Is the 0-100k course legit?
So you are looking for some ways to make extra money and thinking about starting an ecommerce store. But perhaps you don’t know where to start or which guru to trust?
Or perhaps you have started one and aren’t seeing much success and looking for help?
First of all, well done on taking the leap to start your own online shop! It is a fun, and sometimes scary, ride.
Note: some links in this post contain affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase, at no cost to you. Click here for our full disclosure
When I first started my own ecommerce store I was so clueless. I knew that I wanted my own business and I started scrambling to come up with something I could sell on Etsy.
After a year, I learned A LOT but didn’t get very far–as in my little shop was $600 in the hole. YIKES.
Then I came across Alison J Prince’s 0-100k course.
I will be honest, I was skeptical of it at first. I had watched so many webinars, and already been burned by some courses. So I put it off for a while.
But the more I researched and asked questions about it, the more intrigued I was by the course.
And, in May of 2017, I decided to make the jump and signed up for her course.
SPOILER ALERT: I am so glad that I did!
What is the 0-100k Course
Alison’s course is called 0-100k because her goal is to help people create their own online shops and build it from $0 in sales to $100k in sales!
And yes, there are people in the course who have done that much in sales and more!
She taught her two teenage daughters, as well as some family members, how to successfully generate $100k in sales before she ever launched her course.
Who is Alison J Prince?
Alison graduated college with a teaching degree and became a middle school teacher. However, all those years of school netted her a frustratingly small paycheck.
She wanted to find a way to make a better life for her young family.
So with 4 children at her feet, she started to build her own e-commerce business. And then went on to build several successful businesses.
I knew that if anyone could help me, a stay at home mom with 3 little kids, build a business, it would be Alison because she had been in my shoes.
What does the 0-100k course teach?
The 0-100k course covers all the steps needed to start your business and build it up to be successful.
Alison details step by step all the legal foundations you need to have an official business.
Then she goes into detail about everything you need to be successful such as:
Where to find product to sell
Where to sell your product if you don’t already have an audience to sell to (I STILL use this trick to make sales all the time!)
How to ship your products
How to have your own products developed and created
How to scale your business by driving traffic (without paying for ads)
And so much more!
SHH…. Don’t let anyone in on the secret. But you get an awesome T-shirt from Alison when you sell your first item online. Talk about cheering you on!
This course really is designed to take you from beginner/new shop to successful ecommerce store that can change your life, and the life of your family.
Check out how I helped my 9 year old start his own ecommerce business, using Alison’s course and teachings!
How my 9 year old made $200 in a weekend with the 0-100k course!
0-100k Course Benefits
These are some of my favorite aspects of the course.
Alison is continually adding on to it.
She is also still working her own ecommerce store. That means she knows what works right now, in the moment. These are not techniques that worked a year ago but don’t work now.
She keeps to course updated, and adds information, for what will work now so that you can be successful. She is always working to make it better and more effective.
The Facebook Group. Oh my gosh you guys! The Facebook Group is full of people who are kind, helpful and eager to answer questions.
It is a positive, safe environment where you can get help, be cheered on, make friends and business connections and truly find a community to be a part of. I promise, the facebook group alone is gold.
Weekly Coaching. Alison gets into the 0-100k facebook group EVERY WEEK to teach methods, answer questions, make announcements, etc.
If she can’t make, it then she will bring on experts for various subjects (accounting, law, shipping, etc) or some of the member-coaches who can answer questions and help as well.
These Facebook lives are amazing and you really can get help and encouragement during them.
Step by step. The course really does take you step by step through the process for how to be successful.
If you follow the steps and do the work, you will see success with it.
It took me longer than I would have liked (life is like that). But I finally hit the next sales goal in the course… $10k in sales!!!
0-100k Course Cons
Its Not Easy. Okay this is kind of a cheater con. But in the webinar it can sound like it is such an easy process and you will have success right away. Just do ABC and tada! You have a million dollar business.
That does happen, but not for everyone. I was not an “instant success” story. My sales took time to build up. And I struggled to find a product that I could sell over and over.
Building a business, online or otherwise, takes time, dedication, grit and patience. There will be times when it isn’t going so well. There are times I definitely feel like I failed–a product flopped, I didn’t sell as many items as I had hoped, etc.
