Setting up your own furniture drop ship business in 7 simple steps
The internet has brought a lot of things. A way to connect with people thousands of miles away, the wonders of e-commerce and perhaps the best of all, an abundance of adorable cat videos. Now as fun as it would be to talk about cats for an entire blog, the topic on the agenda is e-commerce. More specifically, how you can set up your own e-commerce business using magical thing that’s drop ship. Even more specifically, Artisan Furniture’s flagship drop shipping programme – designed with the 21st century in mind. The things you don’t need outweighs the list of things you do : no stocks, limited funds, and no massive office team behind you. Our drop shipping programme will provide goods at no minimum quantity, wholesale prices and the warm and fuzzy feeling of supporting artisans and their craft, everyone wins!
1. Find something you like, and think people will like too
Anything you’re passionate about really, or something you absolutely know customers will love. An e-commerce site based solely on comfy armchairs? Artisan has you covered – soft, comfy and regal armchairs at a fraction of their retail price, what’s not to love. Or perhaps you’ve always liked a particular style of furniture, whether it be the minimalist Scandinavian or Victorian Gothic. As long you believe in what you’re selling, your customers will too – and you’re much likely to exude that confidence that makes a business successful
2. Choose your profit margins
This one’s simple – lower profit margins but likely higher sales or higher profit margins but you sell lower quantities? The choice is entirely yours – Artisan sells you products at wholesale prices with none of the minimum quantities that it usually entails, so you’re free to market and sell your product as you see fit. It’s your business after all, we’re just here to help! Just make sure to not charge a thousand quid for a chair, that’s our only bit of advice.
3. Research research research
Whatever you’re selling, there’s almost a 100% chance of Amazon or one of the other big boys of online retail carrying it. Price your product well, and research to see what is and isn’t available. Demand is fickle, and people may want one thing but absolutely despise the other – so make sure you know your market, and just how you’re going to see it. Artisan Furniture offers a free 30 minute on boarding call and communication with our team in London – we’re here to help you build your business exactly to your specifications and ideals.
4. Create your brand
Quick, what do you think when you hear “Apple”. Besides the fruit, we’d be willing to bet it was something to do with their smooth, minimalist ads and the image of luxury they exude. Clean, white lines paired with a brilliant interface. Apple phones don’t need to have the best specs, or the longest battery range – their brand is strong enough to attract customers who simply want a beautiful, luxurious product. You need to do the same with your business – who do you want to be? The inexpensive, no fuss website for the local community? A sleek, well crafted enterprise for the aspirational middle class? Or the quintessential nature friendly company that emphasises it’s green credentials? The choices is all yours, and Artisan Furniture has goods to support a whole host of routes you may want to go down – whether it be luxurious, Victorian, classical french, rustic. There’s something for your e-commerce site.
5. Get a website up and running, or use a simple e-commerce platform
You can’t have an e-commerce business without a website – so find a website host, and set yours up. WordPress is an effective tool if you’re not particularly technologically inclined – it’s simple to create a website to your specifications, and colour scheme. The website is your canvas, you can add whatever bells and whistles you want and craft it just how you like. But remember, you can’t use the website without furniture to go along with it – and that’s where we come in. Of course, we don’t allow you to sell on the platforms we already sell on, for obvious reasons. But asides from those, the world is your oyster. Buy as much, or as little, furniture you like at our wholesale prices and add it to your website, if you do well and run out, we have you covered! Free delivery across the UK mainland, right to your doorstep, and fast as you’d like.
6. Market away
Brilliant, you have a website, and fantastic furniture to go along with it. But how will people know of your impressive collection? The traditional media is outdated, few people read newspapers and fewer still read the ads. Telly ads work but they cost an absolute fortune. Thankfully, you have an ace up your sleeve – social media. It’s largely free, and you can spread the word just as easily as through print and television – perhaps even quicker. You can look through Artisan Furniture’s social media feeds for inspiration, we even send out a newsletter every week that you do not want to miss out on. Do sign up!
7. Keep the cogs turning
The hard bit is over, you have a functioning business! Now it’s simply a matter of refining, organising and analysing. Do you too much stock? Too little? How’s the pricing looking? What products to people actually want? There are many questions that come along with running a successful question, and as soon as you answer one, two more pop up. It’s a never-ending cycle – but that’s half the fun. You’re solving problems, creating innovative solutions and refining your business all at the same time. It’s tiring yet incredibly rewarding, and we’d know! You have all the tools at your disposal to run a drop ship business, and Artisan Furniture’s Drop ship Programme is here to help. Of course, it’s not just luck that creates a thriving business, but good luck nonetheless!
