Picking it up again.

[Jiersk]

Hi guys,

My first thread besides my introduction, apologies if I'm doing anything unusual or unacceptable.

I'm getting back on the grind with my ecommerce brand.

But first a very short history:
I officially started my venture in 2019, with the purpose of selling a product in a specific niche on my country's version of Amazon. I started off with a blast, raked in lots of information and my first product was ready to ship to the warehouse about two months in (rather slow compared to you guys I think lol, but for a scipted mind like mine it seemed quite something). Then I hit a dead stop and went through a few months of action faking and just plain procrastination. The first batch of 50 units was sitting in a closet gathering dust. Eventually I realized what the ... I was doing, and sent out the product to the warehouse.

I didn't market it, I didn't know how and just was too scared of stepping out of my comfort zone. Miraculously however, the 45 products that I had sent to the platform's warehouse (I kept 5 at home for intended marketing purposes etc.) sold out in a few days when C0VlD-19 lockdowns hit. I was hit with a breath of fresh air and immediatly set things in motion to order the next batch, 100 units this time.

According to my supplier, this batch should finally be reaching me within the week. As you may have noticed, there is a pattern of slowness in my efforts, but I'm picking it up again. Especially since TMF slapped me right in the face and made me realize that time is not abundant.

I have made the following chances since my first batch sold out:
1. Created, ordered and received custom packaging for the product
2. Created, ordered and received insert card/flyer
3. Registered an IG
4. Shot new photos of the product

There is still some work to do though, here is my plan:

1. Receive edited photos from Fiverr
2. Close the deal on, and receive modelled photos (photos with a person in it)
3. Create content for the IG
4. Create an Amazon listing, and get off this other platform (Amazon appears to offer much better margins)
5. Get the batch to Amazon for FBA
6. Study Amazon PPC marketing


I shall update as I make progress.

Feel free to ask me questions

Thanks for reading!

 

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[Jiersk]

Quick update, got the updated photos from FIverr (white background, cleaning up the colours etc). The guy did a great job, pleasantly surprised.

I also wrote my Amazon listing and the descriptions for the first three instagram posts.

What's left to do:

1. Receive edited photos from Fiverr
1a. Create infographics and Amazon pictures
2. Close the deal on, and receive modelled photos (photos with a person in it)
3. Create content for the IG
4. Create an Amazon listing, and get off this other platform (Amazon appears to offer much better margins)
5. Get the batch to Amazon for FBA
6. Study Amazon PPC marketing

 

[jmin]

Quick update, got the updated photos from FIverr (white background, cleaning up the colours etc). The guy did a great job, pleasantly surprised.

I also wrote my Amazon listing and the descriptions for the first three instagram posts.

What's left to do:

1. Receive edited photos from Fiverr
1a. Create infographics and Amazon pictures
2. Close the deal on, and receive modelled photos (photos with a person in it)
3. Create content for the IG
4. Create an Amazon listing, and get off this other platform (Amazon appears to offer much better margins)
5. Get the batch to Amazon for FBA
6. Study Amazon PPC marketing

Hey Jiersk, looking forward to seeing how this goes!

I find it pretty amazing when I hear of products on Amazon selling without much marketing. Do you think this is because there's a lack of competition with the product? How do you think customers are finding you?

PS. Let me know if you have any questions about marketing, happy to help where I can. Good luck!

 

[Jiersk]

Hey Jiersk, looking forward to seeing how this goes!

I find it pretty amazing when I hear of products on Amazon selling without much marketing. Do you think this is because there's a lack of competition with the product? How do you think customers are finding you?

PS. Let me know if you have any questions about marketing, happy to help where I can. Good luck!

Hey Jmin, thanks for responding to my thread.

It wasn't exactly Amazon, but the Dutch (Im Dutch) competitor of AMZ which is currently even larger here. However, the same principles probably apply. I would suppose there may be two factors at play here: 1) The type of product that I sell just got into massive demand (short peak) when the corona lockdowns hit. 2) Even though there is a lot of competition for the type of product, I had added some value to it. I combined two products that are very often bought together into one 'set' and sold it cheaper than it would be to get a combination of the seperate items. So, I think this might explain it.

Thanks a lot by the way for offering your help, it is much appreciated! I'm currently still reading about AMZ's marketing mechanisms myself, but in the future I think I'll be capitalizing on your offer .