But the point is to keep going. Don’t give up. Keep trying new things until you find what works for you.
I have done the course part time for a couple years now and made tens of thousands of dollars in sales. It was not immediate. It was not easy. But it is so worth it!
Is the 0-100k Course Worth the Price?
I know that the price tag can cause a little sticker shock. But, like I said, I took the leap and went for it. And I am so glad that I did.
Within just a couple months, I learned more than I had in the whole previous year.
PLUS, using Alison’s system, I was able to make back the price of the course AND get my store profitable in less than 2 months! After struggling for a year it was such a wonderful feeling and stress relief.
And ever since that time I have continued to use Alison’s methods to generate sales and income for my business and have made back the cost of the course multiple times over!
So I can absolutely say the price of the course is so worth it!
You Guys! Earlier this year (2021) I finally achieved something I NEVER dreamed I would do when I started my little business. $50,000 in total sales! AH!!!!!
Yes, it took me longer than others. Yes, it was hard. And, yes, I wanted to quit SO MANY TIMES. But this was a HUGE achievement. And now I am working on the next goal…..$100,000 in total sales! I know I can do it because I have already accomplished so much.
When I say this course is worth it, I really do mean it. This course was the springboard for my current and future success and I KNOW it can be yours as well.
Final Thoughts on Alison J Prince 0-100k Course Review
I have been in the course for 4 years now (as of September 2021) and I am so glad that I took the leap to join.
I am still part of the course and Facebook group. I still put into practice the systems Alison lays out in the course and the systems still brings in sales to my business.
I now have money in my business that I can use to build a product I have in mind and grow my business even more.
If you want to start your own e-commerce store, I highly recommend signing up for Alison’s 0-100k course. It is the step by step system you need to help you be successful in your new venture.
Click here so you can sign up for the webinar to learn more about the the course.
Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions about the course or anything I mentioned in this review. I am always happy to answer any questions about my experience.
RELATED ARTICLE: 9 Awesome Business Ideas for Women
Alison J Prince Review
hello, interested but how much is the course?
Hi Maria!
Alison offers two payment options for the course. You can do a one time payment of $997 or four payments of $299.
I was able to make back the cost of the course in just a couple months!
Let me know if you have any other questions. I am happy to help!
Emily
Hello,
I’m interested in the course. Do you make enough profit/income for all of your living expenses?
Hi Caroline
Good question! At the moment I do not. We recently moved and I needed to shut down my store for the move. It is my goal to build it up again so that I can meet our living expenses each month, but my initial goal was really to do this part time while being home with my kids. However, I know there are many people in the group who build up their business enough to support their family.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Emily
Hello! How much did you have to put in for start up costs? Business license, etc.?
Hi Jodie!
After buying the course, there will be some extra expenses to get started. Alison recommends getting an LLC, and the price for that will depend on your state. However, you do not need an LLC to get started selling. A seller’s permit or basic business license will do just fine when you are just starting out. The price for that will also depend on your state, and if you need an extra license for your city, etc.
When I started, I got a sole proprietor business license and I think it was less than $50 for the state of WA. After that, you will need to spend some money in order to purchase product to sell. The amount you will need for that will depend on the price of the item, and how many you purchase. Alison says, and I completely agree, to start small with inventory and build up more inventory, if the product does well, with the profits from the previous inventory.
I hope that answers your question. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am happy to help in any way I can.
Emily Bass
I am curious. Are you always holding inventory or are you able to set it up where someone purchases from your online store and the item is sent directly from the provider of the product?
Hi Dan
So you are asking about drop shipping, correct? For a little while I sold personalized pillow covers. I ordered the blank pillow cover overseas and then had a company here in the states personalize them and ship them out for me.
There are some in the course who do drop shipping directly from China. But that can lead to issues because of extremely long shipping delays. Plus, with both these options, you can’t customize how the items are shipped. That may not be a big deal to some, but I found it kind of frustrating.
Another option is to use a shipping fulfillment center. In that case you would arrange with this company to hold your inventory and fulfill orders as they come in. There are several people in the group who do this method and are very successful with it. I don’t have experience with that personally, but I know it works.
