The current circumstances that many people find themselves in mean budgets are tight, job security is fleeting and having a bit of extra cash on hand is becoming ever more important. One of the ways that you can try to improve your standings in all three areas is by setting up a ‘side-hustle’ to sell goods online. This is a strategy that many are adopting as they look to support their main income.

Getting the right tools to set up and get you operating as quickly as possible is essential. In today’s blog, we have a look at some of the items that you should by ranging from paper mailing bags to a good set of scales.

1. Scales

A good set of scales is a great purchase to make when setting up a new side-hustle. They will help you work out whether to send your item off in a small or large parcel and help you save time and money. This will all add up when it comes to keeping the side-hustle profitable.

2. Paper mailing bags

The second thing to get is a way to send off your products. If you look to sell smaller goods then paper mailing bags are a great option to go for. They can save you money by removing the need to send more expensive parcels and can be quickly packed and sent off.

3. A website/online marketplace account

The third thing you will need to buy/secure is a way to sell your goods online. This typically comes in the form of an online website or a digital marketplace like Amazon or eBay. You may have to do your research about places to sell online in the uk or in other locations to choose the best marketplace in your region. That can help you increase your reach to potential clients and also practice targeted marketing methods. Remember that the ecommerce platforms may charge a fee for your sales, but often a website will be slower to set up, consider this when setting up the side hustle.

4. Packaging and bubble wrap

Keeping your item secure for your customers is essential, and when sending in paper mailing bags you will need to include a good amount of bubble wrap to keep the parcel secure. If you try to only deal in small products this will reduce the amount you have to spend on posting and packaging. However, if you send out parcels of varying sizes, consider buying packing boxes, wraps, and mailing bags in bulk to get discounts. You can look for wholesale packaging material suppliers to purchase supplies and have them delivered to your business premises.

5. A label printing machine

Whilst you may be tempted to write the addresses out by hand to start with, as the business scales you will quickly realise that this can take up too much time to be profitable.

Investing in a good label printing machine will save the time you spend attaching addresses to your paper mailing bags, allowing you to focus on other areas of the side-hustle to grow the business.

Try and buy supplies that will save you money as you scale

When shipping items around the UK and further afield you will want to have a packaging product that provides security at a reasonable price.

Paper mailing bags are great as they are an inexpensive option that with added bubble wrap and packaging will keep the product safe for the end customer. The other great benefit is their ability to save you money. Paper mailing bags are small and can often be shipped as small or large letters, saving you from having to make shipments.

If you buy good paper mailing bags, scales and have a robust strategy for selling online through your own website or a marketplace, you will be well on your way to developing a profitable side hustle.