Ready to start a shop online? Here’s everything you need to get started. This toolkit of resources will be what you need to starta shop. Whether big or small, wholesale, retail or on Etsy. We’ve got you covered with tips and ideas.
How to Start a Shop Onlilne
We use affiliate links in this post. We may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases and will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking the links.
Start A Shop Business Toolkit
These are the best Shop Tools, Online Business Programs and Teachers out there. Everything we have found so far. If you are ready, dig into the shop building resources, lets get started. And If you’re serious about putting in the work, sign up here to get new tips and tricks to support your business. We’ll be sharing new tools and tips as we find them.
Etsy Marketplace
For us Etsy is a shop and marketing guru in one. There is always discussion around “should you or shouldn’t you be on Etsy.” People complain about rules, customers and fees, which at .20 cents a pop could deter some, but we feel is worth it to test out new designs and get in front of new customers. Etsy functions on best SEO practices, which means if we write the listing content right, and add great photos we naturally make it on the first page of searches. If you’re ready to start your dream business, Etsy is a great place to start. Sign up for Etsy.
Shopify E-Commerce Platform
There are really only a few stellar industry leading shop platforms if you’re looking to set up shop on your own. And Shopify is one of them. Super easy to use, you can grab a Shopify account, pick your theme ( and they offer free ones) and start adding products. We love that Shopify is universal enough to integrate with all the major email platforms, drop shipping companies, reward programs and more. simply add the apps you know you’ll need within Shopify and get started selling. Sign up for a Shopify account.
Creative Market
Creative Market is by far one of the best tools to have in your toolkit for all things cute graphics, amazing fonts and everything you need to create your products and business branding. We love that they work with artists to make work available and that they run sales regularly. Check out Creative Market for any of your design needs.
Marmalead
Marmalead is a tool we use for our Etsy shop that evaluates all our listings for correct SEO. With grades for each listing, and suggestions for keywords, tags, and more we utilize this tool regularly to make sure our shop is doing its job making money for us. If you’re serious about improving your shop so it gets found, grab Marmalead.
eRank
You will need to check eRank.com to not only learn more about your own shop, but also the competition! Absolutely the best way to see which listings are doing well, which shops are your competition and what you can do to improve. An absolute must-have account. and you can get this for free.
SendOwl
If you’re planning to create a digital product that will require people to download your item, then SendOwl may be your best bet. Especially if you are planning on selling bundles of multiple digital files in one sale. It’s a great tool to make sure customers get the product they ordered, right after they ordered it! Instead of having to wait for you to send it along via email. You can download the plugin in your Shopify store, or Try FREE for 30 days. Head to SendOwl or sign up to be affiliate here.
Printful
If you’re interested in selling a product that is designed by you, but created and mailed out by someone else, then Printful may be what you’re looking for. You can start an online store without any inventory at all! Printful offers the most selection, shipping options, warehouse services and more. It also takes a huge part of the work off your plate. So if you’re dreaming automated residual income dreams that make you money while you sleep, check out Printful. It’s the BEST way to start a hassle-free shop, without worrying about products or mailing items from home!
Printed Mint
Printed Mint is all about beautiful items that you can customize and mail to your customers. Perfect for boutiques and small shops. This supplier has unique items and flat fee shipping. We love the enamel camping mug and cute tea towels. You can even upload your design and adjust in their design editor. Check out Printed Mint.
Skillshare
If you are looking for “How to do Anything” you will find it on Skillshare. We use Skillshare whenever we hit a wall and need to upgrade our skills. And because we are learning ALL THE TIME! So you gotta get really good at learning. This is a place a lot of people get stuck. Like, really stuck. They believe that x is simply out of reach. P.S it is NEVER out of reach. Skillshare can help get you there. Grab 2 months free.
Other Shop Tools
Design
Photography
- Lightroom
- Lightroom CC for mobile
- Our Presets. Check out our collection.
Courses
- Fuzzy and Birch Etsy Tutorials
- Eva Knows YouTube Channel
Using Pinterest to Drive Traffic to a Shop
Canva
Product photos on Pinterst Pins is KEY! Make sure that you have good photography too. You can check out our Photography Equipment post for what we use. You need Canva. Whether you’re creating Pinterest Pins, Instagram Stories, or the header for your Blog, Canva can do everything you need it to to make sure your business is on-brand. Sign up for an account here.
Tailwind
You can use the Tailwind Chrome Extension to schedule directly from your product pages. No matter if it’s on Etsy or another eCommerce platform getting your stuff seen regularly on Pinterest is essential to your business success. Be sure to share only a couple of products each day alongside your other pins. Sign up for Tailwind.
Pinterest Traffic Avalanche
Ok, guys. The BEST Pinterest Class out there, Pinterest Traffic Avalanche by Lauren and Alex over at Create and Go, is absolutely necessary for shop success. The course is continually updated every time Pinterest changes an algorithm or Tailwind adds a new feature. If you Implement every suggestion in this class and you will see results! From curiosity pins, to when to post, to how to write descriptions. Grab the class here Pinterest Traffic Avalanche by Create and Go. This single class has helped us grow daily visits to our shop from 200 to 5,000.
Using Instagram to Drive Traffic to a Shop
Improve Instagram
Shop products do wonderfully on Instagram. People love seeing flatlays, photos and your product in action. Take advantage of this social media platform to highlight your shop stuff, and build community. Your main goal on this platform should be social engagement, not necessarily sales, or traffic. That said, here’s what we’ve used to up our Instagram game.
Instagram for Success
One of the first bloggers we began to take cues from is Helene in Between. You can grab her course here Instagram for Success by Helene in Between . This is a great course we’d recommend if you’re just getting started or need a new strategy to try out. She updates it regularly so you won’t be disappointed!
How to Start a Shop Tools
Hopefully this list of resources gives you someplace to start. Sharing tips is still a work in progress for us, since we ar running our own blog and shops along the way. But we’ll be transparent about what we use so you can get started. Make sure you’re on our resource email list to stay in the know.
Ready to Learn what it Takes to Start a Blog? Check out our Blogger Resource Page.