Update
I'd also like to immediatly give an update on my process of the past days. I'm thinking of posting these updates every 3 days, so I don't flood the forum.

I:
1. Created infographics based on the cleaned up photos I got from Fiverr.
2. Translated my AMZ listing, now I have a Dutch and English version.
3. Got a reply from the Fiverr model, she said she'd like to take the job but have not heard from her since. I will contact another model on friday if I have not heard from the current one by then. Would be no loss, I am planning on getting multiple people to model for my product for the IG etc. So, would still be using the services of the current one even if she ends up not being the 'first' one.
4. A friend asked me if he could buy the product. I offered it to him for free, but asked that if he likes the product that he will refer others to me if they search for this kind of product. Sent the product via the mail to him earlier today, as a means of practicing that. Went smoothly.
5. Checked the economies of scale of some of the components that make up my product (packaging and flyer). Was just curious, but was nice to see that margins will grow further if this thing pics up.

So, now I will have to:
1. Receive products from supplier
2.Make AMZ seller account and listing, which at this point will just be copy paste
3. Send to AMZ
4. Learn about AMZ marketing
5. Receive modelled photos

Unfortunately I will most likely ease off the gas a bit during the month of june, have three very large assignments to finish up for uni. Promised myself I would at least finish this year.

 

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[Jiersk]

Update 14/6/20

The model on Fiverr responded, currently talking about the specifics of the deal, so that's nice.

My second order of inventory is currently being held at the UPS warehouse in my country. So close yet so far lol. They have been holding it since tuesday. I have contacted UPS via Twitter on thursday, after attempting to call them twice. The person on the other side told me that they need my Tax ID to deliver my package and that their coworkers should call me before the end of the business day on friday. Didn't happen unfortunately. Will be doing some messaging and calling on monday.

I sent my friend his package/unit on wednesday, properly arrived the next day no problems. He actually gave me some very useful feedback (basically provide the product of more information on how to use it), which I can work on while waiting for UPS to bring me my inventory.

 

[Jiersk]

Update 17/6/20

UPS Finally responded. Gave them the required info.

Product has been sent to the model.

Been reworking the manual, making it look a bit prettier and elaborating on more functions of the product.

 

[Jiersk]

Update 19/6/20

Sorry to break my plan to only post every three days, but:

My inventory is finally here!
Quite happy/excited, can't lie about it.

Also remade the manual, which looks better now. And rewrote and reordered the flyers/insert cards.

 

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[Jiersk]

Update 22/6/20

Did some folding of my custom-packaging-boxes on saturday, tracked the time and found out it takes about 37 seconds to fold one box and tape one of the two openings. The total packaging process will be slightly longer, since it will involve wrapping the product in bubble wrap, adding a card, putting it all in the box and taping the box shut too. Will measure the time this takes as well.

Just found out that AMZ does not have a warehouse in my country, lol. Feeling stupid for not realizing this earlier. So, I won't be doing FBA, but FBM. I do see an opportunity here though, more control over my own inventory and the potential to sell on other platforms as well, since I won't be sending out my entire inventory. Maybe it's actually better this way. Only issue is the larger time investment and slightly higher costs.

New flyers have arrived, now I only have to wait for the bubble wrap.

Made an account on AMZ, their verification system requires quite a lot of info imo. They are verifying everything now.

The product should be online and sell-able at the end of this week at the latest.

 

[Jiersk]

Update 25/6/20
Been very busy with uni but mode some process;

Received the pictures with the model in them and integrated them into the product pics.

Started the registering process for an AMZ seller account near the end of the day on the 22nd. Still going through the verification process. They want to know quite a lot, wouldn't be surprised if they are going to ask me how often I cut my toenails lol.

Once the verification succeeds, I am uploading/creating the listing!

 

[Jiersk]

Update 2/7/20

Days pass quicker than I realize lol. Finally got verified and accepted on AMZ yesterday! Very happy.

Product is going online tomorrow

 

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[Jiersk]

Update 7/7/20

The product was finally approved and placed online on july 4th!

However, I immediatly managed to run into another problem... The sponsored product option is not available in my country. My own fault lol.

So, now Iearning how to solve this issue. I am also starting a second project about which I may make another execution post if that's allowed.