The reality of living in Toronto is that sometimes you aren’t going to make rent. The city is expensive and I myself was faced with that harsh truth recently.

Most 20-30 somethings residing in Toronto live paycheque to paycheque just to be able to enjoy some of the benefits the city has to offer – and I’m one of them. But I usually budget myself well enough that I don’t cringe with the passing of the first of each month. However, somewhere along the way I had spread myself too thin one month and realized I wasn’t going to make my rent. Not by much, but I was still going to come up short. So I needed to find a way to make some extra cash and fast.

That’s when I started selling my stuff online through Carousell. From old Kate Spade totes to Michael Kors bags, to Tiffany jewelry and designer shoes, I started selling my preloved clothing and accessories. And in just two short weeks, I was up $800 and a lot less stressed financially.

For those who don’t know, Carousell is a mobile classifieds app that makes selling your preloved goods easy. Carousell originally started in Singapore but has now spread to over 19 cities around the world, including Toronto. With over 57 million listings and counting, Carousell has quickly become one of the world’s largest and fastest growing marketplaces.

In today’s fashion industry, we are routinely pushed towards a culture of consumerism and “fast fashion.” We often buy things that we don’t need on impulse and very quickly find that there are clothes, jewelry, electronics and other items we no longer use or need. By buying pre-loved products, we engage in a more responsible and sustainable way of consumption. When we sell used items, we prolong the lifespan of said items while reducing waste and pollution.

Consider Carousell a mobile flea market. All you have to do it take a picture of what you wish to sell, post it, add a description and price-tag and then wait for offers. But while it all seems very simple to execute, there are tricks and strategies you can use to become a top seller. Here are a few tips I learned along the way to make $800 on Carousell in just two short weeks.

Know what the profitable items are

According to Carousell co-founder Marcus Tan, the most profitable items are fashion, beauty products and electronics. But the great thing about Carousell is that it caters to a wide variety of buyers with a variety of different interests. From die-hard Lego fans to comic book collectors to sneakerheads to purse addicts and more, there’s a good chance someone somewhere wants your used stuff.

Spend time taking good photos

The photos are the most important part of your Carousell ad. If the product doesn’t look good in the picture, I guarantee buyers aren’t going to make offers on it. If you take the time to make your photos aesthetically pleasing, buyers will take note of them while browsing and you’ll see your ads get more traffic.

Get creative with product names

Aesthetics aside, you can also make your post stand out with a clever name and description. Buyers are looking for information on whether or not to buy, so be cheeky and give them a reason to. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and think about what would make you want to buy your product.

Write exact details of your products

If you want to make as much money as you can as quickly as possible, it’s important to provide details on the items you’re selling. This includes product brand, item condition, defects, sizing and any other relevant information. In providing lots of detail, you’ll avoid having to answer multiple inquiries and see offers come in much faster.

Price your products well

Consider reviewing your prices if you aren’t getting any offers and remember to be reasonable. These are preloved goods so people aren’t going to pay retail value for them. It’s less about gaining a profit and more so about getting rid of the stuff you don’t need or use anymore. As long as I get the item out of my apartment and receive a decent price for it, I’m happy – and so is the buyer.

Be flexible with meet up times and places

If you can only meet up at one spot at one time on one day each week, you probably won’t have the best luck selling. Give buyers a few options for potential meet ups so you can find a time and place that works well for both parties. Chances are the buyer wants your item as badly as you want to sell it, so try within reason to be accommodating.

Take part in the Carousell campaigns

Carousell hosts a variety of campaigns each month including “Newest Items,” “Highest Rated Sellers,” “Fall Essentials” and “11.11” (items for $11 and under.) These campaigns usually see a huge surge in user activity so be sure to take part in them. During these periods, sellers have the opportunity to move many more items while buyers get to score some great deals.

What do you think about Carousell? Let us know in the comments!

