Taking Care of Online Business: Ecommerce Workflows

Whether you're an accidental entrepreneur whose hobby selling on eBay became a full-time occupation or a purpose-driven e-tailer who deliberately set out to build an ecommerce empire, you're in business now.

But are you running your business, or is your business running you…ragged? If it's the latter, then it's time to review your procedures with an eye towards streamlining and automating whatever you can.

The Essential Workflow Steps

1. Product sourcing
2. Post items for sale
3. Promote your listings and store
4. Quick shipping
5. Prompt and professional customer service
6. Quantify your business' success via key metrics

Product Sourcing = Homework + Legwork

Before you can start selling anything, you've got to have something to sell. Time to go product sourcing! You've got plenty of options including thrift shops, garage sales, retail arbitrage, and liquidation goods.

List More, Sell More

Once you've settled on a saleable and sustainable product mix, you're ready to start listing. That can be the most challenging part of your business to scale, and you can't do it manually — or singlehandedly. So start automating whatever you can — the sooner, the better.

Customer Service is Crucial

Speaking of customers, you'd better be prepared to deal with them — preferably promptly and professionally. One word: Communication. Answer questions ASAP; manage buyer expectations whenever possible; and focus on each customer's complete satisfaction as your bottom line.

Know Your Numbers

You can't manage your business unless you can take its measure via certain key metrics. You've got to keep tabs on gross profit versus net profit; cost of goods sold; and overhead expenses.

Drilling down, you need to know how well each product is performing along with what's selling best on which channel(s). Remember: You can't manage what you don't measure. If you don't know your numbers, sooner or later, your business is going to crash and burn.