Making a Decision About Niche Site Products

7 replies
Hi. Thanks in advance.

I am in a research period in preparation to creating my next online business in which I will be going in a new direction (and unfamiliar territory) than my first two. I have been reading a lot of stuff online but I would love to hear ideas and recommendations from here so that I have a way of filtering all that info.

My niche will be a physical, handicraft product. I have a personal passion about it. I intend to make a boutique-y feel to the website. I will blog, offer some sort of goodie, start building my email list [community] (with a newsletter or something).

Previous to this I have been packaging digitally so what is new for me is dealing with a physical product(s). (I don't want to be the order fulfiller.) My long term dream would be to be able to directly connect with established manufacturers and artists around the world and have a place for them to showcase and sell this one type of product. But I don't have the chops for that yet--nothing to show. I think a mid-term dream would be to reach out to etsy artists and give them (another) place to sell. (I would get some kind of percentage or flat rate in both these instances, not sure yet.)

To begin with though, I am thinking I want to do Amazon (affiliate) products as I have checked and they do have a wide selection of what I have in mind. My question is--is this a good way to start on my way to the longer term idea? Or if I start with Amazon products, is that going to not mesh with my future idea very well and shoot myself in the foot? Has anyone gone on that trajectory? Or has advice for me that I haven't even thought of the question yet?

Besides this top of mind question, I welcome anyone who would like to pass along any "primer" advice for creating an Amazon affiliate site and/or affiliate product niche/authority site.
#decision #making #niche #products #site
  • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
    Originally Posted by Jennifer Boyatt View Post

    . My question is--is this a good way to start on my way to the longer term idea? Or if I start with Amazon products, is that going to not mesh with my future idea very well and shoot myself in the foot? Has anyone gone on that trajectory? Or has advice for me that I haven't even thought of the question yet?

    .
    I think Amazon is a good training wheels way to get started if you're new. You can focus on the marketing and let them do the rest, if you're comfortable with the smaller cut you'll be getting. Just make sure you're building a list so you'll have a ready market to sell to should you choose to break out on your own at a later date.

    The main thing I'd suggest (if you haven't done it already) is to locate where your target customers hang out online or offline and what methods you'll use to approach them - before as opposed to after you set everything up. Plus, how you'll separate yourself from the competition. Why should they buy from "You" as opposed to somewhere else or do it now as opposed to later. Answering those little questions at the start can make a huge difference in the results you'll get when you're in the heat of the battle.
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  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    Based on the information you posted, I suggest you try ETSY.

    You can make way more money than Amazon.

    Also, you can fine tune your product specs based on what is hot on PINTEREST and other graphics-heavy social media platforms.

    The secret here is to create products that have a ready traffic base.

    Thankfully, you can find CHEAP but high quality photographers on Upwork.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jennifer Boyatt
    @writeaway: I should clarify. I will not be making the product. I simply want to create the niche/community site. I will take a look at Pinterest under that product, you are right! In fact, I might just start there all along with a board and get a following.

    @NicheMan: Solid advice. I'll keep working on the market pre-research.
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    • Profile picture of the author professorrosado
      Have you researched other sites that are also targeting ETSY shops and provide easy product uploads from their shops?

      I have seen them use some amazon products as well.

      Certainly, to give your site a lived in feel, I would use Amazon, Zazzle and even Ebay Collections (Zazzle has them also) and get the traffic coming to your site while you also target ETSY shops.
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      • Profile picture of the author Jennifer Boyatt
        Originally Posted by professorrosado View Post

        Have you researched other sites that are also targeting ETSY shops and provide easy product uploads from their shops?

        I have seen them use some amazon products as well.

        Certainly, to give your site a lived in feel, I would use Amazon, Zazzle and even Ebay Collections (Zazzle has them also) and get the traffic coming to your site while you also target ETSY shops.
        Thank you for pointing me to some places for my research!
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  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    Originally Posted by Jennifer Boyatt View Post

    Besides this top of mind question, I welcome anyone who would like to pass along any "primer" advice for creating an Amazon affiliate site and/or affiliate product niche/authority site.
    Here is a strategy that works very well for me. I personally use the prosociate plugin. If you set things up right, once people have selected items in their cart that transfer over to Amazon looks like you are using an amazon payment option. This signifigantly increases your conversion rate.

    I personally only select items within Amazon that have the free shipping offer with a purchase over $35. I can then on my site "Advertise" free shipping for orders greater than $35. Again an offer like this increases conversion, and separates you from the many other Amazon affiliates out there.

    I would really really start looking at your long term goals. Not a route I would want to go. There are simply way to many area of liability. maybe not so much financially.. but if you spend the time to develop a community.. a BRAND with a working system and supplier.. WHY would you monkey that up with the whims of some artist type?

    I do very well with the above model. Its easy to replicate, and not overly time consuming once you have built a few. Long term I would consider not having one of these but maybe 10 or 20 or in excess of 100 like myself LOL
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    • Profile picture of the author Jennifer Boyatt
      Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

      I would really really start looking at your long term goals. Not a route I would want to go. There are simply way to many area of liability. maybe not so much financially.. but if you spend the time to develop a community.. a BRAND with a working system and supplier.. WHY would you monkey that up with the whims of some artist type?
      I know, right? Well, I think the only reason I would go beyond an Amazon affiliate site is a true love of the product and having a desire to bring that forward to more people easily (to them). But, yea, I may be letting myself into more headache. Well, I think I will create as solid an Amazon affiliate site as I can and then see what I think after that.
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