How to Sell Essential Oils Online: A Guide for Beginners

Have you always been interested in starting an essential oil business but need help figuring out the process?

Many people do!

And contrary to others' opinions, you don't have to be a wellness advocate or an expert to sell these oils.

With some basic tools, reliable partners, plus a genuine desire to succeed, you can start earning remotely, minus all the logistical hassle.

This article will show you how to sell essential oils online to earn extra money without setting up a brick-and-mortar store.

What You'll Need to Sell Essential Oils Online

Your essential oil business starter kit can vary depending on the method you choose for selling.

However, there are some non-negotiable must-haves to ace online competition:

• Product or Brand: What essential oils are you selling? Stock on in-demand selections and build your branding strategy on them. The best essential oils have a solid fanbase you can capitalize on.
• Essential Oil Packaging: Always consider the custom-label material and container, whether plastic or tinted glass bottles. These factors don't only impact your products' aesthetics - they affect the price too.
• Business Name: Your store must have a name unless you're reselling essential oils from other brands. Keep it short, simple, and unique.
• Third-party Logistics Partner: Find an experienced logistics company if your chosen manufacturer needs a storage facility or in-house shipping solutions.
• Website or Online Store: Investing in an eCommerce website or online shopping account is your means of doing business. You can build your site using paid hosting services or create seller accounts on popular platforms like Amazon.

Where to Sell Essential Oils Online

Here are the three top places to start this lucrative hustle:

1. Shopify

Shopify is a user-friendly solution for online sellers who want an easy-to-build digital storefront.

Users can choose from its four subscription plans to start building websites, manage marketing initiatives from the platform's dashboard, and generate shop analytics.

Get the full details on how to sell on Shopify here.

What Makes this Option Great

Shopify is great for freelancers and small businesses looking to build a brand.

Its robust customization features make it an ideal avenue to scale your aromatherapy business.

It's also an excellent option for centralizing your social media marketing strategies, given its compatibility with third-party integration tools.

• Fees/Commission: Shopify's subscription plan starts at $9 and is up to $299 monthly.
• Payment Methods: Popular payment methods include credit cards, PayPal, Meta Pay, Amazon Pay, and Apple Pay. Users can also arrange to be paid using crypto.

2. Amazon

Amazon's a global powerhouse in online selling and is a perfect fit if you're looking at selling essential oils through dropshipping.

While you won't have control over your store design, you're given access to its powerful marketing features like paid ads to make selling on Amazon easier.

What Makes this Option Great

Amazon is great for attracting global customers.

It's a perfect avenue for startups to tap into the platform's vast consumer demographic.

• Fees/Commission: Amazon's Individual Plan costs 99 cents per item sold, while its Professional Plan costs $39 monthly. Other Amazon fees also apply depending on the product category and fulfillment method.
• Payment Methods: Credit and debit cards, Business Prime or Amazon Business American Express, Invoices, Checking Accounts, and Gift Cards.

3. Ecwid

Ecwid's an eCommerce platform best used as an add-on to an existing website.

Its free plan allows you to showcase up to 10 products, perfect for beginners who don't have much going on yet in their essential oils business.

You can also build a single-page standalone site as your brand's landing page.

Ecwid's mobile-friendly, making it easier to sell essential oils and other types of products online even while on the go.

What Makes this Option Great

This tool is great for sellers with a running website or planning to host it elsewhere.

Ecwid can be added as a widget. From here, you can use its drag-and-drop feature to build an attractive shopping page within your website.

• Fees/Commission: Ecwid starts with a Free Plan that limits you to up to 10 products. Its premium plan starts at $15 and can go up to $99 monthly. It doesn't charge any additional transaction fees.
• Payment Methods: Ecwid has many payment methods, including credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Stripe. Check Ecwid's list of payment systems along with the supported countries.

How to Sell Essential Oils Online: Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Partner with a Quality Essential Oil Manufacturer

The long-term success of your business depends on your product quality.

The best way to do this is to get them from manufacturers with a proven track record of providing top-grade essential oils.

Look for entities with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification.

Top producers in the market today include Vitality Works and Dreaming Earth Botanicals.

Step 2: Decide on the Type of Packaging

The container you choose depends on how the products are intended to be used.

For example, a roller bottle is an excellent choice if you're looking at a topical application.

Tinted glasses are recommended for essential oil bottles over plastic containers as they help protect the products from UV rays.

It's also more durable than plastic, making it ideal for corrosive oils like lemongrass, cinnamon leaf, and oregano oil.

And think of how you want to package the items.

Most sellers opt for small and styled paperboard boxes.

Others go with hard paper bags printed with their company logo.

Step 3: Craft Unique Product Labels

You'd want the product labels to be appealing without overwhelming your buyers.

Limiting the visuals to one font style and graphics is a great rule.

This helps maximize the available space on your label.

You can use velvet or metallic plastic labels to give it a premium feel or save this option for your bestselling products.

Don't fret if you don't know how to design the labels yourself.

Many trusted manufacturers offer customized packaging to their partners as an add-on service.

