Starting an online tea store

That is a tall order. But I would start by saying you need a good variety of quality tea at reasonable prices. I am much more likely to buy from a new vendor if their prices are good. Also it is important to me that an unknown vendor accepts Paypal because of their purchase protection.

I’d definitely recomment getting resealable packaging for everything, it’s kind of a hassle having to transfer my tea into another package for storage. Also offer lots of samples and stuff like that, and I’d say a lot of size options is helpful too, and lots of pictures and let me know where the tea came from specifically, and when it was harvested and if it’s organic or machine harvested, and how it was processed; I want to have access to every possible thing that I could know about a tea

Thanks AllanK and Mackie!

What is really helpful for me is to have steeping instructions clearly listed on the website and directly on the packaging so I don’t have to hunt them down when I’m ready to make my tea. Also, having a wide variety of sizes available helps. I usually order a 1 ounce package of tea to try something out, but if I love it I’ll buy it 4, 8, or 16 ounces at a time. I’m less inclined to place an order with companies who offer a 2 ounce package as their smallest size. Including free samples with every order is nice, it allows me to branch out and try things I wouldn’t have normally ordered. I’ve discovered a lot of favorite teas this way. I’ll also love it when companies accept paypal, so I’d love to see it as a payment option. Above all else, make sure your site has a cohesive design, is easy to navigate, and doesn’t take a long time to load. I’m less likely to return for a second purchase if I’m frustrated with the way the site runs or if I’ve had difficulty finding the information I need.