If you have never made an online purchase, whether on an official eCommerce platform or via social media, then you may be living under a proverbial rock. eCommerce has become an indispensable part of the global retail framework. During a global pandemic that has seen several waves of lockdowns, shopping online and eCommerce subscriptions has become even more relevant. For those looking to earn online and start their own eCommerce business, entrepreneur and eCommerce expert Chris Jenkins shares his own tips for starting an eCommerce store based on his own experiences.
Find A Product
To begin selling online then it is important to find the right product. This can make or break your business. Chris relates that he has had his own fair share of challenging experiences with identifying a profitable product. On one occasion, he and a friend agreed to try to launch a store together. “We decided to launch a store together selling trending men’s bracelets. We launched the ads and lost money. Everyday money was spent on ads, and we got barely any sales. After a couple of weeks of losses, we both decided that we didn’t have the right product and shut down the store.”
Chris has since sold thousands of products and has identified one that he deems a winner. Identifying the right product usually requires us to solve a problem that we or those around us may face. Chris has done exactly this. “During my travels, I needed some casual sneakers but found it incredibly difficult to get anything which wasn’t covered in excessive designs and branding. This was when I decided to launch Giovvani and produce a luxury sneaker brand which fits the need I initially had.”
Identify a Supplier
Especially in eCommerce, it is imperative to find a supplier capable of producing quality and quantity. Your store will be fueled by reviews and feedback from customers, so your supplier must be able to deliver well-made products promptly.
Chris remembers being in a difficult situation during his early days in the eCommerce industry. He had started to sell watches during Black Friday’s weekend and did not anticipate the kind of demand he had received. “Trying to find a supplier who could get hold of such large volumes at short notice as well as navigating the time difference with China, made it very difficult. It took around 10 days and 10 sleepless nights before I managed to source a reliable supplier and ship out all the watches. During that week, I remember having nightmares that people were knocking on the front door of our house asking for their watches.”
In building his current brand, Giovvani, Chris has decided to become fully involved in the process. The shoes are handmade to maintain a very high standard. “It has taken pretty much one year to get the product to this point in terms of design and quality, and only now we have initially launched to market at limited capacity.”
Build A Brand
Giovvani represents the culmination of Chris’s experiences throughout the eCommerce arena. “Overall, the experience I’ve gained through dropshipping has essentially been an apprenticeship in business. It’s like a crash course for everything you need to know, and if done properly, can give you the springboard to create a scalable long-term company.” This has led him to build a sustainable brand that epitomizes his style. Giovvani is a luxury brand that is also made for comfort. Chris hopes to position the shoes as “more than a sneaker.” He believes that “it offers an unrivalled feeling of luxury alongside being a movement for people looking to upgrade their footwear.”
