Can’t write, can’t take pictures? Be an online seller. While good-looking websites have a great impact on the shop’s apparent trustworthiness, there are also growing numbers of online shops that use Facebook as their business communication tool. We spoke to two online businesswomen who use Facebook in lieu of bricks and mortar stores.

Ploytasapan Jalayan started Eazy Pre Order on Facebook. The service works just like a personal buyer who will get you anything you want from abroad. “I started by uploading some nice photos of sunglasses with prices. When someone ordered and confirmed the payment, I’d then pass that order to my shipper. Once that item got delivered to me, I’d set up a delivery with the customer,” explains Ploy. Her service became so popular that her customers began to request items other than sunglasses, and Ploy expanded the product range. “I chose Facebook because it’s very easy to use and there’s no cost. Most of my target customers use Facebook regularly so I can communicate with them in a snap,” she adds.
With the help of her siblings, Pennapa Subhawat is able to eliminate the middleman altogether at PPandFamily (www.facebook.com/ppandfamily), which sells clothing and bags designed by the family and made locally. “We started by selling random items to check for feedback, and we found out that our customers’ preferences leaned towards workwear and dresses. After three months, we launched our first collection,” says Pennapa. Although produced in very limited amounts, PPandFamily’s products are so popular that the page now has over 10,000 likes and more than 1,000 orders since their first launch. “We have a long customer waiting list for our products, and being online requires very low investment, so it’s going great,” she adds. 

HOW TO Open Your Online Shop

1  Trust is the most important thing when you have an online business. The customers don’t get to see and touch the products before they buy, so you’re competing with traditional shops. Be honest in your transactions and about the condition of your products and post good pictures that are helpful to buyers.
2  Both PPandFamily and Easy Pre Order emphasize putting customers at ease by keeping in touch with them. If someone posts a comment or question on your wall, respond right away to each and every post (so they won’t think you’ve just run away with their money).
3  Despite all the potential success, problems are also unavoidable. “Patience is a must for people in this business. I once got a customer’s complaint saying my product had a flaw, even though I was absolutely certain that I had checked it very carefully,” remembers Ploy.
4  Punctuality is key. If your business involves shippers abroad, be sure you account for this time in your delivery estimate. The more delayed your delivery is, the more creeped out and anxious your customer gets.

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