Top 7 Reasons You Should Be Using Self-Storage for Your E-Commerce Business

There’s no doubt about it—the digital world is an exciting place to be. And it seems as though everyone is suddenly an entrepreneur, setting up brands and selling their goods and services online.

But what many don’t realise is how helpful self-storage can be when starting an e-commerce business, and that’s why, as one of Sydney’s most trusted storage facilities, we’re sharing this list with our top 7 reasons why you should consider using self-storage for your e-commerce business. Let’s get to it!

1. Relieves Inventory Woes

If you’re just getting started in the e-commerce world, chances are you don’t have a huge warehouse to store your inventory. You’re likely the business owner, marketing specialist, packing pro, and shipping expert all rolled into one, and simply don’t have the funds to rent warehouse space.

This often means using your personal space as storage for inventory—a section of your garage…a spare bedroom suddenly becomes inventory central…boxes of inventory used as coffee tables in your living room—which can lead to feeling claustrophobic and cramped.

An easy solution can be found by renting a storage unit large enough to house your inventory. You’ll be able to quickly and easily access the items you need without tripping over them in your own home.

2. It’s an Economical Option

Some e-comm entrepreneurs choose to rent warehouse space for their merchandise but doing so can be costly and you may end up renting more (and paying for more) space than you need. Another thing to consider—many warehouses have standard hours of operation, which means you may not be able to access your products if you want to fill a late-night order.

Storage units can be rented in a variety of sizes, and many are accessible 24/7, allowing you to come and go as you please.

Renting space at a warehouse requires you to make multiple trips back and forth from home to warehouse as you shuttle carloads of merchandise and burn up your own gas. Many storage facilities, on the other hand, will offer you free use of their moving truck if they have one so be sure to ask if this service is available before renting your unit.

3. Improves Work-Life Balance

Starting a new business is exciting…but it can also be stressful, and if you’re forced to live in a space with your inventory piled to the ceiling it can feel as though you never get a break from work.

Having designated storage space for your merchandise, gets the physical reminder of your business out of your home, allowing you to better separate work life from private life and reducing the chance you’ll start to resent your business.

4. Perfect for Seasonal Business

Is yours a business selling custom water skis? Do you dabble in selling holiday décor? If you have a business that is significantly busier in a particular season, having a storage unit can be a real lifesaver.

There’s no quicker way to build resentment for your business than having tons of merch that doesn’t sell for half the year or more taking up space in your home, garage, or basement. Renting a storage unit is the perfect solution for seasonal businesses.

5. Storage Can Grow with Your Business

With storage units, there’s no need to try to guesstimate how big your business will grow. You can start with a small unit and then, as the business expands and the amount of inventory you need to store increases, you can move up in unit size incrementally instead of paying more for a large space that you may need for a few months.

You can rest easy, allowing your business to grow at its own pace and knowing larger units are nearby if and when you need them.

6. Potential Business Amenities

Many storage facilities are catering to e-commerce business owners these days and offer a variety of amenities for their renters. Don’t be surprised to see facilities offering free Wi-Fi, printing services, and a lobby for accepting packages. Some also have storage units with adjacent office space, allowing you to set up a desk, a business phone number, and make a breakroom available. Be sure to ask any storage facility on your shortlist whether they offer business services for customers.

Storage facilities…we’ve come a long way, baby.

7. Security Benefits

Few homes have the level of security used by modern-day storage facilities, which means your valuable merchandise will be significantly safer there than stored in your garage or basement.

Many facilities are equipped with 24/7 CCTV security monitoring as well as security staff monitoring the property.

If you are considering self-storage to house your e-commerce inventory, we hope you’ll consider using Holloway Storage. Contact us to receive a custom quote or to schedule a tour of our facility.