I hope that answered your question. Please let me know if there is anything else I can answer for you.
I did the free webinar, but wondered one thing. She said after her fee you have lifetime access to the course. What about the “golden book,” “little black book” and “trend generator?” Do you always have access to those and does she keep them updated?
Hi! I’m in the course and have been poking around the website and found your post so I’ll anwer if you don’t mind. YES you’ll have access to all of it forever as far as I know. I’ve been in it for a year and was wondering the same thing. alison said (with a smile) we dont have any plans on taking it down anytime soon. I can’t speak for her but I had the immediate impression that it meant it will be thereforever.
I can’t say enough good about her course or alison herself. It’s INCREDIBLY detailed, she though of everything. She overdelivers for sure. I too have been slow in starting but have seen many MANY people achieve and believe it will come soon.
Thank you Dawn!!
I did the free webinar, but wondered one thing. She said after her fee you have lifetime access to the course. What about the “golden book,” “little black book” and “trend generator?” Do you always have access to those and does she keep them updated?
Hi Kristen!
Good question. Yes, you will always have access to the Little Black Book of Manufacturers, the Golden Book of Influencers and the trend generator. Once you are in the course, and passed the 14 day trial, you have access to everything for as long as you want. The trend generator is designed to always be updating itself, in terms of the products it shows. It has had some glitches in the past, but she is always on top of it, to make sure it is working and providing what she promised.
Furthermore, as more and more students take the course and work with manufacturers, they will also share those companies they have worked with that were awesome (or less so), so the options in the “Little Black Book” are growing.
I hope that helped answer your questions. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Emily,
Thanks so much for getting back to me and for the information. Is the course done on a live, more personal basis or is it all recordings you listen to and have to figure out on your own? I would like to sign up today. BTW where abouts do you live in WA state? We lived in Spokane, WA for almost 10 years, and are in North Carolina now. 🙂
Hi Jodie
So the course itself is mostly recorded videos, walking you through the process, step by step. BUT when you purchase the course, you also get access to the facebook group. And there is a facebook live training every week, in the group, either from Alison herself or someone Alison has asked to do a training. Topics such as accounting, shipping, legal issues, success with influencers, and more are used for the facebook live trainings. (In fact, as I write this, Alison is doing the weekly live training). So while the course itself is videos to do on your own, the facebook group can offer you help and guidance if you get stuck, want to run ideas by someone, or just get encouragement. It is FULL of people who are on the same path, and are ready and willing to help. Alison has made it a VERY safe place to ask questions, get help and support/encourage one another. 🙂
I actually grew up in the greater Seattle area. But, when I started Alison’s course, my husband and I were living in Othello. We also lived in Pullman for about 6 months and We are currently living in Central Oregon, north of Bend now. 🙂
You are great, thanks so much! Would you mind if I reach out to you if more questions come up? I believe you have my email (at least I have to put it in every time I make a comment). If you don’t mind just email me. Thanks again & God Bless!!
I do have your email. I will send you one so that you can reach me directly if you have any other questions. 🙂
i have huge concerns a bout inventory.I have very little money and even less space to store inventory. I do not have the cash to be purchasing things that may never sell and wasting money and precious space.
Hi Kat
Yes, I definitely understand your concerns about inventory. Alison recommends purchasing the smallest amount of inventory possible, selling it all, and then using the money from those sales to purchase more inventory. This way you are not spending more of your personal money. I have definitely experienced being excited about a product, and then they don’t sell and I am left with this inventory. But I have also learned how to look at the inventory differently and find different ways to sell it. For example, last year I purchased A LOT of gel pens and thought they would sell like crazy. Eh, not so much. But I did eventually sell all of them. They DID sell like crazy at Christmas time because they made great stocking stuffers. But I also used them as part of a kit in a different product that I created/put together.
The course talks about different ways to sell your product, or how to find products to sell to make money so you can purchase more/different products. Alison really does want you to succeed, and you can always ask the facebook group for ideas on how to sell a product that isn’t doing well.
I hope that answered your question. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.
What about starting an Amazon business instead? This way you do not need to hold on to any inventory. Amazon is a well trusted business that holds your inventory for a small price. I have been slowly looking into both kinds of start ups.
