Our “Why Now”
Everything about selling online is accessible to the average person- except the transaction
Mobile phones have everything someone needs to sell things online- from excellent cameras to Instagram. Besides having something to sell, the only hurdle left for makers and influencers is an online store.
Until recently, selling online required expensive cameras and an ad budget to reach customers. The barrier for entry was out of reach for a hobbyist or as a side gig.
Current ecommerce platforms cater to this paradigm. Most are made for “serious” ecommerce businesses… the ones that could traditionally afford product photography and marketing. These store owners want to invest time learning their ecommerce platform because they’ve already invested so much in other parts of their business. They want automatic abandoned cart emails and lead magnet offers and one-click Facebook ad creation from their ecommerce dashboard… but not everyone wants that.
What about people who just want to capitalize on their audience and sell something here and there? Or what about the hobbyist woodworker who sells birdhouses to close friends and wants to branch out? Or the 16 year old with an idea for a business but no startup cash?
There’s a real opportunity for a lot of people, and although phone cameras and social media have made it attainable, the final piece is still missing- a simple, unobtrusive ecommerce platform that does its one job well. A large-and-growing market wants to make, capture, list, tell people, and earn some extra money. And that’s it.
Previously, simple ecommerce was useless, because it was still hard to present products and reach people online. Now, simple ecommerce will contribute to the livelihood of makers, influencers, hustlers, bands, small businesses, stay-at-home moms, stay-at-home dads, and literally anyone else.
The trends are already happening- social influencers, gig economies, the maker movement- and we’re giving people the tools to capitalize on them.
People need this platform.
The 4 hurdles to ecommerce
- Making or finding a great product (product)
- Capturing the product in a way that sells it (photography)
- Letting people know about the product (marketing)
- Setting up an online store and accepting payment (transaction)
Product
Making a great product that people want is obviously first and foremost. As it turns out, people have all kinds of things to sell. It could be vintage clothing, handmade crafts, consulting services, an Instagram mention, or anything else.
Photography (or video)
Once the product is taken care of, capturing that product in a way that makes it desirable is the next challenge. Until recently, the average digital photo was poorly exposed, flatly colored, and had no depth of field. Good product photography required equipment and was a barrier to entry for the average person.
Today an iPhone 7 photo and natural sunlight can sell anything. Great photos take almost no effort.
Marketing
After finding a great product and taking great photos, the next step is to reach an audience. In the past, that meant advertising. Paying money upfront. Another barrier for a “less serious” seller.
Today average people can accumulate huge followings online. The concept of a built-in audience is unprecedented historically, although most don’t realize the influence they can have… yet.
Transaction
After a great product, good photography, and an audience to sell to, the last step is a platform to list products, accept payment, and organize orders.
Today, for “casual” ecommerce, people use Etsy, Instagram DM, PayPal, and Venmo. On Etsy, everyone is listed next to their competitors, which drives down price, and there’s still a whole platform to learn. With DIY methods, nothing is organized or tracked, but there’s not a bulky ecommerce process getting in the way.
Really Simple Store is made to close the loop for casual ecommerce. With it, average people can create value and make money, and they will.
Really Simple Store can be added to any website or used as a standalone, single page website. It’s powerful, but its core mission is to be a list of products, a way to accept payment, and simple order management. From any device. And that’s it.
We’re currently spinning up stores for close friends and people early on the list. If you’ve signed up but haven’t heard back yet, we’re coming!
If you’re not on the list, you can join now at ReallySimpleStore.com.