Featured image: Instagram/@carousell.ca

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In a retail landscape where brands are vying for your every dollar, an online promotion really can go a long way with price conscious consumers! What was once thought of as a perk for surpassing a minimum spend threshold, ‘free shipping’ is now considered a necessity in order to shop online. With an increasing amount of retailers waiving or lowering the minimum spend to qualify for no-cost shipping, the question should be asked: what does ‘free shipping’ really mean? Keep reading to find out how retailers are still making money off of your online purchase while offering free shipping.

By Building the Shipping Cost into the Product’s Price

Just because you aren’t paying for shipping, doesn’t mean that the retailer gets to skip out on their fee to the delivery company. In order to offset this expense, most online retailers will take the cost of shipping and factor it into each product’s purchase price so that they never lose out. The staggering cost of shipping revealed at the time of checkout can leave many online shopping carts abandoned. As a result, savvy retailers are going the ‘free shipping’ route to entice shoppers to complete their online orders.

By Offsetting the Cost of Shipping with More Shopping

Ever shop online and find it impossible to hit the minimum spend and stick to your budget? For example, you qualify for free shipping with a minimum $30 purchase, however every item online is priced at $25, so you end up buying $50 worth of merchandise. Retailers are very strategic when it comes to pricing and will find any way to get you to spend more than you may have intended in order to cover the costs of delivery (and then some).

By Inflating Shipping Fees for Other Shoppers

Didn’t reach a minimum spend threshold to qualify for free shipping? Rest assured, you’ll be paying more than usual to ship that parcel your way. Many retailers inflate the cost of standard and express shipping for less price-conscious customers (those not looking for a bargain,) to compensate for the expense of offering other customers free shipping.

By Implementing Stricter Exchange and Return Policies

If there’s a cost associated with shipping an order to a customer, you better believe that it’s even more expensive to also pay for their return shipping! A ton of online retailers offer inconvenient exchange and return policies in the hopes of you keeping your online purchase after its been thoughtfully picked, packed and shipped to your doorstep. Those retailers offering free exchanges and returns in-store are taking advantage of getting additional foot traffic into their traditional retail stores in the hopes of you buying another item that catches your eye.

What does ‘free shipping’ really mean to you? Which retailer does it best?

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Our friends south of the border have been using Instagram to shop their favourite brands for over a year now, and the feature is finally coming to Canada.  Business in the U.S. that had an eCommerce platform was able to tag their products in Instagram photos giving users the ability to scroll, tap and explore a brand’s products through the various pictures on their Instagram page.

The new feature is now live in Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Austrailia, and the UK.

Candian brands with business accounts will not be able to showcase products on organic posts, giving a product description, price and a direct link to the product’s website.

Source: Instagram

For those of us that like to find our style inspiration through Instagram, this is a game-changing feature.

For more information check out the details through Instagram’s web portal.

 

You can find more information on the newly expanded feature on Instagram’s web

Fashion Nova fell onto my radar six months ago after I had developed a major girl crush on Instagram star Tammy Hembrow. She had posted a clothing haul from the e-comm store, and I immediately started surfing the online. 

I’m fairly short, 5 feet to be exact, with a petite frame. I typically wear a size 25, so finding denim in the right length and size isn’t always easy. I decided to put Fashion Nova to the ultimate test and start my shopping spree with a search for the perfect denim, skimming through 25+ pages to find the right pair.

To be honest, I was a bit hesitant because Tammy Hembrow’s booty is substantially larger than your average, so I wasn’t sure how the fit would work for me. But with other influencers like Kylie Jenner and Khloe Kardashian sporting denim from the website, I was determined to find out if the hype was real.  

The prices are all in US dollars, making the cost superficially low — when shopping, remember to add about 30% onto your order for conversion. Shipping to Canada is free if you spend $75, though you might incur duties depending on how much you spend. The shipping is also very fast; my order came in less than 7 business days, which works out well if you’re shopping for a special occasion!

Fade Into You Jeans, $39.99

fashion nova review

Quality/Fit: Great! I decided to go with a black ripped denim in size 1. The quality is good; they have a ton of stretch which allows for more than a singular body type to look flawless in them.  The jeans are a cotton and rayon blend, with a bit of Spandex, making them super easy and comfortable wear. Pant legs are always long on me, so that was to be expected, but they don’t bunch too much at the bottom, giving me the option to leave them as is, or fold them for a different look. The front and back pockets are real, which I love because where else do you put your phone when you’re having a no purse moment?  

