Title: Transitioning from Marketplace Sales to Direct Website Purchases: A Family Olive Mill’s Journey
In the heart of southwest Turkey, my family has been dedicated to the art of olive oil production for decades. With a rich history of milling oil exclusively for other brands, I felt it was time to pivot and establish our own brand. At the age of 28, I took the bold step of bottling carefully selected batches of our premium olive oil under our own label, an endeavor that has breathed new life into our family business.
As we embraced this exciting new chapter, we invested effort into creating a robust online presence. Our website was launched, showcasing our olive oil and its unique qualities, and we began exploring various advertising strategies to reach a wider audience. However, it wasn’t long before an experienced marketing advisor brought a critical insight to my attention: while customers were learning about our olive oil, they faced obstacles when trying to purchase it directly from our website.
Currently, the bulk of our sales are occurring on established marketplaces like Etsy and Trendyol. This reliance on third-party platforms raises an important question for us as we seek to grow our direct-to-consumer sales: At what stage should we guide customers to our own website, instead of or in addition to these marketplaces? Should we prioritize building our reputation with reviews and social proof on these platforms before shifting focus to our own site, or is it better to direct traffic to our website from the outset?
I am reaching out to fellow small business owners for insights and shared experiences. What strategies did you implement when transitioning your customer base from marketplaces to your own online store? Did you find success in accumulating reviews and feedback on third-party platforms first, or was an early focus on your website essential for your growth?
I genuinely appreciate any advice or anecdotes from those who have navigated this journey. As we continue to refine our approach to sales and marketing, insights from others in the industry will be invaluable.
To learn more about our story and explore our olive oil offerings, please visit our website: https://karataszeytinyagi.com. Your feedback is welcome!
