Forum Moderators: LifeinAsia
Fast forward until today. I again find myself leaving a very profitable niche product line. While there are thousands of retailers, it *is* semi-difficult to become a retailer and most physical stores only sell a few of these widgets per month. I sell 5 to 20 per day. I should note that these stores are all small businesses that can *all* use the extra money.
Today, I have been turned down for the 3rd time. Again, the reason is: "it sounds too good to be true". I present them with all sales history etc., but they still feel the numbers are just too high and that there is a catch somewhere.
How do you convince your potential business partners that the internet is a strong sales outlet? That the typical geographical limits don't apply?
It seems to me that many traditional store owners have self imposed limitations on what sales should look like - 5 years of sales history *prove* that you can't sell more than x number of widgets. If someone is telling you otherwise they are full of it.
Do your friends/relatives believe that you make a living online?
You can start an online store and sell it yourself. Once you get an order, go to the store owner you want to work with, and buy widgets off him. Do this for a month, every day, buy 5-20 widgets, and ship them yourself. Eventually the store owner will get interested.
A lot of the store owners will listen to my pitch and then just say no. I'm certain that one reason is that they think there's a catch somewhere.
What I'm going to do is put up a "testimonial" page, with positive comments from existing trial subscribers. Since the site is about a certain product that is often a hot political issue, I'm also going to get character testimonials from legislators I know, as well as from a lobbyist for one of the biggest lobbying organizations in the country.
Do your friends/relatives believe that you make a living online?
You tell them that?
I just tell them I'm a bum. :)
Seriously, sometimes you could not get people to see beyond their own self-imposed limitations. If you were shoveling cash into their pockets, they'd turn and run.
You can start an online store and sell it yourself. ...Eventually the store owner will get interested.
Moltar - that is a good long term idea, but I already have the product, I just don't want to carry stock any longer.
I think many brick and mortar business owners underestimate the sales volume the internet offers.
there is a catch somewhere
I can think of a few catches:
1. Partnering with an unknown person/the possible legal complications therein.
2. Returns.
Edit: Are you doing this over the phone or in person?
Mine is the opposite. Too many people coming to me and wanting me to sell their products.
Perhaps it's the products you are selling and that particular niche?
Edit: Are you doing this over the phone or in person?
I explained that they would handle all customer service issues - I am only operating a sales arm of their store. So far, nobody has a problem with customer service issues. They just think there is some rip-off waiting for them at the end of the tunnel.
I have done 1 in person and 2 over the phone. Heck, the in person visit is a pharmacy that is struggling for business. He *needs* the extra income (I actually purchase some products directly from him), but he just can't see how/why I would send him orders so that he could make easy money.
ScottM - the products I am selling are a mid priced niche item that has a very honest customer base (at least compared to other products I sell). I have sold thousands and have not had a single chargeback.
Increase your commission to a point where it's almost not worth doing for them and then let them "negotiate" a better deal with you.
:) I just read where one of those real estate guru's could not sell his seminar until he lowered the amount he claimed a person could make.
Anyhow, I am done with trying to partner up. I'll just slap Adsense on the site.
