When Ideas Come to Life: 10 Reasons Why You Should Be an Online Merchant

Everyone’s had that “a-hah” moment where a great business or product idea comes to mind. They scribble it down, daydream about success, and maybe even think about how to pitch the idea on Shark Tank. But what’s really required to bridge the gap between an idea and a business is the entrepreneur.

E-commerce is a business where people can make money quickly and easily by selling things online. In fact, there are successful online sellers that have made a living simply arbitraging products online without ever having to touch any inventory. At the same time, it can be very challenging to create a sustainable and thriving business beyond just selling things online.

We work with many small e-commerce businesses, and we’ve collected some trends surrounding successful businesses and their owners. While some qualities align with stereotypical characteristics of business owners, others do not.

We’ve identified 10 things you do and do not need as an entrepreneur to start an e-commerce business. We’ll start with the things you don’t need first:

What You Don’t Need

1. Experience

Experience is not required to be an effective online seller.

If you’ve never worked in sales or been a part of a product design team, don’t sweat it. E-Commerce is still relatively new compared with existing business formats, so even those who consider themselves experts in the field only have a limited amount of experience under their belts. Additionally, even if you lack experience in many areas of e-commerce, there are still relevant areas you will find that relate to the life experiences you’ve had.

2. Education

You don’t need a business degree to start a store.

In fact, most small business owners don’t have one. More importantly, if you wanted to learn about the functional aspects of business and e-commerce, it’s easy to educate yourself without getting a degree thanks to numerous online resources. Between written articles, online courses, webinars, videos, podcasts, books, and more, you can find a way to learn that works best for you.

3. To Be Business-Minded

Many business owners are pursuing their passion, rather than a business model.

As you start exploring your online store, you’ll begin to pick up business knowledge and become more business-minded. However, a business mindset is not necessary from the beginning. Many online sellers start with a simple product or an idea and then learn the rest as they go. If you do need someone who is business-minded in your corner, you can always find a partner with experience in business to take on this journey with you.

4. To Be Someone You’re Not

There’s no right way to be successful selling online.

An e-commerce business is an extension of yourself and should reflect who you are, what you stand for, and what you’re passionate about. Your customers are going to want that authenticity from you when they interact with you, your site, and your social media. Keep it professional, but don’t be afraid to be yourself.

5. To View Your Business as “Just Another Job”

The hardest mental block to overcome is being your own boss.

Whether you’re looking to run an e-commerce store full time or part-time, you’re the boss. You’re calling the shots, wearing lots of hats, and working odd hours, especially if you have another job you plan to keep. But, if you have a true passion for the business, it should never feel like “just another job.”

What You Need

1. A Personal Connection

Start with a passion project.

You need to be passionate about the products you’re selling and your business overall in order to be successful. What makes you happy? Find a niche in that community and sell something that makes you excited to get out of bed and go to work every day. Customers can tell when you’re personally invested in the product, and they’ll want to get involved too.

2. To Be in it for More Than the Money

For business owners, it’s almost always about something bigger than the money.

Whether it’s a personal connection, a life-long calling, or an idea that you have to see through, starting an e-commerce store has to be about your passion for the business and not a way to make a quick buck. If you want to build something that you can hang your hat on or retire with, the goal of your business beyond making money will be important.

3. Take pride in Your Work

Because your products are your business when you sell online.

Make sure that the products you’re selling are quality and made to the best of your ability. Take the time to learn what your customers are looking for and try to supply them with that. As a small business, customers see you as a specialist in whatever you’re selling. Your product should be something you’re proud to put your name on.

4. Take Initiative

You will have to do a lot of dirty work and heavy lifting yourself in order to be successful.

While it’s alright to start a business without prior knowledge, there’s still a lot of work to be done. Take the initiative to make your business successful by researching business basics, taking a class, or reaching out to professionals in the field for advice. Get on top of your problems before they get on top of you. Since you’re the boss, you have to be ready for anything, and you will have to be prepared to do it all yourself.

5. Passion That Overrides Fear

Find the motivation that empowers you to take the leap.

In the end, the passion you have for your business must be strong enough to override any fears or doubts you have. Jumping into the e-commerce world can be scary, but you have to have the drive to take that leap. If the passion and drive are there, everything else will follow suit.

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