Step 4: Develop a Solid Online Marketing Strategy

If you decide to sell on any online platform, you must sign up for an account.

Also, decide on the social media platforms you'd want to advertise.

Creating a solid marketing strategy combines tools, timing, and relevance.

Learn your market's online shopping behavior.

What days are they most active? Do they engage more in graphics or visual ads?

Understanding what appeals to your target niche helps you craft online messaging that attracts customers and converts to sales.

Step 5: Price It Right

Different pricing models are involved in online selling, but flat-rate pricing is the most applicable for the essential oils business.

You factor in all variable costs like customized packaging and decide on its final price.

The key is to test and adjust your pricing based on your competition and customer behavior.

For starters, you want to ensure your items stay within the average price range of your competitors.

Things to Consider When Selling Essential Oils Online

As with most online gigs, essential oil businesses are not for everyone.

But if you've decided to give this a go, remember these vital considerations before investing time, energy, and money into it:

Supplier Credibility

Partnering with manufacturers who've been in business for years is always safer.

If they haven't, they should at least exhibit high client satisfaction ratings and showcase buyer testimonials on their websites or social media accounts.

Reading online reviews is also a great way to gauge a company's credibility.

Essential Oil Custom Blends

Cult-favorite picks like lavender essential oil are a must-have in your inventory, but you shouldn't shy away from creating a product selection unique from what your industry competitors are offering.

What other substances can your partner manufacturers add?

Remember that there's a plethora of herbs available for blending. Why only settle for Peppermint when you can blend it with Rosemary or Grapefruit?

Business Model

How do you wish to start selling?

If your idea of selling essential oils only revolves around marketing and promotion, then dropshipping through Amazon's FBA model is a great way to start.

You don't store the products.

You don't even see it before it's shipped to the buyers.

On the other hand, creating an online store or a website and partnering with suppliers is necessary if you want to have a personal touch on your essential oils.

In-house Inventory

Having secure and conducive storage for your essential oils is necessary unless you're getting a third-party service to store them.

This can mean added cost, which will impact your product price.

Why You Should Consider Selling Essential Oils Online

There are reasons why online sellers consider the essential oils business a lucrative industry.

Here are four that can help you understand why it's attractive for small-time entrepreneurs:

• Strong Demand: Essential oil business is projected to become an $18 billion industry by 2028. This reflects the global market's growing demand for the product.
• High Marketability: Essential oil buyers are spread across varied age demographics, allowing you to be more creative and dynamic in your marketing strategies.
• Simple Business Model: You don't have to write a whole business plan to start selling essential oils. You pick one method to do it, follow the process, and you're set.
• Large Potential to Increase Revenue: This industry allows you to create custom essential oil blends to widen your product line to help generate sales.

Problems With Selling Essential Oils Online

Online selling has considerable risks, extending to wellness products like essential oils.

Here are some issues to think about before investing in this business:

Minimal to No Control Over Logistics

Selling essential oils, primarily through affiliate marketing and dropshipping, removes you from production.

This means you won't have any say in product packaging and quality checks.

While this sounds more convenient, it also means you can't act on negative feedback when buyers aren't satisfied with the product to improve it.

No Control on Commission Rates

Unless you own the essential oil company, most of your earnings will come from commissions, which is a predetermined figure. You won't have the authority to change it.

To increase commissions, you need to sell more. It can quickly turn into a rat race if you're not in it for the long haul.

Difficulty Finding Quality Essential Oil Producers

As the demand for these products grows, so as the number of producers. Finding trusted partners that sell multiple products enough to build your customer base can be difficult.

Takes Time to Build a Brand

Selling essential oils online is easy. Building a brand that encourages repeat customers is trickier and can take time, even for experienced entrepreneurs.

The product's target market is looking for health and wellness; if your brand doesn't fulfill that, they'll be unlikely to repurchase.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Are the Main Buyers of Essential Oils?

Aromatherapy's main audience is primarily women, but research done in 2020 suggests a growing interest in this product among millennials.

Based on social media discussions and purchases, they drive sales, trends, and changes in essential oil blends.

What Are the Most Popular Essential Oils to Sell Online?

Lavender is considered by many as the most popular pick because of its calming and soothing effect.

Other in-demand selections include Peppermint, Lemon, Frankincense, Cedarwood, Oregano, and Grapefruit.

Similar Tutorials to Check Out

Online selling has soared in popularity since the pandemic, but the options are vast!

Here are other opportunities to earn money online:

• How To Start an Online Jewelry Business: This one's a perfect match for anyone into jewelry and accessories. You'll get practical tips to help you get started from scratch.
• How to Start a Business on Etsy: Here's your guide to joining and earning money from the world's most creative and unique marketplace!
• How to Start a Virtual Assistant Business: The business where you and your team members' skills are the product! Learn what you need to start earning remotely.

Wrapping Up

Selling essential oils may sound like a lot of work, but you don't need to do it alone.

You can focus on its creative and fun aspect by partnering with suppliers who does the bulk of the production, including your preferred customization for an added personal touch.

What are your thoughts on starting an essential oils business?

Let's hear them in the comments! And if you liked this guide, don't forget to share it.