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Building an e-commerce business while doing food/parcel delivery on the side

A detailed account of a Fastlane process...

jadkki

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Aug 18, 2019
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Hi all,

Like the title suggest, this is what I will be doing exactly. I will be updating my progress on a weekly basis as a way to keep me on track as well.

There are 2 e-commerce venture that I will pursue.
1 - A site that sources boutique designer products all over the world in a particular niche to mainly sell in the local market. I will be talking to designers, crafters in the niche to purchase at a wholesales price of between 30% - 50% off. The idea is to market it vigorously via FB and Instagram to create the traffic to the website.

I am doing this first as my current amount of capital is limited and the sources I am getting already have decent sales and reviews in their native countries. Simple buy low sell high strategy.

2 - Once I have generated enough profit to act as a capital, I will move on to product manufacturing in the simplest sense. Take what is already available in my niche and make improvements to it and brand it under my own personal brand. This will be sold on an e-commerce website and also on amazon and equivalent in my local country.

There are already 6 products that I have identified that improvements can made to make the product better, only short of looking for suppliers to talk about the cost of the improvement.

This is actually the main business that I want to be in as I believe there are so much improvements that can be made in this niche and I am personally using a lot of the products and I already have plans for the next 5 years.

3 - On the side to hustle for income to cover the monthly expenses, I will be doing food delivery and cargo delivery with my car, looking to cover $1500 per month to break even the expense.

Current Progress
Business 1
6 products sourced and samples ordered. First batch of order will arrive early to mid September.
Immediate 3 Task to do and complete for the week.
1 - Logo Creation
2 - Complete the website using Shopify
3 - Source and procure packaging

Side Hustle
1- Started food delivery with my humble bicycle, Nett $32 today with 3 hours on the road. a$$ hurts.
2 - Applied for Cargo delivery, attending training session on Thursday. Pending confirmation from 2nd company.

Anyone at all, feel free to comment, question and provide your valuable feedback if you have time to read this. I really appreciate your time spent for me. Thank you.
 
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Boo

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Jul 6, 2018
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Why not get a 'real' job where you'll earn far more per day, while hopefully learning some useful skills? Apply to jobs as a buyer, or in digital marketing or in any position at an existing e-commerce company. You'll accumulate capital quicker and gain useful skills. You're wasting your time delivering food unless you literally have no other options.
 

Monkeycom

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Aug 20, 2019
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UK
Hi all,

Like the title suggest, this is what I will be doing exactly. I will be updating my progress on a weekly basis as a way to keep me on track as well.

There are 2 e-commerce venture that I will pursue.
1 - A site that sources boutique designer products all over the world in a particular niche to mainly sell in the local market. I will be talking to designers, crafters in the niche to purchase at a wholesales price of between 30% - 50% off. The idea is to market it vigorously via FB and Instagram to create the traffic to the website.

I am doing this first as my current amount of capital is limited and the sources I am getting already have decent sales and reviews in their native countries. Simple buy low sell high strategy.

2 - Once I have generated enough profit to act as a capital, I will move on to product manufacturing in the simplest sense. Take what is already available in my niche and make improvements to it and brand it under my own personal brand. This will be sold on an e-commerce website and also on amazon and equivalent in my local country.

There are already 6 products that I have identified that improvements can made to make the product better, only short of looking for suppliers to talk about the cost of the improvement.

This is actually the main business that I want to be in as I believe there are so much improvements that can be made in this niche and I am personally using a lot of the products and I already have plans for the next 5 years.

3 - On the side to hustle for income to cover the monthly expenses, I will be doing food delivery and cargo delivery with my car, looking to cover $1500 per month to break even the expense.

Current Progress
Business 1
6 products sourced and samples ordered. First batch of order will arrive early to mid September.
Immediate 3 Task to do and complete for the week.
1 - Logo Creation
2 - Complete the website using Shopify
3 - Source and procure packaging

Side Hustle
1- Started food delivery with my humble bicycle, Nett $32 today with 3 hours on the road. a$$ hurts.
2 - Applied for Cargo delivery, attending training session on Thursday. Pending confirmation from 2nd company.

Anyone at all, feel free to comment, question and provide your valuable feedback if you have time to read this. I really appreciate your time spent for me. Thank you.

Congrats for those projects.
Don't forget to build a database/email list of your customers. It'll be the single most important factor for your online success.
 

MoneyHacker

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Dec 5, 2018
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Somewhere in Asia
I'm also doing ecommerce and thinking of applying to Grabs bike as a side hustle. Wish you luck on your journey. Will be following!
 
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jadkki

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Aug 18, 2019
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Hi Boo,

Thanks for your reply. I was just recently let go from a job that was really a FTE for me. Other factors right now does not allow me to really have a full time job.

Congrats for those projects.
Don't forget to build a database/email list of your customers. It'll be the single most important factor for your online success.

Yes! Currently am still building the website but I should be having a prelaunch hype up on Instagram to build up followers before the launch of the site. Will work on that once I am done with the website. Currently still waiting for stocks to arrive.

I'm also doing ecommerce and thinking of applying to Grabs bike as a side hustle. Wish you luck on your journey. Will be following!

Best of luck to you too!
 

Monkeycom

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Aug 20, 2019
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Hi Boo,

Thanks for your reply. I was just recently let go from a job that was really a FTE for me. Other factors right now does not allow me to really have a full time job.



Yes! Currently am still building the website but I should be having a prelaunch hype up on Instagram to build up followers before the launch of the site. Will work on that once I am done with the website. Currently still waiting for stocks to arrive.

