Case Study👉How YOU Can Make $30K/Mo With An Aquarium E-Commerce Website

The Scott Max Newsletter

In Partnership with Blinkist

Hi 👋, this is the Scott Max newsletter. The soon-to-be-daily newsletter bringing you one step closer to your own thriving online business.

We analyze a wonderful, small, online business each week with a full breakdown of how it makes money, why it makes money, and its opportunities to grow. Below that, we give you the action steps to build a business like this to create freedom for yourself.

This is the best way to learn the tactics, skillset, and nuance of making money online.

Let’s get to the good stuff you'll see in this email:

• Up to $30k/Month Income

• A successful progressive business approach

• A Blueprint for Building a Similar Business and Achieving Comparable Success

But first, let me introduce our partner for this email,

Blinkist

The ultimate app for expanding your mind in 15 minutes or less.

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The What 🚀

In this week's newsletter, we'll be taking a dive into the world of aquariums with a business that's making a splash online.

Meet our mysterious e-commerce star that generates over $30,000 in monthly revenue.

This website is not your ordinary pet store, but rather a destination for aquatic enthusiasts, offering top-of-the-line supplies and equipment, along with helpful advice on how to care for marine life.

From beginner hobbyists to seasoned experts, this website caters to everyone who wants to bring the magic of the ocean into their homes.

In the following sections, we'll explore how this business makes a profit and the secrets behind its success.

The How 💻

So, how does this aquarium e-commerce website keep the cash flowing?

Well, for starters, they've got some smart strategies in place.

One of their secrets is affiliate marketing.

By teaming up with other businesses that offer complementary products, they can earn a commission on any sales made through their referral links.

It's a win-win situation that allows them to offer a wider range of products to their customers while earning extra income.

Another way this business keeps the revenue flowing is by selling their own line of high-quality products.

They know what aquarium enthusiasts need, and they've created their own equipment to cater to those needs.

By controlling the quality and pricing of their products, they're able to offer competitive prices while also maximizing their profits.

Lastly, the website earns revenue by displaying ads. You might have noticed ads popping up on their pages, and each click or impression earns them money.

It's a simple way to generate a passive income stream, and it's a common strategy used by many e-commerce websites.

By combining these strategies, this aquarium-focused e-commerce website has found a formula for success.

In the next section, we'll take a closer look at what makes them stand out from the competition.

The Why 🔥

This aquarium e-commerce website has been able to generate a significant amount of revenue thanks to several smart strategies that set them apart from their competitors.

First and foremost, their website is clean, user-friendly, and easy to navigate.

The prominent search bar at the top of their homepage helps customers to quickly find the products or information they are looking for.

This ensures a positive user experience, which encourages customers to make repeat purchases.

Another key factor contributing to their success is their use of social proof.

By displaying customer reviews and ratings on their product pages, they build trust and confidence in their products.

Customers are more likely to purchase a product if they see that others have had a positive experience with it.

Furthermore, this website incentivizes customers to spend more by offering free shipping on orders over $79 (within the contiguous USA).

This encourages customers to buy more products in one go, thus increasing the average order value and maximizing the revenue generated from each customer.

In addition, their SEO strategy has been effective in driving traffic to their website, with over 163k monthly visitors and targeting 61k keywords.

They also use social media channels such as YouTube and Pinterest to raise brand awareness and post educational content and reviews.

Their engagement with their community through channels like Discord helps them to build a loyal customer base, which in turn drives repeat business.

One notable aspect of this business is their refusal to accept sponsorships, which helps to maintain their reputation and honesty within the community.

Finally, they mix both affiliate products and their own products in the shop, allowing them to offer a diverse range of options and maximize sales.

The Opportunities 🔥🔥🔥

There are several opportunities that this e-commerce website could implement to improve their strategy and increase revenue:

Improve website usability:

To make it easier for customers to browse and shop on their website, the website could consider changing the layout, and adding more filters and categories to their product pages.

The existing store's layout could be difficult to navigate, which may lead potential customers to lose interest and not explore further.

This could help customers quickly find the products they are looking for, rather than having to scroll through numerous pages.

Expand their product offerings:

The website could consider expanding their product offerings to include more items related to aquariums and pet care.

They can leverage the statistics of their best-selling affiliate products to determine which new product line to launch.

Another method to determine which new product line to introduce is by analyzing their most popular pages, which can reveal the search intent of customers and aid in product selection.

Introduce a loyalty program:

By offering rewards and incentives to repeat customers, the website could encourage them to make more purchases and increase their lifetime value.

Implement upsell and cross-sell strategies:

By recommending complementary or higher-end products to customers, the website could increase the average order value and boost their revenue.

The current checkout process isn't designed to maximize sales and improve the conversion rate.

According to HubSpot, nearly 75% of salespeople who engage in up-selling and 74% who cross-sell reported that it leads to an increase of up to 30% in their revenue.

The Big Reveal 👀

Introducing the person behind the exceptional aquarium products we analyzed - Aquarium Store Depot.

