Maybe you’re the person who hosts holiday events at your house. Your family and friends can’t get enough of your shabby-chic throw pillows and hand-sewn curtains. Time and time again, you have received compliments about your taste when it comes to decorating. It makes good sense that you’re considering making a change in life. You know you have what it takes to pursue your dreams—you just need a little bit of help. When you know the right tips, starting an online home decor store can be a breeze.
Stock up on inventory
When a business is still establishing itself after the official launch, the owner might lose money in the beginning. Your first week of business will be the most stressful. You need to stock up on inventory, possibly hire employees, and perhaps you quit your day job. Buying home goods at discounted rates will help your business start turning a profit.
Outlet Sale sells high-quality European kitchenware at lower prices. Their company is a distributor of Berlinger Haus and Blaumann products. Since they’re based out of the United States, you will also save money on shipping—shipping products from other countries can be costly. Plus, when you subscribe, you can save 10% off your first order.
Strategize and save time
As a new online business owner, you might not be familiar with an OKR system. OKR stands for objective and key results. An OKR system will help you with efficiency. You will be able to chart, calculate, and share progress. Your ambitious goals can be met when you stay ahead of your personal goals. Goal setting plays a role in company OKRs.
If you need assistance with aligning your OKRs, you can consider their OKR coaching service. Huge companies like Microsoft use this service. Microsoft’s chief of staff boasted about the amount of time and effort saved, thanks to Workboard’s OKR system. The use of OKRs will lead to better results for your exclusive online store.
Make sure this is what you want first
Before you start your online home decor store, make sure this is what you want. Remember, a good chunk of money will have to be used for start-up costs. Self-motivation is important.
If you’re someone who is used to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. shifts, the nontraditional work hours might take some getting used to. You will be working from home, and your hours will fluctuate day-to-day. Essentially, you can set your own hours. Now, if this sounds exciting to you, you can rest assured that you made the right choice.
Take a few photography classes
One of the easiest ways to sell home decor goods is showing them off at their best. When you list products for sale on your website, the photographs of each product should be well lit, without shadows, and every picture should complement one another.
Taking several photography classes will save you money, as you won’t need to hire a photographer. You can learn the essentials of photographing your store’s products, and how to make them look pleasing to the eye. Good photography catches a customer’s eye, encouraging them to view your entire site.
Good customer service makes a difference
When you’re speaking with a potential customer, you want to treat that person like they are your only customer. When a customer feels important and sees that their questions matter to you, it’s a win-win situation. The customer will end the conversation feeling satisfied, and you can take pride in knowing that you likely just scored a repeat customer. When your business reaches the point of hiring employees, you can teach them how being kind to a customer can go a long way.
