How To Make Phone Cases In 2024 – Forbes Advisor – Technologist

As with any business, it takes a great deal of time and effort to launch a thriving phone case business. If you’re interested in pursuing this venture, these steps will steer you in the right direction.

1. Identify Your Niche and Target Audience

There’s no denying that the phone case industry is highly competitive. That’s why it’s up to you to figure out how you’ll stand out among the other individuals and businesses who are also selling phone cases online.

Do some research to determine what types of phone cases are out there and how you can differentiate your products and appeal to a specific target market. You can use social media, conduct focus groups and visit competitor websites.

2. Write a Business Plan

A business plan is a road map that outlines how you’ll structure, manage and scale your business. It can help you understand your strategy, uncover potential roadblocks and pinpoint resources. Typically, a business plan contains the following main components:

• Executive summary: This is an outline of your business idea and an overview of your plan. It should explain what you plan to sell, who you plan to sell it to and what you hope to accomplish. Check out our Business Plan Executive Summary template to help you get started.
• Market analysis: Your market analysis should describe your target audience and competition. Don’t forget to include details on the phone case industry, including the trends, size and growth projections.
• Product analysis: The product analysis is all about your phone cases. It should answer questions such as “What will they look like,” and “Will you make them from scratch or sell already made phone cases.”
• Financial plan: It’s a good idea to work with an accountant or other financial professional to help you create certain financial documents. These may be a balance sheet, income statement and cash-flow statement.

To learn more, read our How To Write a Business Plan guide and view our downloadable Simple Business Plan Template.

3. Register Your Business

Once you nail down the ins and outs of your business through your business plan, it’s time to register it. First, choose a business structure, such as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company or limited liability partnership. Then, obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN), and register for taxes based on the federal and state regulations that apply to you. Also, apply for any permits you may need.

4. Source Your Phone Cases

Now the fun part begins! Determine if you’d like to design your own phone cases or partner with a designer to help you out. Another option is to dropship phone cases that already exist. If you go the dropshipping route, you’ll sell a company’s phone cases on your website and act as an intermediary.

After a customer places an order, the company will ship the goods directly to them and you’ll keep the profits from the higher sale price. While dropshipping is convenient, it gives you less control of your phone cases and may lead to lower profit margins. Weigh the pros and cons of creating your own cases vs. dropshipping to determine the best option for you.

Learn more: How To Start A Dropshipping Business In 6 Simple Steps

5. Brand Your Business

You can think of your brand as your company’s identity. It will affect how others perceive you and usually includes elements, such as your business name, slogan, logo, colors, fonts and packaging. Once you zero in on your brand and create your elements, make sure you apply them consistently across all aspects of your business.

This means your brand should tell the same story on your website as it does on your social media channels and emails. Also, remember that your brand isn’t in stone and will likely change as your business evolves.

6. Price Your Phone Cases

Before you can go ahead and actually sell your phone cases, you’ll need to price them. To come up with a price point, consider your target audience, manufacturing costs, shipping costs and competitor costs. While you want to ensure that your price point allows you to earn a profit, overpricing your phone cases will likely deter some customers. Pricing is typically a trial-and-error process. You can try one price point and change it as necessary.

Featured Partners

Starting Price

$16 per month

E-commerce (low-priced plan)

Yes

Starting Price

$9.95 per month

Storage and bandwidth

Varies by plan

E-commerce (low-priced plan)

Yes

Starting Price

$23 per month

E-commerce (low-priced plan)

Yes

7. Set Up Your Online Store

Your online store will serve as a place for you to attract customers and finalize sales. You can build an online store using a top-rated e-commerce platform. Most platforms come with pre-designed templates that can allow you to easily customize your online store and open it up for business. Do your research and compare platforms to hone in on the right one for your particular budget and business goals. You may also sell your phone cases on popular marketplaces, including Etsy, Amazon and eBay.

8. Market Your Business

You’ll need to bring people to your online store and eventually convert them into paying customers. Fortunately, there are a variety of digital marketing strategies that can help you do just that. These include search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, paid search, influencer marketing and content marketing. If you’re unfamiliar with digital marketing, you may want to outsource it to a professional.