Founded by Mark Valderrama, a fish enthusiast for over 20 years, who was frustrated with the overwhelming selection of aquarium products available online.

He created a space for aquarium enthusiasts to find what they need with confidence.

At Aquarium Store Depot, they offer a limited selection of products that have been carefully chosen and vetted by Mark himself.

Their mission is to simplify the aquarium hobby so that beginners can thrive.

Mark is involved in aquarium clubs and groups every day, where he continues to learn and evolve with this industry.

He is actively visiting tradeshows across the US to stay up-to-date with the latest products and trends.

We hope you enjoyed getting to know the person behind Aquarium Store Depot and gained valuable insights into the aquarium industry.

The Takeaway, What We Learned 🎓

⦁ A clean, user-friendly, and easy-to-navigate website design is essential for a positive user experience.

⦁ Social proof, such as customer reviews and ratings, can build trust and confidence in products.

⦁ Incentives, such as free shipping on orders over a certain amount, can encourage customers to spend more and increase the average order value.

⦁ An effective SEO and social media strategy can drive traffic to the website and help to build a loyal customer base.

⦁ Transparency and honesty in business practices can help to maintain the reputation of the brand.

⦁ Improving website usability, such as adding filters and categories to product pages, can make it easier for customers to find products and improve the user experience.

⦁ Expanding the product offerings can attract a wider audience and increase revenue streams.

⦁ Implementing a loyalty program, and implementing upsell and cross-sell strategies can further increase revenue and encourage repeat business.

Action Steps, From Day 0 To ∞ 👩‍💻

So, you will have your own website, hosting account, and a good grasp of digital marketing fundamentals if you are a student/graduate of Max Business School.

If not, get started here, it’s totally free and will teach you all the skills you need to build yourself a business (and the freedom it provides you) similar to the one we’ve analyzed today.

Day 0

You’ve read this email and love this particular business model and/or niche.

If not, we'll be sending more ideas in our next email or check our archive here.

If yes;

Consider if this is a business you can happily commit to for 3-5 years?

If yes;

Is it a customer/topic/day-to-day activity you can't get passionate about?

If yes;

Would starting this business cause you to lose focus on the business that you are currently building?

If yes, don’t do it.

Focus on building what you have and take lessons from my analysis above to implement them into your current business.

But if not, then move to day 1.

Day 1

• Choose your niche: Start by choosing a niche that you are passionate about and that has the potential for profitability. Research different niches, and choose one that you believe you can add value to.

• Conduct market research: Conduct research to determine the viability of your niche. Look for competitors, their prices, their unique selling propositions, and their target audience. Ahrefs will be an essential tool to assist you in this task.

• Create a business plan: Create a comprehensive business plan that outlines your mission, vision, and objectives, as well as your target audience, marketing strategies, and pricing.

• Choose a name and register your domain: Choose a name that is memorable, unique, and relevant to your niche. Register your domain name and choose a hosting provider. We suggest taking advantage of our DreamHost offer.

• Choose a website template: Choose a template that is optimized for e-commerce and easy to navigate.

Day 2

• set up your social media accounts: Set up your social media accounts and start building your brand's presence online.

• Market research for content creation: Conduct market research to determine what kind of content is most likely to resonate with your target audience. Determine the type of content that is most likely to drive traffic and engagement, such as blog posts, videos, or infographics.

• Join affiliate programs and post products: Join affiliate programs relevant to your niche and start promoting products on your website and social media accounts. Ensure that your content provides value and complements the products you are promoting. As you're in the process, make sure to take a look at the 5 Best CRM for Affiliate Marketing

• Set up your monetization process: Choose the payment gateway you will use, such as PayPal or Stripe, and set up your online store. Ensure that your website is optimized for conversions, with clear calls to action, easy checkout, and a user-friendly interface.

Day 3 to ∞

• Track the effectiveness of your content: Use analytics tools such as Ahrefs to track the effectiveness of your content. Determine what is working and what is not, and update your content as needed.

• Engage with communities related to your niche: Identify and join relevant online forums, groups, and communities where your target audience is active. Engage in discussions, provide valuable insights and information, and offer helpful advice. This will help you establish your brand presence and build relationships with potential customers.

• Connect with industry experts: Identify and connect with industry experts, influencers, and thought leaders in your niche. Engage with them on social media, attend industry events where they speak, and reach out to them for collaborations or partnerships. This will help you establish a reputation as an expert in your domain and gain valuable insights from experienced professionals.

• Keep up with the trends: Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques in your niche. Attend industry conferences, read relevant publications and blogs, and network with other professionals to stay informed and on top of new developments.

Before You Go 👋

Thank you for reading.

In my next email, I’ll have another business breakdown for you.

Remember, if you know someone who might like this newsletter, sharing is caring.

If you are ready to get started with your own business, one of the first steps is always a website. Click here for our exclusive hosting deal and click here for an invite to our Max Business School community where you’ll hang out with thousands of fellow ambitious business builders.

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Bye for now,

Scott Max