Shopify

A full-time job is a serious commitment. Full-time employees spend roughly half of their waking hours at work every week. Compensation is important, but it isn’t the only factor job candidates consider. They also want to work in a positive, supportive environment.

Establishing your brand as an employee-friendly workplace can help draw top-quality applicants—a critical component to your company’s success. Here’s how to use employer branding to appeal to job seekers.

What is employer branding?

Employer branding refers to your company’s reputation as a workplace and how it markets itself to prospective employees. It defines how you attract and retain talent, distinguishing it from product branding, which determines how you sell merchandise to the public.

The goal of employer branding is to demonstrate the appeal of working with your business. Companies typically practice employer branding by publicizing their brand values and sharing positive employee experiences. Mission statements, About Us pages, Careers pages, and LinkedIn company pages are all elements of employer branding.

Why is employer branding important?

A business can’t succeed without good employees. Effective employer branding can help your company attract and retain top talent.

Employee retention can have a major impact on your bottom line—replacing an employee can cost between half to twice their annual salary.

Reducing turnover cuts hiring costs and helps your business save money. Creating an appealing workplace also simplifies the hiring process. High-quality candidates are more likely to apply if you have a strong reputation for offering benefits and a positive work environment. This means you can put fewer resources toward recruiting.

How to build a strong employer branding strategy

1. Assess your current brand perception
2. Develop your employer value proposition
3. Create employer branding content
4. Tell your story
5. Enhance your recruitment efforts
6. Evaluate your progress

Attracting the best candidates is the main focus of an employer branding strategy. Here’s how to proactively manage your organization’s reputation and build your brand story:

1. Assess your current brand perception

Conduct an employer brand audit to evaluate your position. Conducting internal employee interviews, monitoring social media channels, and reviewing sites like Glassdoor can help you assess your existing employer brand. Some companies also partner with external firms for deeper insights into their public image.

Then, analyze your findings to understand your strengths and weaknesses as an employer. Concerns or complaints from employees represent areas for improvement; positive comments reveal bright spots you can highlight in your storytelling efforts.

2. Develop your employer value proposition

An employer value proposition (EVP) tells prospective hires what your company can offer, and a well-crafted EVP entices job seekers. An EVP includes your company mission statement, a description of employee perks and benefits, and an explanation of your company culture.

3. Create employer branding content

Employer branding content is any written article or high-quality video asset explaining your employee value proposition. It’s an engaging, easy way to communicate your company story to potential candidates. Feature current employee testimonials that highlight worker satisfaction or include footage from corporate events to demonstrate your company culture. Share this content on social media platforms.

4. Tell your story

Share your employer value proposition with the outside world. Don’t be afraid to brag—the goal is to show off the value of your workplace and attract the best talent. Posting relevant content on your brand’s social media profiles and LinkedIn company page can help you get the word out.

5. Enhance your recruitment efforts

Incorporate brand storytelling into your recruitment process to make roles more appealing to job candidates. Include your brand vision and a description of employee benefits in job descriptions.

6. Evaluate your progress

Monitor your success by keeping track of key metrics like employee retention, hiring time, and cost per hire. Tracking your progress reveals your strategy’s success or necessary adjustments. 

Tips for improving employer brand

1. Refine your onboarding process
2. Address compensation
3. Focus on the employee experience
4. Create a DEI plan
5. Practice transparency

Attracting applicants is just the first step—building and maintaining a positive employer brand is a continuous process. Successful companies consider every aspect of the employee experience to build a constructive work environment. Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Refine your onboarding process

A smooth onboarding process sets employees up for success, increasing employee engagement and boosting long-term job satisfaction. Well-informed hires feel at home and become productive more quickly.

2. Address compensation

Compensation is a top priority for many workers and job candidates. Review your compensation practices against industry standards; compare your pay structures, benefits, and compensation packages with similar roles and organizations in your industry. Competitive pay helps attract new hires and retain current employees. Consider enhancing your compensation packages with equity-sharing programs, bonuses, or retirement plans.

3. Focus on the employee experience

Introduce new benefits or amenities to enhance the employee experience. In addition to health care, paid vacation, and leave, perks like remote work options, office snacks, and employee discounts may appeal to job seekers.

4. Create a DEI plan

Employee diversity drives profitability. Show your commitment to building an equitable workplace by developing a comprehensive plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). A strong DEI plan goes beyond hiring practices—it creates an inclusive environment where every employee feels safe and respected within your company.

5. Practice transparency

Open and honest communication benefits both employers and employees. Accurately describing your vision and policies increases your chances of finding the right talent—candidates who are truly aligned with your vision and corporate culture.

Employer branding examples

The workout apparel brand Gymshark built a Careers web page that highlights its employer value proposition. Here’s how the athletic apparel company shows prospective applicants why they should join its team:

Transparent description of the hiring process

Gymshark’s Careers web page clearly describes its hiring process, telling candidates what to expect and making the job application process seem more manageable.

Employee testimonials

Gymshark created an employer brand video featuring an employee testimonial describing the company as an accepting, exciting workplace. Hearing from a team member offers social proof of Gymshark’s positive work environment and helps build trust with candidates.

Statement of values

The values section articulates Gymshark’s corporate culture. It emphasizes that it recognizes employees as individuals and clarifies that prospective candidates don’t need to love working out to share the company values. The brand also expresses its commitment to building an inclusive workplace and supporting employee well-being.

Description of benefits

The benefits section explains what Gymshark offers employees and supports the company’s stated values. Gymshark backs up its “Put family first” value by highlighting its vacation and flexible work policies. It also emphasizes opportunities for career growth and offers employees discounted products and gift cards.

Posting TikTok videos that heavily rely on audio might alienate some viewers, many of whom watch them on their mobile devices with the sound turned off.

Adding captions makes your content accessible to hearing-impaired viewers as well as those who prefer to view TikTok’s short, snappy videos in mute mode. TikTok captions, similar to movie subtitles, are lines of text that appear on the screen as the video plays to help tell the story or communicate information. The captions might be lines of dialogue or descriptions of what’s happening in the video.

Learn how to add and edit high-quality captions to your TikTok videos so your content is accessible to everyone.

How to write captions on TikTok before posting

There’s more than one way to create TikTok captions. The best method for you will depend on the type of TikTok video you plan to share and how many lines of text the video requires. Below are three common ways to add text to TikTok videos:

Manually add captions in TikTok

To access TikTok’s manual text tool, launch the app and upload or record a video in the same way you would begin a standard post. After you tap “Next,” the app will display a menu with several editing options on the right-hand side. You can also use these tools to add effects or music.

Select the “Aa” icon to bring up the text tool. Choose from the variety of font styles that appear above your keyboard, then type your TikTok caption. When you’re finished, tap “Done.” Your text is now visible on your TikTok video. Tap on the text and use the slider bar at the bottom to adjust the duration and timing of the caption, giving viewers enough time to read the text. Repeat this process to add additional captions. 

This method is best suited for videos that require only a few captions, as manually typing large amounts of text on a mobile device can be time-consuming. Also, setting the duration and placement for each individual TikTok caption creates opportunities for errors and typos.

If you can explain your content with just one to three lines of text, manually adding captions is a great option. 

Use a third-party editing tool

Third-party editing tools let you add captions to a video file before you upload it to TikTok. Popular options include video editing software like Adobe Premiere or social media-focused tools like Canva. The exact process depends on the service that you choose.

If you add captions using a computer, preview the video on a mobile device before you publish it to ensure the text is still legible on the smaller screen. This method may make the most sense if you already edit videos in a separate program with captioning abilities. 

Use TikTok auto captions

The TikTok auto-captions feature generates subtitles using speech-to-text technology. This tool may be helpful for videos that are primarily dialogue, such as a makeup tutorial in which the subject speaks directly to viewers about their process. 

To access the auto-caption tool, upload or record a video and tap “Next.” Scroll through the effects menu on the right-hand side of the screen; the option to add captions is located near the bottom. Tap the button and wait for your video to process. The auto-generated captions will appear at the bottom of the screen. 

Read through the transcription to double-check it for accuracy, and tap the pencil icon to correct any mistakes. Tap the letter A to change the font color or style. 

Can you edit TikTok captions after posting?

You can’t edit TikTok captions once you’ve posted a video. If you notice a critical mistake in a caption, swiftly delete the video and repost it. Deleting your post will also remove the comments and views, so aim for accuracy before you post. 

To remove the video you posted, tap the three-dot button again and choose “Delete” from the list of options. This removes the post from your feed. If you’d like to re-upload your video, start the posting process over again with your original, uncaptioned video file. Write a new caption and incorporate your edits before posting.

If you’d like to keep a record of your content before you re-upload a revised version, first download your current video from the TikTok app. To do this, launch the app on your mobile device and tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. Navigate to the post you want to download. Select the three-dot button on the right-hand side and tap “Save video” from the list of options. This downloads your entire video, including the effects, captions, and music to your camera roll. Be aware that the downloaded file loses quality.

Tips for high-quality captions on TikTok

Consider these tips for writing effective TikTok captions: 

Be strategic 

TikTok captions can be a direct transcription of the dialogue in your video or a short script that explains the post. The best strategy depends on the nature of your content. Speech-heavy videos that rely on a person speaking to tell the story are well suited to transcriptions. Alternatively, you can summarize posts that focus on visual storytelling. 

For example, a video demonstrating multiple cleaning methods could display the name of each technique. A day-in-the-life video in which an influencer speaks directly to the camera about their emotions may be better suited to subtitles. 

Use spell-check

TikTok does not have a native spell-checking tool. If you enter your captions directly into the app, you’ll have to rely on your own proofreading skills to catch any spelling mistakes. Drafting your script in a separate word processing app, such as Google Docs or your phone’s Notes app, can reduce the risk of typos and grammatical errors.

Pay attention to timing

If you manually create captions in TikTok or a third-party app, you’ll have to set each caption’s duration and placement within the video. Choosing the correct duration ensures viewers have enough time to read the text. 

Place each caption so that the text on the screen corresponds with the action or speech in the video. Make sure two captions don’t appear on screen at the same time, as this makes them difficult to read. The TikTok auto-captions feature takes care of timing for you—the subtitles will automatically appear at the same time as the spoken words. 

Add a hook 

Some videos use captions to add a hook or encourage participation. Adding text to the very beginning of your video can capture a viewer’s attention, even if you choose not to caption the entire video. 

For example, some videos use the phrase “Watch until the very end” as an opening caption. This text tells viewers something exciting is coming up and creates suspense. The caption “Vote for your favorite” toward the end of your video could serve as a call to action (CTA), encouraging users to leave a comment. 

Over the past two decades, Shopify has become the go-to ecommerce platform for businesses of all sizes—from the smallest of startups to large enterprises like Mattel and Staples. In 2023, Shopify processed $235.9 billion in gross merchandise volume (that’s roughly the GDP of Qatar, for comparison). But Shopify isn’t just a place to sell products online; it’s an entire retail ecosystem—and there are a variety of ways you can use it to generate income. 

14 ways to make money on Shopify in 2024

1. Start an ecommerce store
2. Set up a dropshipping business
3. Sell print-on-demand products
4. Sell handmade goods
5. Sell thrifted or vintage goods
6. Sell digital products and downloads
7. Create and sell online courses
8. Develop Shopify apps
9. Design Shopify themes
10. Become a Shopify affiliate
11. Become a Shopify expert
12. Monetize your social media presence
13. Offer product photography services
14. Set up pop-up shops

Shopify offers diverse opportunities for entrepreneurs and creators to generate income—and in more ways than you’d expect. You could create a Shopify app to enhance store functionality, take product photos for ecommerce stores that use the Shopify platform, or use Shopify’s POS system when you sell your wares in brick-and-mortar locations.

Whether you’re looking to start your own online store or use your skills to support other merchants, here are 14 money-making strategies to explore: 

1. Start an ecommerce store

Whether you’re a solopreneur or at the helm of a global brand like Gymshark, you can use the Shopify platform to create and run your online store. The platform offers analytics tools, web hosting capabilities, and easy integration with a variety of apps. Shopify’s all-in-one solution lets you focus on growth rather than technical hurdles. Plans start at $29 per month, making it affordable for new entrepreneurs. 

