With the world in what some would consider a precarious financial state, more people than ever are deciding to take matters into their own hands and not rely on their 9 to 5 to pay the bills. One of the areas where people choose to start a business is supplying the hobbies and passions of others. This is because while many people begrudge paying bills and taxes, they don’t tend to hesitate when it comes to putting their hand in their pocket to buy something they love.
At the top of this list are things like cars and motorcycles. So, if you are thinking of starting your own business selling motorcycles online, it’s not a bad idea. However, before you get started there are three main areas that you need to consider.
Build your online presence
Depending on your technical knowledge, this can either be a very simple or a very hard process. You are likely to need your own website, if not for selling on then to show people who view your listings on other platforms that you are a legitimate seller.
You are also going to need to create a strong profile on whatever online platforms you are choosing to use (eBay is a good place to start), and also begin to build a presence on essential social media channels. These are likely to be Instagram and TikTok, and depending on your target demographic – possibly Facebook as well.
Find a reliable shipping partner
One of the biggest obstacles that online sellers think they must overcome is getting the product they sell to their customers in one piece and on time. This is particularly important when selling motorcycles or motorcycle spares online as these are not typically small purchases; and as mentioned earlier, you are dealing with items that the buyer is very passionate about.
You are going to need to find a reliable motorcycle transport partner with the best deals on moving a bike from A to B with the minimum of fuss. This is a key element to getting good feedback from customers and could be the single element that makes or breaks the success of your business in the longer term, so should not be overlooked.
Don’t forget about funding
As you probably already know, motorcycles are far from cheap. So, unless you want to just sell one at a time and recycle the cash, you are going to need to source some funding to build your stock levels. This will involve putting together a decent business plan that you can use to attract investors, or just to get a loan from your local high street bank. Either way, they’re going to want to know that you are a safe bet, and you need to put this in figures so they can easily understand what’s in it for them.
Final thoughts
Starting your own business selling motorcycles online is not a bad idea, but before you throw your life savings into this venture, you need to make sure you have ticked some very important boxes. You’ll need your online presence built to a stage where you can attract customers and a reliable partner that you can use to ship purchases to them. You’ll also need to think about how you are going to pay to keep the business running and build it into a full-time venture that you love.
