Starting Your Small Business Series - Part 2

How to use drop shipping to start a small business for under £150

Starting a new business is actually easier than you’d think. We’re at risk of over simplifying things here, but at a very basic level here are the things you’ll need to do to get started:

  1. Choose a brand name, domain name, host and a dedicated email address.
  2. Choose a supplier or drop shipper.
  3. Choose an ecommerce platform, like Shopify or Bigcommerce.
  4. Choose a website theme or template.
  5. Create or source your product designs.
  6. Decide on a marketing budget and launch!

Choosing your drop shipper or supplier

Now we’re not saying you should go with Inkthreadable, but you should go with Inkthreadable. Our focus is always on what’s best for you as a drop shipping customer, which we think is a pretty awesome way to run a print on demand service - but that being said you need a company that can meet your specific business needs.

It’s always best practice to find a supplier for everything you plan to sell before you start building your small business. You’ll not only understand the availability and limitations to the products you plan to sell, but you’ll develop a relationship with this supplier as you start asking questions throughout your store and product creation processes.

If your supplier were, say, Inkthreadable, we’d advise you on things like turnaround times, and whether your artwork is suitable for print or embroidery with tips on how to improve them if they’re not, or explain about the different product finishing services available to you and how to take full advantage of them.

Dropshipping

With Inkthreadable you only need to supply your designs and we'll do the rest: printing, garment finishing, packing and shipping. We'll even keep you up to date with order notification emails so you won't be left guessing when your order was fulfilled and dispatched.

And keep in mind: you’re not limited to just one drop shipper. Each will have their own strengths and weaknesses, and each will charge different prices for their various products and services. You need to decide what quality of product you want to offer, and find the drop shipper that offers this quality at the best price. Our print quality is always exceptional, but the products we can print or embroider range in things like thickness and fit. Fashion fit t-shirts are generally more expensive but offer a higher quality product than the cheapest, regular fit basic t-shirt for example.

You need to be working with your supplier as soon as you have an idea of the products you want to sell, not choosing one as an afterthought with little to no time to time to sample their work or otherwise make an informed decision on whether or not they’re the right drop shipper for you before your store goes live. 

The best way to find your prospective drop shipper, as always, is through research. Online directories, word of mouth or a simple Google search can offer the drop shipper you’re looking for, but if you’re in two minds about your choices then why not have a chat to the Inkthreadable team? You never know, you might like us.

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