You’ve got a big idea, and the drive to grow it, but how can you set up a home office for your ecommerce business?
While there are multiple factors to consider, and no single formula for getting it right, here are some of our best bets to help you become both more productive, and more profitable.
How Create a Better Workspace at Home
Designating a single area as your work-at-home space can enable you to get the most out of your day. When carving out space to lead your operations, consider the following factors.
1. Power
Does the space have adequate power outlets or do you need to run power boards to operate your equipment?
2. Internet
How far from your main desk or workspace is your router? If your signal strength isn’t cutting it, invest in a quality Wi-Fi signal extender to improve the strength and speed of your connection. (This can add up to hours worth of time saved.)
3. Lighting
Does the area have good natural light, or do you need to improve the lighting? Tip: Use energy-efficient warm white bulbs to prevent that “cold” office feel. This is also helpful for all of the Zoom calls that are likely to carry on for who knows how long.
4. Privacy
If you need to make calls or work undistracted, will this space prevent interruptions or at least help protect you from other noise in the house?
Not everyone can designate an entire room as a home office, but selecting the right area in your home can make-or-break both your workflow and your mindset.
Make Your Storage Space Work for You
Many home-based ecommerce and eBay business owners find themselves needing to store stock at home as well. Choosing the right location for your products can prevent losses or damage and in turn, financial loss.
When choosing the best space in your home to store products, a spot with the right dimensions is a great start, but you’ll also want to think about such factors as:
- Protection from the weather. Not just rain, but the effects of sunlight like excessive heat, sun bleaching or product spoilage.
- Are the spaces clean and dry, and not prone to humidity? If needed, portable dehumidifiers may be an option here.
- Protecting your products from pets and pests, children and/or visitors and guests.
- Can you fit an organisation system that allows you easy access to each product type, without any (or much) straining or assistance?
- How far is your storage from where you typically pack and label items for shipment?
Plan for Greater Packing Productivity
It’s easy to lose hours looking for things — even more so when recurring tasks have extra and unnecessary steps in the process.
The most efficient way to cut out wasted time each day is merging your picking and packing in one easy space or general vicinity.
For example, when organising ecommerce products for shipping, it pays to have your stock located in an area where you can also pack, weigh and label your product. Keep a list of your packaging requirements handy to keep your costs down.
Cut down on shipping time even further by locating your printer and packaging materials close to your stock. When you’re printing or affixing shipping labels, batch process these tasks at select times of the day so you’re ready for pick up time.
Do you use specific tools in your shipping process? Locate them in the same space, too. Labelling your tools should also stop other people in the household from borrowing them, though we can’t guarantee that (hi, kids).
Ship Orders with a Successful Mindset
Shipping products off to your customers should still be fun, not just drudge work.
Don’t forget: People are buying from you, you’re growing your business, and making your customers happy on the other side of the delivery.
That’s why the home stretch is just as important as setting up your home office.
Rather than shipping orders piecemeal and filling up to your to-do list, use these proven tips to set yourself up for success and smoother days:
Designate a standard pickup area. Find a safe, dry space where your courier can always access your parcels. If the parcels are small, use a clearly labeled plastic tub to hold them safely for pick up, rather than piling them on the ground. By making your parcel pick-up spot clear and consistent, couriers and delivery drivers will get to know your system.
Integrate your ecommerce shipping with Transdirect. Whether you’re selling on eBay, Amazon, Shopify, Magento or another platform altogether, Transdirect has an easy and seamless ecommerce integration that makes shipping parcels a breeze.
Use instant, automated shipping quotes to keep customers happy. With Transdirect quotes and booking, they’ll always know what to expect. All they have to do is enter their postcode and the delivery charge will automatically appear.
Generate automatic consignment notes and shipping labels. Ensure your orders match your inventory and you’re not writing everything by hand.
Pump up that packing and shipping playlist. Having the right music really does keep us focused. You likely have playlists for running or workouts, maybe others for working. Why not create a playlist for your shipping tasks, to keep your momentum going while you keep your ecommerce business growing?
Trust Transdirect with Your Priority Shipping and Tracking
Transdirect helps Australian ecommerce businesses reach their customers nationwide and internationally with 100% carbon-neutral shipping. Whatever you’re shipping and wherever you’re sending it, our free parcel tracking tool will track your shipment to help keep you and your customers in the loop. Get your next parcel shipping quote here today.