Is Selling Coffee Online Profitable?

Planning to venture out from just a casual coffee lover to becoming a coffee entrepreneur can be nerve-racking. Is selling coffee online profitable? Rean on to help you decide.

Shot of a young man using a digital tablet while working in a coffee shop - Is selling coffee online profitable
Online coffee business would be a great idea during a pandemic

The pandemic has caused many of us to stay at home, especially during the onset. As a result, many companies have shifted to a work-from-home setting to keep their businesses afloat, but it’s undeniable that a chunk of the nation’s workforce has lost their jobs.

The pandemic also created an opportunity for some, as the number of entrepreneurs who started their own businesses at home reached a staggering 4.4 million, a 24.3% increase from 2019! With the United States remaining the world’s largest market for coffee, selling the beverage online is timely and can be profitable.

Rise Above The Coffee Clutter

You might get intimidated by the number of competitors out there, including conglomerates such as Starbucks and Tim Horton’s. Still, with the evolving buying habits of today’s generation, you won’t run out of room.

Coffee lovers are always on the lookout for new flavors and variants in the market, so the key to winning their hearts is to set yourself apart from them. Since our beloved beverage is highly dependent on personal taste and preference, this can be a breeze if you do your research well.

Read our tips and instructions to learn how to market your coffee brand and sell it online!

3 Advantages Of Selling Coffee Online

When you’ve decided to become a coffee entrepreneur, a question might come to mind. Should you sell it through the internet, or should you establish your own coffee shop? While having a café has its benefits, let me list some advantages of selling coffee online instead.

1. Convenient And Time-Efficient

In the past, if you quit your day job to run your own business, you lost your source of active income. With the current work-from-home setting, selling coffee online can now be an effective side hustle without quitting. 

Shot of a man spending quality time with his young son at home
Running your own business can give you plenty of time for yourself and your family

Running your own business can give you plenty of time for yourself and your family. You don’t waste time commuting to and from your office. You can use these extra hours building your coffee empire or having quality time with your loved ones.

2. Selling Online Is Economical

Since you’re now working in the comfort of your home, you can omit your budget for space rentals, employee payrolls, and equipment and allot the extra funds to build your brand and expand your presence online. Of course, this will depend on what kind of coffee you’ll be selling, so it’s always advisable to budget it wisely.

3. What To Look Out For In Selling Coffee Online

I mentioned that your coffee brand should be unique and be marketed successfully through the internet. So the thing you should look out for is how your product will connect to your potential consumers. 

They won’t be able to smell your brand of coffee through their phone screen, and they certainly won’t be able to taste it until they purchase it. That’s why it’s important to have a visually-appealing social media page or website to pique their interest. 

Your online platform should visualize to your audience the flavor and the aroma of your product as if they are in their nearest Starbucks outlet. When describing your coffee, be as detailed and creative as possible to aid your customers. 

It doesn’t stop there. Your website should also look trustworthy as online scams are prevalent today, and your market is wary of this. 

Personally, this might be the most challenging part as you need to build trust by welcoming comments and reviews to your site. Be responsive and open-minded with the feedback and you’ll be able to hurdle this obstacle in no time.

Check out our list of the best coffee websites for 2022 to give you a clearer picture of what I’m trying to say.

Explore Different Online Avenues

Try to avoid becoming a one-trick pony when you sell your coffee online. You may have the best website or Facebook page, but utilizing other social media sites and e-commerce platforms will make your brand more profitable.

modern business man using laptop and smartphone
You can use social media in promoting your business

You can use Twitter to interact with consumers personally. It’s the perfect platform to get their feedback which can help you improve your coffee. Take advantage of Instagram to share eye-catching photos of your product to your audience and redirect them to your website to fully introduce the brand to them.

It’s also a viable option to work with e-commerce sites such as Amazon. Its reviews section can give you reliable evaluation, which you can utilize to capture a niche market. The company also has a program which they call Fulfillment by Amazon, which helps online entrepreneurs with the selling, storing, and shipping of products.

Big businesses always start small. If you’re planning to make the jump to becoming a coffeepreneur, be prepared. You can always look back at our guides to help you out.

Author

  • Renz Lyndon Paguio

    His love for java originated from sidewalk vendors offering cheap 3-in-1 instant coffees poured in styrofoam cups. If he’s not in a studio or in an event venue, you’ll find RL crafting his own cold brew or sharing his experiences to fellow coffeephiles.