Mzansi! Thinking about a business but worried about costs?
Whether you’re at home in the Eastern Cape or in an apartment in Cape Town, you don’t need a lot of capital to start running an online business.
Shopify offers an easy way to start your own online enterprise from home – all you need is an idea.
The pros and cons of a home-based business
Whether selling stuff online or providing a service, a home-based business means working for yourself, full-time or on a part-time basis.
Here are some pros and cons to running a business from home:
The pros
- Less or no additional costs for transport.
- Possible tax rebates from SARS.
- Having more free time, especially if you're a single parent or looking after your grandchildren.
- You can give family or friends jobs to help make your business a success while providing an income to them.
The cons
- For an online business, you'll need a laptop or smartphone with a fast internet connection, mobile data, and/or free Wi-Fi to process, run, and update your website.
- Depending on your business, you'll need to comply with regulations from your local municipality. For instance, if you plan to make and sell food from your premises.
- If you're working by yourself, it can become a bit lonely, especially if you enjoy being around people.
5 home business ideas for South Africans
There are several ways to start an online business, but these are considered some of the best and the easiest.
Sell homemade products
Are you good at making something by hand? Or do you know someone who's gifted at crafting goods — even if they're not made at home? Having control over the quality of products means that you can tailor-make your designs to a customer's specifications or target a specific market.
From home-baked goods to handcrafted, custom clothing, these kinds of products are an easy sell to the right person.
Mathew Nielsen started MatBlac to monetise his obsession with handcrafting functional and beautiful leather goods. What began as a hobby in his parent's garage when he was a teen bloomed into a full-on, successful business.
Today, MatBlac has its own workshop at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town.
Buy products in bulk and sell them online
If you've found something useful or beautiful that's not available in your hometown, why not buy a bunch and resell yourself? Many international suppliers are open to South Africans buying in bulk and reselling to the local market.
All you need to achieve this is:
- A website to showcase your products.
- Extra space in your home to store your products.
- Easy access to your local Post Office to receive your goods.
Start a print-on-demand business
Custom, print-on-demand services really appeals to niche markets.
Apparel is the leading category for Shopify stores in SA. Online shops like Vannie Kaap and Mervrou & Co have taken words and phrases from their respective heritage and put it on clothes, accessories, and even masks — encouraging people to wear their heritage with pride.
The most appealing aspect of this business model is that you don't need to hold a lot of stock as goods are made to order. All you need is design skills (or access to a designer) and a printer you can work with.
Offer online services
Time is money and working from home allows you more time to, well work — without distractions from colleagues or travelling.
By offering an online service, you'll be working with several clients. These services can be:
- Freelance writing.
- Graphic design.
- Virtual PA.
- Digital marketing.
You can offer subscriptions and upsells directly in Checkout, ideal for online services like personal training or home fitness. For example, JEFF. Fitness offers online group training, in which members can work out from home and enjoy the benefits of a supportive, goal-orientated community. In addition to their memberships they sell merchandise, 1-on-1 coaching and tickets to their live events.
Productise your service or expertise
When you offer an online service, you're delivering a product. However, when you productise your service or expertise, you're adding to your products or services, which can include:
- Selling your photography.
- Creating digital templates for people to download.
- Merchandise for your personal brand.
- Writing eBooks or instruction manuals.
- Developing courses.
Naledi Gootsch worked as a chef at a family restaurant, while her future business partner, James Chriwa, was learning everything he could about distilling gin. They combined their passion for flavours and distilling to productise their expertise and create Ledi Craft Gin.
From working in kitchens to being interviewed on TV, their craft gin is now available online and in leading bottle stores worldwide.
Build a business you're proud of
Deciding on a home business idea depends on what you want to achieve. Are you looking to have more free time or just passionate about making a specific product?
Whatever you choose to do, technology has made it so much easier to bridge the gap between achieving and owning a successful business. So, by setting your goals wisely, you can quickly start your own business and nurture it into becoming a fully-developed brand.