It's funny how small wins can feel monumental, but I recently experienced one that gave me a real boost: I got a few random e-commerce orders! By "random," I mean people I didn’t know actually visited my website on their own and bought something from me. Complete strangers!
Now, you might be thinking, “Why is this such a big deal?” or “Hasn't this been happening already?” But let me tell you—just because you build something doesn’t mean people will automatically come. Despite having my website set up, my online sales have been more of a trickle than a flood.
So far, only 10% of my revenue has come from e-commerce sales. To give you some context, 6% has come from commissions, and a whopping 84% has been from in-person markets. As much as I love the energy and interaction that comes from selling at markets, let me tell you, it's a lot of work. It involves packing up all my products, hauling them to a public space, setting everything up, and hoping for two things: that it doesn’t rain and that people actually show up. Thankfully, in June, both of those things worked in my favor!
Still, it’s incredibly refreshing to know that people are starting to find me online and are willing to purchase from me without meeting me in person or seeing my products firsthand. Or maybe we did meet briefly at a market, and they took a business card and decided to shop later. Whatever the case may be, the presence I'm making in person and online (albeit limited) is still paying off! This is especially important for months when I don't have any markets lined up—like the first quarter of the year, which can be painfully slow. Those months really highlight the need to build up a stronger e-commerce presence.
Right now, my online shop and marketing efforts are running on what I’d call the “bare minimum.” My goal for the second half of the year is to change that and grow my e-commerce sales to make them a more significant part of my revenue. I’m ready to put in the work, improve my website, and make it easier for more people to find me online.
So yes, this small win feels like a big one—and it’s definitely worth celebrating. Here’s to more random orders and a shift toward more e-commerce sales in the future!
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