4 answers
April
Student
2
Questions
Asked
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How do I start an online business as a teen?
I want to make money and also make jewelry but don’t know how to start or how to get my name out there. Is there any platforms you suggest?
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4 answers
Michelle M.
Actress
2400
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hi, April !
It is very expensive to have and maintain a website, so this may not be the time to do this while you are a teenager. Since you're asking how to do it, that means you'll have to hire someone to design it and that's very expensive, too. If you put your jewelry on sites like eBay or other similar sites, they take a percentage of your sales so you wouldn't get all your sales. I think you'd have to file income tax (if in the U.S.), but you can find that out online. I have an idea that I have seen people do frugally and easily.
I do not know the area in which you live, but this may work in some locales and may not for others. Start making your jewelry and sell it in person. Bring some of your product to school and tell people you're selling them. Let your parents pitch your business to their co-workers and bring your jewelry to work and sell them. It happens all the time around where I live. I even knew a woman who made jewelry and went door to door in her apartment building and sold her jewelry. Cash in hand. Doing it online is a chance you take that someone will spot your items, like and want them and buy them. You'd also have to set your website up with Pay Pal or other payment systems and who knows what that costs or if those companies take a fee every time you sell something. These are things to consider if you want to see results.
Go to shops to see if they will carry your jewelry even if it's on a consignment basis. The store gets a percentage and you get a percentage of the sales. This is an active way to get your business going. There is a natural food store that carries earrings that a woman makes. You can do some footwork and see if you can make an arrangement with a small shop. Venturing to do this as a teen with a website or online site like eBay or Etsy can have you waiting for results as there are thousands of people selling jewelry on those sites. You will need a direct, in person approach to start seeing some sales.
Also think about doing yard/tag/garage sales on the weekends at which you can sell your jewelry. Again, cash in hand.
You may get the advice on how to make a website or sell online and you will need to choose to do what you can do at this time. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
It is very expensive to have and maintain a website, so this may not be the time to do this while you are a teenager. Since you're asking how to do it, that means you'll have to hire someone to design it and that's very expensive, too. If you put your jewelry on sites like eBay or other similar sites, they take a percentage of your sales so you wouldn't get all your sales. I think you'd have to file income tax (if in the U.S.), but you can find that out online. I have an idea that I have seen people do frugally and easily.
I do not know the area in which you live, but this may work in some locales and may not for others. Start making your jewelry and sell it in person. Bring some of your product to school and tell people you're selling them. Let your parents pitch your business to their co-workers and bring your jewelry to work and sell them. It happens all the time around where I live. I even knew a woman who made jewelry and went door to door in her apartment building and sold her jewelry. Cash in hand. Doing it online is a chance you take that someone will spot your items, like and want them and buy them. You'd also have to set your website up with Pay Pal or other payment systems and who knows what that costs or if those companies take a fee every time you sell something. These are things to consider if you want to see results.
Go to shops to see if they will carry your jewelry even if it's on a consignment basis. The store gets a percentage and you get a percentage of the sales. This is an active way to get your business going. There is a natural food store that carries earrings that a woman makes. You can do some footwork and see if you can make an arrangement with a small shop. Venturing to do this as a teen with a website or online site like eBay or Etsy can have you waiting for results as there are thousands of people selling jewelry on those sites. You will need a direct, in person approach to start seeing some sales.
Also think about doing yard/tag/garage sales on the weekends at which you can sell your jewelry. Again, cash in hand.
You may get the advice on how to make a website or sell online and you will need to choose to do what you can do at this time. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Thanks for the help.
Christoph Ruef
3
Answers
Updated
Christoph’s Answer
1) Create a Business Plan
a) Identify what makes your product special. Why should people choose it over others?
b) Describe this in one simple sentence anyone can understand.
c) Turn it into a catchy slogan or phrase.
d) Ask yourself if it’s convincing. Would you want to buy it if you saw it online? Would you click on it?
e) Think about the 4Ps: Product, Price, Promotion, and Place. Look up the 4Ps of Marketing for more details.
f) Plan how to sell and ship your product. Will you use mail, FedEx, or need other help?
2) Use Shopify, Amazon, or a similar service to start your online business
a) Set up your online store.
b) Check if they offer shipping services or if you need to handle it yourself with US Mail, FedEx, UPS, etc.
c) Add content about your product, like photos, videos, descriptions, and prices.
d) Ensure your store appears on top web pages when people search for similar products.
e) Keep improving by testing different content, prices, and strategies.
a) Identify what makes your product special. Why should people choose it over others?
b) Describe this in one simple sentence anyone can understand.
c) Turn it into a catchy slogan or phrase.
d) Ask yourself if it’s convincing. Would you want to buy it if you saw it online? Would you click on it?
e) Think about the 4Ps: Product, Price, Promotion, and Place. Look up the 4Ps of Marketing for more details.
f) Plan how to sell and ship your product. Will you use mail, FedEx, or need other help?
2) Use Shopify, Amazon, or a similar service to start your online business
a) Set up your online store.
b) Check if they offer shipping services or if you need to handle it yourself with US Mail, FedEx, UPS, etc.
c) Add content about your product, like photos, videos, descriptions, and prices.
d) Ensure your store appears on top web pages when people search for similar products.
e) Keep improving by testing different content, prices, and strategies.
Steve Gandola
Marketing
6
Answers
Rocklin
Updated
Steve’s Answer
Good for you, taking your first step into entrepreneurship and blinging out the world! For just starting out, you may want to go simple by using Instagram or Facebook, invoicing people with Venmo. As you get your feet under you and have a better sense for whether you want to grow and how much capacity you have, you could look to become a vendor on Etsy. These might be good starting points. Also, you can check with local boutiques that may want to carry inventory of a local artisan and sometimes sell on consignment, which means they don't buy your product to resell, but they give you space to show your product and they get a percentage of whatever sells. Best of luck pursuing this passion.
Elizandro (Eli) Leon III
SR Analyst
2
Answers
El Paso, Texas
Updated
Elizandro (Eli)’s Answer
Hi April,
I'm thrilled to hear you're thinking about starting your own business! It's an exciting journey, and the first step is to dive in and get started. Success is more achievable than ever! Here's a plan to help you kick things off. Begin by creating social media profiles for your business on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube—they're all free. Once set up, start connecting with people who might be interested in your products. For example, follow women aged 20-45; if they're interested, they'll follow you back. On YouTube, you can share the process of making jewelry, which will help build your brand.
As you begin selling your first items, customers can transfer money to your account or maybe to your parents' accounts. Once sales pick up, consider investing in a platform like Shopify to expand your reach. Remember, don't give up when things get tough. There may be times when sales slow down, but keep pushing forward! You've got this, and I'm here to support you all the way. Hope this helps!
Eli
I'm thrilled to hear you're thinking about starting your own business! It's an exciting journey, and the first step is to dive in and get started. Success is more achievable than ever! Here's a plan to help you kick things off. Begin by creating social media profiles for your business on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube—they're all free. Once set up, start connecting with people who might be interested in your products. For example, follow women aged 20-45; if they're interested, they'll follow you back. On YouTube, you can share the process of making jewelry, which will help build your brand.
As you begin selling your first items, customers can transfer money to your account or maybe to your parents' accounts. Once sales pick up, consider investing in a platform like Shopify to expand your reach. Remember, don't give up when things get tough. There may be times when sales slow down, but keep pushing forward! You've got this, and I'm here to support you all the way. Hope this helps!
Eli