 5:57 am to TJG210)
(no message)
This post was edited on 2/13 at 8:36 am
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bryso 
Clemson Fan
The Real Death Valley
Member since Dec 2006
26768 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:16 am to TJG210)
if you are in LA
LINK
will help with the state part... local laws need to be investigated
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TJG210
LSU Fan
New Orleans
Member since Aug 2006
18444 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 1:38 pm to bryso)
quote:
will help with the state part... local laws need to be investigated
Is this really necessary for a small time operation?
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GFunk
LSU Fan
Denham Springs
Member since Feb 2011
7641 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 2:27 pm to TJG210)
My buddy started one. It was a little work on the front end but its now just sitting out there. Its all gravy for him on the back-end but I haven't asked him about the traffic or sales info since last summer. I know he's still working so he hasn't hit the bigtime yet, so to speak.
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bryso
Clemson Fan
The Real Death Valley
Member since Dec 2006
26768 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 2:50 pm to TJG210)
quote:
Is this really necessary for a small time operation?
? laws are laws... they apply to big and small..
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nolanola
Member since Nov 2010
3217 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 7:48 pm to TJG210)
Yes it's what I do for a living.
Check storecoach.com as a good resource.
Ask me any questions and I will try to help.
This post was edited on 2/13 at 8:58 pm
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bryso
Clemson Fan
The Real Death Valley
Member since Dec 2006
26768 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 8:23 pm to nolanola)
quote:
Yes it's what I do for a living.
do you stock your inventory or drop ship?
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nolanola
Member since Nov 2010
3217 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:01 pm to bryso)
quote:
do you stock your inventory or drop ship?
Both. For my primary product line I keep quite a bit of product on hand. If I run out or sell a rare item the manufacturer will drop shop for me.
It can be hard to find a reliable drop shipper. Even reliable manufacturers sometimes aren't good at shipping an order at a time to consumers.
Right now I'm looking for new product lined to sell and fur to storage, hassle of shipping etc I'm trying to do these as drop ship.
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jso0003 
Auburn Fan
Birmingham/Atlanta
Member since Jun 2009
4456 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:16 pm to nolanola)
I'm just curious, but so you mind posting your site or just generally what kind of stuff you sell?
If you don't want to post too much on here I understand 
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bryso
Clemson Fan
The Real Death Valley
Member since Dec 2006
26768 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:26 pm to nolanola)
so i assume you have a warehouse with your product stocked? is this a full time job or do you work basically when you want
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nolanola
Member since Nov 2010
3217 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:47 pm to jso0003)
quote:
If you don't want to post too much on here I understand
Yeah, sorry I don't want to post that info. But if you go that storecoach.com site (not affiliated with them at all) you'll get plenty of good info on where to start. Some of the features you have to pay for but you can learn plenty for free. They also have a pretty good forum.
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bryso
Clemson Fan
The Real Death Valley
Member since Dec 2006
26768 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:50 pm to nolanola)
its sex toys isn't it
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nolanola
Member since Nov 2010
3217 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:54 pm to bryso)
quote:
so i assume you have a warehouse with your product stocked? is this a full time job or do you work basically when you want
Yes, I stock it at my own warehouse.
It was a side job that complicated my main job. I'm moving into as more a full time job now. While the hours are more flexible then traditional retail or even many office jobs it takes a decent bit more work to do things then one may consider. Especially if you are doing everything on your own like a I do.
I design and develop the sites, add the products, work with vendors, answer all the calls and do all of the shipping. I don't have nearly enough $$$ coming in to pay someone to help in the office as the volume is still low.
On thing to remember about the hours is that you want to make yourself available as much as possible. It may be 9:50 here right now but its only 7:50 on the west coast and you don't want to miss that sale so you may need to take a phone call. It just depends on if you want to me that aggressive. I take calls day and night whenever I can, 7 days a week. Of course some people want a clear divide in their off time and work time.
The most difficult things about the job are ranking in search engines and making decent margins. There are people constantly undercutting you. Many people start out in e-commerce and keep such thin margins that they can't make it longterm. But in the meantime it devalues your product and you don't end up making money either.
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nolanola
Member since Nov 2010
3217 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/13/13 at 9:55 pm to bryso)
quote:
its sex toys isn't it
Haha, no -- I wouldn't want to handle the returns for that. 
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jso0003
Auburn Fan
Birmingham/Atlanta
Member since Jun 2009
4456 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/14/13 at 6:33 am to nolanola)
quote:
I wouldn't want to handle the returns for that
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TJG210
LSU Fan
New Orleans
Member since Aug 2006
18444 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/14/13 at 12:53 pm to nolanola)
quote:
Check storecoach.com as a good resource.
Thanks for the resource, I started looking around it last night and it looks like it will at least give me a start. This will probably just be a part time thing for me, I have a pretty good full time job, but think this will be fun way to get a little extra spending money from.
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Dan
LSU Fan
New Orleans
Member since Dec 2006
2068 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/14/13 at 1:06 pm to TJG210)
quote:
think this will be fun way to get a little extra spending money from.
I wouldn't hold on too hard to the expectation of it being fun. But, good luck to you if you do decide to give it a shot.
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AlexLSU
LSU Fan
Member since Jan 2005
23529 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/14/13 at 8:00 pm to nolanola)
What's the market like for your product? Are there major competitors, or is it more of a niche product?
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nolanola
Member since Nov 2010
3217 posts
| re: Anyone have their own online store? (Posted on 2/15/13 at 1:18 am to AlexLSU)
quote:
What's the market like for your product? Are there major competitors, or is it more of a niche product?
There is some pretty decent competition out there. All things considered it is niche but can be found on some big sites. Thankfully I have buy in bulk and have good buying power on this line.
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