Drop Ship your way to Success!

What is Drop Shipping?

Drop Shipping is a simple business model where the manufacturer of a product ships the item purchased directly to the end consumer. Your job – as a retailer – is to offer those items to your customers and SELL! SELL! SELL!

A store front isn’t necessary – you can list the items directly on your online shop. We provide beautiful, full colour photography of items along with web-ready descriptions and specifications. All the information that you need to effectively sell that product. It’s low risk, low cost and easy to start up. You don’t need a place to store inventory because we, as the manufacturer and distributor, will ship products out directly from one of our warehouses.

You don’t need to bulk purchase items to receive discounted prices – you pay wholesale prices, and you’re eligible for ongoing promotions so you can pass on your savings directly to your consumers.

Processing orders is simple with our user-friendly, dealer portal where you can view live stock, updated pricing and add orders with one click. You can start selling on the same day that you sign up!

 

Visit our website for information on our Drop Shipping program

 

Keys to Drop Shipping Success – some tricks of the trade that may help you in setting up your Drop Shipping business:

 

  1. Build up your website traffic

Because this business model depends on the virtual ‘foot traffic’ that is people browsing online for items they want to buy, getting people to visit your website is the equivalent of getting window shoppers to come into your store – if they come inside chances are higher that they will buy!

This is where SEO comes into play. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and refers to the virtual breadcrumbs that lead online consumers to your virtual store. Things like keywords in your product titles, categories and subcategories, as well as your page titles and meta descriptions. Many website builders offer tools to help you through this process but if you feel like you need more help, or if you would rather leave it up to the pros, investing in an SEO agency may be worthwhile to build up your traffic.

 

  1. Write blogs

Don’t be intimidated – this can be as simple as picking one of your favourite products for the week and talking about its features. Online tools like Grammarly can help with spelling and grammar and in the end, you’ll have fresh new content for your website that will be informative for your potential customers and will help direct even more traffic to your site.

Try to write at least 3-4 blogs a month. Keep track of your website traffic analytics tools and you should start seeing a boost in traffic within the first couple of months.

 

  1. Limit your inventory

When you list products, you want the best curated collection of items that are relevant to your site and your business model. You also want to present the best version of those products, which will motivate your customers to buy from you and not the next site they visit. This means tweaking or even rewriting product descriptions to make them your own and editing images to optimize their appearance on your site. Start by listing your favourite items and take them time to present them the best way that you can. You can continue adding more products as time goes on and your sales go up. This will also help you stay on top of all the latest new introductions from manufacturers like Worldwide Homefurnishings. We intro new products almost every quarter, so you want to be able to have the freshest and newest items to offer your customers.

 

  1. Paid advertising

Working on refreshing the content on your site will work well for your site traffic but if you want to see immediate results and on a greater scale, you may want to consider investing in paid online marketing. There are many programs available like Google Adwords (with campaigns like pay-per-click sponsored search results or remarketing campaigns), Facebook Business Manager (which advertises with sponsored ads on Facebook and Instagram) and other Affiliate Marketing programs (where you work with other websites to piggy back off each others’ traffic).

You should also be tracking the traffic on your site with free tools like Google Analytics, so you can try and see the effects of these paid marketing strategies.

 

  1. Rewards and Incentives

Leverage seasonal sales – people buy when it’s the buying season, so don’t be afraid to put your products on promo as well. Festive offerings, seasonal sales, BOGO deals, and “LAST CHANCE” clearance sales are just a few promotions that you can run to garner attention and website traffic.

Don’t underestimate reviews – when consumers are not sure about a product, especially big-ticket items like furniture, they will look to their peers for guidance. Ask your customers to write reviews after they have purchased an item. The more detailed the better! You can offer incentives to customers – “Post a review and receive a promo code for your next purchase!”

Take advantage of social media – encourage customers to share images of their purchases in social media and to tag you. You can offer prizes for the best picture of the week.

Keep on top of your inventory – the products you list are the best representation of your business and what you want it to look like. Do continued research and adjustments in pricing to stay competitive. Respond to feedback, both positive and negative.

 

Let us know if some of these tips were helpful for you in setting up your small business. Do you have any more tips for someone who might be starting out? Let us know in the comments below.

 

At Worldwide Homefurnishings Inc. we have over 30 years of experience. We are dedicated to you and your business because your success is our success! Check out our Drop Shipping program here. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Your success is our success!

 

Four “Rules” of Bedroom Design That Were Meant to be Broken

Courtesy of

Katie Phillips, Founder of MattressReviews.net

 

Sometimes it’s fun to BREAK the rules!

 

Fashion and interior design are constantly evolving, as is the science behind sleep. Sleep, however, is vital to being able to enjoy the interior design of your home and its inhabitants.

 

If you are willing to change a couple of small things in your bedroom design, you could be sleeping significantly better on a regular basis.

 

Rule 1: Your Bedroom Should Be Bright

BREAK IT!

 

Bright bedrooms may seem appealing but may not be the best for optimal sleep

 

 

Current fashion trends in bedroom design show us brightly coloured rooms with tons of lights all over.

