Our latest report, Super Selling: How Retail Choices and Competition Fuel Small Sellers’ Success, highlights the broad range of choices small digital sellers have at every step of the retail journey, from where they sell, how they advertise, and how they store and ship products. Whether it’s through online marketplaces or their own web stores, sellers have the freedom to and are sophisticated enough to find what tools and services work best for their business.
Today’s small online sellers are savvy, sophisticated, and agile. They each use a unique combination of selling, fulfillment, and advertising methods to reach their target audiences, increase efficiency, and drive sales.
It’s important that policymakers digest this research and listen to small sellers’ stories that demonstrate how small businesses are thriving in today’s landscape. The modern retail space has endless choices and ways to succeed, which adds up to remarkable optimism, as 94% of small online sellers are confident their business will grow in the next four years.
Brandon and Julie Fuhrmann loved cooking in their Manhattan apartment’s kitchen — despite its extremely modest proportions. To maximize the kitchen’s utility, they started designing creative, space-efficient kitchenware and tools. Their innovations worked so well, they decided to share them with other design-conscious home chefs, launching online kitchenware shop Cooler Kitchen in 2014. Now in…
When Jessica Davidoff realized her son was severely allergic to corn — present in some 75% of America’s processed foods — she started experimenting with alternative grains to provide him with healthy, delicious snacks. Her breakthrough came with sorghum, an ancient “super grain” packed with nutrients and antioxidants. “It pops just like corn, but it’s…
After two decades working in corporate marketing — including a stint running a beauty-products brand — Sherrel Sampson wanted to use her product-innovation expertise to start her own hair-care company. Interested in providing ultra-gentle hair-care products to people with itchy, irritated scalps, in 2015 Sherrel started conducting research at farmer’s markets, speaking with potential customers…
With time to fill during the Covid pandemic, then-high school senior Michael King II dreamed of starting his own business. When he told his mother, Javonnia Jackson, she supported his aspirations and offered to partner with him. In 2021, the duo launched Michael Alexander Official, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based streetwear brand that also sells accessories…
When Ryan Barrie worked at a restaurant during college, he wanted a rugged apron that would withstand the demands of daily use. Unable to find an apron that met his needs, he crafted a leather one and started selling aprons with the help of his brother Michael. The brothers launched their company Hardmill in 2012,…
In 2020, at the height of Covid lockdowns, Mikey Kim found himself without a job and confined to his apartment. What began as a hobby in his cramped Los Angeles apartment became Hemlock Park, a thriving all-natural candle business. As customer demand grew and candles overtook his living space, Mikey relocated to Reno, Nevada, taking…
While living with roommates after college and serving as a campus minister, Asher Frailey began crafting custom furniture for his Fort Worth, Texas home. When a record console he posted on Facebook Marketplace sold immediately — and more requests for custom pieces came in — Asher, an architect by training, knew he had the beginnings…
A veteran of the high-end leather furniture industry, Luca Ricci found himself disappointed by the quality of many luxury consumer brands’ leather goods. Sensing an opportunity, in 2017, he launched his own leather goods business, The Dust Company. Handcrafted by a team of eight Italian artisans and featuring classic designs and colors, the Dust Company’s…
Ten years ago, Kent Yoshimura and Ryan Chen — elite athletes and best friends — had a bold idea: They wanted to make a product that improved people’s energy, focus, and productivity, but was more portable and effective than an energy drink. The result was Neuro Gum, an all-natural chewing gum containing energizing ingredients, including…
Glendale, Arizona Pet-products industry veteran Jessica Berger launched Bundle x Joy in 2022. The dog-care brand offers healthy food, treats, and toys for dogs, and stylish merch for proud dog moms. With a core mission of empowerment, the business partners with local and women-owned businesses and donates three percent of every purchase to support women…
While searching for a new job, Purvi Desai started making and selling her own all-natural lip balms, face masks, and skin toner. They were a hit at local farmers’ markets, so Purvi decided to turn her hobby into a full-time business. Since founding Zaaina Skincare in 2010, Purvi has expanded her offerings to over 40…
Oronoco, MN Beth (Fynbo) Benike of Oronoco, MN, quickly identified a problem all new parents deal with shortly after her son was born. She put an end to the “toddler toss” and invented Busy Baby, the first-ever food-grade silicon mat that provides a clean place for a baby’s food and keeps their toys and utensils…