#managing inventory

[productiveandfree]

8 Tips for New Sellers Starting an Online Business on Amazon: Essential Strategies for Success

Starting an online business on Amazon can be both exciting and overwhelming. To succeed on this platform, it's important to have a clear strategy and understand the essentials. One of the key initial steps is to conduct market research. Identify a niche with high demand but low competition, which can set the foundation for your business. Equally important is choosing the right fulfillment services for brands on Amazon. 

Creating a detailed plan for storing, shipping, and managing returns is essential. Many sellers start by using a garage or a spare room in their home. However, efficiently managing logistics can become challenging as your business grows. Professional fulfillment solutions can save you time and stress, allowing you to focus on other necessary areas like product development and customer engagement. Implementing a loyalty program and using influencer marketing can also help attract and retain customers, boosting your sales over time.

Don't underestimate the power of optimizing your online presence. A Shopify store that's mobile-friendly ensures potential buyers have a seamless experience, no matter how they shop. Additionally, regularly updating your inventory and refining your product listings can make your store more appealing. As you refine your business strategies and leverage fulfillment services effectively, you set the stage for a sustainable and profitable Amazon business.

Choosing the Right Selling Plan

First, decide between the Individual selling plan and the Professional selling plan. The Individual plan costs $0.99 per sale and suits sellers with low volumes. The Professional plan costs $39.99 per month, regardless of sales volume, making it ideal for high-volume sellers.

Consider your sales projections to choose the most cost-effective plan. For example, selling more than 40 items monthly makes the Professional plan more economical. Besides cost, the Professional plan offers additional tools, including bulk listing and detailed sales reports, which can aid in business planning and decision-making. Choose the option that aligns with your business needs.

Understanding Amazon's Policies and Requirements

Amazon requires sellers to meet specific criteria and follow strict guidelines. You'll need a bank account for receiving payments, a credit card for expenses, and tax information. Different regions may have additional requirements.

Familiarize yourself with Amazon's prohibited and restricted products list to ensure your items comply. Additionally, understand the platform's policies on trademarks and intellectual property to avoid potential disputes. Adherence to these policies ensures your seller account remains in good standing and minimizes the risk of suspension.

Creating Appealing Product Listings

Crafting an attractive product listing is necessary for driving sales. Start with a clear, concise product title. Include relevant keywords to improve search visibility. Use high-quality images that showcase your product from multiple angles.

Write detailed product descriptions and bullet points to highlight features and benefits. Improve your listings with A+ content if available, as it includes rich multimedia elements. Ensure you use the correct EAN, UPC, or GTIN codes for product identification. Effective listings can significantly impact your sales and customer reviews.

Managing Inventory and Fulfillment Options

Proper inventory management and choosing the right fulfillment option are required. Amazon offers Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM). FBA involves Amazon handling storage, shipping, and customer service, which saves time but incurs storage and shipping costs.

FBM requires you to manage these aspects, giving you more control but also more responsibility. Regularly update your inventory levels to avoid stockouts or overstocking. Use Seller Central to track and manage your inventory efficiently. Consider shipping costs and storage fees when selecting a fulfillment method to ensure it aligns with your business model.

Effective Pricing and Competing on the Marketplace

Setting the right price for your products is important for staying competitive. Consider using market research to understand the pricing strategies of similar products. Aim to strike a balance between a competitive price and a healthy profit margin.

Use Amazon's dynamic pricing tools to adjust your prices in real time based on demand and competition. Implement discounts and limited-time offers to boost sales and attract new customers. Don't forget to evaluate shipping costs and account for them in your pricing strategy.

Leveraging Amazon Advertising and Promotions

Amazon offers a variety of advertising options to help you reach a wider audience. Utilize Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands to make your items more visible in search results. Investing in display ads can also increase your product's exposure across Amazon's extensive online marketplace.

Promotions like lightning deals and coupons can attract more customers and encourage them to make impulse purchases. Regularly analyze your ad performance to fine-tune your campaigns and improve results. Always consider your advertising budget and aim for a favorable return on investment.