 

While you want your bedroom to be cheerful, you actually want as little light as humanly possible when you go to sleep. The less distractions that you have, the better.

 

To design your bedroom to make it helpful for you to sleep, you should choose shades of blue paint for the walls and always go for a matte finish. The colour blue has been found to have a good effect on the human heart rate and blood pressure. Eggshell or satin sheen in paints actually reflect much more light than their matte counterparts.

 

You should also avoid LED or bright white light bulbs in your room whenever possible in order to allow your brain to relax before bed. Blue light – like the kind that is produced by LEDs and your phone’s screen – tell your brain to stop producing melatonin, making it harder for you to sleep at night.

 

If you sleep past sunrise, like most of us do, you will also want to add some room darkening curtains to block out the natural light when you don’t want it. These come in all kinds of colours and patterns to make designing your space easy.

 

Rule 2: Sleep with Doors Shut

BREAK IT!

 

Good airflow in the bedroom is important for achieving those sweet dreams

 

While sleeping with the doors shut might help to cut down on the number of distractions that you can see and hear from your bedroom, it’s best for the airflow in your bedroom if your door is open. Having good airflow in your room will not only make your mattress feel more cozy, it will also help you sleep better.

 

If you can’t sleep with your doors or window open, try turning on a fan to create the air circulation that will help you sleep well and all through the night.

 

 

Rule 3: Keep it Warm

BREAK IT!

 

Believe it or not – you actually sleep better in the cold!

 

You might be tempted to keep your bedroom as warm as possible, but it’s actually better for you to keep the air temperature in your room between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 19 degrees Celcius). It helps you sleep longer and have higher quality sleep than you would if you were warmer.

 

You can combat the cold that you feel when you are resting by bundling up with cozy pillows and blankets, or some really cute pyjamas.

 

Rule 4: Keep it Clutter Free

BREAK IT!

 

Plants help to clarify the air and can provide a sense of calm in your bedroom

 

While you don’t want a lot of clutter in your sleeping space, it will be helpful to add some plants to your bedroom. Not only will they make your room prettier and help clarify the air around them naturally, some of them also put off calming scents.

 

If you love the smell of lavender or jasmine, those plants are great for helping to calm anxiety and clarifying the air around them.

 

Be sure to have fun breaking some (or all) of these rules and pay attention to how your sleep behaviors are affected after making these minor changes. Let us know in the comments below – we would love to hear from you!

5 ways to store more with style

Stuff. We all have it…

 

Don’t be overrun by Stuff – conquer it before it conquers you!

 

Once we add kids, pets, sports, backpacks, homework, the latest craft obsession (slime, anyone?), toys, and more to the mix, the “Stuff” that orbits our daily lives can invade every room in the house. Over time, it takes on a life of its own – like an unwelcome guest that won’t leave. So, we shuffle it around, thinking we’ll, “find a place for this Stuff one of these days,” until we stop noticing it’s there. And soon, Stuff becomes a fixture all its own. Sound familiar?

The good news is that it’s easy to stash your stuff with style… if you know where to look. Here are 5 smart, hard-working storage pieces you can add to every room that will conquer Stuff’s assault on your home once and for all – and as a bonus, take your design up a notch in the process!

 

1. Storage ottomans and benches

 

Storage benches can add a whole new level of design to your space

 

Ottomans and benches are the easiest way to add style, comfort, and storage to any room. In the family room, a storage ottoman does double duty as both a stylish coffee table and a place to contain all of those blankets, games, and crafts that tend to spill onto the floor. A slender storage bench tucked against a wall in the hallway allows guests to sit down and take off shoes while doubling as clever storage for umbrellas, hats, and gloves. In the bedroom, a plush storage bench at the end of the bed serves as both a place to put on your favorite slippers and contain extra blankets, books, and bed linens – all while rocking a cool designer vibe. You can even float a couple of fun storage cubes in the kids’ bedrooms to corral toys and use as extra seating when friends come over.

 

2. Shelving units

 

Shelving units can be used for open display or with baskets

 

Shelving units are the ultimate storage workhorses. Styled right, they serve as tall, silent butlers that hold a myriad of miscellaneous stuff, both big and small, in every room in the house. But if you’re not careful, Stuff will multiply and invade shelving units, too. So, to keep clutter at bay, stock the bottom shelves with bins and baskets full of small craft items, toys, Legos, and games that are easy for little hands to access (and put away!). Save the upper shelves for grown-up stuff like books, magazines, and those catalogs you keep meaning to peruse next time you get a chance to sit down (someday).

 

3. Consoles

 

Use pretty cabinets to hide the not-so-pretty mess

 

These are not your grandma’s behemoths. Today’s consoles are roomy and stylish without sacrificing space. Use a console in the family room under your TV to store DVD’s, video games, and all of those extra cords you aren’t sure what to do with. Tuck a console against a wall in the dining room to serve as a modern china cabinet or sideboard. Upgrade a small bathroom to store extra paper products and linens with a petite console. You can even stylishly stash bins of extra paper and files under the printer in the home office.

