Do you want to start a business selling essential oils? Or already sell oils but want more sales?
Selling aromatherapy products online can be very profitable. Customers love essential oils and are willing to pay good money.
In this simple guide, I will explain step-by-step how anyone can build a successful essential oils business on ecommerce sites.
Even if you're just starting out or don't have experience selling online, don't worry! Follow these tips and you'll be making big sales in no time.
Why Sell Essential Oils?
Essential oils are very popular right now. More and more people use them for health, beauty, relaxation and home use.
Some great reasons to sell essential oils:
High demand - Lots of people search for and buy oils online. The market is growing fast.
High profits - Oils cost little but sell for high prices. You can make good margins.
Repeating sales - Customers often buy again after trying oils. It’s an addictive product!
Simple to sell - Just take nice photos, write good descriptions, ship orders. Easy!
Work from home - Run your oils business from anywhere with an internet connection.
So if you want to earn money from a hot product that sells itself, essential oils are perfect!
Choose Where to Sell Your Oils
You can sell essential oils in many places online. I recommend these easy options to start:
1. Ecommerce Marketplaces
Sell on popular sites like Etsy, eBay, Amazon, Shopee or Lazada. You get instant access to millions of buyers.
Pros:
- Huge number of buyers ready to purchase.
- Free to list products.
- Sites handle payments and shipping.
- Easy to get started fast.
Cons:
- Commission fees per sale.
- Need to follow marketplace rules.
- More competitors on site.
Overall marketplaces are the fastest and easiest way to start selling oils online.
2. Your Own Website
Having your own site gives a professional image. But takes more time and money to set up.
Pros:
- Full control over branding & design.
- No commissions or fees.
- Collect customer emails & data.
Cons:
- Need to pay for hosting, domain name.
- Must drive own traffic via ads, SEO.
- Handle all shipping, returns, support.
I suggest starting on a marketplace first. Then launch your standalone site later.
3. Social Commerce Sites
New platforms like Facebook and Instagram Shops, TikTok Shop let you sell directly via social media.
Pros:
- Tap into existing followers/fans.
- Native mobile shopping experience.
- Low fees compared to other sites.
Cons:
- Limited ecommerce features.
- Less marketing data than marketplaces.
- Must build large follower count first.
Social selling works best if you already have a strong follower base. Use it to complement other sales channels.
Choose Your Essential Oils Carefully
Not all essential oils are made equal! To maximize profits, choose oils that:
Appeal to mass market - Oils like lavender, peppermint, tea tree have broad appeal. Start with popular fragrances.
Offer high margins - Check supplier pricing. Oils like frankincense, sandalwood have high markups.
Are pure quality - 100% pure therapeutic grade oils sell for higher prices. Avoid synthetic fragrance oils.
Have high demand - Research search volume and competition for different oil varieties. Pick best sellers.
Are versatile - Oils with many uses appeal to more customers. Eg: lemon oil smells nice and also cleans.
Have high repeat sales - Some oils like clove, rosemary encourage repeat purchases due to frequent use.
Choosing the right oils for your shop can mean the difference between mediocre sales and selling out fast!
Create Great Listings Your Customers Will Love
Now it’s time to make some sales! Show off your oils in irresistible listings:
1. Awesome Photos
Great photos are critical. Use:
High-resolution images - Clear, sharp pictures attract buyers. Use a good camera or phone.
Natural lighting - Bright, natural light flatters oils. Avoid flash and harsh lighting.
White or light background - This highlights the colors and textures of oils beautifully.
Multiple angles - Show the bottle label close up as well as the oil color through the glass.
Lifestyle photos - Pictures of oils in use help customers imagine using them.
With eye-catching photos, customers can clearly see your amazing oils and will be eager to buy them.
2. Seductive Titles
Get clicks with irresistible listing titles like:
- “Pure Lavender Essential Oil - Relax, Sleep, Stress Relief!”.
- “Eucalyptus Oil 100% Natural Cold & Congestion Relief - Amazing!”.
Use words that speak directly to what customers want. Be specific about benefits.
3. Compelling Descriptions
The details in your description can trigger a purchase. Include:
Benefits - Explain what the oil does eg: “Alleviates headache pain and nausea”.
Uses - Share how to use it eg: “Add to bath water for a relaxing soak”.
Ingredients - State pure ingredients eg: “100% pure lavender essential oil”.
Size - Note bottle volume eg: “10ml glass bottle with dropper”.
Quality - Highlight purity eg: “Highest therapeutic grade for maximum effectiveness”.
Thorough descriptions build trust and help customers choose the right oils.
Price Your Oils for Maximum Profit
How you price your oils makes a big difference in profits. Follow these tips:
Check competitor pricing for each oil variety. Match or go slightly below lowest price.
Factor in costs - bottle, labels, oil, shipping. Decide your minimum needed profit margin.
If you're just starting out, aim for at least 100% markup over costs. As you grow, 200-300% margins are possible.
