Time rich, cash poor but wanting to start online business! Am I mad?

[funkybuddhia]

Hello all. Have a teenage daughter and just had a positive test!Currently unemployed so lacking in lots of spare cash but have lots of time on my hands(at the moment anyway!)and would really like to start an online toy store I could run from home.
I'm getting help from businesslink which at the moment is free and have come across a wholesaler who is willing to let me purchase stock in smaller amounts than usual, but not much else! Has anyone else managed to start an online business from this starting point and how have you got on?

[moocowme]

kind of but i sell my services not products and pick and choose when i want to do this. as am ill atm i do nothing.

you biggest problem is how to advertise this product. you are competing with millions of other websites just to get noticed. Where you thinking of ebay? again you need to build up good feedback.

not sure what your product is but have you considered a market stall as well to get word out?

we recently had a bead stall open at our markets. we already have a bead shop in our small town but the market stall is doing phenomenly well and this is now driving internet sales.

do you have a local womens business group near you that meet socially? they are well worth the effort.

[funkybuddhia]

Sorry to hear you're not feeling great. Get well soon.
I did have an ebay shop for a couple of years but it didn't do as well as I'd hoped. Had 100% feedback rating but most of the higher ticket items didn't sell so well.
I'm going to be focusing on wooden pre school toys solely so don't think ebay's the best place.
I've looked at getting a stall but where I live, the cost of running one would be too expensive at the moment. I was thinking of using twitter to market the site once it's up and running, but not quite sure how yet!
I'll have a look into the local womens business group. Never thought of that. Thanks!

[Kaceywd]

Hi I know I'm late but I would market it as Montessori! Instagram is very good at this and etsy. Also amazon when you scale the business. How is it going by the way??

[CovidClara]

@Kaceywd

Hi I know I'm late but I would market it as Montessori! Instagram is very good at this and etsy. Also amazon when you scale the business. How is it going by the way??

10 Years too late?

[Kaceywd]

Oh nooooo 😭 I saw the 0 and thought it was 2020 😭😅