 

Dark Distress Jeans, $39.99

Quality/Fit: These jeans were such a good purchase. I wear them all the time because they are tight and hug my body quite nicely. This pair is a size 1, as well. One issue I typically notice with different styles of high waisted jeans is that they squeeze your body too tight, leaving you with a faux pregnancy bump (not a good look). These jeans seamlessly hold me in without suffocating me to death. While the high waist on these jeans is a bit excessive, I think it’s merely because my measurements are not ideal for adult clothing… unless I’m buying a t-shirt to wear as a dress.

Have you ever shopped on Fashion Nova? How did you like it?

Featured Image: Instagram/@fashionnova

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Those who know it, know it well, and those who don’t… well, they’re probably dying to try it.

Cult beauty brand Glossier recently revealed that they’ll soon begin shipping internationally with Canada the first country on its docket. If all goes to plan, Canadians will be able to shop Glossier’s website later this month, though, no exact date has been announced yet. Unfortunately, Quebecers will have to wait a little longer while Glossier completes their French website.

For those who don’t know the brand, Glossier got its start back in 2010 as the beauty blog IntoTheGloss.com; reviewing and interviewing all things and people beauty related. Later, Into The Gloss, which still exists, grew into a line of skincare and makeup “distilled from years of recommendations from the coolest girls on the planet.”

A post shared by Glossier (@glossier) on

Since its inception, Glossier has amassed a band of loyal beauty geeks who swear by the cruelty-free products, including celebrities like Karlie Kloss and director of fashion partnerships at Instagram, Eva Chen. And if that’s not testament to its excellence, just last year, Glossier’s lipsticks and concealers had a combined waitlist of 30,000 people.

But don’t take our (or Eva Chen’s) word for it. Sign-up for Glossier notifications and try the brand for yourself when it launches in Canada later this month.

Are you excited for Glossier to launch in Canada? Sound off in the comment section.

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If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably binge watched Girlboss on Netflix by now. And if you haven’t, you totally should. The show is based on the rise of Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso, who went from dumpster diver to eBay extraordinaire to owner of the fastest growing company in 2012. While Nasty Gal hit a rough patch late last year, they’ve since been acquired and will continue to outfit cool girls for time to come.

Amoruso’s story is just one of many that retailers can relate to. The industry has its ups and downs, but one of the biggest challenges, by far, is just getting a business off the ground. While Amoruso favoured eBay, many makers today turn to Etsy, a marketplace where shoppers can support global and local entrepreneurs, finding whatever their heart desires.

To create an e-comm store is simple, but to make it stand out in an oversaturated online world is a totally different story. We spoke to 10 strong Etsy sellers for their advice on how to build a successful online store. Take a look at what they had to say below and get ready to embrace your entrepreneurial side.

On SEO and making your shop stand out…

 

[column size=one_half position=first]successful online store[/column]

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Name: Allie Croza
Specialty: Concrete home decor
Etsy store: Your Pal, Al 

“It’s really important that you use as many tags (key words when someone is searching for a product) as you can when creating a new Etsy listing. Always include what material your product is, and your business name, plus anything from the colour, the technique or the style.  This will allow your product to be seen by more people.

You also want your Etsy page to look clean and visually appealing.  When a customer clicks on your shop, you really only have a few seconds to catch their attention.  It’s like when someone walks into a brick and mortar store, this is your (online) store.”[/column]

[column size=one_half position=first]successful online store[/column]

[column size=one_half position=last]Name: Anna Eidt
Specialty: Turning dusty old china into wall decor with sass
Etsy Store: Lou Brown Vintage 

“Spend some time every month reviewing your stats. See which tags/listings are searched out most frequently and use that to guide your future listing descriptions and tags. You also want customers who click on one of your items to visit your entire shop and get lost there for awhile. To achieve this, try to establish a unified look. If someone clicks on your shop because they loved your ‘boho lace shawl,’ only to find a bunch of mid century modern lamps, they’ll be confused. Stick to a theme. Curate a cohesive collection.” [/column]

