Inventors-to-be, pay attention! Business Insider spills the secrets on how anyone (yep, even you!) can start an e-commerce business with little more than pocket change. With the right idea, it's like turning your wild ideas into cash without needing a ton of up front money or a fancy degree. Who needs a lemonade stand when you can print viral gadgets on demand? Here are some tips!
Here are Five Fast Facts on starting an e-commerce business on the cheap:
- 💨 Start Small - You can grab a basic 3D printer for about $100 and a roll of filament (the plastic stuff) for about $20. Then use free software (even AI that designs from your words) to make your first product in just hours or days!
- 🖨️ Fail Fast - Print prototypes quickly, tweak them based on what people say, and sell on easy spots like Etsy or Amazon Handmade (which has no big fees at first) to find the winners before going all-in with a big investment.
- 👀 Grow Free - Use free social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to make fun videos that go viral and drive sales - skip expensive ads, and set up a shop on Shopify for as low as $1/month to start to handle your sales.
- 🛠️ Be Your Own Factory - Handle making and shipping yourself at first to save money. Print your gadget in your room or garage, pack it with cheap bubble mailers and a simple label printer. No need for overseas factories until you're ready to level up.
- 💪 Scale Up Like A Boss...Eventually - Add more printers as your sales increase. When it makes sense, then you can move to a warehouse and switch to pro molds and manufacturing. But run as lean as you can until then to reduce your risk.
🔥Bottom line: SIf you follow these steps, you're more likely to both find a winner of an idea, and to go all in with cash from sales rather than taking out a business loan or borrowing someone else's cash up front. Who knows - you could be the next great inventor 3D printing your way to the bank.
Got a great idea?
Let us know by connecting with us on Facebook and Instagram! Also, remember to share this newsletter with your friends & coworkers!
BTW, If you’ve read this far and haven’t yet signed up for the weekly Paycheckology newsletter, CLICK HERE!