Higher priced oils have room for bigger markups. Aim for 2-3X cost for premium oils like frankincense.
Bundle oils at a discount for higher perceived value. Eg: Peppermint + Lavender duo pack.
Offer promotions like discounts or free gifts to attract first sales. But don’t go too low.
Gradually increase prices over time as you build your brand and following.
Pricing oils profitably yet competitively takes some savvy. But the high margins make the effort worthwhile!
Step Up Your Sales With These Pro Tips
Use these advanced tactics to unlock your oils full money-making potential:
1. Upsell Bundled Sets
Encourage customers to spend more by offering:
Collections - Eg: “Headache Relief Trio” with peppermint, lavender and frankincense oils.
Gift packs - Pre-packaged sets around a theme like “Ultimate Relaxation” or “Natural Cold Care”.
Bigger sizes - Cross-sell larger bottles for frequent users.
Bundling oils raises average order value. Customers love curated sets!
2. Offer Samples & Freebies
Attract first-time buyers with:
Free samples of 1-2ml with purchases over a threshold.
Free small extras like ebooks, roller balls, labels.
Coupons for next purchase.
This hooks new customers and encourages repeat orders.
3. Create Your Own Blends
Unique proprietary blends have high perceived value. Mix and test different combinations like:
Head clearing blend - rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus.
Stress relief blend - lavender, orange, chamomile.
Name and brand your distinctive mixes. Set higher prices for exclusive blends.
4. Specialize in Niche Oils
Curate unique selections around:
Childcare – gentle oils like lavender, chamomile.
Pets – calming oils like cedarwood safe for animals.
Cooking – culinary oils like lemon, cinnamon, peppermint.
Male care – masculine scents like sandalwood and pine.
Focus attracts connoisseurs willing to spend more. Become known for specialties.
Getting creative with sales strategies will boost your $ per customer and build a loyal following.
Master Order Fulfillment & Delight Customers
You’ve made the sales - now deliver exceptional service so customers buy again!
- Fast shipping - Ship orders within 1-2 days. Offer expedited shipping options.
Safe packaging - Use bubble wrap, peanuts or air bags to prevent oil bottles from breaking.
Quality materials - Purchase nice boxes, tissue paper, branding like stickers to look professional.
Free samples - Include 1-2ml sample bottles of bonus oils to delight customers.
Thank you notes - Handwrite quick personal messages on cards or invoices.
Care instructions - Print tips on using, storing, best practices for getting results.
Follow up emails - Check in a week later to see if they’re enjoying the oils.
Rewards program - Offer $ off or free products after X purchases to encourage loyalty.
Respond quickly - Answer any customer emails or concerns ASAP, ideally within hours.
Delivering 5-star service ensures repeat purchases and happy loyal ambassadors for your brand.
Grow Your Shop With Simple Marketing
Now that your shop is up and running smoothly, get the word out! Some easy tactics:
Social media - Share your shop page and new products on your Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok.
hashtags - Use popular tags like #essentialoils, #holisticliving, #wellness to be found.
Influencer marketing - Send free oils to microinfluencers in health/wellness niche and ask them to post.
Pinterest - Create eye-catching product pins focused on popular uses like stress relief or skin care.
Reviews - Politely ask happy customers to leave positive reviews on your online shop and social channels.
Retargeting ads - Remarket to previous site visitors who haven’t purchased yet via platforms like Facebook and Google.
Email list - Offer opt-in discounts or content to build an email subscriber list to directly market to.
SEO - Research keyword demand and optimize listings/content to improve search ranking over time.
Start simple and double down on what gets results. Consistent marketing grows your oils empire on autopilot.
Track Performance & Continuously Improve
Successful sellers constantly optimize their shops. Analyze metrics to identify new opportunities:
Best selling oils - Stock up on top performers.
Most popular uses - Create content and bundles tailored for high-demand uses.
Highest converting - Improve listings for customer favorites with great response.
Customer demographics - Tailor marketing and products for your key buyer types.
Traffic sources - Invest more in high volume channels.
Margins per oil - Adjust pricing to increase profitability.
Seasonal trends - Ride waves of demand around holidays, weather, school year.
Regularly evaluate performance metrics across marketing, sales, costs, fulfillment. Keep improving!
You're Ready to Start Selling Essential Oils!
That wraps up my complete step-by-step guide to selling essential oils successfully online!
As you can see, selling aromatherapy products is an amazing business opportunity for anyone to earn great money.
Essential oils are hot sellers with devoted buyers. And running your own online oils shop allows for high margins and a flexible lifestyle.
Just start small, focus on top sellers, provide great service, reinvest profits to grow. Before you know it, you’ll have a thriving business and passive essential oils income!
I hope you enjoyed this beginner tutorial. Please let Lameco's team know if you have any other questions!
Now get out there and start selling essential oils like a pro! Your bright future awaits!