 

 

On pricing…

 

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Name: Lisa M. Terry
Specialty: Exotic wood home décor and macramé
Etsy store: Lisa Terry

“Setting cost is a tricky one! I did find a great tool on launchgrowjoy.com that calculates your time/labour and materials, and gives you an idea of what your wholesale and retail costs should be.” [/column]

[column size=one_half position=first]successful online store[/column]

 

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Name: Jordan de Ruiter
Specialty: H
andmade dresses and lingerie
Etsy Store: Jordan de Ruiter 

“Underpricing your products can be as detrimental as over pricing them. Your pricing should reflect the work and value of what you’re selling. If you price your items too low it may actual turn off potential buyers because they wonder what’s ‘wrong’ with your item. Don’t just ballpark your pricing! Do the math. I have an excel spreadsheet that I can just plug numbers into (labour costs, material costs, etc) and easily and quickly get my wholesale and retail pricing.”[/column]

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[column size=one_half position=last]Name: Paweena Amarin
Specialty: Modern leather and canvas wallets, passport holders, and pouches
Etsy Store: Amarin Collection 

“Market research is a crucial factor in determining good target pricing. Research will allow you to adjust the price accordingly to be more competitive with similar products. I also found it important to keep my pricing consistent throughout various platforms (online, direct market sales and retailers), so customers never felt discouraged about my pricing wherever they found my handmade items on sale.” [/column]

On photography…

[column size=one_half position=first]successful online store[/column]

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Names: Claire and Mike Clarke
Speciality: Timeless woodwork and home decor
Etsy Store: Hook & Stem Co. 

“Photography is the single most important part of any online business, It’s the only visual representation of what you’re selling. Customers have no way of seeing your product in person before buying, so the photos have to be extremely well presented. Bright, clean, clutter-free photos will help your business tremendously. We try to have one or two photos of the product by itself as well as a few lifestyle photos to show how the product is used in daily life. This lifestyle photo allows your audience to see how the product looks in a home or work setting that they can relate to.”[/column]

[column size=one_half position=first]successful online store [/column]

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Name: Jolynn Vandam
Speciality: Handmade fibre art and macramé (see top featured image) 
Etsy Store: Saige and Skye 

“Good natural lighting is everything. You don’t need fancy equipment either. I personally use my iPhone for everything. A quick edit always helps but don’t over edit!” [/column]

On promotion…

[column size=one_half position=first]successful online store [/column]

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Name: Lichia Liu
Specialty: Sweet cards and prints, punny Asian food illustrations

Etsy Store: Gotamago 

“Every time that you sell and ship a product is an opportunity to promote your shop! When we package an order, we always include a hand-written thank-you note and a little bonus gift, so that the experience of receiving the package becomes special in itself. It’s easier to get a past customer to make a second purchase than to acquire a new customer, and making a great first impression with your packaging is a smart (not to mention economical) way to convince your customer to return.” [/column]

[column size=one_half position=first]successful online store[/column]

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Name: Anita Bezanson
Specialty: Quirky cute cards and pins
Etsy Shop: Rhubarb Paper Co. 

“It goes without saying that social media is one of the best tools small business owners have. You don’t have to be good at every social media platform, but do pick one that you feel has your target customer base & you’re the most comfortable using. Keep your social media offerings consistent with how you edit your photos & the content you post. Get to know your followers, be genuinely interested in their lives & foster connections & friendships that go beyond your business!”[/column]

[column size=one_half position=first]successful online store[/column]

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Name: Malika Pannek
Specialty: Playful hand-painted stationery & gifts
Etsy Shop: Made in Brockton Village 

“Cross-promote your shop: When you do shows in the real world, let people know about your shop and before the shows, list them on your Etsy shop.

Share your work and your world on social media: People like to get an insight into how things are made and learn about the maker, so sharing work in progress, inspirations and interesting details about your work, workspace and yourself can help build your following.”[/column]

Do you have any tips for building a successful online store? Share them with us in the comment section.

Featured Image: Instagram/@saigeandskye

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