The following article is a guest post. If interested in submitting a guest post, please read my guest posting policy and then contact me.
When was the last time you had a rummage through the far reaches of your attic, delving through various dust-ridden treasures and gifts of bygone ages that you forgot you even had? If you’re in need of a clear up or simply looking to make some extra cash, it may be time to get that torch out once more as you explore the depths of your home. The same concept can of course be applied to garages, cellars and storerooms, and it may surprise some people what financial gain can be achieved from filtering through clutter and finding unwanted possessions.
Once you’ve plucked out that now-valuable retro videogame console or have that old violin to hand, what’s the next step? You could take them to a pawn shop, advertise them in a newspaper or even take them to a local rummage sale. There are some recurring issues with those three however – the selling of the items may not be completely on your terms and you may lose out on money from buyers who are keen to push a hard bargain.
One thing you can do is create an online shop, which gives you the unique chance to personalise your website to your own taste and manage it under your own terms. Sellers are able to model their websites to reflect their own style and the goods they’re selling, with cupcake sellers, for example, perhaps opting for a cutesy simplistic design. If you’re collecting clutter from the basement and the categories of the things you’re selling may not necessarily fall into one theme, then there’s no need to worry, as there are page designs to fit every possible type of business.
A great way to get inspiration for your online store is to check out some websites that are similar to what you plan on developing. TheStore.com is an excellent site to visit for inspiration, as they have a unique model that makes buying and browsing easier for the consumer. Essentially, the photos and product descriptions are all provided by other users, so you catch a glimpse of what is most popular from the perspective of other visitors to the site. Remember that this is just one example, but it can’t hurt to go online and get some inspiration before starting your own site.
What are the advantages?
Once you’ve signed up, you can begin to sell stuff online the way you want to. So what are the other advantages? For starters, online stores accept credit cards, allowing a greater ease of transaction that is advantageous over primarily PayPal-supported sites such as eBay. Also, given the fact that today’s world is becoming more and more globalised and digital, opening up an online store will make you visible to a much wider audience. This audience is also likely to be searching for the potentially hard-to-find clutter that you pull out from the ashes of your closet via the medium of the internet rather than at a rummage sale. If you happen to unearth some real gems, then there’s a good chance that your shop will gain a fair amount of traction and credibility in the online world, and you may find yourself on the cusp of a profitable small business. Of course, that all depends on the contents of the dark corners of your home!
Another advantage of opening an online shop is that, even if you have little or no retail experience and aren’t exactly a salesman, you can operate from the comfort of your home away from the pressures of the physical business world, and communicate with clients on your own terms. The same pattern continues when you come to manage your online store and want to make updates such as price changes, new items or general news. After a long day working your full-time job, the flexibility that comes with managing your online store is a pure godsend. You can also plug your shop on various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Pinterest, to increase wider online presence and visibility all by the simple click of a button. However, not all social channels apply to all business so you need to find the one best suited to your niche.
Track All Your Accounts With Personal Capital
Personal Capital lets you see all of your accounts in one convenient place. Sign up now for free.So what are you waiting for? Get set up and start selling!
Leave a Reply