Expanding Your Reach and Scaling Your Business

If you're looking to grow your business, consider expanding your product line or entering new markets. Utilize Amazon's Brand Registry to protect your brand and improve its presence. Explore options such as wholesale and private label strategies to diversify your offerings.

Selling globally can also broaden your customer base. Investigate the different regulations and logistics involved in selling to a global audience. Make sure your product listings and marketing materials are optimized for each region, including accurate translations and local SEO techniques.

Gathering Insights and Analyzing Performance

Understanding your performance metrics is key to making informed decisions. Use Amazon's analytics tools to track your sales, customer reviews, and overall performance. Pay attention to metrics like conversion rates, click-through rates, and profit margins.

Regular analysis will help you identify strengths and areas for improvement. Collect and respond to customer feedback to improve your product quality and service. Keeping an eye on your competitors' performance can also offer valuable insights for adjusting your strategy. Always be ready to adapt and refine your tactics based on the data you gather.

Conclusion

Starting an online business on Amazon requires careful planning and strategy. Focus on market research to find the right niche. Use good inventory management practices to keep track of your products.

Optimize your listings for better visibility. Stay updated with Amazon's policies and tools. By following these tips, you set a solid foundation for your Amazon business.

Share in the comments below: Questions go here

[cjjasp]

The Business Side of the Business: Managing Inventory #writerlife

The Business Side of the Business: Managing Inventory #writerlife

Today’s post is a follow-up to Monday’s post by Ellen King Rice. It is tax season, and many people will begin trying pull together the numbers needed for their federal tax returns. If you sell books at book signing events or trade shows, you are in business for yourself, and Ellen’s post details what your responsibilities are. Authors make readers when they do in-person book signings. We have the…

[illicit-centipede]

Everyone in Yok/Xak Tural:

[dunmeshiminimumwage]

[gunnslaughter]

Look, these are gonna be very important later on when he goes on a date with that big dude.

[sleepy-writes-stuff]

DP X DC WRITING PROMPT #22

✦

Bring on the Night

What if Danny's white hair and green eyes showed up under blacklight? No nightclubs for him... of course, knowing him, he'd definitely still go.

Imagine someone from the DC universe gaining a crush on the mysterious alt looking dude but he's impossible to find outside of nightlife parties.

To make it more interesting, what if the nightclub he frequents is actually owned by him? Even more interesting if the nightclub is used as a sort of no man's land where ghosts and humans knowingly/unknowingly peacefully mingle with each other? Some of the more ghostly individuals are also Danny's employees and humans just see them as enthusiastically trying to fit the theme of the club. What exactly is that theme? You decide.

I feel like Danny would just make a really good host and it would easily fit in with his obsession to protect. Like a side project/hussle, but for ghostly core health.

Also think of it as kinda like vacation time for his rogues from trying to throttle him. They get a nice, safe space to freely feed into their individual obsessions without wrecking anything/anyone.

✦

List of roles are in the tags but can changed around however anyone pleases. Just thought this would be a fun idea for anyone to pick up and run with.

[vixstarria]

Mark me as yours

This takes place immediately after and is interlinked with 'Missionary with the lights off' but from Astarion's rather than Tav's POV - check it out if you haven't already, the fics complement each other.

Soft sassy Astarion, F!Tav, Gale, minor appearances by other origin characters, Astarion POV

Fluff, humour, banter, pining, non-explicit sexual references

A day in camp in the life of Astarion. Features brooding, sewing, doing laundry, being dramatic, engaging in improper use of archmage of Waterdeep, reading erotica, and more!

Approx. 2,000 words

AO3

You frowned at the stuffed bear you held in your hands, weighing up your desire to showcase your skills against the absurdity of the task at hand.  

The whole thing was coming apart and needed to be washed and restuffed if you were to do this properly. What was inside, anyway? Fur..? You supposed you could go hunt something furry. Or maybe save yourself the time and just give Scratch a quick partial shave, he wouldn’t mind – the mutt lying at your feet was stupid enough to like you. To prefer you over anyone else, in fact.  

