Forum Moderators: buckworks
But the problem is I'm not really sure where to go from there. I don't have an excess amount of storage space for products and the shipment of food can be a messy business I'm sure. I also not to certian about how much money I will have to start up the business. It may range from less that $500 to mabye a thousand if I'm lucky.
I guess my main questions are:
- How do ECompanies that deal with food store and ship? What potential legalities are involved?
- When first starting out, about how much of a product should one purchase?
- How do most small Ebusinesses store their products?
Any help, advice, or tips would be much appreciated.
Thank you
What country is your business based in?
welcome to the forums! It's always hard to know how much supplies to purchase you don't want to get stuck with stuff that's left over.
Have you made a survey on how much you expect to sell and what kind of demand there is for your products? Always a good way to start out. The survey doesn't have to be that expensive but you should at least be able to estimate some.
Storing products, hmm I don't deal with food products so I don't have to worry about temperatures and such. Most people I know that have their own small mail order business store their merchandise in their garage on shelves or in the basement. I store most of my merchandise in a storage that goes with my appartment, there is always options.
Good Luck with your business!
Daniel
Products are stored in a spare bedroom although I have considered rent space at one of those storage places.
When importing foods for resale make sure you comply with your national law on ingredient declaration etc.
You might lik eto try Xcart for your shopping package and Hostica for your hosting.
How do ECompanies that deal with food store and ship? What potential legalities are involved?
I would really advise you to consult an attorney before you start selling food. Sorry I can't point you to a definitive resource, but I have read that selling food involves a lot more issues (shipping, storage, insurance, liability, etc.) than selling, say ... comic books.
Australia springs to mind...have you seen the Beagles at Sydney airport?
Many companies dont ship candles, to the southern USA in the months June to September, and candles have a melting point of 58 C. UPS trucks sitting in southern USA parking lots over the weekend, has been known to exceed this and melt the candles.
Your chocolate would not stand a chance. Refrigerated trucks and/or overnight courier is the solution, however this is quite expensive.
