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This thread will document me building an ecommerce brand from scratch.
I will reply to it often with updates and insights.
I currently have 3 other brands I own, but this is the only one I will be documenting publicly.
Thanks in advance for tagging along.
I will reply to it often with updates and insights.
I currently have 3 other brands I own, but this is the only one I will be documenting publicly.
Thanks in advance for tagging along.
This is my second go at one of these threads, the first one was not successful.
I'm actually happy about that, because it shows what's actually realistic.
Here is the first thread, if you haven't seen it before. https://twitter.com/jarrylew/status/1259570564135411712?s=20
I'm actually happy about that, because it shows what's actually realistic.
Here is the first thread, if you haven't seen it before. https://twitter.com/jarrylew/status/1259570564135411712?s=20
I won't labor too long about why it failed.
I picked an ultra competitive area and didn't have enough profit margin for it to be self-sufficient while the brand grew.
Nonetheless, I'm happy I gave it a go. I learned a ton, despite how much success I've had over the years.
I picked an ultra competitive area and didn't have enough profit margin for it to be self-sufficient while the brand grew.
Nonetheless, I'm happy I gave it a go. I learned a ton, despite how much success I've had over the years.
I put a ton of thought into this new brand. I came up with the idea for it the same way I always do.
I browsed etsy until I found something eye catching and then googled similar products to it.
From there I found an underrepresented company that makes them.
I browsed etsy until I found something eye catching and then googled similar products to it.
From there I found an underrepresented company that makes them.
While it's still quite competitive of a niche, the product is very unique.
That's what I like to build a foundation on and I didn't have that last time.
They agreed to ship them to customers after I sell them via my own store. Only took a few emails.
That's what I like to build a foundation on and I didn't have that last time.
They agreed to ship them to customers after I sell them via my own store. Only took a few emails.
I spent the holiday weekend setting up a website and everything is good to go.
Product cost: $16 shipped (all types)
List price: $40-55 (depending on product type)
If we find immediate success I'll probably raise the prices by $10 and see how it goes.
Product cost: $16 shipped (all types)
List price: $40-55 (depending on product type)
If we find immediate success I'll probably raise the prices by $10 and see how it goes.
After setting up the website (via Shopify), I got ads prepared which started running at midnight.
I should mention, $16 shipped is US only, obviously.
International will cost extra for that postage.
I should mention, $16 shipped is US only, obviously.
International will cost extra for that postage.
My FB ads are set up like this for testing:
- 1 campaign
- 7 ad sets (1 unique interest each)
- 8 ads per ad set
Locations: US, UK, AU, CA
I will start re-targeting after a day or two
- 1 campaign
- 7 ad sets (1 unique interest each)
- 8 ads per ad set
Locations: US, UK, AU, CA
I will start re-targeting after a day or two
I forgot to mention budget, each ad set is set for $20 per day. So $140 per day in total on ads.
On the google side, all I have done is create a search ad for if people google the website.
People often do this and it helps your website appear trustworthy when they search it.
On the google side, all I have done is create a search ad for if people google the website.
People often do this and it helps your website appear trustworthy when they search it.
Plan for now is:
- Let these ads run for 2-3 days untouched.
- Add a complimentary product line in to up-sell people with
- Build out an email marketing flow
- Let these ads run for 2-3 days untouched.
- Add a complimentary product line in to up-sell people with
- Build out an email marketing flow
Initial ad metrics are wonderful. Anything above 1% Link CTR is great IMO.
I messed up the time on the scheduling for the bottom one, that's why it just started spending.
I messed up the time on the scheduling for the bottom one, that's why it just started spending.
Wow.
I looked away for a little while to start this thread and I got TWO sales.
The first two for this brand. What a start.
This is fantastic. I’m really excited now.
I looked away for a little while to start this thread and I got TWO sales.
The first two for this brand. What a start.
This is fantastic. I’m really excited now.
Sale #3
Sale #4 and 78% ROI at the moment on Day 1 of testing 
$77 ad spend
$75 product cost
$212 revenue
$60 profit atm
Day isn’t over, but looking good thus far.
$77 ad spend
$75 product cost
$212 revenue
$60 profit atm
Day isn’t over, but looking good thus far.
No more sales yesterday. We ended up just about break even. Perfectly fine with that for Day 1.
Today has started profitably.