Yes, Amazon is definitely another option. When I was starting out, and didn’t have lots of extra money, the Amazon option concerned me because they charge to store your products for the FBA. And if your products just aren’t selling, then you have paid for inventory that isn’t being sold and are continuing to pay for storage to Amazon. Personally, I like having more control over my inventory. And I have more options for places to sell my products if one avenue doesn’t turn out as well as I hoped.
Hi Emily! what platform you use to sell your products? Do you have your own web page? or do you sell in Amazon/ebay? Thanks!
Hi Vanessa
I have used several platforms to sell my prodcuts–Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, and some daily deal sites/platforms. Currently I am using Etsy and the daily deal sites that Alison teaches in her course. I will also be adding a Shopify store to this blog in the future, as it is a GREAT platform. I have sold a little bit on Amazon, but haven’t done a deep dive to figure it out, and Alison doesn’t cover Amazon in her course.
I hope that helps!
Hi! which daily deal sites have you seen the most success with?
I have had the most luck with Pick Your Plum and Jane. But there are other ones that people have used to great success as well–I just haven’t tried them all. And even those two can be hit and miss with successful sales.
Let me know if I can answer anything else for you.
Hi! I’ve never heard of Jane, interesting! Which other daily deal sites do others have a lot of success with?
I don’t want to give too much away, as this is information I learned and have utilized from Alison’s knowledge and course. 🙂 If you decide to take the course, you will learn all the ins and outs of the various ways she teaches and others have had success.
Hi Vanessa,
I watched one of Alison’s Master Classes the day I got a tooth pulled…. it was great, but now that I’m off the pain meds I can process this all a little better 🙂 My question is, how does the inventory get sent to the customer? Do you mail the purchases out? Like, do you store the inventory in your home, and when the notification of a purchase comes to you, you need to get it packed up, postage put on the package, and mail it yourself? I’m not sure what this would look like if you were selling a tsunami of products.
Thank you for providing so much information,
Wendy
Hi Wendy
Good question! There are a couple of ways to go about this. You are right… that would be a lot if you are selling A TON of products. But the good thing is you can work up to that. You don’t have to be selling a ton of inventory right from the get-go. In fact, Alison recommends starting small and building up so that you aren’t spending a lot of your own money on inventory right away. I still store my inventory in my home, then package the products when I have an order, pay for shipping and drop them off at the post office. When you are just starting out, that is definitely the cheapest way to go.
As your business grows you can start hiring some people to do the packaging and shipping for you, and Alison talks about options for this in the course. I have definitely had some times where I am shipping like crazy, and times where I am not (for various reasons). Since I don’t spend ALL my time shipping, I’m not bothered by the time I spend on it.
I hope that answered your question. Let me know if I can help in any other way.
Emily
Are you charging the customer shipping costs? If so, is it best to keep your chosen product small to manage these costs? Thanks
Hi Lisa!
It depends on the product and how well it is selling. A common strategy is to offer free shipping , but make sure that the price of the product is enough to cover the cost of shipping and give you some profit margin as well. If you decide to sell heavier items, the products will need to cost more or charge shipping to the customer. I like to keep my products on the lighter weight side (less than 1 pound) because it results in a lower shipping cost overall.
Does that answer your question? Let me know!
Emily Bass
I have a full time job, is this something you can do part time ? How many hours a week does it require?
Hi Tammy!
Yes, this is definitely something you can do on the side. The number of hours you work on it is really up to you. I do most of my work for it during the evenings and weekends. The awesome thing about creating your own e-commerce shop is that you can decide how much time you put into it. If you are having a busy week, plan to arrange for fewer promotions, so you won’t be as busy with it. Have some extra time or want to make some extra money in a short amount of time? Plan to do more promotions and really ramp up your effort. It is totally up to you want you want. There are LOTS of people in the group who do this on the side, and have full time jobs.
Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you. 🙂
My biggest concern is really about not wanting to inundate family and friends with sales. Is selling to family and friends or using your own social network part of the sales strategy?
Hi Angela!
