#58: Lessons From Running A $6.5 Million Dollar Online Store with Shirley Tan at E-Commerce Systems

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Shirley Tan joins us this week to share her experience building American Bridal from scratch, growing it to $6.5 million in annual sales, and eventually selling it to enter the world of e-commerce consulting. With over 20 years experience in offline retail and 14 in e-commerce, Shirley recently published a book that offers a step by step guide for aspiring e-commerce entrepreneurs called ECOM Hell.

Topics Discussed:

  • 01:30 – Three tips for your first factory visit in China
  • 04:00 – Shirley’s experience in old school retail and running an online store
  • 05:00 – Origins of E-Commerce in 1997
  • 08:00 – Parallels of E-Commerce in 1997 and mobile in 2013?
  • 10:30 – Moving the business completely online
  • 14:00 – Learning SEO back in 2004 and figuring it out
  • 18:00 – Tips on organizing your warehouse and inventory
  • 22:00 – Common mistakes of beginner e-commerce entrepreneurs
  • 25:30 – Preparing and streamlining the business to be sold
  • 27:30 – Passion, profitability, and long-term sustainability of a business
  • 33:00 – Why you need at least 40% gross margin and products of $75+
  • 37:00 – Grabbing customer mindshare vs. having the best product
  • 39:00 – Figuring out your messaging and position against the competition
  • 47:00 – Sustainability of the drop-shipping business model
  • 49:00 – Overview of Shirley’s book ECOM Hell

Mentions in the Episode:

Episode Length: 56:56

 

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