2. Set up a dropshipping business

Dropshipping is a business model where you sell products that a supplier ships directly to your customers. Although dropshipping has low startup costs and minimal risk, profit margins can be slim, and you’ll face stiff competition. 

To succeed, focus on niche markets and prioritize customer service. You can make your product listings more likely to catch a customer’s eye with high-quality photographs, descriptions that highlight key features and benefits, and keywords to match current search trends. Consider investing in targeted marketing to stand out in the crowded dropshipping landscape.

3. Sell print-on-demand products

You can transform your graphic designs into profitable merchandise (without holding expensive inventory) by running your own ecommerce store with print-on-demand services. Use your online storefront to showcase print-on-demand products (like t-shirts, mugs, or custom puzzles) that you produce and ship only when orders come in, minimizing upfront costs and risk. 

Focus on high-quality product photos, engaging product descriptions, and targeted social media marketing to attract your ideal customers.

4. Sell handmade goods

Handmade goods offer a personal touch that mass-produced goods can’t match, appealing to customers seeking authenticity. To appeal to customers, use captivating brand storytelling to share why your products are truly unique. You can also boost your Shopify store’s visibility by building a community through social media engagement and a presence at local flea markets and pop-up venues (more on that in a moment). 

5. Sell thrifted or vintage goods

Use your curatorial genius to start making money with vintage goods on Shopify. Source items from estate sales, flea markets, and thrift shops, focusing on quality and authenticity. Consider specializing in niches like vintage designer handbags or retro electronics that appeal to collectors. To do well, you’ll need a keen eye for trends, thorough product knowledge, and the ability to tell compelling stories about each item’s history and significance.

6. Sell digital products and downloads

If you’ve got expertise in a particular field, you can create digital products that can generate passive income. Online stores selling digital products have low overhead costs, and they’re not limited by physical inventory. Use your Shopify site to sell digital offerings such as:

• Ebooks and guides
• Stock photography or vector graphics
• Printable planners or templates
• Music or sound effects

7. Create and sell online courses

Transform your knowledge into a lucrative educational business. By creating an online course, you can tap into the booming e-learning market to earn money online. Your Shopify store can sell various course formats, from self-paced video lessons to text-based courses with downloadable resources, cohort-based programs with live sessions, or hybrid models with consulting add-ons.

8. Develop Shopify apps

Shopify store owners don’t build their ecommerce website totally from scratch. Many of them rely on the Shopify App Store to find helpful apps that make their site function exactly as intended. Merchants use apps for tasks like improving SEO, managing inventory, handling customer service, and streamlining order fulfillment. 

This is where an opportunity presents itself. By developing innovative apps, you can tap into this demand. For example, popular apps like Recharge for subscription management and Yotpo for reviews and ratings address specific merchant needs. 

If app development is your specialty, aim to create apps that solve specific pain points; speak with Shopify merchants to understand their day-to-day challenges and provide straightforward solutions that are easy for them to implement. 

9. Design Shopify themes

You can create stunning visual experiences for ecommerce stores by developing themes, like Local and Zest. This opportunity is available through the Shopify Partner program, which lets developers create and sell apps and themes for the platform. Themes are crucial for merchants looking to establish their brand identity and stand out in a crowded marketplace. They also allow store owners to launch quickly without extensive technical knowledge. 

You can sell your themes on the official Shopify Theme Store, tapping into a vast market of potential buyers. To excel in theme development, you’ll need skills in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Liquid (Shopify’s templating language). With the potential for thousands of sales, your creative work could generate significant passive income.

10. Become a Shopify affiliate

Leverage your influence to earn money without running your own store. As a Shopify affiliate, you promote the platform to potential merchants, earning commissions for successful referrals. The affiliate program offers $150 for each new merchant who signs up for a paid plan through your unique web link. For instance, you could create content comparing ecommerce platforms, offer tutorials on starting online businesses, or showcase Shopify success stories. 

By integrating these promotions into your blog, YouTube channel, or social media presence, you tap into Shopify’s affiliate marketing program, potentially earning thousands monthly while helping others launch their ecommerce journey.

11. Become a Shopify expert

Are you an accountant? An email marketing expert? A graphic designer? The Shopify Partners program offers various ways to monetize your skills and become a valuable asset in the Shopify ecosystem. As a service partner, you can help businesses solve technical problems, identify growth opportunities, and make their whole ecommerce store layout shine.

12. Monetize your social media presence

If you’ve built a following on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or a personal blog, you can integrate your Shopify store with your social media presence, offering your followers products that are likely to appeal to them. For instance, a popular cooking blog could sell branded aprons or cookbooks. 

To maximize your success, analyze your audience engagement data to identify top-performing content themes. Offer products that directly relate to these popular topics or solve problems your followers frequently discuss. Integrate your Shopify store organically by featuring products in your content—cook a recipe from your cookbook or wear your branded merchandise in your next video. This approach is a natural extension of your brand, and will likely feel authentic to your audience.

13. Offer product photography services

In the visually driven world of online shopping, high-quality product images are essential for a successful Shopify storefront. You can capitalize on this demand as a skilled photographer by offering specialized product photography services. To find clients, network in Shopify community forums, contact local businesses, or create a portfolio website showcasing your work. By helping merchants present their goods in the best light, you’ll earn a steady income and also play a role in boosting their sales.

14. Set up pop-up shops

Bridge the gap between online and offline retail by testing your physical products in temporary locations. Pop-up shops offer a low upfront investment to gauge market interest and serve as powerful marketing channels. Shopify’s point-of-sale system seamlessly integrates your in-person and online sales, letting you manage inventory and track sales revenue across all platforms. This system processes transactions, accepts various payment methods, and syncs data with your online store in real-time. 

By combining the immediacy of face-to-face interactions with the reach of your online presence, you can create buzz, gather customer feedback, and potentially boost sales while exploring the viability of a permanent brick-and-mortar location.

Tips for opening a Shopify store

Launching a successful Shopify store requires more than just listing products and hoping for the best. By focusing on key areas, you can set your business up for growth and profitability from the start.

Choose a compelling theme

Your store’s visual appeal should capture and retain customer interest. Select a theme that aligns with your brand identity and offers a seamless user experience across all devices. Customize the layout and color scheme to create a unique, professional look that sets you apart from competitors.

Create high-quality product visuals

High-quality product visuals are essential in the world of ecommerce. Invest in professional photography or learn to take great photos yourself. Display your products from multiple angles and in context to give customers a clear idea of what they’re buying. Consider adding video demonstrations for complex items to boost buyer confidence.

Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy

A distinctive marketing strategy is vital for driving traffic and conversions; it’s how you’ll catch your potential customers’ attention and make that invaluable first impression. Use a mix of SEO, social media marketing, email campaigns, and paid advertising to reach them. By tailoring your message to your audience’s expectations (with a little surprise here and there), you can engage with them in a way that’s memorable and builds brand loyalty.

Establish excellent customer service

Exceptional customer service can turn one-time buyers into lifelong customers. Implement a robust support system with multiple contact channels, including ecommerce live chat and email. Respond promptly to inquiries and go above and beyond to resolve issues. Consider creating detailed FAQs and product guides to preemptively address common questions.

Ecommerce marketplace Temu made a splash when it launched. Customers were intrigued by stories that the app was handing out free products—and even free money. For a time, it was true. Initially, new app users could earn money through a PayPal account simply by joining and referring friends—despite some privacy concerns.

Temu’s referral program still includes a signup bonus and relatively generous commissions. If you’re dedicated and have a large social media following, you can make money on Temu as an affiliate. Or, you can also become a Temu seller and market your products on the app’s marketplace.

Here’s how to earn money on Temu as an affiliate, seller, or app user.

What is Temu?

Temu is an ecommerce marketplace that sells a wide range of products at low wholesale prices, often shipped directly from warehouses in China. PDD Holdings launched Temu in 2022 as the foreign-market version of its popular Chinese ecommerce platform, Pinduoduo.

Temu’s gamified app, ubiquitous advertising on Instagram, Super Bowl spot, and referral program have brought widespread attention since its launch.

Ways to make money on Temu

Whether you’re an established ecommerce merchant looking for new sales channels, an influencer with an engaged following, or that one friend in the group chat with good taste and an eye for deals, you can earn money on Temu. Here’s how:

Become a seller on Temu

The app was originally available only to companies based in China, and Temu sold products exclusively on a consignment basis. However, as of 2024, Temu allows US sellers to list products and choose either direct fulfillment or a model similar to Fulfillment by Amazon. If you already have an ecommerce store, you can apply to become a seller on Temu.

To start, contact Temu to apply for a seller code, then log in to the Temu Seller Center. From there, submit proof that your business is legitimate, create a profile, list products, and set up fulfillment. Once you’re done, you’ll be able to sell products on Temu and make money just like you would on marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy.

Join the Temu affiliate program

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based strategy where businesses reward affiliates for driving sales. If you’re interested in making money by spreading the word about Temu, you can join the Temu affiliate program. (Note that Temu used to offer a separate influencer program, but it’s since merged this with its affiliate program.)

The app offers a $2 bonus when you join the program. From there, it offers a $10 bonus when your referrals sign up and make a purchase, plus 20% commission on all orders they place within 30 days of signing up.

When existing Temuusers buy a product you share through a unique affiliate link, you get 3% commission from every purchase. (Note that Temu requires a minimum of $20 earned before you can withdraw your funds.)

You’ll also get access to discounts as an affiliate, all accessible via Temu’s affiliate hub page.

Earn credits and free gifts

If you’re looking to simply gain some extra spending power, the Temu app features a section where you can earn Temu credits and free products. It’s located at the bottom of the menu on the “You” page.

These offers are gimmicky, gamified promotions where the free gift is partially contingent on referring friends. (You’ll notice, for example, that you always win the “best” prize when you spin the wheel or play a shell game). Talk your friends into signing up, and you can unlock free items or Temu credit.

How to make money on Temu as a seller

A few tried-and-true strategies can help you make money on Temu as a seller:

Use search engine optimization

When listing products on Temu as a seller, you’ll find yourself in a crowded marketplace. To get your listings in front of customers, use SEO best practices to optimize your product names and descriptions. Analyze how your competitors position similar items and choose clear, descriptive names to ensure your listings appear when userssearch for relevant terms.

Set low prices

Temu has a reputation for low prices and unbeatable deals, so set competitive prices. Choose a pricing strategy that maintains a strong profit margin while appealing to buyers on the Temu app.

Consider using psychological pricing: Guide customers’ spending behaviors by appealing to their psychological needs for savings, high quality, or perceived value. For example, strikeout pricing (where a discounted price is presented beside a crossed-out “original” price) can make shoppers feel like they’re getting a great deal. Limited-time-only sales can prompt impulse buys.

Provide a high-quality product

One downside of Temu’s massive rollout and ultra-cheap products: Sometimes product quality suffers, and customers get frustrated when a product arrives damaged or ineffective. Although Temu has a generous return policy, it’s still a hassle and a disappointment for customers to send back a product they were eager to receive.

To avoid this problem and set your brand apart, ensure rigorous quality assurance and source from trustworthy suppliers. As a backup, invest in excellent customer service to address any problems or inquiries.

Finding cost-effective solutions for packaging and shipping your products is crucial to maintaining your profit margins and enhancing customer satisfaction.

In this article, we’ll outline the different types of affordable shipping boxes available to you. Plus, discover 10 places where you can source cheap shipping boxes for your business.

Types of shipping boxes

There are several options for boxes when it comes to shipping your goods. Here are a few choices:

• Corrugated cardboard boxes. The most popular shipping material due to its strength and reliability, corrugated boxes contain multiple layers of paper in tight wave shapes, which creates a thicker, denser option for protecting valuable goods.
• Cardboard boxes. Regular cardboard boxes are thinner, generally made from a single layer of paper stock or heavy paper pulp. These are still a flexible option when it comes to shipping materials, although they are often less durable or long-lasting than their corrugated counterparts.
• Poly boxes. Constructed of a polyethylene film, poly boxes are flexible and reusable options that are cheap, customizable, and reliable. They can also help protect contents through a combination of water resistance and padding.
• Insulated boxes. Combining the structure of a cardboard or corrugated box with a styrofoam or polyurethane interior, insulated shipping boxes are for shipping perishable goods such as food, plants, or other temperature-sensitive items.

