5 Real Examples of Small E-commerce Businesses That Reached Global Audiences
For many small e-commerce startups, profit generation is always the ultimate goal. Usually, however that happens doesn’t matter, so long as it is legal, but making massive returns is always the bottom line.
However, some other small e-commerce businesses are keen about attaining global reach and impact first. They believe this will eventually open the door to massive returns. Despite this noble ambition, only a few small e-commerce companies successfully attain that global-brand status.
No doubt, those who were able to reach such goals must have done some things right. In this post, we will look at all that by focusing on the success story of five (5) real examples of small online firms that successfully reached global audiences.
1. Viesso
Travis Nagle and his brother started Viesso to improve furniture sales in the e-commerce space. The business enjoyed massive organic growth at its early stages, only to hit a brick wall during the recession.
In response, Viesso turned to dropshipping as a means of survival. Unknown to them, this decision would bring their business into never-before-seen heights. Speaking about their experience at this point, Nagle had this to say, “We immediately saw the power of the dropshipping model in terms of low cost of doing business and more aggressive revenue growth.”
They concentrated on unique items that people liked but weren’t easily accessible. With this method, it only took 2 years for Viesso to hit a revenue of over $1 million, dropshipping 50+ brands. The brand kept enjoying massive annual turnovers and long-standing customer retainerships.
2. Growers House
Growers House is a B2B hydroponic firm that works with large gardens and other growing firms. They sell tools that help plants thrive in nutrient-rich water rather than soil.
By purchasing in bulk (and reselling at cheaper price-per-product rates), owners Paul Lipton and David Keith swiftly scaled their firms to profitable heights. In over 3 years, they experienced 1,233% growth and earned an Inc. naming as one of the fastest-growing private businesses.
3. Peak Design
Peak Design sells bags and camera accessories via a private-label e-commerce model. After struggling to comfortably pack his camera during a 10-month traveling stint, Peter Dering felt compelled to help others move around better with cameras.
Peter used Kickstarter to crowdfund the project, and has raised $15+ million since 2011 when Peak Design began. At some point, Peak Design was reportedly the world’s most crowdfunded active firm.
Today, Peak Design sells over 100 useful products, each with custom touches that capture its brand’s essence. The firm has also grown a vibrant user community which attests to successful customer relations.
4. Walnut Studiolo
Like Peak Design, Walnut Studiolo began with a passion to fix a personal problem. Geoff Franklin needed a more convenient way of carrying his u-lock on his bike, so he created one out of leather. Shortly after, his wife picked up the idea to offer it on Etsy, where the product swiftly generated sales.
Realizing the growth of their novel leather goods business, the couple resigned from their jobs and put their energy into the craft. Speaking about the business’ early beginnings, Valerie Franklin says that running a handmade business allowed them to “keep [the] business simple and in control.”
Leveraging person-to-person referrals, word-of-mouth communication, and small-scale marketing initiatives, the brand successfully took off. Now, the business holds over 20 products, including architectural accents and travel games.
5. Rover Website
Rover.com took off at a 2011 startup convention and has received progressively increasing funding rounds. For instance, May 2018 saw the company raise $155 million from investors, highlighting massive investor confidence in the brand.
Using a Marketplace eCommerce model, Greg Gottesman was able to swiftly appeal to (and build up) a large, loyal user base on Rover.com. Providing many unique features while charging modest service fees to users, Rover.com would soon become the talk of the town.
Today, the platform has over 85,000 sitters in 10,000 US cities and a valuation of $300 million+. Meanwhile, CEO Aaron Easterly also once won an entrepreneurial award for his role in growing the brand.
Conclusion
Many small startups have been able to successfully scale their brands online using the power of smart branding, effective communication and deliberate commitment to quality offering. The e-commerce platforms above are practical examples.
Each of these small e-commerce businesses has its unique pathways to achieving success at a global level. However, all stories inevitably demonstrate that, even in the e-commerce sector, business “dreams come true.”