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DesktopShipper- DesktopShipper
Free Resources for E-commerce Business Owners
Updated: Jul 12
When starting a business, the number one stressor is money. The adage is true, “you have to spend money to make money,” but a business can become more efficient by cutting spending in certain areas. When a company is in its infancy, one must continuously learn, looking for crucial information about the industry or market without spending millions on education year to year. How does one do this efficiently? You look for free resources. Thanks to the internet, many free resources help solve any business problems that may pop up. While multiple businesses have various issues to solve, a guide explicitly offers free resources for e-commerce businesses.
Marketing/Sales Resources:
Social Media Examiner
Business Coach Instagram Feeds
Webinars
HubSpot
The Library
Salesforce
LinkedIn Learning
Coursera
Local Entrepreneur Groups
Board of Directors
Team Education Resources:
LinkedIn Learning
The Library
Workplace Surveys
YouTube
Partnership Exchange
Local Universities/Colleges
Community Forums
Marketplace Resources:
Entrepreneur Online Articles
Local News
National Business News
Stock Market
Customer Surveys (offer discounts to fill out)
Community Partners/Business Partners
Shipping Resources:
YouTube
BigCommerce Blog
Shopify Blog
USPS
FedEx
UPS
Visible SCM
Pitney Bowes
The US government (international shipping)
LinkedIn Learning
Coursera (supply chain management courses)
DesktopShipper’s Favorite Free Resources:
YouTube
The Library
Community Forums
US Census
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Forums
The News
Online Publications
Have More Time?
Networking: Informational Interviews or professional groups.
LinkedIn Educational Groups
Facebook Groups: They are usually run by companies and are industry-specific. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Start one!
Mentorships
Webinars: They’re free when companies sponsor them.
Podcasts
We all recognize that building a massive company is challenging without investing time to educate oneself, but half the battle is figuring out what and where to find support. Free resources are a great way to discover your industry's ins and outs, learn the lingo, and study businesses' stories from before you. Relying on free resources is not only a great way to gain perspective but also allows you to delegate your budget elsewhere.