Such a good question! And the answer is 100% NOPE! I have done the plan business that requires sales/support from friends and family–let’s just say it didn’t last long for me. That is what is go great about Alison’s course. You can build a business, make sales (and great money) without anyone in your family or immediate circle even knowing about it! At this point I have sold products, and made tens of thousands of dollars in sales, and VERY FEW were from family and friends. In the course you learn so many ways to make sales that do not require you to reach out to people you know for money. 🙂
Let me know if you have any other questions.
If I have a product that cost $5 from China, free shipping is offered but will take 4 months or more to get here. So I’ve got to pay say 3.50 for shipping to get it here in a month. So now the product costs 8.50 to get here and I’ve got to mark it up even more to get a good profit margin, but other people are already selling it for say 8.50 to 10.00, how to I compete with that?
Hi Caroline
That is a good question. But in order to answer fully, I have a question for you. The situation you are describing–are you speaking in general terms or do you have a specific example? If you are comparing what you can buy, and what you could sell it for, to items on Amazon–you will get discouraged. People who sell on Amazon often buy in large quantities, and so get a better price per unit. But the thing is, as Alison will teach you over and over, Amazon is NOT your competition. I know, I know, Amazon has everything! Except, when they don’t! I bought items from a smaller, online shop very recently because they had what I needed and Amazon was sold out! Also, you can give your customers a full experience with your package, that will keep them coming back, which Amazon doesn’t do. (Also discussed in the course and facebook group). The fact is, I have sold products for a higher price than those same items are going for on Amazon–because I sold those items where customers would see them and it was more convenient to them to buy them where I was selling them, than to try and find and price compare them on Amazon.
I hope that answered your question. I know that buying inventory and seeing others sell it for cheaper is scary and frustrating (TOTALLY been there). But if this is something you would love to try, don’t let that stop you. Let me know if I can help you more.
Hi Im interested in doing Alison’s course. I live in Australia I noticed that you have said the course covers setting up business licences etc. so im guessing the information would cover how to get a business licence in the US How would this work for me, living in Australia ?? would her course content include information for people outside the US
thanks
Kim
Hi Kim
So Alison does go over the basics of how to set up your business legally in the US. She does not cover any other countries specifically. However, there are several members in the facebook group from different countries, and there is even a fairly good number from Australia specifically. So if you decide to go for it, there will be people to ask for help if you get stuck.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi, my question is how soon will you see results from your products that you are selling. I know that this may vary.
Hi Candice
Good question! And the answer is… it really does vary. It depends on how quickly you work through the information in the course and start applying what you lean. It depends on how quickly you decide on a product to try and sell. I started the course when summer was coming up, and most people see a lower amount of sales during the summer. But I was still able to see success, and pay back the price of the course, within about 2 months. But if you were to start right now, summer is ending and the 4th quarter of the year is starting–which is a HUGE selling time because of all the holidays coming up.
I’m sorry I don’t have a more direct answer for you, because it really does depend and vary from person to person. Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.
Does Alison have training for non-inventory? I need to make extra money and wanted to start on-line, but have no space or time right now to be storing inventory.
Hi Debbie!
What do you mean by “non-inventory”? Do you mean like digital products/digital download or printable products? If that is what you mean, the answer is technically, no. Alison does not teach how to create and sell digital products. She has built her business around selling physical products. However, that is not to say you can’t use what you learn in the course to sell digital products. As part of this blog I have made, and am working on, several digital download, and printable products. And I have used, and am using, some of the tricks I have learned in the course to sell them. For instance, I was able to sell a budgeting excel spreadsheet, using one of the tricks Alison taught, and made several hundred dollars on it. Since it wasn’t a physical product, and there was no inventory to buy, it was mostly pure profit. And I have other digital download products I plan to sell, using the systems Alison has taught. So while she doesn’t technically teach for it, I have still been able to use the course to do so.
I hope that answers your question. If not, please let me know. 🙂
Emily I think what she meant was dropshippers where you don’t have in ventory. Best wishes. Don Jr.
I listened to Alison’s program last week. I am considering purchasing. One of my concerns is I don’t have an online store already. And honestly I don’t have anything in mind to sell. I know she gives access to her site that shows trends. I’m just wondering how many people in my position end up finding and being successful at selling something online starting from a simulate place as me . Do you have any insights on that? Thank you so much.
