If you’re a small business owner, you know how frustrating it is to be on a vast internet marketplace. The giants have innumerable supplies, products, and money, it seems, with which to smush small businesses. But you have fortitude, grit, and…what? What are the areas where you, as a small e-commerce businessperson, compete with even the retail giants? And how?
Adventure Gear
While large giant retailers sell everything from climbing gear to camping gear, and multiple variations of all options. Your goal isn’t to be all things to all levels of adventure. If you instead are specific to the needs of an expert group, in a niche area of focus, you can help create your own space in the marketplace. Whether this is selling the most sturdy camping gear to families who want lightweight gear for hiking with children, or specific to those going overseas on adventures with their support animals, you can blog and sell to a set group appreciative audience.
Book Selling
Similarly, while giant bookstores have to be all things to all people, you can be specific and important to a smaller group who know you as their expert and specialist in the field. Making sure as a small bookseller that you have a combination of old and new technology is important. Bookstore POS lets you keep every function in one place for seamless transactions. You want to find ways to appeal to your community, and having local authors and artists do showings or readings can accomplish that! Supporting your local community homeschoolers with “book report” days can also bring in extra sales!
Specialty Products
Do you sell specialty, handmade products? Often, focusing upon one type or style of product can begin your own niche empire. For example, Burt’s Bees began by selling soaps in specialty stores, as a handmade, small batch product. Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream began the same way. If you have an excellent product which can be replicated in various iterations, such as varied flavors, designs, or scents, this gives a great deal of possibility to you, and an easily marketed beginning for your storefront.
Focus upon a set of quality products, not being all things to all people. Work with your community to offer things large retailers cannot. Work on branding from that standpoint, and expand as you go. Pretty soon, you’ll have a loyal base for all of your product line!
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