How to grow an eCommerce side hustle (while keeping the day job)
Fancy taking up a side hustle? We've put together 10 of the most useful tips to help you do just that.
The side hustle is a middle ground. It allows you to experiment with a passion project or smart eCommerce plan while keeping the stability a day job provides.
And the side hustle doesn't seem to be going anywhere. The trend has been growing – and side hustles now generate more than £72 billion a year in the UK. Meanwhile, Henley Business School conducted a study that predicted there would be more "employed-preneurs" than ever in the 2030s.
If you've been thinking about starting a side hustle alongside your day job but don't know how to go about it, check out our 10 tips. They'll help you scale up without burning out.
Why you should start a side hustle
A side hustle can bring many benefits with it, including:
- Security: your day job pays the bills. Your side hustle is there to let you experiment, boost your income and (yes) have fun.
- Better earnings: put the work in and you could be on to a nice little earner.
- Skill growth: with the right kind of side hustle, you could add some sparkle to your CV or portfolio.
How to grow an eCommerce side hustle without burning out: 10 Tips
1. Go for the easy side hustles
Haven't found your side-hustle calling? Keep in mind that – with the demands of a nine-to-five – you need to go for something that requires minimum effort and delivers maximum returns.
Examples of easier side hustles include:
- Custom prints: if you're good with graphic design, you can create custom prints for all sorts of things. Wedding invitations, T-shirts, artwork, stationary, and business documents are all worth investigating.
- Hobby hustles: the best possible side hustle is turning a hobby you already enjoy into a business. Perhaps you like to make
handmade jewellery, cosmetics, art or clothes. Set up an Etsy shop and you could be monetising that pastime in no time.
- Using skills you already have: if you're already good at something, it will be quicker and easier to set up a side hustle based on this. Think of your existing skills. Are you good at transcribing? Editing images and videos? Doing voiceovers? Designing websites?
- Reselling: with the rise of online selling platforms like Vinted and Depop, reselling can be more lucrative than ever. Do you have a keen eye for spotting high-quality vintage clothing or furniture? Put it to good use.
2. Take your work-life-balance seriously
You don't want to get into a situation where you're working too much – it won't be good for you or for the side hustle.
Try to estimate a realistic amount of time you can spare for your side hustle and take it from there. And remember to plan in time for socialising, hobbies (not just the one that makes you money) and relaxation.
3. Find your niche
Even though it's totally up to you what you do as your side hustle, it's still good to keep a business mindset and find your niche. After all, less competition means greater visibility.
You'll also naturally produce better products, as you can get to the heart of what your customers want and provide that for them.
4. Bring the passion
You need to be passionate about your side hustle – or at the very least be passionate about the extra money you can make from it.
It can help you to think big and set goals, as well as rewards for meeting those goals. Perhaps you could treat yourself to a city break once you make your first £1,000.
5. Check out the competition
Other businesses may already be doing what you are planning to do, so it's advisable to thoroughly research the competition before you do anything concrete and make any big decisions.
6. Get to know your audience
As with any business venture, you need to do your research and get to know your audience. You can then customise your product and marketing to meet their needs and expectations.
8. Grow your community
The beauty of small businesses is that you can connect with your customers on a deeper level. You can personalise your products, leave hand-written notes in their orders and be responsive on social media to show paying customers that you care.
9. Keep tabs on the market
Business moves faster than ever nowadays. So, you need to ensure you keep up with all the industry news in your chosen sector, as well as any new laws or best practices that could affect your side hustle.
It's also a good idea to ask for as much feedback as possible in the early stages of setting up your side hustle. Gather a focus group, speak to others in the industry and send out surveys to your customers. This way, you'll have as much information as possible that you can use to improve your product or service.
10. Outsource to save time
If your side hustle really takes off and you wish you had another pair of hands, you could consider outsourcing some business tasks to help you.
For example, you could outsource your packing and delivery to a third-party fulfilment company. This way, you can direct your focus to where it's needed most.
You may even find yourself making more money as you can process more orders and come up with bigger and brighter ideas to keep your hustle going long-term.
At Stowsafe Fulfilment, we're here to make your small business more efficient and profitable than ever. Our fully bespoke fulfilment service means you can leave storage, packing and shipping to us – without giving up the little touches your customers love.
Get in touch with our 3PL experts today to talk all things
small business fulfilment and how we can make running your side hustle easier and more effective.