Hi Erin
You are definitely NOT alone in your situation or concerns. When I started, yes, I have my Etsy shop. But I quickly learned (thanks to the course) that the things I was selling in my Etsy shop were not things people actually wanted to buy. So I basically started from scratch after that. There are also SO MANY PEOPLE in the group who joined, knowing they wanted to start a business, but not really knowing what they wanted to sell. Lots of them have since found success. You will learn, through the course and in the group, that the trick really is just to start trying things out. You can always change course later (I know I have!).
Starting a business is definitely scary. When I started I had NO IDEA what I wanted to sell, only that it was something I felt I needed and wanted to do. So if you have that drive, I highly encourage you to go for it!
I hope that answered your question. Let me know if I can help in any other way. 🙂
Emily
P.S. For convenience, you can access the sign up area here: 0-$100k Sign Up
Signing up with your link today Emily! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
I would like to sell products made in the USA only. How does the USA manufacture and vender list compare to the overseas list? Also, does this program specialize in selling inexpensive products quickly? What if I would like to sell a quality product at a more expensive price, would this course support that plan? Thanks.
Hi Cat
Both the USA and overseas lists have lots of vendors and options to choose from. I will say that the overseas list offers more variety of products, if that makes sense. But keep in mind that the list is not all inclusive of potential manufacturers–just the ones she has had success with. I have worked with both USA and overseas companies that she does not have on her list.
This course teaches you how to create a successful e-commerce store, not limited to price points. If you want to focus on a higher end, high quality product, then by all means go for it! Everyone in the course has to work to find their type of customer that will buy their items–it is part of owning a business. You will want to find and target customers that would fit the product you are selling. Totally doable, and this course will help you figure out and find ways to sell to them. 🙂
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
P.S. For convenience, you can access the sign up area here: 0-$100k Sign Up
I am so interested in her course but looking at it from the outside everything seem so vague. Are you actually creating a website or are you able to sell one or two products online on a small site? I thought I read that Etsy only allowed homemade products or handmade products?
Hi Stacey
So my current store is Etsy, where I do sell handmade items. But the course isn’t actually about Etsy. The course teaches you to eventually create your own online store/website to sell your items. And yes, you can do this with just a couple of products. When I had my Shopify store up and running, there was a time when I only had a couple of items on the website. Not a big deal, you just go for it and keep moving forward. You only need 1 item up for sale to have an e-commerce website. As your business grows you can add more products over time.
Starting small and working your way up is really the best way because it takes the fear of going all in on a lot of inventory and then being in debt. Alison does not encourage going into debt. Start with one product, then build up to two when you can and move up from there.
I hope that helps. Let me know if I can help in any other way.
Emily
P.S. For convenience, you can access the sign up area here: 0-$100k Sign Up
Thanks so much for your response. I actually watched the webinar intro last night, it was live and it was over an hour and a half long, I feel like she really gave us a lot as a freebie. I need to be praying about this because I really want to move forward but I need to make sure that it is the path that God has for me. I’ve been scoping out Tundra as a possible wholesale site. I want to sell items that are conducive to an organic, clean home and Tundra has tons of these products. US based is my only option personally. I already have a natural health practice and would love to link a store to my website and sell sustainable natural health products ( organic feminine hygiene products, Organic clothing and accessories, beeswax food wrap etc)
Of course! You need to do what is best for you and take the time to pray about it. I actually did the same thing before signing up for the course. I wanted to make sure it was going to be a good fit for me, so I took it to God. 🙂
Let me know if I can help at all.
In one of your replies you mentioned promotions, more or less of them depending on one’s schedule. Do you mean ads? I’m looking to start some kind of business (and still deciding which direction I should go) so have done some research, and one thing I see over and over is that A LOT of money can go into ads and testing, not to mention platform and other fees, sales funnels, etc. Realistically, lets say I start with a low cost product, what’s an approximate amount of money someone would actually need to put in before expecting any return?
