If you have goods you make yourself (art etc), you can sell them online for direct income. If so, then there’s no need to buy expensive online shop software. You can use these themes with free plugins to start a beautiful online shop to match your design. Learn more on how to start a blog.
Many small indie shops found that an online shop during the pandemic led to more profits (also a good service for rural residents). If selling online, you’ll need an SSL certificate (installed with Really Simple SSL plugin and then press a button and your site is secure. Be sure to update the plugin when prompted. Keep your site secure (include changing your username from ‘admin’) to protect your site from hackers.
You can find pretty online themes specifically designed for shops like Bluchic. This company (run by a husband-and-wife in Malaysia) offers gorgeous themes with matching branding with free CANVA software. If you don’t like Paypal to accept orders, you can use Stripe or Square.
Finally if selling online, remember to look into sustainable packaging like plastic-free packing tape. There is no point having an eco-friendly store if you cover everything in plastic before sending it out. Many online shops set up return schemes, for customers to get discounts when they return empty bottles etc, a great idea for customer loyalty.
