If you are an aspiring entrepreneur or want to quit your job and start something of your own; without a doubt you follow business trends. You keep a track of what’s popular in the market, how to tap finances, and every single detail. This implies, you are well-aware that selling plants can be quite profitable. Even the black thumbs have started to favour plants because they know in planting there is a hope for a better future, something we all need at the moment.
If you are interested in starting an online nursery, here is your guide. Will not confuse with a lot of pointers, just the important one to start with the online process.
- Website: When you want to sell plants online, you would need a dedicated space just like the offline nursery. Your website will become your online nursery to sell your products. In the initial phase, a basic website would do. But, as and when you expand, you would need a more sophisticated website with a lot of features. The important thing to keep in mind is your website is user-friendly and bug free. Make improvements regularly and keep updating it. Along with the website, mobile application is highly recommended because many like to order from apps and not websites. Have an Android and IOs compatible app.
- You can hire a freelancer to design your website and mobile app. You can design your website by using apps like Wix but that may not be as professional as you want it to look like. So, invest in it.
- Payment Options: For this, think from a customer point of view. When you buy things and go to the payment page, what features do you want? You want a safe and secure payment. Crashing the payment gateway is a big no. Secondly, as many online payment options as possible. Credit cards, debit cards, Paytm, Wallets, UPi Ids, net-banking and all that’s possible. This is beneficial for you. People from all walks of life will be attracted because of acceptance of payment from different modes. After the payment is made, generate an online invoice or a successful payment ticket for surety.
- If possible, accept orders for COD. Many buyers look for this feature when making a purchase decision. It is because at first, everyone is skeptical about whether the website is genuine or not. Earn trust.
- Variety: There are many players in the industry whom you have to compete with and exceed. One way to position yourself different is to sell plants that are hard to find anywhere else. Categorize your plants like indoors, outdoors, air-purifying, medicinal, Feng Shui, flowering, fruit, succulents, etc,. Then, have categories of plants like imported plants, rare plant species, banyan tree bonsai, herbs, etc.
- Conduct your research well on the different kinds of plants you can sell. What different you can offer to your customers. Pay attention to the product image.
- Other Things: When a person visits a website to buy a plant, he or she always looks up for other related products. No one likes to waste time and desires to get everything under one roof. Sell planters, gardening tools, soil, fertilizer, and other accessories required. Become the ultimate destination for everything.
- Be as unique in your selection as you can be. Attract customers by providing them something different and beautiful at the same time.
- Pricing: Pricing is crucial in a product based business. Your customer is more likely to make the purchase decision based on the price of the product and if it is worthy of the price or not. One may tend to compare as well. Keep your prices such that customers come to you and you gain your profits as well. If something is rare at your website, you can demand a higher price.
- Keep prices affordable. Introduce time-to-time sales, discounts, coupons, and such incentives.
- Delivery: People choose online shopping for the benefit of online delivery. You have to provide online delivery facilities. Make sure you make timely and safe deliveries because a plant is a fragile product. If possible provide free-shipping benefits to allure customers.
- Have different delivery slots and 24-hour delivery systems.
Prior to this, do your research, check your income sources for funding, comply with necessary taxes and laws. Draft a blueprint, and get started.
