How to Sell Gluten Free Foods
If you are interested in starting a health food business, consider starting an online gluten free foods business. Gluten free foods are currently in demand not only by individuals who are gluten intolerant but also by those seeking a healthier diet. There are a number of steps you will need to take to start your online business, but once you get your business off the ground, you will find that operating an online business offering gluten free foods can be rewarding.
Things You'll Need
- Gluten free catalogs Business license Bank account Scale Accounting software Accountant Digital camera Packaging for shipping
Instructions
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Make a list of gluten free food suppliers and contact them for their catalogs, or view their product offers on their websites. Make a list of the products that you intend to have available to ship to customers after they pay for them. Research as many gluten free foods as possible so that you are knowledgeable about the products you plan to offer, and so you can offer types that are most in demand.
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Choose a name for your gluten free food business. Call the county clerk's office to see if you need a business license and how you should register. Pay the applicable licensing fee. Register with the IRS for an employer identification number, and apply for a business bank account at a local bank.
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Create a business start-up budget that lists all initial business start-up costs including the costs of web design and of your initial gluten free foods inventory, as well as the cost of web hosting and the predicted cost of PayPal fees.
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Ascertain shipping fees for different packages by contacting the United States Postal Service and UPS. Invest in a scale so that you can weigh packages. Invest in packaging for appropriate shipping methods after determining how you will ship your products.
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Create a website, or hire a web designer if you are not knowledgeable about creating a traffic-drawing website where you can offer your gluten free foods. Establish an account with a service like PayPal® so that customers can pay you for products via secure payment services.
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Hire a writer to write product descriptions of the gluten free foods you are selling, if you do not want to write the web content yourself. Post the material to your site or have your webmaster post it for you.
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Take images with a digital camera of the gluten free foods you will sell online. Crop the images so that they are a standard size, and upload them to your web server. Position the images next to product descriptions, or have your webmaster do so.
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Contact your hired writer to write pertinent web content, including a privacy policy, terms and conditions of site use, information on how to place an order for the gluten free foods you are offering, and shipping details. Have the writer create several articles defining and explaining the benefits of gluten free foods, and include testimonials. Have the writer create gluten free recipes to add to your site to make your website inclusive and informative.
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Start a backlink campaign, or have your webmaster start a campaign so that you can link to other sites and the sites can link to you. This increases your credibility online and it improves your search engine ranking when you submit your site to search engines.
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Submit your website to major search engines like Yahoo®, Google®, MSN®, and AOL®, and list it in local directories and directories with a concentration on gluten free foods. Advertise your business online through email campaigns, coupons, ezines, and newsletters.
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Track your incoming orders and payments received as well as any expenses in an accounting software application like Quickbooks® or Quicken®. Report the information to your accountant for tax purposes.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are a sole proprietor, you do not need to get business insurance or worker's compensation insurance. If you have employees, you will require the latter. You might find business insurance desirable, though not required, if you make use of a number of computers, have a home office or maintain a sizable inventory; it will protect your property in the event of a disaster.
Track all of your transactions and maintain receipts for all of your expenses. If you are ever audited, you will need the information to prove your deductions, income, and expenses to the IRS.
