Although the pandemic was an unfortunate way to bring in the new decade, many entrepreneurs were born out of desperate times. Online businesses and ecommerce shot through the roof in sales with people staying inside their homes. Online boutiques/stores are booming and it is not too late to join the party.
An online store is a great business for a stay-at-home mom because it allows you flexibility to do what needs to be done at the house and in business. Most of your business will be done online - such as: setting up your website, ordering inventory, creating social media graphics, checking on orders, etc. You can squeeze in time to work when you can by downloading apps that save data from phone to app. For example, Canva is a great app for creating social media graphics and allows all of your information to sync from phone to app. Work on-the-go with planner apps, Shopify app, etc.
Our mobile app directory provides you with a list of all of the apps you can add to your phone for both apple and android systems. This list is available in The Boutique Owner's Blueprint - grab it now.
An online boutique is not very expensive to start up. You can just about get up in selling the same day or same week. No inventory-no issue. You can start making cash quickly by selling things in your home to start building capital and also get the hang of shipping on sites.
Learn more about how you can get your business up and running LEGALLY in 10 Easy Stepes => Read How Much Does it Cost to Start an Online Boutique?
Where to Sell used items => Ebay or Poshmark.
Because your family is very important, you should write out what you can afford and how much you will need to save to purchase necessary things for your online boutique. Basically, be real with yourself and create a budget. You should also start thinking about how you will multitask and what resources you will need to achieve this. This could be anything such as buying a new playpen to keep the kiddos occupied or enlisting grandma for assistance. In addition, you should start determining:
- who you want to sell to (target audience)
- research your competition (note their strategies, target age group, etc.)
- a business name
- search godaddy.com for a website matching your business name
- setting up social media accounts
- determine how you want to purchase products (wholesale, dropship, etc.)
- determine how you can multitask and if its possible with your schedule
If you do not have a seller's permit, you more than likely won't be able to purchase wholesale inventory. Learn how to get a seller's permit here or you can grab our Aliexpress Vendor List which doesn't require a seller's permit to purchase inventory.
RELATED: Alternative Wholesale Brands (You Do Not Need a Seller's Permit to Purchase)
*Purchase inventory as you go to spread out purchases instead of one big purchase*
From there, you will need to create a schedule that you can try your hardest to adhere to. This will help you get organized with balancing family and work life. Dry erase boards will be your new best friend.
If you are not yet ready to create a storefront, you can start selling your products on sites such as Etsy, eBay or Poshmark. If you are ready to start building your website, click here to get a 14-Day Trial from Shopify. You can purchase a domain through Shopify (best choice) or purchase from somewhere else like Google domains and then transfer it over.
CLICK HERE to Learn How-To Start an Online Boutique in 10 Easy Steps FREE
Social Media Tips for the Busy Stay-at-Home Mom
- Use templates for social media posts (Grab some of our premade templates here)
- Plan social media posts ahead of time with an app (i.e. Planoly)
- Grab The Boutique Owner's Blueprint - get every vendor list and business resource you need to start a boutique and dominate the industry.