10 places to find cheap shipping boxes

1. Amazon
2. Shipping companies
3. Target
4. Walmart
5. Staples
6. Home Depot
7. Lowes
8. U-Haul
9. Packagingsupplies.com
10. Grocery stores

1. Amazon

Amazon has a variety of shipping supplies, including shipping boxes. The online retailer has a wide range of box sizes and shapes (there are roughly 10,000 results for a search of “shipping boxes”). It offers shipping directly to your door, as well as free two-day shipping with an Amazon Prime membership. Prices range from a couple of bucks for one box to several thousand dollars for bulk orders.

2. Shipping companies

Large shipping companies such as USPS, FedEx, DHL, and UPS all offer free shipping supplies, including boxes and mailers, if you use their services. Although this limits you to using a certain company (like USPS if you choose to use their Priority Mail boxes), it can be a good way to save money in the long run. Prices range from free to around $100 for specialty boxes.

3. Target

Target has a large selection of some of the cheapest boxes and mailers available. Visiting any of their nearly 2,000 brick-and-mortar US stores can save you money compared to ordering packing supplies online. Prices for boxes range from a few dollars to several hundred dollars for bulk orders.

4. Walmart

You can purchase boxes online or in person at Walmart. Many of their locations are open 24/7, making the retail giant a good choice in a pinch. Prices range from less than $1 to around $100 for larger orders.

5. Staples

Although the company has limited retail locations, Staples offers plenty of options when it comes to mailing supplies, including shipping boxes. If you buy boxes online, you can sort them by size, shape, and box type. Prices range from $1 to hundreds of dollars.

6. Home Depot

Home Depot has a wide selection of heavy-duty boxes, including large boxes and specialty moving boxes, such as wardrobe and TV boxes. Home Depot also sells kits that include a variety of different types of boxes and packing materials. Although typically used for moving, they can also be used for shipping. Prices range from $5 to around $500 for packs of 90 boxes.

7. Lowes

Lowes has a large selection of boxes and some mailing supplies. The home improvement store carries Duck, Bankers Box, and its own store brand of boxes as well. Prices range from $1 to about $1,000.

8. U-Haul

Known as “the moving experts,” U-Haul sells a variety of specialized packing materials, like packing peanuts, bubble wrap, corrugated paper, storage boxes, and box kits. These can be ordered online or purchased in person. Prices for boxes range from around $1 to $500.

9. Packagingsupplies.com

A specialty online retailer focusing on boxes and other packaging supplies, this site sells a variety of products that can be delivered straight to your door. You can shop by dimension and shape, making it easy to find the perfect box. Prices start at a few dollars for the smallest sizes.

10. Grocery stores

An unexpected—and readily accessible—stop in your search for shipping boxes should be your local grocery store. It’s a convenient place to find cheap—or even free—boxes. Many stores give away produce or other food boxes earmarked for recycling. During your next visit, ask a manager about stock delivery days so you can schedule pickup when there’s a large selection to choose from.

How to save on shipping boxes with Shopify

Shipping boxes for your business can be expensive depending on the type, size, and weight of the box, shipping fees, and many other factors. Understanding the basics of shipping will help you reduce shipping costs and remain competitive as a small shop.

Those who partner with Shopify can cut their shipping costs. By using Shopify Shipping, merchants have the ability to save up to 88% on shipping costs in the US, and can send products around the world.

Shopify merchants based in the US or Canada can receive pre-negotiated discounted shipping rates from major carriers such as USPS, UPS, DHL Express, Canada Post, and Sendle. This means you could offer cheaper (or free) flat-rate shipping to your customers, giving you a leg up on the competition.

Through Shopify’s dashboard, you can manage your products, customers, inventory, and shipping. This includes purchasing and printing shipping labels to send out orders faster. Shopify Shipping also offers discounts on international shipping, and can automatically generate customs forms.

How long are website visitors willing to wait for a web page to load? Just a few seconds, as it turns out. Google reports that the probability of a visitor bouncing (leaving your web page) increases 32% as a page’s load time increases from one second to three seconds.

Website load times can fundamentally alter your website’s user experience, customer engagement, and conversion rate. Learn about site speed statistics, the factors that affect page load time, and why these things matter to your business. 

What is website load time?

Web page load time is the average amount of time it takes for all the elements on your web page—like the fonts, images, and videos—to load for a visitor. Your overall website load time is generally an average of your site’s page load times (how long it takes each page to load).

To better understand page load time, let’s break down what happens when a site loads a page:

1. The process begins with user requests, meaning a user clicks a link or enters a URL.

2. The browser establishes a secure connection with the target domain name.

3. On the receiving end, the web server takes the request, packages the requested content, and sends it back to the browser.

4. The browser parses the incoming HTML code and renders the page in the browser window.

Page load time is how long it takes for all of the above to happen—from the moment of the request to the presentation of the rendered page. Website visitors expect page load times to be fast. According to one study, 40% of shoppers will abandon a website if it takes longer than three seconds to fully load. If the website makes them wait a few extra seconds for the content, this delay reduces user satisfaction. 

You can use website speed testing tools to generate site speed reports on your site’s average page load times. Some tools include Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, and Pingdom Website Speed Testing. 

Benefits of a fast website load time

Minimizing website or web page load time can generate positive results, including:

Robust user engagement

Think of the difference it makes when you receive prompt service in a restaurant. When your web pages have a fast load speed time, your users don’t leave or become frustrated. This increases the likelihood of them engaging with your site content and even making return visits. 

High conversion rates

Conversion occurs when a user performs a desired action on your website, such as making a purchase or subscribing to your newsletter. The conversion rate is the number of successful conversions divided by the potential number of conversions. The observable trend is that when load times increase, conversion rates go down. So if you want to achieve high conversion rates, improve your load time.

Increases in organic traffic

Search engines may consider your website’s loading speed when determining page rank. Historically, Google has ranked websites with low load speed times higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), although it’s become less clear today how the search engine prioritizes load speed against the quality of your site’s content. Regardless, improving your website load time can’t hurt your rankings and could increase the organic traffic that reaches your site. 

Mobile-friendliness

Improving your website’s loading time can help optimize your site for mobile visitors, since smartphones generally have less processing power than desktop computers. In addition to satisfying your users’ expectations for fast loading times, fast mobile page load speeds will satisfy search engines like Google that rank mobile-friendly websites higher.

10 factors impacting website load time

1. Network connection
2. Server response time
3. Large file sizes
4. Number of HTTP requests
5. Code efficiency
6. Browser caching
7. Content delivery networks
8. Plug-in and script bloat
9. Mobile page load time
10. User devices

A number of factors influence your website’s page load time:

1. Network connection

The speed and reliability of the internet connection correlate to how fast data can move through the pipeline from web server to web browser.

2. Server response time

On the server side, limited hardware specs and out-of-date or buggy software can slow down the processing of incoming HTTP requests, resulting in slow loading times. An HTTP request is a request from a browser to a website’s server for data.

3. Large file sizes

Web content like videos, audio files, and high-resolution images take longer than text to download on end-user devices—especially on mobile browsers. Optimize images by saving them in a compressed JPG, PNG, or Google’s WebP format, which reduces the size while maintaining the quality. Compress your other media formats as well to improve the speed of your slow-loading pages.

4. Number of HTTP requests

Websites containing many complex elements—such as stylesheets, high-resolution images, and database content—might receive many HTTP requests all at once for these resources. This causes data bottlenecks, slowing down the load speed. To avoid this, simplify your website and use streamlined HTML code.

5. Code efficiency

Regardless of the type of code (HTML, cascading style sheet (CSS), or JavaScript) your site uses, avoid bugs or too much bloat (unnecessary lines of code), as these things take the web browser longer to parse and render the web pages.

6. Browser caching

Upon the first visit to a web page, the user’s browser loads all page elements and stores them locally in an area called a browser cache so the site loads faster on subsequent visits. If your website doesn’t have browser caching enabled, it could slow down the user’s experience. 

7 . Content delivery networks

Websites on web hosting services that use a content delivery network (CDN) distribute their content across many servers around the world. The server that is geographically closest to the requesting browser will be the one to respond, meaning the data won’t have as far to travel, requiring less time. For example, an ecommerce site with worldwide reach would want to ensure its web host offers this.

8. Plug-in and script bloat

When using website builders, developers sometimes rely on sophisticated scripting languages or third-party plug-ins and apps that add extra functionality to the basic web page. If you’re in this situation, consider whether or not your site truly needs these tools, as the more back-end processing involved for your site, the slower its performance is likely to be.

9. Mobile page load time

Mobile browsing accounts for nearly 70% of all web traffic. If your website isn’t optimized for these devices, your site could be loading slowly and you could be losing potential customers. 

10. User devices

The type of device a visitor uses to access your website is also a factor. While you can’t control what device the user has, you can optimize your website performance for a variety of devices to cover as many scenarios as possible. Also, make sure you have in place a fast, high-bandwidth web hosting service with reliable uptime.

6 website load time statistics

These load speed statistics stress the importance of improving your website load time:

1. Fast sites are up to three times more likely to convert than slow ones

A study of 100 million page views across 20 business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) websites over a month found that when a website’s load time is one second, it has a conversion rate 2.5 to three times higher than a slow page that loads in five seconds. 

2. The average bounce rate for fast-loading pages of less than three seconds is 8%

At four seconds, the bounce rate jumps to 24%, according to one study. At five seconds, the bounce rate is 38%. 

3. When web page speed doesn’t meet expectations, almost half of users are less likely to buy

Site speed directly influences a customer’s willingness to complete a purchase on the website. A survey of 750 consumers and 395 marketers found that when web page speed was slower than a visitor expected, 45% of surveyed users were less likely to buy and 37% were less likely to return to the site. 

4. When mobile pages take longer than three seconds to load, more than half of visitors bounce

Despite the average mobile web page requiring 15 seconds to load, Google has found that 53% of visitors to mobile sites leave when mobile pages take longer than three seconds to load.

5. A fast mobile website can double your advertising revenue

A study found mobile websites that loaded within five seconds earned double the mobile advertising revenue compared to sites that loaded in 19 seconds (the average page load time for a mobile website over a 3G connection).

6. Sites that appear on the first page of Google load in about one and a half seconds

The average page speed of a site that appears on the first page of a Google SERP is 1.65 seconds, suggesting Google may indeed rank sites with fast load speed times higher.

One of the most attractive pricing strategies for brands is finding a way to secure recurring revenue from customers. This is common in the world of software-as-a-service, where subscription fees are common—from music streaming services to workflow management apps. But if you sell bed sheets, it’s hard to say when a customer will buy a new set. If you sell kitchen appliances, it may be years before a customer returns for another purchase.

Fortunately, there’s another way for companies selling physical goods to create opportunities for regular, repeat sales: captive product pricing. By creating connected product ecosystems, companies can ensure steady sales and customer loyalty. In return, consumers enjoy guaranteed compatibility and a familiar user experience. 

Read on to learn more about captive product pricing and how it can help you increase sales and keep customers coming back.

What is captive product pricing?

Captive product pricing is a strategy where a company sells a core product at a lower profit margin (or even a loss) while charging higher prices for complementary proprietary (or “captive”) add-on items that are needed for the product to work as intended. The goal is to attract customers with competitive pricing for a primary product and profit from ongoing sales of the additional captive products.

Consider an air filtration system requiring specific filters. The filtration system is the core product and the replaceable filter is the captive product, typically priced at a higher margin to ensure a steady revenue stream after the initial sale.

Examples of captive product pricing

You likely use products every day that follow the captive product pricing model. Think about your razor with replaceable blades, or your video game console with games sold separately. Here are a few specific companies using this model:

Bruvi 

Bruvi manufactures and sells machines for brewing coffee, espresso, tea, and more. Its core product, the Bruvi brewer, costs a little over $300. The machine works with the company’s proprietary B-Pods that allow customers to make specific drinks—from espresso with notes of toffee to lightly sweetened matcha. The pods, the captive product, start at $22 for 20 but are discounted by 20% for customers who opt for auto delivery, further incentivizing a regular subscription. 

Hydrow

Hydrow creates a sleek and modern rowing machine for at-home workouts. The purchase price of the core product, the machine itself, starts at $1,695. However, the real allure of the machine is a screen that lets you row along with over 5,000 on-demand workout classes in various destinations, making the experience more immersive. Access to these classes, the captive product, requires a $44 monthly membership.

