Running an Online Store While Traveling

A lot of people think it must be impossible to run an online store while traveling but it really isn’t, and since it can actually be one of the most lucrative ways to earn money online, it is something that’s well worth considering.

With that in mind, here are a few helpful tips for anyone who’s up for the challenge of traveling the world and running a store at the same time:

Outsource whatever you can

If you want to spend most of your time traveling actually enjoying yourself, exploring the sights, and meeting new people, outsource as many of your business tasks as you possibly can.

So often, business owners feel like they have to be in charge; that they have to do everything on their own when the fact is there are countless excellent freelancers who could do the job just as well, if not better.

Hiring experts to handle web development, marketing, accounting and the like is just a really sensible thing to do because it gives you your free time back and ensures that the job is done by someone who really knows what they’re doing.

Consider dropshipping

There are some great tools that make shipping as a business easier, for instance, you can get an instant UPS shipping quote online now, but if you’re going to be in a different city every few days, it’s probably not practical to hold your own stock, not unless you can afford to pay someone to pick and pack for you anyway, which means you might want to look at dropshipping.

Dropshipping is basically the process of selling goods that are held by a third-party and shipped out to your customers every time they make a purchase. This system all but automates your business, meaning you have to do little more than send the orders over to the dropshipper at regular intervals, and even that can be outsourced/automated if you so wish. The key is to find dropshipping products that are desirable, but which don’t oversaturate the market so that you have a good chance of making a decent profit margin.

Use the cloud

If you have as much of your online business on the cloud as you can, it will be far easier for you to access it wherever in the world you might be. Oh but remember to choose a decent cell phone plan with plenty of data so that you can be sure to log on even if you’re traveling in an area where there isn’t much in the way of internet access.

Develop self-discipline

Running an online store while traveling might be easier than you previously thought, but it does still take a lot of work and commitment, so you need to start building some self-discipline as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might not be able to drag yourself away from the beach to answer customer concerns or cut your trip short if you have issues with your supplier and then your business will go down the drain.

Good luck!