You reached down to give him a fond, absentminded pet.  

And then there was the matter of not letting it burn to a crisp the moment Karlach touched it. 

“Is there a flame ward enchantment on this..? Can you reapply it?” you asked Gale, who was nearby at his usual spot by the fire, concocting something edible for the rest of your group. 

“There is and I sure can,” he replied.  

Great. You had gotten yourself into a group project with the wizard to rescue a teddy bear.  

“Don’t tell me this is what Wyll was so concerned about earlier...” Tav had finally made it out of your tent and sat down next to you, looking somewhat less disheveled than how you’d left her.  

“The bag of holding finally tore. Naturally I was the only one competent enough to fix it.” 

You gestured with your thumb towards a towering pile of assorted crap that Wyll and Lae’zel were still sifting through: Lae’zel inspecting and setting aside any weapons and armour she deemed worth keeping, and Wyll sorting through an array of scrolls and potions no one was ever going to use, or would forget were in your possession if the need for them ever did arise.  

“Darling, this is your fault, you know,” you added. “Must you pick up everything?” 

“Karlach made me do it. Also I don’t know what you’re talking about, I am prudence and sensibility personified,” she said. 

“You’re uh... You’re also bleeding,” Gale said, pointing at her neck. 

A trail of blood had started running down from the puncture wounds, which must have reopened.  

Shit. 

Before you could reason yourself out of it, your instincts kicked in and you pressed your mouth against her neck, licking the blood off. By the gods, she actually leaned into you as you did that, not away. You glimpsed a guilty, sheepish smile she threw at Gale, as you pulled away.  

“Idiot... Here, apply pressure, I’ll get the amulet,” you said. 

“I’m the idiot?! You’re the one who ran off to resolve a sewing emergency, like a good little seamstress, before sorting me out!” 

You strode over to your tent, in part to grab the amulet of Silvanus, in part to discreetly tuck away the erection that had immediately started developing as soon as you tasted her blood.  

Hells, am I 239 or 15? you thought, annoyed with yourself.  

“An amulet? I was wondering why you’d stopped visiting me in the mornings...” you heard from Shadowheart. 

“We have a system,” Tav replied.  

“Clearly,” laughed Shadowheart. 

A scene from the night sprung up in your mind as you went about your day: 

She’d fallen asleep on your shoulder, half lying on you, her nose buried in your neck.  

It was... nice. Really nice. And you didn’t think this bizarre scenario would ever happen again.  

And yet, pleasant as it was, she still felt too far. You needed to feel her closer. Perhaps you were being greedy, but after all these years, why should you get anything less than exactly what you wanted? 

Carefully, very carefully lest she stir awake and leave, you rolled over onto your side, holding her against you.

She was still asleep. Good...   

You cautiously slipped lower and lower until your head was at her chest, delicately wrapping your arms around her torso. 

Then she stirred.  

Shit. 

Without waking, she sighed, drawing you into a tight embrace, clutching you against her chest, complete with throwing a leg over your hips to pull you even closer. 

You finally relaxed, your arms wrapped around her waist. 

Perfect... 

She felt so warm... She smelled of comfort. 

You could indulge in this for the night. You would wake up before she did anyway.  

You drifted away, lulled by the beating of her heart. 

You didn’t have any nightmares that night.  

“Is your boyfriend coming?” you heard Karlach somewhere in the distance.  

You cringed at the juvenile term. Still, you were curious how she would answer.  

“He’s on laundry duty,” she responded. “Just us gals today.” 

“So your idea of doing washing is to pawn everything off to me,” said Gale. 

“Vampires and running water, remember,” you said. “Also you don’t look like you’re exerting an awfully large amount of effort yourself... Although I must admit, this is ingenious.” A little flattery wouldn’t hurt.

Gale sat at a riverbank at a deeper section of the river. Some sheets and clothing were being tossed and spun in a small bubbling whirlpool within the water, together with foaming slivers of soap. 

“Surely few archmages possess such finesse and creativity?” you continued. 