SodaStream 

SodaStream lets you make sparkling water and other fizzy beverages at home—a convenient, eco-friendly alternative to store-bought carbonated drinks. The sparkling water maker, the core product, starts at $99. However, you can’t use the machine without its CO2 cylinders, the captive product, which retail for $32 each, or $17 for a refill. Cylinders need replacement after making 60 liters of sparkling water—or around every six to eight weeks for a household of four. SodaStream also sells drink mixes for flavored drinks, another add-on that customers need to replenish frequently.

Benefits of captive product pricing

From consumer electronics to personal care products, captive product pricing has gained traction as companies seek to establish sustainable revenue streams and deepen customer relationships. Whether pairing two physical products or combining hardware with software, here’s why businesses are finding innovative ways to implement this strategy: 

Regular revenue

Healthy, sustainable businesses have a steady cash flow, enabling them to plan ahead. This future-facing strategizing can be difficult when revenue is inconsistent and unpredictable. For a company selling a quality air fryer, it can be hard to get customers to buy more than once.

Captive product pricing adds a regular, predictable revenue stream from a captive product—whether that’s specialized cleaning solutions for a high-end coffee machine or premium content updates for a virtual reality headset.

Increased customer retention

If loyal customers love your core product, they’ll need to keep purchasing your captive product, helping you retain customers over the long term. They may only buy your core product once but consistently purchase the necessary add-ons. This can help you lower customer acquisition costs and reduce customer churn, enabling you to rely more on existing customers for steady revenue rather than solely chasing new ones.

For instance, a home security company might sell a basic alarm system as its core product while offering a subscription-based monitoring service as the captive product. Customers who invest in the system for home protection are likely to retain the monitoring service long term.

Enhanced functionality

In many cases, a captive product is not necessary for core product function but is a complementary add-on that enhances the user experience. For instance, Crocs, a shoe company, also sells Jibbitz, charms to customize and personalize your shoes. These add-ons can increase customer satisfaction and happiness with the core product.

Tips for implementing captive product pricing

Conduct market research 

Consumers often accept or even embrace captive pricing, but it’s not always well-received. After all, the key word here is “captive,” and consumers generally prefer not to feel like prisoners. To avoid missteps, conduct market research and customer surveys before embarking on your captive pricing experiment. Here are a few questions to consider:

• How much value do customers perceive in the core and captive products?
• What price points are customers willing to accept for ongoing purchases?
• How frequently will customers need to buy the captive product?
• What alternatives exist in the market, and how does your offering compare?
• How might customers react to feeling “locked in” to your ecosystem?

Answers to these questions can help you determine the viability of your captive pricing strategy, set appropriate price points, and offer a value proposition that resonates with your target market. They can also help you implement value-based pricing if your product includes add-on features that your competitors don’t offer.

Run the numbers carefully 

Implementing a captive product pricing strategy requires careful financial modeling and analysis; success hinges on finding the right balance between core product pricing and captive product margins. 

For example, if you price a printer that costs $250 to manufacture at $200, you’ll take a $50 loss. However, if you priceink cartridges that cost $10 to produce at $60 each, you yield a $50 profit per cartridge. You’d only need to sell one cartridge to offset the loss. From there, will consumers buy ink often enough to sustain your business? You may want to offer more ways they can purchase accessories—like paper or labels—from your brand.

Get creative with bundling 

It’s common for printers and ink cartridges to be sold together and for coffee machines to come with a selection of espresso pods you can try. Get creative with how you bundle your core and captive products. 

For example, you might let buyers try the captive product before committing. Or, if you’re bundling hardware with software, offer a generous free trial period (e.g., three to six months). This idea is to introduce your products, establish buy-in before customers need to re-up, and increase the likelihood of continued engagement.

Consider offering different bundles for various customer segments. For instance, you might provide a digital art tablet where customers can choose between a basic package with the tablet and stylus or a premium bundle that includes additional features like digital brushes, exclusive online tutorials, and cloud storage for artwork. This is a form of product line pricing, combining the core product with various captive products, to meet the needs of both hobbyists and professional artists. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and higher perceived value.

Richard Branson famously said: “A complaint is a chance to turn a customer into a lifelong friend.” This quote from the billionaire entrepreneur highlights how customer care can help you build connections with customers—even if you start out on the wrong foot. 

A recent Statista study found 94% of customers were more likely to make another purchase from a brand after a positive customer service experience. To develop a base of loyal customers, brands need to treat shoppers fairly, listen to them, and go above and beyond to make sure they have an excellent customer experience.

Learn more about the importance of customer care and some best practices to set your company up for success.

What is customer care?

Customer care is the effort all members of a company take to make customers feel heard and valued. This method involves building an emotional connection with clients through kindness, empathy, and active listening. 

Some examples of good customer care include staying late to help a customer with an issue and offering free products or discounts after a shopper receives an incorrect order. In both of these customer interactions, an employee has taken time to assess how to go above and beyond for the client. When a business prioritizes building relationships with customers, they increase the likelihood that the shopper might return to the brand or share their positive customer experience with friends and family.

Why is customer care important?

Exceptional customer care creates the opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship with your customers; they feel valued and you build trust among a loyal base. By addressing your customers’ emotional needs, you can also boost brand loyalty, improve customer retention, and increase customer satisfaction.

Incorporating a customer care strategy has the added benefit of creating a company culture that focuses on connecting with customers on a human level, which can lead to higher employee retention.

How is customer care different from customer service?

Whereas customer service focuses on assisting customers with specific actions like technical support and answering questions about products and services, customer care goes a step further.

Customer care

Customer care is all about making an emotional connection with customers, listening carefully to what they want, and offering a solution that surpasses expectations for a customer service experience. Customer care is a way to create a strong bond with clients through personalized customer interactions. Every employee who interacts with customers has a responsibility to provide great customer care.

Customer service

Customer service is about providing support through standard solutions like processing a return. It falls largely in the hands of the customer service team. Customer service is part of customer care, and it typically involves answering questions and troubleshooting problems. 

Customer care and customer service are important aspects of the customer journey.  Companies need both great customer service and customer care to create a positive experience for their buyers.

Essential qualities of customer care

1. Empathy
2. Active listening
3. Problem-solving
4. Empowerment
5. Patience

A few qualities are at the heart of creating an exceptional customer care experience for your customers: 

Empathy

Customer care requires you and your team to practice empathy during all interactions with customers. Take the time to understand and relate to your customers so you can cater to their emotional needs. By placing yourself in your customers’ shoes and seeing their perspectives, you can facilitate an excellent customer care experience.

Active listening

Essential to an empathetic interaction is active listening, or the process of being attentive to customers and communicating accordingly. Practice active listening by paying close attention to your customers’ verbal and nonverbal cues, withholding judgments, and asking open-ended or clarifying questions (such as asking if you have correctly assessed the situation). Take the time to get a grasp on the situation so you can address your customers’ needs effectively.

Problem-solving

Problem-solving is an essential element of customer success and involves generating creative solutions to your clients’ problems. Familiarize yourself with all aspects of your products and services so you are prepared to answer any customer questions and offer specific solutions for each individual customer. This kind of tailored problem-solving enhances customer loyalty and increases the chances of positive word of mouth. 

For example, if a customer orders a shirt in the wrong color, you might offer them the correct clothing item and let the shopper keep the other to give to a friend. This means the customer doesn’t have to deal with the hassle of figuring out a return, and they can treat someone in their life to a gift. This kind of generous and specific problem-solving creates goodwill with your customers on an individual level.

Empowerment

Rather than having your customer care team stick to a specific script, you can empower them to interact with customers on an intuitive level. While you need to provide your customer care service representatives with boundaries for what they can offer customers, you also want them to have autonomy. For example, give them a monthly quota of free products or coupons they can offer customers at their discretion. 

Patience

Imagine a paying customer calls to express disappointment about a product or service. A good support agent will give the customer a chance to vent without rushing or interrupting them. If the customer care representative responds with patience, the client might feel more at ease, which can lead to positive interaction.

Customer care best practices

1. Hire a team
2. Choose an effective CRM
3. Gather and analyze customer care data
4. Train your team
5. Admit mistakes and fix them quickly

Hire a team

To improve customer care within your company, hire a support team of emotionally intelligent representatives who can act as the foundation for customer interactions. A skilled customer service representative has natural communication skills and a penchant for active listening and empathy—especially during tense and difficult situations. 

By hiring representatives who focus solely on creating personal connections with your customers and keeping them happy, you increase your chances of developing an effective customer care program.

Choose an effective CRM

A customer relationship management (CRM) system is a software program for managing all interactions with customers. Businesses use CRM tools to track customer interactions, manage customer accounts, analyze demographic information, monitor sales transactions, and more. 

An effective CRM tool helps customer care support teams keep up-to-date information on customer journeys, so customers don’t have to repeat information to multiple service agents or go through repetitive steps. Having this information handy can streamline communications with your customers whether you are interacting in person or through email, mobile devices, chatbots, or customer surveys. 

Gather and analyze customer care data

Regularly examine how your customer care program performs based on key performance indicators (KPIs) so you know where you are excelling and where you can improve. Analyze your customer satisfaction score (CSAT) to understand customers’ level of satisfaction with your brand. Dig into your customer effort score (CES) to learn how easy or difficult it is for a client to get help from your company. Or look at your net promoter score (NPS) to discover how likely customers are to recommend your company, product, or service to another person. 

Gathering feedback is another effective way to boost your customer care strategy. Send surveys and ask customers open-ended questions to gain more information on how customers feel about engaging with your business. 

Train your team

Hiring emotionally intelligent and empathetic customer care representatives is only part of the process; your team needs regular customer service training to stay up-to-date on best customer care practices. Role-play different customer interaction scenarios with your team and provide constructive feedback for ways to personalize customer messages and communicate better. 

A personalized response goes a long way with customer care, and empowering your team to adapt to specific customer situations and needs can keep your customer care strategy adaptable.

Admit mistakes and fix them quickly

When it comes to customer satisfaction levels, one of the best practices is to admit mistakes, apologize for them, and fix them with quick and creative solutions that surpass what customers expect. Although your customer care program should work to prevent mistakes, certain situations will still slip through the cracks. 

Remember to stay open, patient, and kind in the face of negative feedback. Avoid falling into a defensive style of communication by graciously accepting responsibility for any negative customer experience. This way, you set yourself up for a better dynamic as you work toward a solution.

Sometimes users take a circuitous path to their intended destination on a website. You might think your ecommerce store is intuitively laid out, but actually following visitors as they navigate your site can reveal hurdles and dead ends you didn’t know existed.

User flows track user actions and map the pathsusers find as they attempt to complete important tasks on your website. These analytical tools help UX designers brainstorm interface structure on the front end. On the back end, quality testers use user flows to improve existing designs.

In this deep dive, you’ll learn how a user flow focuses on visualizing navigation from the user’s point of view, and how these can help UX designers make interfaces more intuitive.

What is a user flow?

A user flow visualizes the steps a user takes to complete a task as they navigate a website or use an app. It generally takes the form of a flow chart or diagram.

User flows help product managers, developers, and user experience (UX) designers understand how easy it is to navigate a website or mobile app when a user attempts to perform an essential action. That way, they can design more efficient products to improve the UX ahead of time before going live with the site.

How user flows work

Each flow chart or user flow diagram displays a pathway from starting points to exit points, where the specific task or final action is completed. Pathways can get complex in user flow charts, as decisions branch off on different tangents. This distinguishes them from the more granular diagramming called “task flows.”

Suppose a customer wants to sign up for a free trial or browse your catalog and purchase a product. User flows help you create easy-to-use, intuitive pathways for each of these potential customers.

User flows focus on the user’s objective as they aim to complete a particular process. They probably won’t act the same way all the time and are likely to move along different paths toward user goals. If your user flows capture an assortment of scenarios full of all the different entry points and branches, you can ensure your site or app feels like an open floor plan rather than a labyrinth.

Benefits of user flows

Once you understand user flows you can optimize a website or app. The benefits are abundant once you put in the time and effort. 

Better understanding of user behavior

User flows clarify your understanding of how users actually engage with your website or mobile app. Instead of seeing a process from an insider’s point of view, you learn to see it from the user’s perspective. Knowing how the customer is thinking through the navigation steps and decisions will help you identify how you can improve navigation. 

