Post: #1

Hey guys,
I currently sell midcentury office supplies online. I moved off of eBay awhile back and I maintain my own shop online, on Shopify. It's been tougher to attract customers as I'm no longer on a huge website but, obviously, I appreciate the creative freedom it's given me and the minimal fees. Short of taking out ads online, how would you suggest that I attact more customers? I already run a few social media channels and I send out weekly email messages to customers.

Post: #2

Why do you keep opening these threads with vague, open ended questions?

Post: #3

(02-23-2016 04:46 PM)johnbozzz Wrote:  Hey guys,
I currently sell midcentury office supplies online. I moved off of eBay awhile back and I maintain my own shop online, on Shopify. It's been tougher to attract customers as I'm no longer on a huge website but, obviously, I appreciate the creative freedom it's given me and the minimal fees. Short of taking out ads online, how would you suggest that I attact more customers? I already run a few social media channels and I send out weekly email messages to customers.

The lifeblood of ANY online business whos name isn't "eBay" or "Amazon" is Google. Google organic search, and, more importantly for newcomers, Google Shopping.

There should be an add-on for Shopify that automatically uploads your items to Google Shopping. Of course, you WILL have to pay advertising fees, but that's the only way you're going to get any traffic.

Post: #4

(02-23-2016 05:07 PM)crudeloyalist Wrote:  Why do you keep opening these threads with vague, open ended questions?

I apologize if the title wasn't specific enough. I've edited the original post.

Post: #5

Are they your own products or are you reselling other people's/company's products?

Post: #6

I am very interested to see of any low cost methods that are effective. Haven't found anything "free" that really does much in a saturated market.

Post: #7

Content Creation is free, I'm just wondering what type of products. Because if they are your own products, you can write reviews and have featured content on the site that will be high ranking (due to it being a unique product). You can ask people to write reviews as well. Advertising for me is something that is necessary, and my spends can be relatively high per month, but if it's driving traffic, I can justify it any day.

Post: #8

I sell midcentury office supplies, globes and maps. I don't make any of them myself. The only way I've attracted eyes, for free, has been by making a Twitter and Facebook page.

Post: #9

I don't know your financial situation but trying to find a free option to advertise an ecommerce store is a waste of time when you can delve into paid advertising and make money a lot faster than playing the Google "wait and pray" game.

I think your best bet would be to go where your target customers congregate online (meaning join forums they frequent/social media sites they post on/subreddits they're a part of) and then simply mention your site or what you do as a side comment. Much easier to sell to people who trust you then strangers.

Also keep growing those social pages. Maybe start a different Facebook "feeder page" for business owners/your target customer and post content they'd find interesting. Then occasionally (maybe every 20-25 posts or so) mention your store and that they should check it out if they're interested in office supplies. This will take time but with "free" you don't get "fast"Just some ideas.

Post: #10

Understand that any "free" options you opt for are long balls. That means they take a long time to build up if there is no promotion ontop of them. The largest following you can get for free on Facebook is by asking your friends to like the page and tell their friends, but that takes time for example. What I'd say is if you have featured sections, include content on the history of a particularly cool piece you're selling.

For low cost options, fiverr can be utilized to SEO your site via backlinks and such.

Post: #11

There is no "free" in selling knick-knacks online, period.

You're selling basic office supplies in a saturated market.

You have to pay for advertising. Period. Your product is not unique. It's not something people can't get elsewhere. There's no free lunch.

If you have good product with good margins, you can afford the advertising. If not, you need a new product. The time you spend on Facebook or other "free" options would be much better spent in other ways. Time is money, and you get what you pay for.