Unicorn gear: first ecommerce store
2016 to 2018Right after college, I started an ecom business with my roommate. It started as dropshipping. First, we set up a Shopify store, designed a logo, and hooked up Oberlo to AliExpress for dropshipping. I had limited Photoshop skills back then and manipulated an existing logo I found on Google Images. Then we went full on private labeling, packed bags to Asia, and toured 3 factories in Shenzhen.
We private labeled beanies with built-in Bluetooth speakers. Everything was learned from YouTube videos, blogs, and asking friends.
A lot goes into building a brand from scratch. Beyond the operational, supply chain, and inventory management, all this was learned from content online:
Optimizing the Shopify store
Facebook ads
Copywriting
Photoshop for product lays and content
SEO
Google AdWords and Shopping
Email marketing
(No AI tools back then!)
Not to mention the brand identity and positioning. We built target personas, reworked USPs, and asked friends for feedback.
The result: about 60 units sold, and we only made back 50% of the cost of the initial order. Failure by a business sense.
Looking back at this now, there was so much learned:
We were selling a seasonal, non-evergreen product.
Audience was small. Not everyone is cold, wears beanies, or does snow sports.
Our initial copy and ads were too feature focused: "latest Bluetooth technology" vs. "a concert-level listening experience that feels like floating on clouds".
Not enough validation and product feedback: friends and family were too nice and did not give honest feedback.
Most importantly, it led me to where I am today. Growth and digital marketing is so much fun. Marketing principles are the same today. But there are loads of new tools to use, problems to solve, and stories to share.
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