Shift4Shop eCommerce Blog | Starting a Business (2)

Dropshipping is one of the most popular ways to start an eCommerce business because it allows you to focus on building your brand while still making money with every order. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t need to invest funds into a dropshipping business. You may run into several costs, ranging from marketing tools to wages.

Even if you’re running a small business, having an HR team is incredibly important. The HR department can handle new employee onboarding, interpersonal disputes, and more when necessary. However, the odds are that your small business’s HR department is stretched thin — you may even have only one HR employee.

The eCommerce industry has exploded in recent years due to the retail sector's ongoing digital transformation and an exponential surge in demand resulting from the global pandemic. Consequently, more money than ever before flows through digital stores across nearly every conceivable vertical.

There was a time when screen printing was the overwhelmingly favored form of printed t-shirt production for businesses. But now DTG is becoming increasingly popular, particularly with Etsy and other small online shop owners who recognize its many benefits to them.

Have you noticed that every successful eCommerce business uses multichannel sales? And have you wondered why that’s the case? The answer is simple: because it increases our chance of being noticed by potential customers and increases your sales. But, if it was that easy, everyone would do it.

It takes a village to run any successful large venture or implement ambitious ideas. That’s why business owners need a group of people to bounce ideas off of, critique, and provide invaluable feedback to each other. They may be a group of C-level executives, or simply some trusted individuals and peers from various companies who are qualified to run a business. This is called a “mastermind group,” a term coined by author Napoleon Hill in the classic self-improvement book “Think and Grow Rich.” 

Branding isn't your brand name or your domain name. It isn't even some blog post or press release that you publish. It's more than a strategy that you lay out on a company wiki.

The truth is, branding cannot be seen; it can only be felt.

Think about some of your favorite brands, ones that you actively recommend to your peers and prefer over other options. That feeling? That's good branding.

Let's be honest, building a custom sticker business is difficult and there is a lot of competition. However, it’s not impossible to succeed. Customers are more supportive of small businesses than ever before, and eCommerce platforms make it easier than ever to reach a worldwide audience. Forget about expensive brick-and-mortar locations — the best place to have a sticker business is online! A couple of sticker ideas won't make you wealthy, but if you have a vision, a business strategy, and a[...]

Most people don't step into a new venture with a wealth of experience in financial management. Knowing how many new start-ups have failed to succeed financially — and why — is essential for any business owner.

A smart business owner comprehends the central role of accounting and bookkeeping to make effective business decisions.

The last few years have seen an absolute explosion in eCommerce growth, and there has never been a better time to get in on the action yourself with an online boutique.

During the 2020 pandemic, eCommerce sales soared upwards by an incredible 33.6%, destroying previous estimates in its wake.  That growth has only continued since, and it’s just common sense to want to get in on the action with your own venture.

Let’s be honest: it’s an exciting time to be an entrepreneur. In days past, starting[...]

Identifying and analyzing trends is an excellent way to get a jump on future business, but it's important to remember that the best trend analysis will depend on taking everything into consideration. With that in mind, below are some tips on identifying market trends for long-term success.

With everyone and their best friend opening an eCommerce store to sell anything from home-cooked vegan snacks to soy-based candles and everything in-between, price is the numero uno differentiator in helping consumers decide.

It’s a routine day at work in the Fall of 2019 and you’re already tired before you get to work. You show up in the morning, log on to your computer, and, on autopilot, head straight to your email inbox.

Then, as you scroll through your emails, you spot an email from Sony — and its good news. You’ve made it through the waiting list and it’s your turn to order a Playstation 5! However, you don’t have much time before you’ll miss out.

Luckily, you spotted the email when it was just a few minutes[...]

Have you been looking for new ways to add to your business’s product lineup? Working on producing and manufacturing a new product from scratch yourself can be time-consuming and costly. And, if you’d like to take manufacturing products yourself out of the picture, you may not want to spend money on obtaining brand-name products to sell.

Instead, many businesses choose to design and sell private label products on their online stores. But what exactly are private label products? Let’s learn all[...]

Starting an online jewelry business is the dream of many young entrepreneurs. However, just like any other business, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Many people may have the perfect idea for a jewelry business, but they are unable to execute it. Making a mark in the jewelry industry can be tough, but it comes with its own set of rewards and satisfaction.

However, no matter the reason for wanting to start an online jewelry business, 2021 is the perfect time to do so. With the COVID-19 pandemic[...]

Subscription boxes have become incredibly popular over the last several years, both with businesses and consumers. While consumers love them for their specificity and convenience (how nice is it to get all of your dog’s favorite food and snacks sent to you each month automatically?), businesses love subscription boxes because they allow for targeting niche audiences and make monthly sales consistent. Of course, just because subscription boxes are popular doesn’t mean that you can start a[...]

Starting a business can be an excellent way to achieve your dreams. For starters, you’ll have more freedom working for yourself than working for someone else. You can also create your own schedule and working hours, build anything you want, and most importantly, make a profit.

But, this comes with many challenges and drawbacks. So, it's essential to ask yourself some critical questions.

On paper, reselling seems like the perfect plan. You, an enterprising eCommerce business owner, need an inventory for your store. You purchase a large number of goods from a supplier in bulk, taking advantage of the included discount. Then, you mark up the price and resell the products at a profit. This business model is bulletproof … or is it?

Managing a team, whether in a small business or large corporation, is no easy task. The better technology becomes, the more distractions there are.

In today’s fast-paced world, efficiency and time are key factors in determining productivity. To ensure efficiency and timely output, leaders need to actively measure their employees’ time and boost their productivity.

Shopping behavior has irreversibly changed since the advent of smart technology. Specifically, shoppers now have the ability to complete shopping cart checkouts from a mobile device in record time with all of their payment information saved. And now, due to global happenings in 2020 and 2021, more compelling reasons have surfaced as to why consumers are choosing to online shop, safety now competing with convenience as their primary motivation.

Additionally, brick-and-mortar stores themselves[...]