How to Start an Online Business As a Kid
Make a list of things you like to do and are good at., Consider how you can make your product unique, high quality, and something people might want or need., Write down your ideas., Name your business/brand and products., Do some market research...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make a list of things you like to do and are good at.
Go over your list and write down any ideas you can come up with to turn your knowledge and talents into money.
Think about the things you want to sell first.
Is it a physical product? Is it a digital product that can be sent over the Internet, like a game or an image file? -
Step 2: Consider how you can make your product unique
Make rough sketches showing you how you want your product to look if you think this might help you.
Include inner parts and mechanisms if there are any.
Make notes of the function and operation. , Writing down your ideas is a good practice even if your business has already developed.
Write down the materials you will need to make your products. , Come up with catchy descriptive names that people will remember.
You want repeat customers, so help them find you again.
Create a logo.You can create a logo that describes and gives off the feel of your business.
Write good product descriptions for everything you want to sell. , Search for similar products and note the design, materials, finished product, and price points.
Set your prices.
Consider the cost of materials, how much time it takes you to make it, and take into consideration what your competitors are charging.
Make sure your price is fair to your customer, and also fair to you.
Don't just sell something really cheap thinking you'll sell more.
If it's too cheap people will think the quality is bad and won't buy from you.
Of course, when you're selling to people in your school you can make cheap prices because they'll see exactly what they're getting, not just a picture. , Weigh your item, along with the packaging you'll use to ship it.
Then look up postage on the post office website.
Use a postal scale to get the right weight so you can estimate the cost of postage.
If you don't have access to a postal scale, see if your parents can weigh it at work, or go to the post office... they'll be happy to weigh it for you even if you aren't sending it out that day.
Consider the cost of packaging.
The post office has free boxes for priority mail, but if you're sending first class to save money you'll need to furnish your own boxes or padded envelopes.
Add these costs to your shipping price.
You don't want to spend all your profits on shipping. , People who shop on-line expect fast delivery.
Make sure you do this if you want repeat customers.
Keep them happy. , If you're paid by PayPal, you should go into your account and click on "Print Shipping Label" next to your customer's name to buy your postage.
This saves you from needing to go to the post office, and you'll get free tracking, plus a postage discount of about $1.
Plus, when you buy tracking at the post office it costs about $1, so by printing postage on-line you will save about $2 for each package... this is profit... more money in your pocket for each order.
It adds up! (Or you can pass the savings along to your customers.) If you buy your postage labels from PayPal you also get $50 free insurance, just in case your package gets lost or damaged.
Plus all you have to do is put your package in your mail box and the postman does the rest, no more trips to the post office.
Ask your friends and family to save boxes for you.
When you reuse boxes make sure you cover up any bar codes on the outside so they don't get scanned at the post office.
Only use boxes that don't show pictures of food or other products.
You won't want to use a cereal box or pizza box, it looks unclean and unprofessional... remember, this is a business and you want to make a good impression.
Take care to protect your product from damage in transit.
Ask family and friends to save bubble wrap and packing peanuts for you.
Get tracking numbers, and share them with your customer.
This way you have proof of delivery if someone tries to scam you. , Look at the different options for selling venues. , PayPal is good but you'll need a parent to set up an account for you.
Accounts need to be linked to a checking account, so if you don't have one, you'll need to either get one or use your parents. -
Step 3: high quality
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Step 4: and something people might want or need.
-
Step 5: Write down your ideas.
-
Step 6: Name your business/brand and products.
-
Step 7: Do some market research.
-
Step 8: Determine shipping costs.
-
Step 9: Send out your orders as fast as you can.
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Step 10: Take advantage of postal discounts.
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Step 11: Think about where on the Internet you will sell your product or service.
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Step 12: Plan on how you will accept payment.
Detailed Guide
Go over your list and write down any ideas you can come up with to turn your knowledge and talents into money.
Think about the things you want to sell first.
Is it a physical product? Is it a digital product that can be sent over the Internet, like a game or an image file?
Make rough sketches showing you how you want your product to look if you think this might help you.
Include inner parts and mechanisms if there are any.
Make notes of the function and operation. , Writing down your ideas is a good practice even if your business has already developed.
Write down the materials you will need to make your products. , Come up with catchy descriptive names that people will remember.
You want repeat customers, so help them find you again.
Create a logo.You can create a logo that describes and gives off the feel of your business.
Write good product descriptions for everything you want to sell. , Search for similar products and note the design, materials, finished product, and price points.
Set your prices.
Consider the cost of materials, how much time it takes you to make it, and take into consideration what your competitors are charging.
Make sure your price is fair to your customer, and also fair to you.
Don't just sell something really cheap thinking you'll sell more.
If it's too cheap people will think the quality is bad and won't buy from you.
Of course, when you're selling to people in your school you can make cheap prices because they'll see exactly what they're getting, not just a picture. , Weigh your item, along with the packaging you'll use to ship it.
Then look up postage on the post office website.
Use a postal scale to get the right weight so you can estimate the cost of postage.
If you don't have access to a postal scale, see if your parents can weigh it at work, or go to the post office... they'll be happy to weigh it for you even if you aren't sending it out that day.
Consider the cost of packaging.
The post office has free boxes for priority mail, but if you're sending first class to save money you'll need to furnish your own boxes or padded envelopes.
Add these costs to your shipping price.
You don't want to spend all your profits on shipping. , People who shop on-line expect fast delivery.
Make sure you do this if you want repeat customers.
Keep them happy. , If you're paid by PayPal, you should go into your account and click on "Print Shipping Label" next to your customer's name to buy your postage.
This saves you from needing to go to the post office, and you'll get free tracking, plus a postage discount of about $1.
Plus, when you buy tracking at the post office it costs about $1, so by printing postage on-line you will save about $2 for each package... this is profit... more money in your pocket for each order.
It adds up! (Or you can pass the savings along to your customers.) If you buy your postage labels from PayPal you also get $50 free insurance, just in case your package gets lost or damaged.
Plus all you have to do is put your package in your mail box and the postman does the rest, no more trips to the post office.
Ask your friends and family to save boxes for you.
When you reuse boxes make sure you cover up any bar codes on the outside so they don't get scanned at the post office.
Only use boxes that don't show pictures of food or other products.
You won't want to use a cereal box or pizza box, it looks unclean and unprofessional... remember, this is a business and you want to make a good impression.
Take care to protect your product from damage in transit.
Ask family and friends to save bubble wrap and packing peanuts for you.
Get tracking numbers, and share them with your customer.
This way you have proof of delivery if someone tries to scam you. , Look at the different options for selling venues. , PayPal is good but you'll need a parent to set up an account for you.
Accounts need to be linked to a checking account, so if you don't have one, you'll need to either get one or use your parents.
About the Author
Richard Alvarez
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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