Ability to make interfaces more intuitive

User flows describe the movement through the site pages or app screens. You’ll see where interfaces become chokepoints—generating the kind of confusion and frustration that reduces engagement. You’ll also discover where interfaces create a natural flow through each step toward task completion. 

A clear product story to share with stakeholders 

User flows are tangible deliverables you can share with clients and stakeholders to communicate the necessity of specific design changes. A compelling and effective design story makes it easier to generate buy-in from multiple interested parties.

User flow vs. user journey vs. task flow

The concepts of user flow and user journey are related, but they aren’t exactly the same. The scope of UX can cover different levels of flows. User journey mapping takes a wide angle view of UX design, while task flows take the most granular view on particular tasks. User flows fall somewhere in the middle.

User journey

The user journey, often called a customer journey map, is all-encompassing. Customer journey maps portray the user’s experience from any channel or touchpoint—all the interactions that different stakeholders may have with the company.

User flow

While the customer journey is the entire movie, the user flow covers a scene in the story. User flows are not at odds with user journeys—they work hand in hand. User flows focus on the decision process a user goes through to accomplish particular objectives on the website or app, while a customer journey map brings all these user flows together—telling the big picture story of a user’s experience. The user journey is the macro view of UX, while user flows are microcosms of different UX scenarios.

Task flow

In the hierarchy of UX flow types, task flows are more granular than user flows—and also simpler and more linear. They contain no branching logic, just a sequence of steps to describe how a particular task is accomplished on the site or app. In other words, task flows create user flows, which then create the entire user journey.

When should you create user flows in the UX design process?

Developers short on time and budget might think they can skip over user flows. That’s not advisable. You wouldn’t direct a movie without a storyboard or make a meal without a recipe. By the same token, you should create a user flow whenever a new feature or major interface change is in the works.

Many tools are available for designing user flows. Look for a tool that includes diagramming capability, customizable shapes and icons, version control, collaboration features like commenting and feedback, and a simple drag-and-drop interface.

User flows are useful at many stages of the design process, including:

• Research and planning. In the early design stages of user research, a basic flow lets you brainstorm and play with various usage scenarios for different user types and behavioral tendencies. It could consist of a basic flowchart.

• Development. This stage will require more precisely detailed user flows. You’ll need more details to assist development of prototypes and wireframes for blueprints of site hierarchy and logical flows.

• Testing. At the user testing stage, user flows capture the interactions of different users with the site or app. They also assist in identifying crucial usability problems and pesky pain points where customer engagement suffers.

• Improvement. A Google Analytics User Flow report will help you identify the common paths users take on your website. You can determine the traffic volume of customers at each step and examine many points of entry, common UX flows, and exit points. Once you have a better understanding of the user’s journey, the UX design process can adapt.

User flow example

Let’s use a hypothetical ecommerce customer and visualize their user flow. First, your site’s journey maps make a list of potential entry points for the kind of customer in question. Think about how varying types of customers might enter from various traffic sources. Points of entry could be from direct traffic, organic search, or clicking through a social media link.

Let’s say a customer’s entry point is the homepage. From there, the customer has options. They can jump to a product search, browse the product catalog, investigate additional information about the company, or use a Contact page. 

Say the customer decides to search for a product, skim the results page, filter using faceted search options, and land on a product they might want to purchase. The user flow would depict these actions. Next comes the checkout process. The customer reviews all items in the cart, edits the quantity, shipping info, payment info, and finalizes the transaction.

When diagramming a shopping sequence in a user flow, we see at least seven distinct web pages involved: homepage, search result page, product page, shopping cart, customer sign-in/sign-up page, checkout page, confirm payment page, and payment complete page. For each step from start to end point, the user flow chart would show the options and draw lines to map the path.

Imagine you’re about to launch an ecommerce store selling drinkware products—you’ve already identified a target audience and developed a unique eco-friendly water bottle that you’re confident will stand out in the marketplace. But one important question remains: How should you price your new products?

Pricing your goods and services properly can make the difference between a healthy profit margin and a failing business. One of the most straightforward pricing methods is called full-cost pricing, and it uses a simple formula to ensure a positive profit margin. Here’s how this pricing method works and how to decide if it can benefit your company.

What is full-cost pricing?

Full-cost pricing is a pricing method that includes all costs associated with a product or service along with a markup for profit. Full-cost pricing considers direct costs (such as raw materials, wages for production labor, and other production costs) and indirect costs (such as overhead expenses like insurance, utilities, and marketing).

By taking into account all the direct costs connected to the manufacturing process as well as the indirect costs of running a business (like rent), full-cost pricing helps merchants and manufacturers identify a selling price that covers every expense.

Example of full-cost pricing

Say you’re launching an ecommerce company to manufacture and sell mobile phone cases and you want to figure out how to sell them with the full-cost pricing method.

Your market research tells you that you may be able to sell 10,000 units in the first year. You then calculate all direct costs associated with manufacturing: $40,000 for raw materials, $40,000 for labor, $10,000 for shipping expenses, and $10,000 for production equipment. You then calculate indirect costs for the year: $20,000 for rent, $10,000 for insurance, $5,000 for utilities, and $5,000 for marketing. You also keep $10,000 aside for miscellaneous overheads. Divide your total costs ($150,000) by the total number of units you plan to manufacture—in this case, 10,000 cases—to find your cost per unit:

$150,000 / 10,000 = $15 per unit

Next, calculate your ideal profit margin. Assuming you want to make a profit of 40%—meaning $6 extra on top of each $15 unit—your full-cost price will be $21 per phone case.

Advantages of full-cost pricing

Here are some of the main advantages of the full-cost pricing model:

Useful for reporting

The full-cost pricing method complies with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), a set of standards maintained by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), a non-profit focused on improving the transparency and consistency of financial reporting. Having a detailed list of your complete costs is also important for bookkeeping.

Prioritizes earning profit

The full-cost pricing strategy prioritizes earning a profit margin and making back all of the costs associated with creating and selling a product or service. Ecommerce merchants and business owners can use full-cost pricing to ensure that their prices are high enough to earn a profit. By identifying a price that you know will earn back your costs, you can create distribution plans with the confidence that you are covering your full expenses.

Creates a justifiable price

Using the full-cost pricing method with a reasonable markup, you can use the costs associated with a product to validate its price—especially if you sell high-ticket items like electronics. If you can justify a more expensive price for a particular item, you can build brand equity, a term used to describe the perceived value of a particular brand, product, or service.

A domestic clothing manufacturer, for instance, might justify its higher prices by emphasizing fair wages as part of its brand identity.

Disadvantages of full-cost pricing

There are also disadvantages of the full-cost pricing model to keep in mind when you’re choosing which pricing method is best for your business:

Difficult to account for variations

Full-cost pricing involves knowing the exact expenses associated with each product—something that’s easier said than done. If you have multiple product lines sold at different price points, it can be difficult to determine how rent, utilities, and administrative costs need to be split between them.

In these cases, management teams can use an allocation process to assign specific costs to products, activities, or departments, which can result in a more precise accounting process.

Can create misleading profit margins

When you account for overhead expenses and divide those by the number of goods you think you’re going to sell, you’re making a calculation based on what you think sales are likely to be. But what if not all your items sell? If you manufacture 10,000 cellphone cases but only 7,000 sell, your overhead costs per unit sold go up and may be higher than your sales price.

Ignores competition and price elasticity

Businesses operating in a highly competitive market can experience a lack of accuracy with the full-cost pricing model since it does not consider the pricing choices of direct competitors or the unique customer demand for particular products. For example, you could use the full-cost pricing model to calculate the direct and indirect costs for a product only to discover that your competition is charging substantially more or less for similar products.

Similarly, full-cost pricing does not take into account price elasticity—a ratio used to determine how much the demand for a particular product will change based on its price. If you want to optimize your prices for the specific market you’re in, the full-cost pricing method can have limitations.

Differences between full-cost and variable-cost pricing

One of the most popular alternatives to full-cost pricing is variable-cost pricing, a pricing method that sets a sales price proportionally with how much a company produces or sells. The price is determined by adding production cost (determined by sales volume) plus an added markup. Here are some of the key differences between full-cost pricing and variable-cost pricing:

Scope

Whereas full-cost pricing takes into account the total cost of direct and indirect expenses, variable costing only includes direct costs, such as raw materials, direct labor, and production costs. Full-cost pricing includes fixed costs, such as insurance and rent, while variable pricing focuses singularly on the expenses that go directly into producing a specific good or service. Since variable-cost pricing is directly tied to the costs of production, it fluctuates greatly based on the number of units produced and distributed.

Level of complexity

Variable-cost pricing is simpler than full-cost pricing since it includes only direct expenses, such as production expenses. Businesses with little to no overhead can benefit from a basic variable-cost pricing model, whereas companies with complex operations that incur a range of overhead costs can create a more accurate picture of their total expenses through a full-cost pricing method.

Accuracy

Full-cost pricing can provide a more holistic picture of what it costs to run a business compared to the variable-cost method. However, full-cost pricing also has its limitations. Businesses running complex operations in competitive markets can benefit from using more sophisticated pricing strategies, such as dynamic pricing, which takes into account customer demand, supply, and price elasticity. Another alternative is penetration pricing, which involves setting your initial prices lower than your competitors to gain a larger market share.

Use cases

Companies with minimal fixed costs can use the variable-cost pricing method to evaluate and compare the production costs of different product lines. However, businesses can use the full-cost pricing method to identify the right price that covers the complete expenses of making a product or service with an added markup on top for healthy profit margins.

Doing business online requires many of your web applications, or web apps, to stay in frequent communication. It’s necessary to integrate all of these different entities—payment systems, banks, inventory management software, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and more—so they can share data and take action whenever a triggering event occurs.

Webhooks make this end-to-end workflow seamless. They push information back and forth using secure, simple, automated messages. Here’s why webhooks are a reliable method for executing internet technology (IT) functions, why they are needed, and when they’re most useful.

What are webhooks?

Webhooks are specialized web services that interconnect applications. These services automatically send data over the web from one application to another whenever a particular event occurs.

Webhooks enable web applications to speak a common language so they can make the necessary HTTP requests (requests from web browsers to servers for content) and share new data in real time. Instead of constantly checking for updates, a webhook lets an application automatically send information to another when something happens.

You can use webhook integrations for various ecommerce business activities, including:

• Inventory updates. When a product’s stock level reaches a specific level, this event triggers a notification message to suppliers.

• Payment confirmations. When the triggering action is a successful payment, accounting and customer support receive notifications.

• Customer returns. Webhooks can update inventory data and trigger refund processes.

• Customer support. A customer support system can use webhooks to receive notifications about incoming phone calls, fetch customer data based on a caller ID, route calls to appropriate agents, or trigger post-call surveys or follow-up actions.

How webhooks work

Technically speaking, webhooks are special implementations of what’s called an HTTP push API—or a push API. This is a configuration that allows push-based communication between web applications and servers. Webhooks are user-defined HTTP callbacks, passing information on to a receiving endpoint, known as the client. The client is also called the destination system or receiving application.

When a triggering event occurs, the initiating system sends an automated message—the webhook—over HTTP. At the heart of this functionality is a URL field known as a callback URL. Think of it like a post office box address. Message data travels as a post request, which the webhook pushes out to other apps using the specific callback URL. Instead of asking, waiting, and checking for requested data, the client—the target app or service that receives the data—gets notifications automatically whenever the data changes.

For a webhook to work, you need to program the client to process the incoming code and real-time data. Webhooks typically use either JSON or XML as their data format interchange code, although JSON has become the more popular standard.

Webhook example

Webhooks can help improve shipping speed and reduce human errors when fulfilling online orders.

For example, say you have an online clothing store and use a payment processor. A customer makes an order, triggering a webhook, which the shipping provider’s system receives at the predefined unique URL. The webhook’s data, or payload, includes order details like the shipping address, product line items, payment amount, and other relevant information.

Upon receipt of incoming requests, the shipping provider’s system executes a particular action—in this case, the generation of a shipping label—which prints automatically as soon as the transaction is complete.

Webhooks vs. API: What’s the difference?

