What Every Teen Should Know Before Starting an E-Commerce Business

As a teen, you’re already familiar with online spaces — you’ve grown up with social media, digital products, and influencers turning their ideas into income. Starting an e-commerce business is an accessible way to earn money, test your ideas, and learn real business skills. This guide walks you through the decisions you’ll need to make before launching your online store, presented in simple, practical steps. 

Step 1: Decide What You’re Going to Sell

When you’re just getting started, the first thing to figure out is what you want to sell. You can go with digital products or physical products. Digital products are downloadable and don’t require any inventory, while physical products are items you can hold, store, and ship from your home or a warehouse.

Explore Different Ways to Create Your Product

There are a few different paths you can take when creating what you’ll sell:

• Handcrafted items include products like keychains, art prints, or candles. 
• Sourced products come from a manufacturer, wholesaler, or print-on-demand supplier. 
• Digital creations can include planners, wallpapers, e-books, or other designs made in tools like Canva.

Ask Yourself Key Questions Before Choosing Your Product

Before you fully commit, take a moment to reflect on a few questions: What do I enjoy making? Can I realistically create or source this product on a consistent basis? Does this product solve a problem for my target audience? Your answers will help you decide what you’ll sell.

Step 2: Choose Where You’ll Sell

You have several options to sell your digital or physical product. An online store like Shopify offers an easy setup and a free trial. You can also sell directly from a site you’ve built on Wix or another website builder. Alternatively, you can list handmade or custom items on Etsy if your products fit that style.

As you compare platforms, look at who else is selling similar products, check the fees each platform charges, and see how much control you’ll have over the look and layout of your store. These details will help you choose the best place to launch your business.

Step 3: Research Your Suppliers or Manufacturing Plan

If you’re planning to source your product, this step is about finding the right manufacturer or supplier. Searching terms like “[product] manufacturer” or “manufacturer database [industry]” will help you discover potential partners. When you reach out to them, ask about pricing, minimum order requirements, packaging options, samples, and shipping timelines so you know exactly what to expect.

You’ll also need to think about where your products will be stored. If you plan to ship items from your home, your supplier will send everything directly to you. Another option is using a third-party warehouse, which you can find with similar search terms. Take time to research every supplier by checking reviews, comparing options, and watching tutorials, and always place a small test order before committing to a long-term partnership.

Step 4: Create a Simple Marketing Plan

Once you’ve chosen your digital or physical product, the next step is getting clear on who your audience is — what they care about, what problems they’re trying to solve, and what interests guide their buying decisions. From there, pick the marketing formats you’re most comfortable with. You can create short videos on TikTok, write blog posts that answer common questions, or share your product within friend groups, school clubs, or local events.

Step 5: Track Your Numbers

Once you’ve made your first few sales, it’s important to keep an eye on your key metrics. These numbers include tracking your sales, link clicks, refunds, and website traffic, as well as monitoring inventory levels if you’re selling physical products so you never run too low. 

You’ll also want to stay on top of your finances, including the cost of materials, packaging, platform fees, and any invoices. When you track your numbers regularly, you can use that information to improve your product, test new content ideas, adjust your pricing, and better understand what your audience responds to.

Moving Forward With Confidence

As a teen, you can accomplish a lot once you commit to your ideas. You don’t need fancy tools or a big budget, just curiosity and consistency. After choosing your product and doing your research, stick with it, stay persistent, and keep your creativity strong. 

If you’re interested in learning more about business and expanding your network in college, the Kantner Foundation scholarship can support your goals. Click here to learn more.