How To Sell Handbags Online

Are you passionate about clothing accessories? Do you have an entrepreneurial mind that you can turn to the fashion industry? If so, you may want to consider selling handbags online. According to a recent report, the handbags and purse market is worth over $50 billion, and industry experts expect the market to grow by 5.35% every year until 2026.

While the best-selling handbag brands are making lots of profit, there is plenty of room for dedicated businesspeople to create their own handbag brands, especially if you can find an untapped market.

We’ve put together this handy article to help you sell handbags online. We’ll be covering a variety of topics. These include:

• Identifying your niche
• Sourcing or designing your handbags
• Creating your brand
• Figuring out the best place to sell handbags online
• Producing quality content for your listings
• Marketing your handbags and finding new customers

If you’d like to know more about starting out in the handbag industry, read on for more information.

Identify Your Niche

Handbags are available in all sorts of shapes and sizes. We recommend specializing in a specific handbag type rather than trying to sell all of them. For example, you should consider:

• Practical handbags for everyday use
• Designer handbags for women
• Vegan handbags for environmentally-conscious consumers

Conduct a thorough marketplace analysis to see what handbags are trending on the likes of Amazon and eBay. Alternatively, you can use keyword research (KeywordTool and UberSuggest) or Google Trends to analyze what people are searching for and the overall consumer patterns in the handbag industry. In short, understand the demand and cater to your business accordingly.

Conduct a thorough marketplace analysis to see what handbags are trending on the likes of Amazon and eBay. Alternatively, you can use keyword research (KeywordTool and UberSuggest) or Google Trends to analyze what people are searching for and the overall consumer patterns in the handbag industry. In short, understand the demand and cater to your business accordingly.

Source Or Create Your Handbags

Once you know the type of handbags you want to sell, consider how you are going to source your handbags.

Often, a retailer will buy its supply from a manufacturer or wholesale supplier. You can find suppliers through directories like Alibaba or Kompass. Consider a supplier’s seller rating and read reviews; also request samples if possible. Then, think about whether you have the space to store your handbags. Remember, warehouses cost money, and your inventory could quickly take up the space in your house.

If you are looking to avoid an initial wholesale investment, try dropshipping as an alternative. Dropshipping retailers create an online store and sell their handbags without purchasing their stock ahead of time. Once you make a sale, the supplier will ship the handbags to the customer and you’ll make a commission. Dropshipping is a good option for companies who want to avoid money and grow the business from the ground up. However, you have less control of product quality. Try Oberlo or Saleoo to find suitable dropshippers.

If you are creative, you may want to design your own handbags. Use print-on-demand services like Printful to put your designs on a handbag. Print-on-demand services also let white-label handbags with your creative designs.

Create Your Brand

Branding is crucial if you want to stick in people’s minds, especially in the fashion industry. The more popular your brand, the more you can grow your business. Come up with a catchy name and design a visually-appealing logo (or hire a freelance graphic designer to create a logo for you). Consider your brand’s color scheme and font, then use them both for your website, social media, and other types of marketing. Also, consider your tone and voice when writing copy, you want this to be consistent with your personality and business ethos.

Figure Out Where You Are Going To Sell Your Handbags

Before your handbag business can take off, you need to figure out where you’ll sell your products online.

Social platforms are an inexpensive way to get started. You can use Facebook Marketplace to reach a wide demographic, and even use Facebook’s advertising features to create an ad campaign that targets specific groups of people who are buying your particular items — we told you market research would come in handy! However, you’ll have to move on to other platforms once your business reaches a certain level.

Online marketplaces are a more legitimate way to sell handbags. Register as a seller with the likes of Amazon, Etsy, or eBay. Take advantage of their selling tools and large customer base, but be prepared to pay a handsome commission for those benefits.

Alternatively, you can create an online store. This is where Ecwid can help. When you have your own e-commerce website, you have total control over your branding and profits, allowing you to create a business that is quintessentially you. If you build your e-commerce site with Ecwid you can control all your online business needs from an easy-to-use control panel — zero experience required.

Sure, you’ll have to work hard to build your customer base, but an attractive online store looks much more impressive than a simple Facebook page alone.

Make Your Handbags Look Fabulous (Digitally Speaking)

Wherever you choose to sell your handbags, make sure your content is professional and appealing.

Firstly, you need stunning product photos. Invest in a freelance photographer if you do not have the skills to take a perfect photo yourself. When customers are shopping online, they can only judge what they can see. So, product photos are crucially important. Make sure the bag is well-lit and in focus. Take several photos from different angles, so customers know exactly what they are buying. Also, make sure the background is free from clutter. Use a white screen for a simple yet professional look, ensuring your product is front and center.

Product descriptions are just as important as product photos. Customers can look at the product on the screen, but your copywriting skills are going to lock in that sale. Accurately describe your product and convey it in a way that appeals to your customers. Include as many details as possible. This may include specifications, features, benefits, and FAQS. If you are unsure how to write product descriptions, hire a freelance writer.

Market Your Handbags Properly

Once you have created your website, identified a niche, and developed your brand thoroughly, you are ready to go forth into the world and sell your handbags to your target customer base.

In our opinion, digital marketing is the easiest way to market your handbag and reach a huge number of potential customers. Social media platforms favoring visual content (like Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest) are a fantastic way to get eyes on your product.

As aforementioned, you can create Facebook ads that target specific demographics, which Facebook will run for a predetermined amount of time for a specified price. Instagram influencers will promote your handbag to their followers, but you can expect to pay a large sum for the top influencers to advertise your products. However, if you are targeting a younger demographic, Instagram is one of the best tools for making sure they see your items.

In addition, you can also create quality content for your website, utilizing keywords, to rise through the ranks of Google organically. This will ensure your website is at the top of the page when people search for your types of handbags online. Consider paying for Google Ads if you want an easier way to reach the front page of Google, but prepare for fewer page views than if you got there organically — people are less likely to click on advertised links.

Try Ecwid Today

So, if you are serious about starting a handbag business, whether you want to sell custom handbags or purchase your stock from wholesalers, contact Ecwid today and take your first towards a burgeoning online business.