People often confuse a webhook with an application programming interface (API), a protocol that lets you retrieve data and exchange functions between software applications and online services. While they share common functionalities, there are significant distinctions between webhooks and APIs:

• Purpose. APIs are popular in application development for connecting disparate systems. Developers plug APIs (of which there are thousands) into their applications to add whatever functionalities they need, whereas webhooks are automated messages that get pushed after a triggering event.

• Type of communication. Both APIs and webhooks involve communication between apps, but APIs allow two-way communication, whereas webhooks only allow for one-way communication as the result of the triggering event.

• Flow of data. People sometimes refer to webhooks as reverse APIs due to the perceived reversed flow of data; however, they’re not true reverse APIs, but rather, a unique type of real-time, event-driven communication.

• Complexity. APIs are more complex than webhooks, as they can modify both the source system and target system during their request-response cycle.

Although they’re distinct mechanisms, webhooks and APIs can work together. For example, a location-based application might use a webhook to notify a server when a user’s location changes. The server might then use a Google Maps API to aggregate a list of nearby places of interest based on the new location.

Turning even the most brilliant idea into a business can be daunting and involves considerable risk. But what if you could test the waters before making a big commitment? 

A proof of concept (POC) can help bridge the gap between your rough concept and a finished product, and allow you to evaluate its potential. 

Here are the benefits of developing a proof of concept, and how to develop your own. 

What is a proof of concept?

A proof of concept (POC) is a demonstration of a business model or product idea that business owners use to determine whether an idea is feasible in real-world conditions and has market potential. A POC involves gathering data to evaluate the idea’s viability before investing significant resources and determining whether the product development process makes sense. 

By looking closely at factors like market demand, resource requirements, and development costs, you can identify potential challenges that stand in the way of bringing your idea to life. 

A proof of concept can also help convince investors of the viability of your project idea. A POC makes it easier for others to understand your vision and helps you move your idea through to the next stage of development.

Proof of concept vs. prototype vs. minimum viable product (MVP)

You may hear the terms proof of concept, prototype, and minimum viable product (MVP) used interchangeably, but each refers to a distinct step in the product development process:

Proof of concept

• Purpose. The goal of a POC project is to answer the question, “Can this be done?” Your POC should clearly demonstrate why your idea is viable and what it will take to bring it to life.

• Form. A POC is usually a detailed document or presentation that outlines your concept and can take a few days to a few weeks to develop.

• Audience. POCs typically are created for internal team members including project leaders, development teams, company executives, potential investors, and partners.

Prototype

• Purpose. A prototype is a model or mock-up that demonstrates your product’s functionality. Think of it as a draft version of your final product, showcasing its design and basic features.

• Form. Prototypes may be simplified versions of the product, 3D models, storyboards, or interactive demos. A prototype may take several weeks to build, depending on the product and design.

• Audience. Prototypes are used to gather feedback from internal designers, developers, and project managers, but may also be shared with early testers or select customers. 

Minimum viable product

• Purpose. A minimum viable product (MVP) is a simplified version of a product or service with just enough features for customers to use and engage with it.

• Form. An MVP can be very developed—a working model of a gadget with most features and design elements in place, or as simple as a website that tells visitors about an upcoming product and asks them to sign up for more information. 

• Audience. A minimum viable product goes to customers and end users who can provide valuable insights or user feedback.

Benefits of developing a proof of concept

Here are the benefits of developing a proof of concept:

Reduces risks

Creating a proof of concept can spot issues with your project idea in the earliest stages of the development process. Identifying any pain points upfront lets you make essential adjustments before your product reaches customers.

Saves resources

It can be helpful to evaluate your concept’s validity before investing precious resources in the product development process of an unfeasible idea—especially if you’re working with a limited budget.

Refines your concept

Concept testing, or asking internal team members about their views on a potential product, can produce valuable feedback and insights that will refine and enhance your idea. Data you gather in the early stages of the POC process can reveal areas for improvement that lead to a more polished end product.

Builds trust

A successful proof of concept can build trust and credibility with stakeholders like investors, partners, and project team members. For instance, if an investor is skeptical about the consumer demand for your product, a proof of concept backed by data collection or market research can ease concerns. A POC that provides relevant data that proves your new idea is worth pursuing shows your commitment to thorough planning and execution.

How to create a proof of concept

1. Do research
2. Describe your business idea
3. Identify the scope of your project
4. Outline the path to market
5. Detail resource requirements
6. Set performance metrics

Here’s how to get started creating your first proof of concept:

1. Do research

A POC begins with comprehensive research and data gathering to understand everything you can about the market, industry, and competitors for your product. Create a customer survey, run a pilot project, or organize a focus group to figure out whether your proposed solution appeals to your target audience. 

2. Describe your business idea

The most important step in putting together your proof of concept is to articulate your idea. What is the problem you’re solving? Who is the end user of your product or service? How does your idea differ from other solutions? Translate your research findings into a concise description that covers the key objectives and benefits of your project.

3. Identify the scope of your project

Once your project idea is clear, the next step is to determine the scope of your project. Establish clear boundaries for tasks to prevent scope creep—the tendency for a project’s deliverables to gradually expand beyond its original goals. 

For example, a POC for a software tool might include a list of core features, while also noting advanced features excluded from the project that could be considered in future versions. 

4. Outline the path to market

Create a high-level project timeline that maps out each phase of development. Estimate the duration of concept design and then do the same for prototype development, testing, launch, and refinement. If your proof of concept is successful, build on your timeline when creating your product roadmap.

5. Detail resource requirements

Develop a list of everything you need to bring your project to life, including project funding, physical materials, technology, and people. When it comes to human capital, a POC can help identify what skills are required for specific parts of the product development process. Include other stakeholders in the process of brainstorming the required resources to ensure you don’t forget something important.

6. Set performance metrics

Determine the criteria or key performance indicators (KPIs) you’ll use to measure your product’s development and success. Effective KPIs—like user engagement, technical performance benchmarks, the number and severity of errors, or conversion rates—can provide valuable insights into whether your product is functioning in real-world settings and conditions. 

Proof of concept examples

Here are a few proof of concept examples across different industries:

Software development

A POC in software development might include sections on identifying primary user needs, creating a product timeline, defining team roles, choosing a project management methodology, and deciding how project delivery will be managed.

Let’s say your software company is working on a customer relationship management (CRM) tool for small businesses. Before committing significant resources to the project, you develop a proof of concept with extensive research on user needs, including interviews with small business owners. The feedback reveals that customized reporting is a crucial feature, prompting your team to include it in the project scope before advancing to full product development.

Retail

Investing in product inventory can be a large financial risk for a retail business. A proof of conceptthat thoroughly investigates target customer demographics, supplier agreements, and marketing strategies can help retailers make informed decisions.

Imagine your ecommerce business is planning to launch a new line of eco-friendly cleaning products. While performing a competitive analysis as part of POC development, you uncover a more competitive market than expected. In response, you task your marketing team with developing a compelling value proposition that highlights your product’s unique benefits.

Sales and marketing

POCs can help sales and marketing teams evaluate the effectiveness of new strategies and campaigns before implementation. They can assess elements like campaign messaging, brand positioning, and the competitive landscape.

Imagine your fitness company is gearing up to launch a digital ad campaign for a new online program. During the proof of conceptdevelopment process, your marketing team conducts preliminary research to identify customer preferences and finds that personal coaching resonates the most with your target audience. As a result, the team decides to create targeted ads on this theme prior to launching the campaign.

The US women’s wholesale clothing company Bloom sells fashion apparel at affordable price points in both standard and plus sizes. The LA-based wholesaler buys quality items from local designers and then distributes those items to buyers with their own clothing lines and stores. Each week, the website features new finds. There’s no minimum order size, and you get flat rate shipping on all orders—along with a three-day grace period for returns with full refunds.

3. LA Showroom

LA Showroom is another vendor based in Los Angeles that sources items from global designers and manufacturers. Like Bloom, its website has new designs every week. In addition to apparel, you can also purchase wholesale footwear and accessories. Each vendor lists its own minimum order requirements, and shipping also varies.

4. Magnolia Fashion Wholesale

Miami-based Magnolia Fashion Wholesale sells trendy women’s wholesale clothing. Each product style is sold in a pack rather than individual units, and packs are not customizable. Magnolia offers two- to three-day shipping in the US and can also ship internationally (rates and shipping times vary). Like Bloom, there’s no minimum order requirement so long as you… . Its physical store has an order minimum of 12 pieces. In either case, you can test out its products without a big commitment.

5. Tasha Apparel

LA-based Tasha Apparel sources from “the most popular hotbeds” for fashion across the country. According to the supplier, it offers competitive prices 50% to 80% below wholesale. Expect trendy pieces that are “fun” and “flirty” and typically come in packs of six units. There’s no minimum purchase amount, but all items are sold in packs/bulks of usually six pieces. Orders over $300 ship for free on the same day. It also has a dropshipping option.

6. Wholesale Fashion Square

Next on our list is a great destination for wholesale women’s boutique clothing. Wholesale Fashion Square has a range of apparel offerings, accessories, and makeup—all sourced from the LA area. Products are mostly available in bundles of three or six. Wholesale Fashion Square ships internationally and has no minimum order requirements.

Women’s wholesale clothing: UK

1. Babez London
2. Catwalk Wholesale
3. City Goddess
4. J5 Fashion
5. Mia Fashions
6. Missi Clothing

Here are some of the best women’s apparel wholesalers in the UK:

1. Babez London

Babez London is a fashion-forward wholesale ladies’ clothing company based in the UK. You can purchase products in packs, ranging from three to 12 units per pack. Its website features new styles every day. It ships internationally, and there’s no minimum spend, but you do have to buy a pack instead of an individual unit.

2. Catwalk Wholesale

You can find wholesale women’s dresses, tops, bottoms, and skirts for your fashion brand at Catwalk Wholesale, which specializes in going-out apparel and fashion. Catwalk Wholesale has discounted items, sometimes priced as low as £1. 

Catwalk Wholesale has no minimum order requirement. Qualifying orders to the UK and US get free next-day delivery, while international shipping typically takes a few days. It also has private labeling options.

3. City Goddess

Offering wholesale fashion women’s clothing, City Goddess was cofounded by fashion designer Mina Melikova. Its products typically come in packs, or “lots,” of five to seven units each. You can’t choose what comes in each pack, or what sizes each pack covers. If you want to order just one unit, you’ll need to go through its business-to-consumer (B2C) platform, Goddiva. City Goddess also has a £150 minimum order requirement.

4. J5 Fashion

J5 Fashion ships internationally and also offers private labeling. Successful brands like Nasty Gal, ASOS, and PrettyLittleThing use J5 Fashion for wholesale purchasing. If you’re not ready to pull the trigger on an entire order, you can always order a sample first. The items are trendy and constantly updated—don’t be surprised if you find something new every time you check back. 

5. Mia Fashions

Another Nasty Gal supplier, Mia Fashions has also provided cheap wholesale women’s clothing for Boohoo and Missguided. The UK-based wholesaler sells on-trend, celebrity-inspired fast fashion. It ships internationally, and orders over £400 ship for free within the UK. Local orders predictably arrive sooner—as fast as just one business day. International customers are more at the mercy of carriers and time.

6. Missi Clothing

Missi Clothing has regular and plus sizes—everything from dresses and jackets to knitwear, leggings, and organic t-shirts. Clothing is sold in packs, and there’s no minimum order requirement.

Women’s wholesale clothing: Canada

Here are a couple of the best women’s clothing wholesalers in Canada: 

Alanic

Though mostly focused on active and casualwear, Alanic has a little bit of everything. It’s also one of the best wholesale vendors for women’s clothing in Canada. You can purchase already-made styles or work with the supplier to source a manufacturer to bring your own designs to life. Though it’s vague about the details, Alanic promises flexibility when it comes to minimum purchase amounts.

COCO & tashi

Another one of Canada’s wholesale women’s clothing vendors, COCO & tashi is based in Montreal. It sells a range of women’s apparel and fashion, including stylish casual wear and functional outerwear. You can order packs of six or seven units, and each pack comes with one or two units in every size. You’ll also need to be prepared to fork over at least $400 to meet its minimum order requirements.

Wholesale women’s clothing: China

1. Dear-Lover
2. FashionTIY
3. Wholesale7
4. Yaaku

Here are some of the best women’s apparel wholesalers in China: 

1. Dear-Lover

Dear-Lover ships internationally, and while technically there’s no minimum order requirement, you might have to pay extra fees on orders under $99. So beware when ordering samples. Dear-Lover also has a dropshipping model if holding inventory isn’t your style.