Gale sighed and motioned for you to throw your bundle in as well, expanding the whirlpool.  

“Just toss your shirt in too, it's splattered with blood,” Gale added wearily.  

Her scent lingered on it. The last thing you wanted was to wash it off.

You pulled the shirt over your head and hurled it into the whirlpool.  

“Not Tav’s creative nailwork, I presume..?” Gale asked with a wince, looking at your back.  

“Nope” was all you said, as you pulled a book out from your pocket, making yourself comfortable on the bank. To his credit, the wizard did not probe further. 

‘Mark me as yours’ 

Those words had been echoing in your mind over and over all day.  

It couldn’t have meant anything.  

A little expression of some vampire fetishism finally poking through – you shouldn’t have expected any different from her, she did offer you her blood consistently, not even asking for anything in return.  

Still, you’d felt like something inside you might burst from your desire and thrill when you heard those words.   

And then everything that followed after... 

You had actually lost yourself for a short while. Not dissociated and detached. Lost yourself. In bliss. In the scent of her skin, in the sounds of her need for you, in the sensation of her blood merging with yours and flowing through your veins. 

And now she was walking around somewhere, with telltale bitemarks on her neck for all the world to see. Scandalous... 

No, it couldn’t have meant anything.  

‘Mark me as yours’ 

Still... What a pleasant little fantasy... 

‘Yours’ 

“You’ve been smiling at that page for ten minutes straight now,” Gale’s voice snapped you out of your musings.  

“It’s my favourite page,” you retorted. 

“What’s it about?” he asked snidely after a short pause.  

“I have no idea,” you confessed, begrudgingly, snapping the book shut. If the wizard knew what was best for him, he would abstain from any further comments.  

“She’s quite fond of you,” Gale said sombrely after another pause.  

“Is this about to turn into one of those ‘You break her heart – I'll break your face’ talks?” you scoffed, rolling your eyes. 

“Oh gods no,” Gale laughed. "No, I would go straight to incineration... You just strike me as the type that needs to have the obvious spelled out for them.” 

“I am not entering this type of discourse with someone who’s presently washing my spend off my bed sheets,” you said, laying back and shutting your eyes, to bask in the sun. No answer followed. 

Not even a minute had passed when a shadow fell over you.  

Odd, you thought. There hadn’t been a single cloud in the sky. 

You opened your eyes to see a giant water bubble hovering a few meters above you. Was that... a bedsheet floating in the middle..? 

Worth it, you thought just as the undulating bubble spilt and crashed over you.  

You coughed and spat, trying to untangle yourself from the sheet, as the unleashed torrent nearly swept you off the bank. And yet, above all else, you found yourself curious. 

The water had no longer been running as part of the river, true, but given its sheer volume and the velocity at which it hit you, it should have hurt more than merely your pride.  

You made it to the edge of the bank, and cautiously dipped a finger in.

Nothing...

You proceeded to submerge your hand, then your entire forearm, to your elbow. 

Nothing.  

Of all things... Why this? Why not your reflection? Why not the blood craving? Oh well. Beggars, choosers... 

You were laughing.  

“This tadpole,” you turned and shouted at Gale, unabashedly stripping yourself of your pants, as Gale turned away, muttering something about going blind, “is the best thing that’s happened to me in centuries!” 

The best? Maybe second best? It had some tight competition, but you supposed nothing would have been possible without it, so it reigned supreme. 

You leaped into the river, diving and letting the gentle current carry you downstream for a while.  

You knew what you would be doing later that evening with her.  

“What have you got there?”  

She slid onto your lap like a cat that refused to take ‘no’ for an answer as it sought attention. You had been idling away your time by your tent, with some pulp you had picked up earlier. The rest of the group had been drinking and roasting something at the campfire.  

“Trash. Disappointingly boring trash, this time,” you answered. 

“No pulsating flesh tunnels in this one?” 

“Alas... There were not one but two mentions of ‘velvet-wrapped steel’ however, and plenty of ‘sword-sheathing’.” 

