Key Points
- Suarez set-up an Amazon and eBay account to gather orders for her partner’s business.
- To track how much she was earning, Suarez watched YouTube videos to help her use Excel.
- After earning $6,000 in a month, Suarez is motivated to sell their products offshore, particularly in the U.S and Canada.
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SBS Filipino
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Australian E-commerce continues to enjoy robust growth. It is forecast to reach sales of USD 32.3 billion in 2023, based on Statista. As an online business owner, Christine Suarez is eager to make a contribution to that industry. No matter if it’s in small increments.
In 2020, Suarez was asked by her partner to set-up the online business of the retail aspect of his five decade-old incense and smudges business passed on by his parents.
“At the time, it was hard to find work in our area and I also wanted to spend time with my child so I decided to follow my partner’s suggestion. I also figured that while I’m helping him with the retail part of the business, he can continue focusing on the wholesale aspect,” she says.
Committed to the task at hand, Suarez immersed herself in things that were unknown. That includes opening an Amazon and eBay account where she can get the orders for the products. To determine her contribution down to the last cent, Suarez learned how to come up with formulas and use Excel via YouTube.
“As with anything, the beginning is always the hardest. But I didn’t want to have any excuses. I just went on with it,” she shares.
Advice for taking product photos on online marketplace
Abiding by the picture policies for eBay and Amazon, Suarez painstakingly took photos of their incense products using different perspectives and angles to make it more realistic for the buyers. She shares more tips in taking photos :
· Use the best light for the product – try to balance the glare if using a flash. Sometimes, sunlight is enough to enhance the quality of a product’s photo.
· Consider using a tripod – it provides stability to ensure that pictures do not appear shaky.
· Use free apps for background remover - when a solid background is unavailable, you can opt to use free apps to erase the current background.
· Be very detailed in describing the product - the proper caption must be realistic.
In a month’s time after setting their online business called Garden’s Gift, Suarez earned $6,000.
“Any amount you earn, no matter how little, is a step to help you move forward, ” Suarez says.
It has also further motivated her to look offshore for selling their products, particularly in the U.S and Canada.