2. FashionTIY

China-based FashionTIY has super affordable, trendy wholesale women’s apparel along with accessories, hair extensions, footwear, and other items to help you diversify. You can even venture into home goods with FashionTIY. Extra busy entrepreneurs can browse and order products on the go with its dedicated mobile app, something not many others can boast.

3. Wholesale7

Specializing in Japanese- and Korean-inspired wholesale women’s fashion, Wholesale7 has a large selection of styles to choose from. In addition to designing and manufacturing its own items, Wholesale7 also sources from other suppliers and designers—most at affordable price points, offering decent profit margins. All items are shipped within 24 hours of placing your order, though shipping times vary depending on the destination. Wholesale7 also has a dropshipping model.

4. Yaaku

Rounding out the list of China-based ladies’ fashion wholesale suppliers is Yaaku in Guangzhou. Yaaku’s designs are also inspired by Japanese and Korean culture—perfect for serving those markets and other fashion-forward customer segments. Yaaku has no minimum order requirements.

How to choose the best wholesale women’s clothing vendors

1. Focus on your customers
2. Go local
3. Check quality
4. Stay on budget
5. Read reviews and ask questions

There’s no one-size-fits-all in business, but use these steps as a guide to get started in women’s fashion:

1. Focus on your customers

Keep your customer base in mind and source clothing that matches their style. Research trends and which influencers your target audience follows to understand which styles will resonate with them the most. 

Consider adjacent product offerings—such as accessories and shoes—if you plan to grow your business and expand beyond women’s clothing. As you scale, it can be helpful to find a supplier that can grow with you. 

2. Go local

Knowing where your supplier is based is important because it impacts cost. Namely, shipping, taxes, and duties can quickly add up and threaten your margins. Look for local suppliers that can provide the items you’re looking for affordably. 

3. Check quality

A study by First Insight found that 53% of consumers consider quality the most important factor when making purchases. 

To check quality, you can browse reviews of the supplier or order samples to see the apparel products for yourself.

4. Stay on budget

At the end of the day, the point of doing business is to make a profit. If your wholesale fashion items are priced too high, you’ll have a difficult time finding a price that makes you a profit that customers are willing to pay. Likewise, go too cheap, and you risk your reputation and customer satisfaction.

Compare pricing across multiple vendors, but don’t only focus on the lowest price. Calculate potential profit margins and consider any volume discounts offered. Inquire about minimum order quantities (MOQ) and whether mixed orders of different styles are allowed. Look for vendors who offer flexibility as your business scales.

5. Read reviews and ask questions

A great vendor understands that timing and proactive communication is everything. They deliver on time and keep you updated on new fashion industry trends, potential issues, and opportunities. 

Read reviews to understand potential vendors’ average lead times and how they handle rush orders. You can also reach out to vendors with specific questions and ask for references to verify their reliability.

Understanding payment terms with wholesale vendors

You’ve landed an amazing deal with a new wholesale vendor. Before you sign that contract, understand the following common payment terms: 

Payment deadlines

As you start working with wholesale vendors, you’ll see terms like “Net 30” or “2/10 Net 30”. These are shorthand terms for payment expectations. Net 30 means you have 30 days to pay the full invoice amount. 2/10 Net 30 offers a 2% discount if you pay within 10 days; otherwise, the full amount is due in 30 days.

Early payment discounts

Early payment discounts might seem small at first glance, but they can add up to substantial savings over time. If you’re able to consistently pay early on $100,000 worth of annual purchases with a 2% discount, you’re looking at $2,000 in savings. That’s a meaningful amount you can reinvest in your business or use to increase profit margins.

Flexible terms

Remember that your wholesale vendors are partners in your business success. They want you to succeed, so you’ll keep ordering from them. Don’t hesitate to discuss your needs, whether it’s extended payment terms or volume discounts. Open dialogue often leads to mutually beneficial arrangements.

Credit terms and limits

Credit terms and limits act as a financial buffer for you and your vendor. They allow you to order stock without immediate payment, giving you time to sell products before the bill comes due.

However, it’s important to use this credit wisely. Maxing out your credit limit can strain your relationship with vendors and potentially impact your business credit score.

Late payments and penalties

Read the fine print to understand how late payments might affect your credit terms or limit future orders. Examine the vendor’s policies on late payments, including any grace periods and associated penalties. Look for specific late fees, such as a percentage of the outstanding balance or a flat fee. Check if interest is charged on overdue amounts and at what rate. 

If you find yourself in a tight spot, communication is key. Many vendors are willing to work out a solution if you’re proactive. Some might offer extended terms or installment plans. Be aware that late payments often come with penalties, typically 1–2% of the monthly invoice amount. 

Seasonal buying tips for wholesale women’s clothing

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you prepare for seasonal fluctuations:

Analyze market trends and demand

Fashion moves fast. Trend lifecycles came and went every 20 years in the past. Today, with the rise of fashion microtrends, they are gone faster than you can say, “TikTok made me buy it.”

To stay ahead of the game:

• Monitor TikTok and Instagram for fashion forecasts.
• Analyze past sales data to identify consistent performers.
• Keep an eye on celebrity and influencer styles. 

You don’t have to just follow trends blindly. The idea is to blend trending items with styles that have done well in your store. That way, you can keep your inventory fresh and exciting. 

Plan ahead

Fashion revolves around seasonal trends, which dictate styles sold and when customers buy. Start with the essentials for each session, then add trendier pieces to keep things interesting. 

Consider:

• Core items that sell year-round (classic jeans, basic tees)
• Season-specific must-haves (sundresses for summer, coats for winter)
• Trendy pieces to attract fashion-forward customers

Create a flexible inventory plan that accounts for these variables. You can use the 80/20 rule: stocking 80% of proven sellers and 20% of new or trendy items to mitigate the risk of unsold inventory. 

Time your purchases strategically

Align your buying schedule with the fashion industry’s calendar to ensure you have the right products stocked. Look for early-bird discounts and pre-order opportunities from wholesale suppliers.

Consider purchasing core items in advance and leaving room in your budget for trendy pieces closer to the season. A good rule of thumb could be spending:

• 50% of your budget on the upcoming season
• 30% on the current season (for those last-minute shoppers)
• 20% on timeless pieces that sell year-round

Many successful retailers follow a modified version of the 4-5-4 calendar, making smaller, more frequent purchases to keep their inventory fresh and reduce the risk of markdowns.

Build relationships with seasonal suppliers

Collaborative relationships with suppliers can keep you ahead of the competition. Together, you can share forecasts, plan for future inventory, and design items together. 

Some other ways to win over suppliers are:

• Be reliable. Pay on time, every time.
• Show interest in their business. Ask about new lines and give feedback.
• Share your successes. Let them know when their products are hits.

If you do it right, you might just score perks like first dibs on new collections or flexible payment terms. 

Manage stock for seasonal sales and promotions

Effective stock management during seasonal transitions can impact your profitability. With retailers investing over a trillion dollars a year in their markdown programs, strategic planning is important. 

Try this timeline:

• 6–8 weeks into the season. Offer subtle discounts (10–15% off).
• Mid-season. Bump it up to 20–30% off slower-moving items.
• End of season. Go big or go home with 40–50% off to clear the decks.

Not everything needs to be on sale. Timeless pieces can stay full price because they are always valuable. Off-season items can be the main focus of your markdown program.

Think of TikTok as a marketplace full of potential customers. No matter what they’re looking for, a compelling pitch can convince them to try (and buy) your product. Here’s what you need to know about the “TikTok made me buy it” trend.

What is the “TikTok made me buy it” trend?

The “TikTok made me buy it” trend refers to products going viral after being featured or promoted on TikTok videos. The trend, which spans various industries, including beauty, fashion, home goods, and food, has had a significant impact on consumer behavior in recent years.

TikTok users frequently share video reviews of their favorite products using the trending hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, which has more than 60 billion views. These viral videos can quickly garner millions of views and likes, often causing dramatic sales spikes. For instance, Little Moons mochi ice cream saw a 700% increase in sales at UK supermarket Tesco after going viral on TikTok.

Top “TikTok made me buy it” viral products

As items gain popularity on TikTok, content creators often jump on the bandwagon by uploading videos with their reviews. This creates a snowball effect that can lead to a surge in sales. Popular content categories include cooking, cleaning, and beauty. Here are some items that have taken TikTok by storm in recent years:

Uproot Cleaner Max Dog Hair Remover

The Max Dog Hair Remover is a handheld rake for removing pet hair from rugs, car interiors, and other fabric. Many videos demonstrate this product’s efficacy by using it to remove dramatic amounts of pet hair from hard-to-reach areas. Uproot’s official TikTok account earned more than 12 million views on an ASMR cleaning video featuring this product.

Bagel guillotine

This product does only one job: slice bagels. Hundreds of videos demonstrate placing a bagel in the plastic base and using the guillotine blade to halve it.

Sunset lamps

The #sunsetlamp hashtag has more than 85 thousand posts. Videos showcasing this night light praise its mood-boosting effects and play up the aesthetic appeal of its warm gentle glow.

DASH Rapid Egg Cooker

The DASH Rapid Egg Cooker device promises to make your morningssuper easy.The rapid egg cooker uses steam to hardboil, soft boil, or poach up to six eggs. TikTok videos highlight the product’s ease of use by demonstrating the cooking process, often without narration.

Blendjet 2 Portable Blender

Health and fitness influencers helped generate the buzz behind this portable smoothie maker, demonstrating its ability to blend frozen fruit into smoothies on the go. Content emphasizes convenience, framing the device as a time-saving hack.

Dyson Corrale styler straightener

Beauty influencers love Dyson’s high-end hair styling tools, despite their price tags (the Corrale straightener is $500). Many videos address the high price, while still praising features such as its ability to minimize heat damage.

Dyson Airwrap

The Airwrap, a $600 tool praised by pros, is a common sight in beauty videos. This brush uses hot air to simultaneously curl and dry damp hair, offering a shortcut to smoothtexture and bouncy waves. Many videos feature women with long hair demonstrating the ease of use of this tool.

Shark FlexStyle Air Styling and Drying System

TikTokers unwilling to spend the money for an Airwrap swear by the Shark FlexStyle Air Styling and Drying System as a budget-friendly alternative at $300—roughly half the price.

Stanley Quencher H2.0

The Stanley Quencher H2.0 water bottle became a status symbol through TikTok, where creators praised its extra-large capacity and showcased shelves lined with Stanley bottles in various shades.

Stanley water bottle carrier bag

The Stanley cup’s extreme popularity sparked the rise of several other products, including water bottle bags. Praised in many TikTok videos for its convenience, the case features a shoulder strap and phone pocket, perfect for hands-free hydration on long walks or at the beach.

The Pink Stuff

Cleaning videos praise The Pink Stuff paste for its effectiveness in tight spaces like car air conditioning vents, often highlighting the satisfaction of seeing the dirt and grime melt away.

Vortex air fryer

The Instant Vortex air fryer gained popularity with both food and fitness influencers. Health creators talk about the health benefits, positioning air-fryers as a game changer for low-fat cooking, while cooking influencers share recipe videos and prep tips.

Scrub daddy

The Scrub Daddy is an inexpensive sponge in the shape of a face.Many Scrub Daddy videos focus on having fun with the cute design by poking spoons into the mouth or drowning it with dish soap.

Target angled shoulder bag

Inexpensive alternatives to costly products, aka dupes, are a popular TikTok category. Style influencers praise this $25 purse from Target as a cheap substitute for a similar bag from high-end fashion brand The Row.

Countertop nugget ice maker

Nugget ice, known online as “the good ice,” is adored for its crunchy, fluffy texture. With over 8,400 posts on TikTok under #Nuggetice and 1,000 for #nuggeticemachine, videos position the $500 ice maker as a luxury indulgence, expressing excitement about the ability to produce limitless nugget ice at home.

Deep collagen overnight mask

#SkinTok is a thriving TikTok community brimming with skin care advice and product recommendations. Videos featuring deep collagen overnight face masks went viral with creators claiming that if you sleep with it, you wake up with “glass skin.”