“To the hilt?” 

“Is there any other way?” 

“Wouldn’t want to sheathe it only partially, I suppose...” she mused. “Come join us. We found some half-decent wine. And you don’t have to be alone all the time, you know.” 

“Spare me, I’ve had enough of Gale’s lectures and Wyll’s tales for the day. And besides, ugh, all those chewing noises!” You made a gagging sound. 

None of them want me there. 

“Oh don’t be such a delicate princess,” she rolled her eyes. “How’s this: it’s our joint meal time. It would be rude and completely unfair to exclude anyone. You should sit down with everyone, bite down on my wrist and make a great deal of slurping.” 

“You can’t be serious.” 

Delightful. Simply delightful. 

“It will be funny!” 

“I fear you might be the only one laughing, darling.” 

That is hilarious, I can just imagine Gale squealing or getting sick. 

“Is there anyone else you’d care to make laugh?” she asked with a slight upturn of her lips. 

Not in the least. 

“I could die again knowing I have accomplished something if I ever make Lae’zel laugh. But perish the thought – I am perfectly happy right here with my literature.” 

“Well, if you don’t want to join the group, perhaps I will stay and you can...” She snatched the book from your hands and tossed it aside, leaning in and bringing her lips up to your ear. “...Release your kraken in my field of rose petals,” she purred in a sultry voice. 

“Stop,” you choked back a snicker.  

“Get tangled up in my beef curtains?” she continued with the same tone. 

“You’re disgusting.” 

“Sink your meat shaft in my cream tart!” she persevered.  

“By the gods, woman, I am never having sex with your again.” 

“Suckle the nectar from my weeping core!” 

“Alright, fine, I’ll go, anything is better than this.” You got up, pushing her off your lap. 

“Taste my forbidden, oozing fruit, Astarion!” she cried out from the ground behind you as you covered your ears and shouted “LALALALA”, making your way towards the campfire. 

You would endure the prattle of your companions.  

Then you would take her for a moonlit swim in the river.  

Then you would see if she might spend the whole night in your arms again.  

Perhaps she could sleep in your shirt and leave her scent on it again – it was foolish to sleep completely in the nude out in the wild after all, what if there were intruders? 

Everything was going according to plan, you reminded yourself.  

~~~~~

Next in series - Down by the river

Series master list

AO3

Tags: @littleenglishfangirl @something-pithy @darlingxdragon @tallymonster @tragedybunny

Also @spacebarbarianweird - you haven't asked for a tag but sounded interested

[a2zillustration]

I carried this thing for MONTHS with the EXPRESS PURPOSE of putting Raphael in it (knowing full well Larian wouldn't let me do that, mechanically) and I had one major miscalculation.

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[[ All Croissant Adventures (chronological, desktop) ]]

[[ All Croissant Adventures (app) ]]

[geddyqueer]

NEW BATCH OF PICKLES INTO THE STINK CLOSET (FERMENTATION ZONE)

[adobe-outdesign]

Collecting items in Pokemon SV: here's 15 different types of Pokeballs, 7 rare candies, a bunch of tera shards, full heals, gold nuggets, 100 master balls, someone's first born child,

Collecting items in PLA: I had to sell my left kidney to Bagins and travel for three days to collect the necessary crafting items but I finally have. this [holds up a single muffin]

[quick-attack]

fox trick #4: tail cache

[theminecraftbee]

i can't express enough how funny it is to keep occasionally popping onto joe's stream and discover him continuing to be the one guy focusing on actually playing the game. meanwhile, ren and scar are basically making out in the background,

[therealraewest]

Me: googling hyper-specific questions about video game mechanics

Google AI, crying: what are you fucking talking about nothing like that exists on the Internet

First search result: reddit thread with the exact answer to my question

[fairyouth]

The harvest is bountiful this playthrough

[the-frozen-tea-cabinet]

IDK why but there is a small detail that I enjoy. When potable water is in your inventory it it stored in a Chocolate milk carton instead of a normal milk carton. Chocolate milk cartons almost always have a brown cap.