Test a product on bol without a big inventory

With a small stock you can sell a product on bol and at the same time learn how much work an order costs you. Choose one question for the test in advance. For example whether customers buy this product at your intended price and keep it. Also decide when you stop. Then you can decide afterwards without the remaining boxes influencing your judgment.

Choose one product and one variant

Test for example a set of cable clips in one colour and packaging size. That way you know which offering generated the orders. Look at a few similar products on bol. Note price, packaging unit and complaints that occur frequently. If customers write that clips come loose on a wooden desk, use your sample to check exactly that. Check before purchasing whether the item meets the terms of bol meets.

Set the boundaries of your test

A fictitious test plan for an existing seller: twelve deliverable units, 21 days online and a budget of €150. In this example €84 goes to the party, €24 to an optional advertising budget and €42 to the first packaging, shipping and setbacks. Work with quotes and rates for your own item. If the supplier only delivers per hundred, choose another supplier or adjust the plan before you order.

Publish the offer as soon as the items are checked and sellable. Set in your sales account the stock you can actually deliver. Write on the first day the price, photos, promised delivery time and any advertising settings. If you need to correct something along the way, note the date. That way you can see whether orders came in before or after the change.

Measure orders and what they generate

• Track how many people view your product, as far as your sales report shows, and how many orders you receive.
• Record per order what remains after purchase cost, commission, packaging, shipping and any ads.
• Register cancellations, returns and customer inquiries separately. Also note your time for packing and service.

A possible decision rule for this test is at least six retained orders and an average €3 contribution per retained order, after accounting for the variable costs of the trial. These are chosen limits for the example. Wait with your final judgment until the return periods of the last orders have elapsed.

Decide which next step the numbers justify

Few viewed. Check whether your offer was active and deliverable and whether buyers could find it. You then have little information about sellability. Often viewed, few ordered. Compare your total price, delivery promise and product page with the offer a customer sees right next to it. Choose one adjustment for the next test. Ordered, but too little left. Recalculate your purchase and shipping costs before you lock in more stock.

Do the chosen limits work for you and does the work fit alongside your job? First find out how long your supplier needs for a repeat order. A small second party gives you extra sales data before you scale up.

Explore the offering with the Zoloo Product Tracker before you decide what to test. Use that market data as a basis for your own trial. Also check the other side hustle ideas if you want to start with a smaller budget.