The mode of shipment is usually through the post, sea or
air transportation. The mail order company needs proper inventory, logistics
and accounting.
The business is practicable from home or a dedicated
office. You might need a storage facility for your products. A company might
decide to leverage on popular items and sell or develop their own products.
Other considerations are startup funding, type of
products and tracking software. You
might be required to have a trade license including a business name.
How
to Start Your Own Mail Order Business
Choose
a Product
Before your start the enterprise you need to select a
product. The products should be quality and solve a problem.
Focus on areas of interest or products you are familiar
with. You could also take into consideration the weight, fragility and size of
the product. Lighter product are easier to shipped therefore avoid bulky, degradable
or fragile items.
Another criterion in product choice is rarity, uniqueness
and competitive pricing. Uncommon items, novelty items including limited
edition products not found in stores are scalable products.
Therefore important factors in product choice are price,
weight, durability and uniqueness.
Related Start a Drop-Shipping Company
Popular
Products
Mail order businesses stock different types of products
from household utensils to power tools. Popular products are heath/beauty
products, software, clothing and toys. Others include books, hardware, video
games, magazines and food items.
- Gifts
- Video games
- Tickets
- Shoes
- Books
- Phones
- Heath/beauty products
- Software
- Clothing
- Toys
- Magazines
- Food items.
Find
a Supplier
There are two ways to start a mail order business. Create
your own products or source them from manufacturers/wholesalers.
You should network with manufactures and wholesalers that
stock your product. There are many companies online that offer drop shipment
arrangement. However others might require outright purchase of the items.
Find a supplier that guarantees cost price per unit and
regular supply. If you manufacture the product make sure the product is patented
and has good price and quality. To find manufacturer use Google search,
directories, e-commerce stores, directories and yellow pages.
How
to Find Suppliers
- Networking
- Trade Fairs
- Exhibitions
- Directories
- E-commerce stores
- Directories
- Yellow pages
Marketing
There are many tools to help spread the word. Use glossy brochures,
catalogs with product image, prices and description.
The catalog may be printed or delivered in digital form
via mail/email. You need a website to sell your products online.
Advertise through online free classified websites. Use social
media advertisement such as Facebook ads and Instagram.
You could approach suppliers to make available
promotional materials. Place advertisement in local shopping publications and
newspapers. Other marketing considerations include creating an order form and
sales letter.
Shipping
The core of your business is shipping the item on time.
You could ship the product yourself or use a drop shipping company.
Some manufacturers and e-commerce sites have drop
shipping arrangement. Make sure the product gets to the customer within 30
days.
Payment
Make sure you can accept payment through the mail or
phone. However there are more options such as direct debit, credit card payment
and PayPal. Because direct sales marketing don’t attract sales tax you can
offer your customers competitive prices.
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