Introduce your business and tell us your story: How did you decide on what to sell, and how did you source your products?
I have always been asked about my skin and what I use to care for my skin. It drove me to become a Multi-State Licensed Esthetician, International Beauty Therapist, and Makeup Artist. Eventually I wanted to create a place where people could come see and purchase the products I would refer them to, and make a brand for myself as well. I wanted to create an opportunity for customers to purchase products with expert advise instead of trying endless amounts of products that didn't work. That is how Morada Pure was born and simultaneously our online store!
Originally our Morada Pure soaps were made in-store until the demand exceeded our equipment and space. We worked closely with several chemists for months to recreate the exact formulas to my specifications and approval. All of our other products sold in Morada Pure are hand selected by ingredient purity and efficacy. As well as each ingredient is checked against other more stringent countries such as Europe who have banned hundreds more ingredients than the US.
How did you earn your first sales? Which channels are now generating the most traffic and sales for you?
We launched our store with marketing help on our social media as well as local flyers, mailers, and press releases. The brands we carry also have been wonderful support. We also were able to get our Morada Pure soap into one of the major high end resorts on the island that has sent us quite a bit of foot and online traffic. Mostly our sales are from direct traffic and then some through social media.
Tell us about the back-end of your business. What tools and apps do you use to run your store? How do you handle shipping and fulfillment?
We love the Shopify apps. They are a huge part of our business and there are so many great apps to choose from. The most effective one for us has been using Yotpo reviews. Without it we wouldn't have generated as many online sales as we have. We ship all of our orders out of our brick and mortar store. They are hand wrapped by us and pulled from our in store inventory. Each order included samples in a muslin Morada Pure cotton bag as well as a handwritten note, all packed with ecofriendly materials! We offer free shipping within our state of Florida as well as for orders of $50 or more. All other orders cost $5 shipping.
What are your top recommendations for new store owners?
Start your online store now and don't wait because you think it isn't perfect. Shopify offers so many great options it is hard to go wrong. Plus we all start some where. You can perfect your store little by little and adding each day. After all Rome wasn't built in a day!