How to Start a Green Ecommerce Business

Image Pexels CC0 License

Ecommerce is a thriving industry. During the pandemic, the demand for shopping online accelerated at an unprecedented growth, with eCommerce stores enjoying a vast boost in sales while physical stores were forced to stay closed. Research suggests the eCommerce industry was worth approximately 768 billion USD in 2021 and is expected to reach a value in excess of 1.3 trillion USD by 2025. These eye-watering figures show that the eCommerce industry is a lucrative business to be in. But, while launching an online store presents an opportunity to build your income, you may be worried about the environmental impact of eCommerce shopping. With this in mind, here are some tips to help you start a green eCommerce business:

Financial Considerations

One of the first things you will need to do before launching your eCommerce business is to figure out how you will accept payments. Opting for a wordpress payment plugin is a fast and efficient way to accept payments on your eCommerce store. But, as well as accepting payments, you may want to consider how you can do more with the money you earn. Joining a scheme that enables you to offset your business’s carbon footprint by donating a portion of your business’s profits may be something you would like to investigate further. There are many different carbon offsetting projects available, so researching these to find the one that best aligns with your values is a great idea. 

Pick Your Packaging Carefully

To keep your green credentials intact, it is essential to choose your packaging for your eCommerce store carefully. Many eCommerce companies use excessive amounts of packaging, and it is not always clear to the customer how best to recycle these. Ensuring that your goods are transported carefully is essential, but you must also minimize the waste generated by your packaging. Purchasing eco-friendly packaging is an excellent way to stick with your aim of creating an eco-friendly eCommerce business. Choosing recycled packaging that can be recycled again or packaging that can be composted are all options worth considering.

Avoid Single-Use Plastic

The impact of single-use plastic on the environment has been widely documented, and everyone has seen the devastating effects that it has on wildlife. Committing to making your eCommerce store free from single-use plastic is an excellent way to reduce the waste that your business generates and lessen the potential environmental impact your business has on the environment.  

Select Suitable Products

If you are passionate about the environment, your eCommerce store presents a unique opportunity to share your passion with other people. Your online store provides you with the chance to help others to increase their eco-awareness and to begin living a greener life. You can achieve this by ensuring that you stock high-quality, eco-friendly items in your online store. From pollinator seeds that encourage bees to goods that are made from recycled and sustainable materials, there are many different products that you can stock that will help you to encourage others to live a greener life. 

###