Hi Marsha
Good question. And the answer is, no. I not once used Ads–facebook, Instagram, google or otherwise–to sell my products. Alison shows you ways to sell your products that do not require ads or selling to your friends and family on facebook. Once you get your business set up, the only money you would need to “put in” would be the cost of the products themselves. The methods Alison teaches to help sell your products do, technically, cost money. But that money is taken from the sales you actually make on your products, not paid in advance without “proof” of success. I know that sounds kind of vague, but I don’t want to steal Alison’s thunder from her course.:)
Let me know if that answers your question, and if you have any others.
Have a great day!
Emily
P.S. For convenience, you can access the sign up area here: 0-$100k Sign Up
Hi Emily!
I’m not sure if my other post went through so I’m posting again.
How long does it take to get setup from step 1 until the shop is ready to sell? I know it’ll be different for each person but wanted to get an idea. If this was done on a full time or part time basis can it be set up with a month? A week?
Thank you
Punam
HI Punam
Alison’s course is set up to be watched over 6 weeks. HOWEVER, if you really want to to plow through it, you can definitely do it much faster than that. I did. If you have the time, then you can be watching the videos, working on getting your business set up, starting to find products to sell and start selling much more quickly (a matter of a week or two, maybe).
You are right when you said it really varies from person to person. But there is no real time restriction on getting it done and moving forward. That is all on the individual.
I hope that answered your question. But it is really such an individual thing–based on a person’s time, motivation, etc.
Let me know if I can answer anything else for you.
P.S. For convenience, you can access the sign up area here: 0-$100k Sign Up
Thank you so much for your reply! So it is possible to get it setup in a week or two 🙂 As I have seen through reviews videos sound easy to follow. I’m about to watch the webinar listed above “click here” and see more 🙂
Thanks again – it’s helpful when you actually have a response from someone that has done it 🙂
Punam
Yes! That is why I wrote this article. Because I know there a lots of people who have questions and not sure where to turn. Happy to help and answer anything else I can.
Hi again!! I watched the webinar and I have 1 more question.
You did the system step by step after the cost of the course approximately how much did you spend on set up and initial product? If it’s too personal of a question no worries. Just wanted to gage how much I would/could need above the cost of the course. And of course I know it’ll range depending on what product I buy and how much I buy.
Thank you again!
Punam
HI Punam
I wish I could give you a definitive answer. But the things is, I can’t. After the cost of the course, you will need to spend some to get a business license. I know Alison always recommends getting a LLC. But, honestly, until your business is really making money, you can get by with a sole proprietor. But the cost of that will vary from state to state. And then, you are correct, further cost will be determined by which product you go for, and how many you purchase at once. The idea is to buy as little as you can get away doing, selling that and then using the proceeds to buy more product. This way you aren’t buying tons of inventory until you know a product works.
I’m sorry I can’t give a more clear answer than that. Let me know if there is anything else I can answer for you.
Emily
Hi Emily,
Thank you for this great article and your willingness to answer these questions. I find myself having to “recreate” myself as a victim of covid layoffs. But I suspect I might be grateful for this time to finally do what I’ve always wanted to do – essentially be the master of my own destiny and create something better for my family. I’ve been searching and researching and came across Alison’s intro video and then today across this. A question I have – the software to manage shipping, tracking, orders, accounting, emailing/communicating with purchasers. Is this addressed in the course? Shipping supplies? These are all the little details that keep me saying “wait.”
Hi Laurie
I am so sorry you and your family have struggled because of covid. But, from your comment, it sounds like you will make the experience into a positive change for your family. That takes strength and courage and I am cheering for you.
Yes, there are lots of details to think about when starting a business. Alison does teach about how to easily manage orders that come in, shipping them out, tracking packages, even where to get shipping supplies. There are even extra videos about these questions in the facebook group. She doesn’t teach accounting (because she is not an accountant) but has brought in accountants to speak to the group about those types of questions/concerns. I use a simple excel spreadsheet to keep track of my expenses and sales. I know other people in the facebook group use other systems, so you would not be lacking for tips on what to do on that front. As for communication with customers, she definitely talks about setting up email and getting an email list going. She is a BIG believer in having your own email list of customers.
Let me know if I can answer anything else for you. I am happy to help.
Emily Bass
P.S. For convenience, you can access the sign up area here: 0-$100k Sign Up
Thank you Emily for your honest answer 🙂 I know it was a tough one for sure as there are so many variables in play for each person.