2 orders for 4 products.
I started retargeting last night and am working on my email flows.
Today has started profitably.
2 orders for 4 products.
I started retargeting last night and am working on my email flows.
Turns out I was giving customers the wrong coupon code upon signing up for our email/text service.
Got it fixed though. Will see how many people actually use it now.
Got it fixed though. Will see how many people actually use it now.
Sale #7 was a 3 product order
Sitting at break even for the day if we don’t get any more sales.
So far so good.
Conversion rate is low for my liking, but it’s only day two of testing.
Gotta stay patient.
Sitting at break even for the day if we don’t get any more sales.
So far so good.
Conversion rate is low for my liking, but it’s only day two of testing.
Gotta stay patient.
Sale #8 and a profitable day in the books on just Day 2.
Real potential here to say the least.
I’m working on negotiating an add-on item to increase my order value.
Making some small tweaks and leaving alone for now otherwise.
Real potential here to say the least.
I’m working on negotiating an add-on item to increase my order value.
Making some small tweaks and leaving alone for now otherwise.
$60 profit yesterday 
Today has started off profitable as well with two sales.
This is incredible.
Only other time I have ever had immediate results like this was when I built a brand that ended up doing $500k revenue in a year.
Today has started off profitable as well with two sales.
This is incredible.
Only other time I have ever had immediate results like this was when I built a brand that ended up doing $500k revenue in a year.
For those who haven’t seen it, I made a reddit post a while back about that brand.
From building it to eventually selling it.
It is one of the top posts of the year on multiple subreddits. https://www.reddit.com/r/dropship/comments/ge2e09/how_i_built_my_store_from_0_to_almost_half_a/
From building it to eventually selling it.
It is one of the top posts of the year on multiple subreddits. https://www.reddit.com/r/dropship/comments/ge2e09/how_i_built_my_store_from_0_to_almost_half_a/
Each ad set has spent about $40 and these are the results.
Almost every single interest has been profitable. Just two haven't been.
Since things are going so well, I'm not going to touch anything until they've all spent $80-100 each.
We will prune them after that.
Almost every single interest has been profitable. Just two haven't been.
Since things are going so well, I'm not going to touch anything until they've all spent $80-100 each.
We will prune them after that.
Been a few years since I've tried an IG shoutout. Gonna try one today.
Found someone with 4 pages for a total of 50,000 followers with good engagement and majority US traffic.
They only want $40 for a 24 hr post on all.
Will update how it goes.
Found someone with 4 pages for a total of 50,000 followers with good engagement and majority US traffic.
They only want $40 for a 24 hr post on all.
Will update how it goes.
Yesterday was break even and as a result I cut two $20 ad sets that weren’t profitable.
I have 5 remaining that are.
Today has started profitable again. 1 order from ads and 1 big order from the shout-out.
The shoutout was really weak despite us making $25 on it though.
I have 5 remaining that are.
Today has started profitable again. 1 order from ads and 1 big order from the shout-out.
The shoutout was really weak despite us making $25 on it though.
Finished yesterday with $90 profit
$367 revenue
$115 ad cost
$162 product cost
Could have been better with a couple late sales.
I think we can make some tweaks and improve conversion rate still.
$367 revenue
$115 ad cost
$162 product cost
Could have been better with a couple late sales.
I think we can make some tweaks and improve conversion rate still.
$50 profit yesterday
We are consistently making money
Today has started really well also
I added one ViewContent Lookalike Ad Set into the mix last night, no other changes
We are cruising!
We are consistently making money
Today has started really well also
I added one ViewContent Lookalike Ad Set into the mix last night, no other changes
We are cruising!
$170 profit yesterday. Incredible.
I haven’t lost money over a single day yet.
The jump in profit was due to introducing my first lookalike audience campaign.
I’m just going to continue pruning my ad sets and remain patient.
I haven’t lost money over a single day yet.
The jump in profit was due to introducing my first lookalike audience campaign.
I’m just going to continue pruning my ad sets and remain patient.
To put it in perspective:
Based on other brands I have created in the past, this store has the potential to make $25,000 to $50,000 profit by the end of the year.
It purely depends how much effort I put into it at this point.
Based on other brands I have created in the past, this store has the potential to make $25,000 to $50,000 profit by the end of the year.
It purely depends how much effort I put into it at this point.