Tips for getting your product featured in “TikTok made me buy it” posts

Getting featured in #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt posts can boost your product’s visibility—it’s basically free marketing. Try these strategies to capture social media attention:

Partner with influencers

An endorsement from a tastemaker may carry more weight than a paid ad. Look for influencers with an engaged fanbase and relevant expertise. Offer to send them samples and ask them to feature your products.

Highlight product appeal

TikTok product videos are often thoughtful, in-depth reviews. Avoid traditional marketing language to make a compelling case for your product. Create videos that educate consumers and explain the features that make your product unique, while keeping the tone casual and fun.

Feature user-generated content

Search TikTok for existing videos featuring your product. If you find a positive review, ask the creator for permission to reshare it on your channel. Independent reviews and first-person stories from real users provide social proof and make an unbiased case for your product’s quality.

Use relevant hashtags

Use other relevant hashtags alongside the TikTokMadeMeBuyIt hashtag to increase your visibility. Viewers looking for product recommendations have an easier time discovering your posts if you have accurate and useful tags.

Bringing a new product or service to market always takes time, but the number of days, weeks, months, or years it takes to launch can impact your ecommerce business in significant ways. With factors like customer trust and profits on the line, it’s important to know when you expect to bring an initial idea to market and how you can stick to your time-to-market plan.

Learn more about how time to market works, why it matters, and what strategies can reduce your time to market and ultimately help you gain a competitive advantage.

What is time to market?

Time to market (TTM) is the amount of time it takes for a product to hit the market, all the way from initial brainstorming and market research through prototyping, production, marketing, and the final product launch. TTM impacts the entire product development cycle, and merchants with a clear understanding of how to manage their time to market can make smarter decisions about how to allocate resources and manage customer expectations.

TTM depends on the scope of your project and the resources you have available. For example, an ecommerce entrepreneur might take three years to develop and launch a new coffee maker, whereas an established coffee maker brand might take only a year to develop a similar machine.

Although you might want to get your product to market as quickly as possible, sometimes launching a product too soon can actually damage your company. Rushed quality assurance procedures can decrease customer satisfaction and harm your company, as can problems outside your control—sometimes the market just isn’t ready for a product. For example, launching a technology customers aren’t yet comfortable with can prove devastating to your product and business.

Benefits of reducing time to market

Reducing time to market can benefit your business in a variety of ways, including:

Competitive advantage

Getting your product to market first can make all the difference in highly competitive industries. Imagine you’re developing an innovative product like a smart suitcase with built-in GPS. You can gain market share in the competitive luggage industry by being the first company to offer this new feature. By moving to market faster than your competitors, you can earn sales that your slower competitors won’t have access to until they launch in a potentially saturated market.

Lower costs

By getting your product to market quickly, you can avoid the overages that can occur in long, drawn-out product development processes. An efficient and effective go-to-market (GTM) strategy can help you avoid the unnecessary costs that can arise in a disorganized product development process.

Improved brand reputation

An accurate time to market prediction can allow you to manage customer expectations and increase customer satisfaction. Ensuring the timely delivery of products is essential when you’re building trust with your target audience, especially if you’re using a crowdfunding model or preorders to fund production where customers have already invested in your product.

Factors that affect time to market

A wide range of factors can impact your time to market. Some are within your control and others are not, but understanding each will allow you to accurately predict your time to market.

Level of complexity

The number of moving pieces you need to manage in order to bring your product to life will impact your time to market. You’ll need to consider the relationship between your TTM and product quality to ensure you’ve struck the balance between delivering your product quickly and delivering value to your customers.

Budget

The financial resources you have available for product development and production are a critical factor in determining time to market. A large company with a dedicated budget for product development will likely have a shorter time to market than an ecommerce entrepreneur starting a lean business in their free time.

Processes

A company’s product development process can also impact time to market. A business with a long, time-consuming approval process for product development decisions will likely take longer to bring its product to market than a company with streamlined decision-making processes.

Market changes

Market demand can also greatly influence your time to market. For example, a company experiencing high customer demand for a new software update will likely fast-track that project and prioritize it over a brand-new product with no current competition or existing market demand.

Ways to reduce time to market

Here are a few methods you can implement to decrease your time to market and get your product, service, or project to your customer faster.

Develop a go-to-market strategy

A go-to-market (GTM) strategy is a detailed outline of how you plan to develop, produce, market, and distribute a new product. To create an effective GTM strategy, you’ll need a clear understanding of what you’re selling, your target market, how your product differs from that of your direct competitors, and how you plan to distribute your product to your target audience. With this information, you can create a product development strategy and a plan for distribution and marketing. The better your go-to-market strategy, the more information you’ll have for predicting time to market.

Streamline your processes

Evaluate your product development process. Are there any inefficiencies or redundancies in the process? What parts of the process take the longest amount of time? If your project or product requires input from multiple teams, make your communication and approvals processes as simple and clear as possible to avoid any confusion.

Use the agile framework to optimize your marketing processes with strategies like prioritizing data, emphasizing cross-functional collaboration, and focusing on outcomes rather than internal activities. 

Gather clear data

Understanding and optimizing your product development, production, and distribution processes requires relevant and readable data. Avoid assumptions about why a certain process is working and instead prioritize qualitative data like customer feedback from surveys and quantitative data like average order value (AOV) and click-through rates (CTRs).

By keeping track of real-time feedback from customers, employees, and product testers, you can make informed decisions about which aspects of your product are working and which need improvement. As an ecommerce merchant, this could mean gaining insight into customer behaviors, warehouse inventory levels, and marketing efforts with tools like Shopify’s reports and analytics features.

Create a minimum viable product

A minimum viable product (MVP) is the most limited-capacity version of your product that is still valuable to your target market. By creating a saleable version of your new product with only the essential features, you can decrease your time to market and start earning sales sooner than you could if you delivered the product in its full capacity.

Creating a minimum viable product is a helpful strategy for ecommerce merchants using a lean startup model with limited resources. For example, on an episode of the podcast Shopify Masters, ecommerce entrepreneur Shanae Jones explains how a business accelerator helped create a minimum viable product for her tea company, Flyest. The accelerator allowed her to quickly produce an MVP and get it in front of customers in a competitive market.

Outsource and use helpful tools

Choose useful technology tools to help you deliver products and services to your customers in a timely manner. For example, you could launch an online store with an ecommerce platform like Shopify to save the time you would have spent creating your own website from scratch.

You could also consider investing in a customer relationship management software tool to streamline communications with customers and internal conversations between different departments like sales, marketing, operations, and customer service teams.

A warehouse management system could streamline your processes around picking, packing, storing, and shipping inventory. A suite of effective software tools can help you automate processes and ultimately decrease your time to market.

For online brands, social media marketing can seem like a goldmine of opportunity—simply post a short video and watch the dollar signs grow. If only it were so simple.

Paid, sponsored, and promoted social media tactics can quickly balloon the budget of a small business. In 2021 alone, brands around the world spent almost $116 billion on social ads. So the question is this: How can brands take advantage of the power of social media without breaking the bank?

Enter organic TikTok marketing: driving revenue without the ad spend. It’s a little tricky to get right—you are, after all, at the mercy of the algorithms—but with the right content plan, you can crack the code and reap the rewards. Here’s everything you need to know about building an organic TikTok strategy into your marketing plan.

What is an organic TikTok strategy?

An organic TikTok strategy is a content marketing plan focusing on creating high-quality content to improve user engagement—impressions, likes, comments, and follows—without paying to boost it. It’s the opposite of a paid strategy, in which business accounts pay for impressions—either by promoting their posts or creating sponsored ad content.

Benefits of organic TikTok growth

There are plenty of ways in which an organic TikTok strategy can benefit your business:

Save on marketing costs

Paying to boost your content can get expensive. Promoting a TikTok post starts at about $2 per day, and paying for a basic TikTok ad starts at about $5 per day. On the other hand, organic growth doesn’t cost anything. With the right kind of high-quality content, you can see growth for free (or, at least, for the price of creating the content).

Boost real engagement

Organic growth is all about reaching new audiences who actually care about your brand and want to interact with your content. This means that as you grow, so too will audience engagement, with more followers watching, liking, and commenting on your content (a.k.a. showing brand love).

Strengthen loyalty

When you connect with users who care about your content, they’re more likely to stick with you in the long term. Loyal customers are the ones who continue engaging with your content, make repeat purchases, and recommend your product or service to others—making them a valuable asset for growing businesses.

Best content for gaining organic TikTok growth

There’s no one perfect format that guarantees organic growth—the algorithms are more finicky than that. Instead, try experimenting with different types of content to see what sticks best with your target audience. Here are four types of content creation that your brand should consider for boosting organic growth on TikTok:

Original

Original content means you create your TikTok videos from scratch. This is a great way for business owners to center their content on topics that are authentically meaningful to them—a key driver of organic growth.

“If you feel like you could talk about something for 10 minutes, make a video on it and try to cut it down to two [minutes],” says Charlotte Palermino, co-founder and CEO of skin care brand Dieux Skin, in an interview with Shopify Masters.

Viewers will feel your enthusiasm for the topic and see your expertise first hand—making them significantly more likely to like, comment, follow, and make a purchase.

Series

A staple of TikTok content, series are multi-part videos that let you deep dive into a particular topic. You’ll often see these numbered in the title or video text. For instance, these TikToks from Dieux are labeled part one and part two in the videos.

If someone discovers your post and likes what they see, they’ll know they can go to your profile for more similar content. But be careful of overdoing it—many TikTok creators end videos with a cliffhanger to coax users to follow for more, but this can quickly come across as inauthentic.

Trend-based

Trends are the lifeblood of TikTok, so don’t be afraid to duet, stitch, or incorporate trending hashtags, audio (like songs and sounds), and jokes. On-trend content is more likely to appear on others’ For You pages than content that isn’t as timely.

🌟Knowing where and how to find trending sounds on TikTok can boost engagement around your content. Here are eight easy ways to find trending sounds on TikTok.

Community-oriented

Develop more videos that put you in direct dialogue with your target audience, addressing their questions in FAQs, Q&As, or TikTok LIVE videos. Interacting with your followers via community engagement content creates a thriving family around your brand. TikTok’s built-in Q&A tool lets you receive questions from followers via comments or your profile page. Addressing these questions gives you more opportunities to create meaningful connections with your audience.

Tips for gaining organic growth on TikTok

Organic growth can be hard to game—some videos go viral and others don’t, and it’s often difficult to understand exactly why. But if you’re working to grow organically on TikTok, here are some techniques to try:

Tell stories

Offering a narrative in a video helps capture viewers’ attention and show the human side of your brand. Try telling your brand’s story, describing the way your product features solve a specific problem, explaining a concept that’s important to you, or recounting something that happened to you during the workday.

“One of our most viral videos right now on TikTok … is just talking about packaging,” Charlotte says. “It’s just a video about plastic and aluminum, and it’s doing incredibly well because it’s about storytelling.”

The video tells a brief story while addressing a follower’s concerns about the labeling, giving Dieux an opportunity to explain why its packaging is changing and how it’s better for everyone.

Take advantage of hashtags

TikTok uses hashtags to make recommendations on users’ For You pages, which means including the right hashtags in your captions can help your content land in front of more users.

Stick to a handful of specific hashtags that are relevant to your niche. For example, this video from Firefly Slime has more than three million views and just two hashtags: #instantsnow and #asmr.

Provide value

For organic growth, Charlotte recommends an honest, informational approach to TikTok—not a marketing fireworks show.

“We don’t feel too salesy,” she explains. “I find that when a customer feels duped into buying something … there’s a lot of bad blood there.”

When you create honest, authentic content, you’re building a trusting relationship with your customers.

“I want people to understand what our products do and what they don’t do,” Charlotte says. “When you do it that way, you have a high loyalty rate.”

In the end, it’s about letting your customers choose.

“I hope that we feel educational,” says Charlotte, “so you are empowered to make a decision.”

Post regularly

If you want to grow your follower count and gather the attention of your target audience, a regular posting schedule is a must. While activity is important for most social media platforms—it helps build brand awareness among your followers—it’s especially important on TikTok, since TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes videos from active accounts. This means posting often will boost the chances you’ll show up on the For You pages of new customers, further widening your reach.

How regularly should you upload TikToks? While there’s no hard-and-fast rule, this 2024 benchmark report from RivalIQ says that, on average, brands post about twice per week.