A Simple Guide to Starting an Online Shoe Store

Posted 2 years ago by Max Komonov

One of桂the桂first keys to桂success when starting an桂online store is桂picking an桂item in桂high demand. This means that shoes are automatically near the桂top of桂any桂list of桂the桂best items to桂sell online. But that is桂not just because they�셱e a桂high-demand item. Another benefit of桂shoes for桂retailers is桂the桂immense range of桂styles they come in. There are shoes for桂every occasion and桂vocation. This is桂something that retailers can easily take advantage of桂when searching for桂a桂niche market.

According to桂one study, Americans buy an桂average of桂. With that constant demand cycle, there is桂never a桂bad time to桂start selling shoes. Want to桂break into the桂market with your own online business? Here is桂everything you should know about starting an桂online shoe store.

Why Starting a桂Shoe Store is桂a桂Good Idea

As桂mentioned, there are several notable advantages to桂selling shoes online. Understanding what makes shoes so桂valuable to桂retailers can help entrepreneurs when strategizing and桂creating their business plans.

Lightweight and桂Durable

One of桂the桂unique struggles of桂running an桂online retail business is桂shipping and桂storage. Retailers need to桂keep their inventory stored somewhere prior to桂being sold. In桂many cases, the桂logistics of桂this can be桂quite difficult, especially for桂large and桂heavy items. But shoes are relatively small and桂easy to桂keep in桂storage. This also helps when it桂comes time to桂fulfill orders. Shoes are not expensive to桂ship and桂are also durable. This means there is桂a桂low risk of桂damage during shipping.

Extensive Variety

A桂common word of桂advice for桂online retailers is桂to桂find a桂lucrative niche. Shoes offer more potential than most products in桂this area. As桂mentioned above, most people own several pairs of桂shoes. At桂the桂very least, most people own a桂pair of桂work shoes and桂dress shoes. However, many people own even more pairs of桂shoes than that. This means that online retailers can always find a桂type of桂shoe that will sell well for桂them with relatively low market competition.

Always In桂Demand

One last reason why shoes are such a桂great item to桂sell is桂that they never go桂out of桂style. Most shoes only last a桂year or桂a桂couple of桂years before needing to桂be桂replaced. This means people are regularly in桂the桂market for桂a桂new pair of桂shoes. Therefore, there is桂never an桂off-season when it桂comes to桂selling shoes.

How to桂Start a桂Shoe Business Online: Choosing Your Niche

As桂mentioned, it桂can be桂helpful to桂find a桂niche when selling anything online. Shoes offer more potential than most items due to桂the桂high variety of桂styles. Shoe wholesalers can get away with specializing in桂all types of桂shoes. But if桂you�셱e starting an桂online shoe business from scratch, it桂helps to桂start small. Focusing on桂a桂few types of桂shoes, and桂catering to桂a桂few key demographics, is桂a桂more viable strategy.

For instance, you might choose to桂focus on桂selling high-quality dress shoes or桂athletic shoes. When researching your niche, you should consider a桂few things. The first factor to桂look at桂is桂market competition. You should seek out a桂niche that has relatively low competition, giving you a桂greater market share.

Combined with low market competition, you should also find a桂niche with relatively high demand. This ensures that you will have a桂stable base of桂consumers who will buy your products.

A桂third factor to桂consider is桂your own interests. This is桂not always essential, but it桂can help a桂lot if桂you sell a桂product about which you are passionate. Additionally, it桂can help establish you as桂an桂authority in桂your market and桂also makes your work more enjoyable.

Once you have found your niche, your next step is桂to桂focus on桂your target demographic and桂how to桂reach them. What types of桂consumers belong to桂your niche? And what are the桂best channels to桂reach them?

Choosing a桂Supplier and桂Business Model

Starting a桂shoe store online also means figuring out how to桂obtain and桂supply shoes. There are a桂couple of桂different primary business models when it桂comes to桂selling shoes online: dropshipping and桂wholesale.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping is桂a桂business model where an桂online retailer acts as桂a桂middleman between a桂product�셲 manufacturer and桂the桂end consumer. In桂a桂dropshipping arrangement, you agree to桂list products for桂sale on桂your website. But you do桂not actually supply the桂product to桂the桂customer. Instead, you facilitate their transaction, while the桂dropshipper handles everything else (manufacturing, storage, and桂order fulfillment).

The advantages of桂this model are its low overhead cost and桂minimal time investment. However, you will have less control over product quality and桂customer service in桂this model.

Wholesale

An桂alternative to桂dropshipping is桂buying products in桂bulk from a桂wholesaler that you can then resell on桂your website. This model gives the桂retailer (you) greater control over most aspects of桂your business. You will be桂responsible for桂item storage and桂shipment, but this also means you are not reliant on桂somebody else for桂customer service. Plus, you also have much greater control over your own supply chain, as桂you will always feel confident about what items are in桂stock.

The disadvantage of桂a桂wholesale model, compared to桂dropshipping, is桂that it桂requires a桂greater investment. But the桂tradeoff is桂a桂bigger potential reward.

Starting an桂Online Shoe Store: Building Your Website

The last step to桂starting a桂shoe store online is桂creating your website. The simplest way to桂do桂this for桂people without much tech experience is桂to桂use an桂ecommerce platform. Ecommerce platforms, like , supply entrepreneurs with all of桂the桂tools, resources, and桂guidance they need to桂start their businesses. This includes tools to桂build and桂customize your website exactly how you want it. 붚죕쳔 also makes it桂easy to桂add things like easy payment and桂checkout options to桂your website for桂a桂smoother user experience.

Want to桂learn more about the桂basics of桂building your online store? Read our guide to桂starting an桂online store without a桂budget for桂more detailed tips and桂instructions.

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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