Starting your own e-commerce business is easy unless you have to worry about inventory and shipping. However, there are ways you can start an e-commerce business without the need for inventory.
In fact, there are various websites out there that sell products without having them in stock. They mostly rely on drop shipping or other techniques to achieve this. Print on demand is another technique employed in retail, like in this example, Printful.
Let’s see exactly how you can manage your E-commerce business without inventory and still earn from it!
Print on Demand
You can partner up with certain printing websites to make your own goods. For example, if you want a T-shirt with unique artwork or a mug with a photo of your cat, you can hop on a printing website and create it.
Some people have a great talent when it comes to printing products. If you like to design artwork, you can partner up with such websites.
They will take a small percentage of your sales, and since they are printed on-demand, you won’t need an inventory anymore.
You can set the shop on the website, and when clients order your products, the printing website will take care of it.
If you decide to create your own website and sell products, you can take a small commission and place your order with a company upon receiving the customer’s money.
Third-party Fulfillment Centers
If you want all your business logistics managed, you can go for a third-party fulfillment center. They can stock your products and even ship them for you. This is especially useful for people who create handmade products.
You can also place orders from the manufacturer and send them to a third-party fulfillment center to package the products and send them to your clients. There is a price tag in this process. However, if you want to eliminate the inventory and the shipping process, this is one way to do it.
Dropshipping
Though many believe drop shipping to be a third-party fulfillment, it is a bit different. Dropshipping is also known as “turn-key.” This means that you can take orders from your website and make a commission.
You can only do dropshipping with a company that supports such a system. You have to decide what products you wish to sell and wait for the customer’s orders. The partner company will receive the orders and send them out.
All you have to do is collect the commission on the sale. The difference between this system and a fulfillment center is that you can stock your own products.
A dropshipping company allows you to set your own prices and choose what you wish to sell. This is among the best options to do business without needing an inventory or taking care of the shipping process.
Final Words
Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to start an eCommerce business from the comfort of your home. Things are even better when you choose a system that allows you to get rid of both the inventory and the hassle of shipping.
Though there are only three methods of doing this presented here, there are other alternatives, such as multi-level marketing. No matter what option you decide on, E-commerce without the responsibility of inventory and shipping is possible and highly profitable. Don’t forget to promote yourself online as much as possible, though.
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