Running an ecommerce business might sound like a dream – flexible hours, the ability to work from anywhere, and connecting with customers worldwide. But behind the scenes, the reality is far more complex.
Here are some lessons I’ve learned while building Dr. Dough Donuts into a thriving online business.
1. You can’t create enough content
If you think creating one or two great social media posts is enough to maintain visibility, think again. The demands and trends from platforms like Meta and Google are overwhelming and ever-changing.
You might spend hours – even an entire day – crafting the perfect post, only to see it have a very short shelf life. Worse, it might not get any traction at all. It’s frustrating, but it’s part of the game. My advice? Don’t get disheartened. Think of content creation as a continuous experiment. Celebrate the wins, learn from what doesn’t work, and always keep evolving.
2. Launching just one product is a 30-step process
Bringing a single product to market isn’t just about having a good idea. At Dr. Dough Donuts, every product launch requires a meticulous process, often involving at least 30 steps. Here’s a snapshot:
- Product development
- Sourcing ingredients or stock
- Staff training
- Developing costings and Pricing strategy
- Designing packaging
- Writing a photography brief
- Organizing a shoot
- Creating social media artwork (resized for multiple platforms!)
- Preparing a communication strategy consisting of ads, EDM’s, PR
- Updating website product listings and banners
- Developing artwork for partner or affiliate websites
- And that’s just the beginning. It’s a lot of work, but attention to detail is what makes the difference between a product that flops and one that becomes a bestseller.
3. Great service trumps a great product
Providing a great product is no longer enough – it’s the minimum expectation. What keeps customers coming back is exceptional service. At Dr. Dough Donuts, we’ve achieved a 45% customer return rate by focusing on the entire customer experience.
Recently, I spoke with several customers who’d used our service for gifting, kids’ birthday parties, and events. The feedback was eye-opening: while they loved the donuts, they raved about how easy it was to order, how much they appreciated the tracking process, and how impressed they were with same-day delivery. These are the things that build loyalty.
4. You’re responsible for delivery
When you’re in ecommerce, you can’t just pass the buck to the postal or delivery service if something goes wrong. If a package is late, damaged, or lost, it’s your brand on the line, not the courier’s.
To minimize issues, we’ve built a robust delivery system with real-time tracking and responsive customer service. It’s not foolproof, but it’s a critical part of maintaining trust with our customers, and if something does go wrong we own it.
5. You pay to be seen
In ecommerce, visibility comes at a cost. Think of it like renting a prime retail location: you pay a premium to be where your audience is. While we save on traditional retail overhead by operating from a warehouse, we invest heavily in digital advertising to drive website traffic.
This includes the cost of creating content, paying for ad placements, and sometimes hiring agencies to manage campaign implementation. And let’s not forget the cost-per-click on platforms like Google and Meta. It’s a substantial investment, but it’s necessary to stay competitive.
Running an ecommerce business is rewarding but far from easy. It’s a constant juggle of creativity, logistics, and customer service. If you’re willing to embrace the challenges, learn from setbacks, and keep your customers at the heart of everything you do, you’ll find it’s worth every early morning, late night and weekend worked.
Here’s to making the unseen hustle of ecommerce a little more visible – and hopefully a little easier for the next wave of entrepreneurs.
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