Make an MVP of the website. Don't spend too much time on it. The most important is to sell. Never forget that. What makes a business sustainable is sales, nothing else.
Building a database permits you to re-market to your customers at no costs, which is the key for any successful online business.
 

jadkki

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Aug 18, 2019
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@Monkeycom I have been referring to the guidelines of Gretta van riel on setting up the website and will keep it simple as I do not have a lot of products just yet too.

Question if anyone can assist, if I have 10 different boutique lined up, do I wait for all 10's stock to arrive before I launch or should I launch even if I have like 3? Will it be too small a line up?
 
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jadkki

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Aug 18, 2019
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Update #2

Been searching for suppliers this whole time and tied down with around 8. Was hoping to get 10 for the initial launch but capital is drying up, have no choice but to settle at 8.

Website is almost good to go, using Shopify with a $39 Fastor theme from themeforest. Pretty good so far but there are some tweaks that I would like to have but kind of restricted by the theme now. Goal is to have a MVP for the website so we can start selling, so will shelf the improvements for now.

Projected that the website and all the products from the suppliers will arrive before the end of the month, launch of website set for end September to Early October.

Marketing wise, have secured the instagram and facebook account of the company name. Unsure how to begin marketing thou, been watching Youtube videos by Gary Vee and some other Founder Channel for advice. Will begin instagram and marketing 2 weeks before launch to gather initial followings before launch.

Will also be engaging an influencer in the niche to promote the products. Crossing fingers for the charge.

Progress wise, I had hoped that I could have done more but time is just so limited. The other major factor is personal energy level.

From what I have gathered this few weeks, I have been spending only about 20-30% of my time on the business, the rest was spent taking care of the kids, running the food delivery gig and just spending more time with my wife.

Wake anywhere between 630am to 730am, prep and send my son to school, by the time all is settled and done, its close to 930am. I usually do about 1.5-2hrs of business work before heading out for delivery from 1130am to 2-4pm, breaking in between for lunch back home with wife. If its possible will squeeze another 1-1.5 hrs for business work before I have to get ready to pick up my son at 6pm. Up until around 9pm will be spending time for kids, dinner, getting them ready for bed, showering. Depending on what time they sleep, will spend around 1.5-2 hrs again on business work.

The problem is, my energy level is usually pretty low at around 7-8pm, the productivity at the night work hours is very low and I cant get much done. Thats when I knew I have to do something to myself first before this can change.

Wanting to spend all the time that you can afford to the business is one thing, but actually having the energy and focus to do it is another.

I realised that in order to have more energy and focus to make the business work hours count. I have to really work on my own body first.

What I did.
1. Put in a daily workout session, 15-30mins in the morning.
2. Meditate 5-10mins, morning or evening (using headspace app)
3. Consciously eating healthier, cutting down on sugary drinks and fast food.
4. Chat more with wife.

Although this takes time away from the business work hours, making the business work hours even less, but it helped to increase my focus and I found that I can get more done with less hours.

Will keep this up and update again next week.

Lesson for the week: Invest in your body and mind, it will help tremendously no matter what you want to do in life, it gives you more energy and gives you better focus.
 

AgainstAllOdds

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Dec 26, 2014
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Unsure how to begin marketing thou, been watching Youtube videos


capital is drying up

You're working with crafters. Can you convince them that you'll sell their product in exchange for a percentage? No reason to tie up capital.

Once you generate a sale or two for them, then invest in the inventory, or convince them that you can sell more on consignment. Have them ship you product that you can stock for free.

You're putting the cart before the horse. Figure out how to get sales before sinking money in product.
 

jadkki

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Aug 18, 2019
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Sorry it took so long to post again. This apology is to myself and to members of this forum.

First

You're working with crafters. Can you convince them that you'll sell their product in exchange for a percentage? No reason to tie up capital.

Once you generate a sale or two for them, then invest in the inventory, or convince them that you can sell more on consignment. Have them ship you product that you can stock for free.

You're putting the cart before the horse. Figure out how to get sales before sinking money in product.

Thanks @AgainstAllOdds for this. It truly did not cross my mind that I can even do this!

Some of the products I sold are from crafters but some are from manufacturers, churning out big numbers. But I will definitely see how I can do that with the next phase where I will be gathering crafters locally and offer to feature them on the website and sell for them, taking a percentage of the sales instead of paying for stock upfront. Thanks so much again!

Business Update:

Website is up, stocks are in, brands carrying : 9.
Instagram marketing is on, working with 3 influencers to do product reviews, giveaways to boost our name.

Sales to date: $0
Capital Sunk in so far : SGD$6000

The website is far from perfect, but like suggested, the important part is to get a MVP up and then just start! Some parts of the website like terms and conditions, FAQs were not even ready when the site was launched! But it didn't matter, because no one is visiting.

Current target is to hit $1000 in sales by the end of the year, super modest goal which I really hope I can reach. Fingers crossed.

Personal Update:

Sold the car, got rid of the helper, tighten the budget, stay within the means.

It's quite surprising how much we can actually cut when we really live within our means, which is income from just my wife now. As long as you will it, you will be able to do it.

The wife's depression has gotten way better, but its replaced by anxiety, sometimes severe. She is still learning to cope and adapt to the new life that we are going to embark, but I believe things will go on well from now.

It's a lot of stuff going on at the same time and I am still adapting too. It really takes a lot, a lot, a lot of discipline to constantly be working on the business all the time and cut back on the slacking and leisure time.

I am working out a schedule that I can follow daily to train myself to be discipline and also to take the thinking and procrastination out. When the time is here, it's time to do stuff. No questions required.

Will begin hitting the gym and running every other day for my health and also to start eating healthy. I found the simplest way to always eat healthy is just to cook every meal myself. That way I will know exactly what I am eating and be able to control it.

I will try my very best to update every week as I promised myself.

Thanks!

Nick
 
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