Selling Physical Products

Alright, let’s talk about selling physical products on your website. There’s something exciting about seeing an order come through for a product that you’ve created or curated.

Whether it’s handmade jewellery, custom t-shirts, eco-friendly home goods, or even a product you’re drop-shipping (more on that in a previous chapter), selling physical products can be a rewarding and profitable way to build an online income stream.

Sure, there’s a bit more to it than selling digital products—inventory, shipping, handling—but don’t worry, I’m going to walk you through it step by step. By the end of this chapter, you’ll know how to start selling physical products on your website, from finding the right products to managing orders. Let’s jump in!

What Does It Mean to Sell Physical Products Online?

Selling physical products online means you’re offering tangible goods that people can buy from your website, have shipped to their homes, and hold in their hands. These can be products you make yourself, curate from suppliers, or even sell through a drop-shipping model.

There are two main ways you can approach this:

1. Creating your own products (e.g., handmade items, clothing, crafts, etc.)
2. Curating and selling products from suppliers (e.g., buying wholesale or drop-shipping)

No matter which route you choose, the goal is the same: to sell items that your audience will love and be willing to buy. Let’s break down how you can make that happen!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Decide on the Products You Want to Sell

The first and most important step is figuring out what you want to sell. This could be something you’re passionate about creating (like handmade crafts) or a product you’re curating from suppliers (like eco-friendly home products or unique fashion accessories).

The key is to choose products that resonate with your audience and align with your website’s niche.

Here are a few questions to help guide your decision:

• What’s your niche? If you run a fitness blog, maybe you want to sell branded workout gear or custom yoga mats. If you’re in the home decor space, you might sell unique furniture pieces or handmade decor items.
• What do you know or love? Selling something you’re passionate about makes the process a lot more enjoyable—and helps you create authentic content around the products.
• Is there a demand for it? It’s a good idea to research the market before diving in. Are people searching for the kind of products you want to sell? Tools like Google Trends or keyword research tools can help you gauge interest.

You can either create your own products (think handmade or custom items) or find a supplier who offers products that fit your brand. Don’t feel like you have to go huge right out of the gate. You can start with just a handful of products and expand as you grow.

Step 2: Set Up an eCommerce Store

Now that you know what you’re going to sell, it’s time to set up your online store. You need a platform where customers can browse your products, make purchases, and have their items shipped. Luckily, setting up an eCommerce store has never been easier.

Here are two popular options for building your store:

• Shopify: Shopify is one of the easiest platforms for setting up an online store. It’s specifically designed for eCommerce, so you’ll have all the tools you need to manage inventory, take payments, and handle shipping. Plus, they have tons of beautiful, easy-to-customise templates.
• WooCommerce (for WordPress users): If your website is already on WordPress, WooCommerce is a powerful (and free) plugin that turns your site into a fully functional eCommerce store. You can manage products, inventory, payments, and shipping—all within your existing site.

Both platforms make it super simple to upload products, write descriptions, and set prices. And they come with built-in tools for accepting payments through credit cards, PayPal, and other payment gateways.

When setting up your store, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Use high-quality product photos: This is one of the most important parts of selling physical products online. Your photos need to look professional, clear, and inviting. If possible, take pictures from multiple angles and show the product in use.
• Write detailed descriptions: Your product descriptions should be clear and include all the key details—size, materials, colour options, etc. The more information you provide, the easier it is for people to feel confident about their purchase.
• Set prices: When pricing your products, consider both your costs (including production, shipping, and fees) and your desired profit margin. It’s important to make sure you’re covering your expenses and still making a healthy profit.

Step 3: Set Up Payment Gateways and Shipping

Now that your products are uploaded and ready to go, let’s make sure people can actually buy them! Setting up payment gateways and shipping options is crucial to getting your store fully operational.

For payment gateways, most eCommerce platforms make this super easy. Shopify and WooCommerce both integrate with major payment providers like PayPal, Stripe, and Shopify Payments. You’ll want to offer a few payment options so your customers can choose what works best for them.

For shipping, you have a couple of options:

• Handle shipping yourself: If you’re selling handmade or custom products, you’ll probably be handling shipping yourself. This means packaging the products and shipping them using services like USPS, FedEx, or UPS. Make sure to calculate shipping costs and factor them into your product pricing or charge for shipping separately.
• Use a fulfilment service: If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of shipping, you can use a fulfilment service like ShipStation or ShipBob. These services store your inventory and ship products for you when an order comes in.

And, if you’re going the drop-shipping route (selling products from suppliers without stocking inventory), your supplier will handle all the shipping. You’ll just need to ensure they’re reliable and have reasonable shipping times.

Step 4: Manage Inventory and Orders

Once your store is up and running, you’ll need to keep an eye on inventory and manage orders. This is where things can get a little trickier with physical products compared to digital ones, but with the right systems in place, it’s totally manageable.

Here’s how to handle it:

• Inventory management: If you’re creating or stocking your own products, you’ll need a way to track how much inventory you have. Shopify and WooCommerce both have built-in tools to manage inventory levels and notify you when stock is running low.
• Order processing: When an order comes in, you’ll need a system in place to package the product, print shipping labels, and send it out. Again, Shopify and WooCommerce make this simple with order management features that help you keep track of each order’s status.
• Customer service: Don’t forget about providing great customer service! Keep your customers updated on their orders, respond quickly to any issues, and make sure they have a smooth, positive experience from purchase to delivery.

Step 5: Drive Traffic to Your Store

You’ve got your store set up, products uploaded, payment and shipping ready—now it’s time to get people shopping! Here’s where marketing comes into play. To start making sales, you need to drive traffic to your store.

Here are some great ways to get traffic flowing:

• SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): Make sure your product pages are optimised for search engines so people can find your store when they’re searching for the types of products you sell. Use clear product names, descriptions, and keywords that match what your customers are searching for.
• Social media: Platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook are great for showcasing physical products. Post high-quality images, behind-the-scenes looks, or customer testimonials to attract attention and build excitement.
• Email marketing: Build an email list and send out updates about new products, sales, or special discounts. Email marketing is a great way to bring customers back to your store and boost sales.
• Influencer marketing: Partner with influencers in your niche to showcase your products. They can help you reach a wider audience and add credibility to your brand.
• Paid advertising: Running ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Google Shopping can help drive targeted traffic to your store, especially if you’re just starting out.