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SusanofO -> Starting an on-line business - an extremely helpful website (9/29/2007 5:52:44 PM)
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Well. I was completely serious yesterday when I mentioned I plan to start an on-line business selling home-made chocolate fudge. I've been making it for 15 years anyway, at Holiday time - and people appear to really like my fudge. I think it will sell, and I intend to really work at it. I have a friend who is a graphic designer - very talented - who I am paying to design my business website.
I spent all day doing reseach for packaging, supplies, and getting information on how to pay taxes, how to incorporate, how to do shipping, and also how to price my products. I also looked into getting a big freezer, and a new micro-wave oven. I have more research left to do, too.
I am doing this with less than $3,000 in start-up costs. It could probably be done for less - but I want to pay my friend to design my own website (there are "pre-fabricated" websites you can semi-customize to suit your business available out there, that are pretty decent looking - or which can be made to look that way, though- that don't cost much, or that are free).
Plus, I need packaging supplies, ingredients, and other equipment to get started. Plus a virtual web host, and a connection to an e-commerce merchant, like Pay-Pal (which offers a set-up where they do all the work as far as accepting payments and processing and offerring secure servers to accept payment, etc., and thay accept all the major credit cards, plus Paypal payment for your business - for a monthly fee). So far, they look like my best option, but haven't researched that aspect thoroughly yet - so I don't know for sure.
But all in all, I can't really complain about the start-up costs. Maybe in a few years, I will be able to afford to look into a brick-and-mortar location.
And I am counting on really working at this - I am truly willing to work my ass off to help it succeed. I am really into this idea.
Anyway -
I Just thought I'd pass on the address for a superb website I found - that tells, in very basic terms, what goes into starting an on-line business. There are many decisions to consider. IMO, it was fascinating reading. Fortunately, since I was a Business major in college (Marketing Management), this doesn't particularly scare me - I think it's exciting! I can't believe I waited this long to do it.
Anyway - here is the address of the site. It is fantastic! Chock full of valuable information, IMO, for anyone contemplating starting an on-line business.
http://money.howstuffworks.com/online-biz-do-it.htm
I thought of some neat promotional ideas for my business, and how to set it apart. Free shipping for one thing. I very carefully started to research pricing and supply and ingredient costs - and I think I can make some decisions by Monday re: Pricing (although I still have some samples of packaging yet to receive in the mail and test).
I hope to be up and running by the time Hallowe'en rolls around. Maybe the first week of November, but hopefully not later than that - I don't want to miss a lot potential of Holiday sales, if I can help it.
I talked to a woman who owns a very popular neighborhood bakery about a mile from my house. She was best friends with my mother, before my mom died four years ago, and she has agreed to take 30 (or more if needed) of my 1-pound boxes of fudge, and sell them at a space from her counter - and I am giving her a cut of the profits. If it works out, and they sell fairly well, I'll deliver them to her on a weekly basis.
I am also looking into selling at Holiday Food fairs and boutiques around town. I am so revved up for this - so exicted! I can't wait to get started.
I will look into selling via direct mail after a few months - I can't do all of these things at once, but I don't intend to neglect direct mail as a viable avenue to maybe increase sales.
Wish me luck! Although I won't advertise here (of course), I will let ya'll know when my site is up and running!
I think I am naming my business Suzanne's Delectable's - but I am not sure yet. I am not sure if I want to include the word Fudge in the name, because if I expand and start selling other goodies, I don't want to feel the name limiting me.
But - other ideas for names for the business are welcome. Just please don't be offended if I don't decide on what exactly to name the business right away - it might take a few weeks to settle on that for sure. But if anyone has ideas for that, or other comments or suggestions, I am all ears (really).
Although I am pretty confident this idea will succeed. Once I put my mind to something, I don't say" die" very easily. Plus, I did learn something in college, I like to think. And I have a bit of business experience in the real world besides this (10 years as a market analyst in "corporate America").
So - hopefully, things will go okay. I am sure there will be glitches, but that doesn't scare me either. I am good at making a plan, and sticking to it, but flexible enough to be realistic, and I am pretty self-directed, so this idea is perfect for me.
I need a job I actually like, and really look forward to doing. And this is it! [:)]
So far - all we are doing is fudge - I know enough to know it is best to start small and be really good at one thing, and gradually expand, rather than get tied up selling and making lots of stuff, at the very beginning. Although there is other stuff I know how to make besides fudge, that indeed tastes really good - I can do it later on down the line, I think. I am (so far) a one-woman operation. But I am totally committed to working this idea.
Guess I just wanted to tell people just how excited I am about this new venture. Thanks for listening.
- Susan
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