 

4. Storage beds

 

Storage beds – convenient and easy to use!

 

Bedrooms in modern homes, especially kids’ bedrooms, are usually short on space. It’s hard enough to squeeze in a bed and a nightstand, let alone dressers and extra storage pieces.You need to think outside (or in this case under) the box to take advantage of the wasted space under the bed. Consider upgrading to a storage bed that creates a whole new level of storage clothes, blankets, and extra linens. And if your kids share a room, then you especially need to make the most of every square inch with storage drawers for bunk beds that can store extra clothes or toys.

 

5. Bar carts 

 

Bar carts are so versatile with their uses

 

What? Bar carts for storage? Yes! Bar carts are one of the most under-appreciated, versatile storage mainstays in the home. A petite rolling bar cart in the bathroom topped with pretty storage bins corrals makeup, hair products, and all of those little items that clutter up precious counter space. Turn a lonely kitchen corner into a fun and funky coffee station with a modern bar trolley. And when the weather warms up, roll it outside to serve drinks al fresco! You can even convert a bar cart into a rolling homework station to keep extra supplies, papers, and books at hand – your dining room table will thank you!

 

As you now know, the secret to keeping Stuff’s assault at bay is to put your furniture to work. Keep your eye out for creative ways to exchange a few pieces in every room of your home with stylish, smart storage workhorses that do double duty – so you can conquer Stuff, once and for all!

 

 

 

3 Design Tricks to Get Your Home Ready to Sell!

It’s no secret that staged homes sell faster and for a higher price than others. Hiring a home stager can become costly but often pays off in the long run. Whether you decide to put in a little elbow grease and DIY it, or hire some help to get it done, you’ll see the effort pay off. Here are 3 design tricks that will help you get your home ready to sell and give you the edge you need in today’s hot real estate market.

 

Hiring a professional stager can be expensive but will pay off in the long run.

 

1. Declutter & clean

 

A sleek storage ottoman will easily let you stash clutter when showing the house.

 

When it comes to getting your home ready to sell, cleaning and decluttering is half the battle. As soon as you decide that you will listing your home to be sold, it’s time to start decluttering and stowing away personal belongings. Take down all personal photos and memorabilia and clean out at least half the items from closets and cupboards (you have to pack up everything when you move, anyway). Swap out your coffee table for a modern storage ottoman that will hide away blankets, toys, and magazines in a hurry.

 

A console cabinet is an easy way to corral items that you still need daily but don’t want to leave lying around.

 

Streamline a shelving unit with stylish baskets and bins to stash memorabilia or kids’ crafts and create a uniform look. And tidy up a messy-looking entertainment center with a sleek media console. After all, buyers don’t want to visualize you in your home. They want to picture themselves there.

 

A clean home will sell faster than a dirty or cluttered home

 

Once things are packed away, get out your cleaning supplies and prepare to use a little elbow grease. A sparkling home shows pride of ownership and sends a message to the buyer that you’ve taken good care of it over the years. And clean, decluttered spaces make your home feel larger, even when compared to other homes the same size. So, get to work – or better yet, hire a professional cleaning service. Many of them offer “ready-to-sell” cleaning packages.

 

2. Give every space a job to do

 

Try to increase the functionality of every corner of the house

 

Imagine walking into your home for the first time. Would you know that the empty wall by the front door is a magnet for backpacks and shoes? Could you determine at a glance if that spare bedroom, currently used for crafts or storage, could be a child’s dream bedroom? Don’t make buyers work to interpret spaces in your home. Instead, show them that every space has a job to do. Clear out clutter from a spare bedroom and stage it with a nicely-made bed, nightstand, and a fresh bouquet of flowers. Tuck a hall tree and bench in the foyer to help buyers imagine a place where they can drop their keys and take off their shoes when they come home. Do you have extra space in a master bedroom or under the stairs? Don’t make a buyer wonder what to do with it. Fill it with a modern desk and chair, so they’ll look at it and think, “Ah, yes. This is the perfect place for an office.”

 

 

3. Appeal to buyers’ emotions

 

Creating cozy and inviting spaces in your home will appeal to the buyers’ emotions

 

Buying is an emotional process, and there’s no buying experience more emotional than a home purchase. So it’s important to not only make sure that your home looks appealing, but that it warms the heart, too. Create little scenes throughout the home that will help buyers imagine themselves enjoying special moments. Tuck a bar cart along a dining wall and accessorize it with coffee and pastries so they can visualize having a tranquil breakfast there. Or create a reading nook with a cozy chair and ottoman in a corner of the master bedroom and stage it with a book and a comfy throw. When a buyer is looking at several homes, they will remember the ones that give them a window into these little moments of what life would be like to live there.

 

By rolling up your sleeves and turning a fresh eye to every space, it’s easy to take buyers on a visual journey and show your home to its greatest potential. Are you planning on selling your home anytime soon? Have you sold recently? We would love to hear about your experiences with prepping your home and buyers’ reactions in the comments below.