Open an online store, yes, but to sell what? What are the best online store ideas? How to set up an online store? presents 30 ideas for creating an e-store.
Opening an online store is a potentially very profitable adventure : initially, the activity can be carried out from home under the status of micro-enterprise (self-employed scheme) which allows a very low profitability threshold . On the other hand, the creation of an e-store today is simple and inexpensive, turnkey solutions are legion.
However, few online stores manage to break through and survive. More than two-thirds of e-shops generate less than € 30,000 in annual turnover. The online sales market is indeed ultra-competitive (there are more than 150,000 e-commerce stores in France) and visibility takes a long time to acquire. Some giants are crushing the market, such as Amazon.
The key to increasing your chances of success is to specialize in a niche , embrace a truly innovative concept, and lead long-term communications efforts.
Note that there are different economic models of online sales:
buy to resell (classic e-commerce): this model can only work thanks to the originality of the product or to efforts to promote it (creation of a remarkable universe, association with other products, wide range, etc.),
produce yourself to sell (creative arts, crafts, art crafts): here, it is creativity and originality that will make it possible to succeed,
offer online services: this is a very profitable model (high margins), especially if the service can be delivered automatically.
Note that it is possible to open an online store without going through your own website. Indeed, many exchange platforms allow you to host a mini-shop, which allows better outlets: let us quote Etsy, A little Market or Dawanda.
Open an online store, but what? Here are 5 ideas to guide you.
Open an online store: 5 ideas.
Here are some ideas to get you started on your future online store.
1) Create an online jewelry store. Sell your creations, those of others, or even both! See our article Creating a handcrafted costume jewelry business.
2) Open a ready-to-wear e-boutique. To break into the sale of clothing and fashion, it will be necessary to specialize in a micro-niche , for example vegan accessories, a particular style of clothing, or even high-end second-hand pumps.
3) Open an online baby clothing store. It can also be an online consignment of second-hand items: childcare equipment, original clothes, etc.
4) Create an online store of plants and seeds. The seeds are on the rise. Specialize in a particular type of seed: vegetable, old, floral …
5) Open an online telephony store. The market for telephony items and accessories (new or second-hand) is gigantic and ever-growing, with consumers always on the lookout for good deals and not always reassured by sales from person to person. Again, specialize in a very specific niche or a particular accessory, for example artistic cases.