Shopify's second week of entrepreneurship: initial progress of the gay adult products store
Shopify's second week of entrepreneurship: initial progress of the gay adult products store
Date: March 3, 2025
Weather: Sunny
Mood: nervous and excited
This is the second week since I quit my job and started my full-time Shopify business, and my mood is still complicated. Jumping from a stable career life into the uncertain entrepreneurial world, every step is like walking on a tightrope. However, this week finally made some small progress - the store has 6 orders! Although the number is not large, it is an important milestone for me.
About the product
My store focuses on adult products. Although this field has huge market potential, it is also full of challenges. First of all, the privacy and sensitivity of the product make it very difficult to promote. Many advertising platforms have strict restrictions on such products, and Facebook and Google Ads can hardly be directly placed, which forced me to find other promotion channels. Secondly, the trust of the product is also critical. After all, customers have very high requirements for the quality and privacy protection of such products.
Promotion and traffic
This week, I mainly tried the following promotion methods:
SEO optimization: I spent a lot of time researching keywords and optimizing the titles, descriptions and pictures of the product pages. Although the effect is not obvious in the short term, I believe that SEO will bring stable natural traffic in the long run.
Social media: I found some relevant communities on Reddit and Twitter, and tried to attract potential customers through soft articles and interactions. The effect of Reddit is not bad. One post brought dozens of clicks and finally converted 2 orders.
** Influencer cooperation **: I contacted several niche bloggers who focus on the fields of gender relations and adult health. Although the number of fans is not large, the audience is very accurate. It is still under negotiation and looks forward to the subsequent cooperation results.
Order situation
This week, a total of 6 orders were made, with a total sales of about $300. Although the profit is not high, it at least proves that there is a market for the product. Among them, 4 orders came from Reddit promotion, and the other 2 orders came through SEO natural search. The customer feedback is pretty good. One customer even took the initiative to send an email to thank us for our privacy packaging and fast delivery. This makes me very happy and strengthens my determination to continue to optimize my service.
Challenges encountered
Advertising restrictions: The advertising restrictions on adult products give me a headache. Many platforms do not allow direct promotion, so I can only attract customers through content marketing and community interaction. This requires more time and patience.
Payment issues: Shopify Payments has limited support for adult products, so I had to find a third-party payment gateway. This added extra costs, but it also solved the problem.
Inventory management: Due to limited funds, I currently only purchase small batches of inventory. If the order volume suddenly increases, there may be a risk of out-of-stock. I need to find a balance as soon as possible.
Next plan
Optimize website experience: I plan to redesign the product page, add more user reviews and usage guides, and enhance trust.
Expand promotion channels: Try content marketing on TikTok and Instagram. Although you can't promote products directly, you can indirectly attract traffic through topics such as health and gender relations.
Improve customer retention: Prepare to launch subscription services and membership discounts to encourage repeat customers.
Summary
Although this week is busy, it also gives me hope. Although the sales of 6 orders are not much, it at least proves that my direction is right. There is still a long way to go in entrepreneurship, but I believe that as long as I persist, I will always see greater breakthroughs. I hope I can get more orders next week, and I hope I can keep this positive attitude.
Come on, the road ahead is still long, but every step counts!
Tip: If you are also starting a business, especially if you are making sensitive products, you must study the advertising policies and payment channels in advance to avoid pitfalls. Let's encourage each other!
—— A Shopify entrepreneur who has just started