seeking tips for selling stickers online

[Bryce I]

We already print stickers for everyone in our remote rural town, but we have the time, staff, and equipment to meet a much higher demand of stickers than our local day to day. Any tips for jumping into the online custom sticker business? I know we'll need a website that can accommodate uploaded art and payments. Then an account with fedex or ups, and building an inventory of packaging/shipping supplies. Then a fair amount of direct advertising, getting the word out there. And competitive pricing with the other main custom sticker sites. Any other thoughts or tips? Thanks!

 

[pro-UP]

I've seen a bunch of insta posts of people showing their stickers. It may be worth considering showing how they are made. People like watching those and they can organically drive traffic before you invest in a lot of ads.

You could also consider offering wholesale to the trade. I've seen complaints about some of the big companies on here and competition might be a good thing in our monopolistic society.

 

[kcollinsdesign]

Check out sites like Sticker Mule and determine whether you can compete with them before you start your journey. You may be able to match their fabrication and printing price point, but they have automated shipping departments and negotiated contracts with shipping companies that lowers their costs (which they can pass on to their customers).

I would also look into using a company like Oracle NetSuite to develop a cloud based business suite and online presence.

Like pro-UP already mentioned, wholesale to the trade would be a less complicated way to go, and you can use sites like this one to develop professional relationships.

 

[Johnny Best]

Have your staff while they are looking for work make some TicToc or Instagram videoes

 

[JBurton]

make some TicToc or Instagram videoes

Oh, I'd forgotten all about Tony at LC signs trolling tiktok and youtube shorts like crazy. If y'all haven't seen this guy, he's hilarious:

 

[Joseph44708]

Get a booth at a Trade / Gift show where all of the gift shops go for product ideas (Vegas, Gatlinburg, Myrtle Beach, Ney Jersey, Orlando Surf Expo) before you get a booth go to one of these shows to see what's going on.
We get alot of regular customers from these shows, 500 plus rolls of 54"×100' vinyl yearly.

 

[Bryce I]

Thanks everyone. This is super helpful. Looking into these things now. Any tips on the shipping side? I'm thinking we need to look into an account with fedex or ups? Then we stock up on padded envelopes and boxes? Should we look into a stamps.com type of thing, or a way to produce and print our own stamps/shipping stuff? Most of our clients currently pick up in person, and when we do need to ship something, we just root around for a box that fits. This won't do once we start taking on lots of online sticker orders. Any insights welcome. Thanks!

 

[Solventinkjet]

Setting up an account for FedEx, UPS, and USPS is fairly easy. FedEx and UPS will send you free rolls of labels but you would need to purchase a label printer. You can find used ones on Ebay but even new ones are cheap. FedEx and UPS will also send you free boxes and envelopes but they are for the expedited services. USPS will send you free boxes and envelops for Priority mail as well. I'd suggest priority mail, flat rate, small boxes as your go to shipping option for what you're doing. But keep in mind, you'll need to offer free shipping at some price point to be able to compete with the other guys in the industry.

 

[Gino]

Oh, I'd forgotten all about Tony at LC signs trolling tiktok and youtube shorts like crazy. If y'all haven't seen this guy, he's hilarious:

I thought that was the chinese version of little richard and was gonna spell out 'porn'.........................