Really appreciate your time and I’ll definitely use your link to proceed once I can figure out funds 🙂
Take care and again Thank you!
Punam
If your interest is in dropshipping with your ecommerce store because you have little inventory space, (I live in an RV full time) is this covered in Allison’s course? Is anything about dropshipping covered? Thank you!
Judy
Hi Judy
Alison’s course does not go over dropshipping, as that is not where her expertise is. I know there are some people in the group who have done dropshipping. I, myself, did dropshipping for awhile, while in the course. It is possible to use Alison’s tactics along with dropshipping, but strictly speaking this is not a course that teaches dropshippng.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Emily,
Thanks for this article!
I’m on the fence about the program because I have a new product to sell (that I created, I didn’t purchase it wholesale) and I’m not sure if her program is specific to reselling already trending things? Also, I saw a live video of her mentioning deal sites but it didn’t seem like she was an Amazon fan. Does that mean that she focuses on offering special pricing to sites like GroupOn and Zulilly? I think I’d be excited to join the course if that’s the case and it’s not focused on paid ads.
Thanks!
Hi Leah
Good questions! So Alison teaches to start with trending products to help you get sales initially. You can then use the trending products to inspire the creation of your own products. BUT, there is so much more to the course than just selling trending products. And you don’t even have to sell trending products, if you don’t want to, and can still be super successful. I have only sold a few “trending” products, but most of what I sell are things I have been inspired to create my own version of. If you already have a product, then you could jump in and start selling it with the methods Alison teaches. You would bypass a big stumbling block a lot of people face—what they want to sell.
Alison is not a fan of selling on Amazon, and is a fan of selling on deal sites to help you get sales rolling. (Because of the course I learned I COULD sell on deal sites and have done so A LOT) She also does not teach using paid ads at all. She teaches how to get your product in front of audiences without needing paid ads. I have never done facebook ads, Amazon ads or any other paid ads to sell my items.
I hope that helped! Let me know if you have any other questions, or if I can clarify anything else for you.
P.S. For convenience, here is the link to sign up for the program. Sign Up for 0-100k Here
Hi Emily,
What are some examples of “deal sites”?
Thank you so much,
Audrey
Hey Audrey
Deal Sites are websites that let you sell your product, on their site and to their audience. They take a commission from any sales you make while your deal runs on their site.
Alison started the deal site Pick Your Plum. She sold it a couple years ago, but it the new owners still run the website as a Deal Site. Another popular deal site is Jane.com
I hope that answered your question. Let me know if I can offer any other help.
Emily
Hi Emily.
Thank you for taking the time to answer questions. I’ve been considering this training and reading through all the questions & answers has been super helpful. I have one question about the deal type sites you discussed above. Do you know if these sites allow you to keep the emails of your customers to use on your email lists/newsletters for future marketing? I remember in the promo Alison talking about the importance of an email list so just wondering if this is a way to collect emails or if it’s more of a starting off point to just get some quick sales. I currently sell on Etsy and they have rules that all email contacts have to be used to drive traffic back to your ETSY store and therefore you can NOT put them in your general list. Do you have any insight on that? Also after the 6 week training is over, is everyone still part of the FB group and do they still have access to the live presentations or does that end in 6 weeks? Thanks so much! -Angie
Hi Angie
Good questions! The deal sites do not allow you to add customers to your email list. That is one of the “down sides” of using deal sites. But there are other ways to grow your email list, and other ways to sell outside of the deal sites. Using deal sites is just one method to sell products (one I really enjoy and use a lot). Deal sites help to get money in the door, validate product ideas and build up sales.
After the 6 week training, you have access to the course forever AND the FB group forever. I am coming up on 5 years since purchasing the course, and still go back to the course to refresh something, post in the group etc.
Let me know if that helped and if I can answer anything else for you.
Emily
Hi Emily, I’m reading through your responses, they’re very helpful. You mentioned….. “She teaches how to get your product in front of audiences without needing paid ads. I have never done facebook ads, Amazon ads or any other paid ads to sell my items.” …. Without those and if you do not have a large social media audience for yourself, did you then rely on the email templates to social media influencers that she referred to? That to me sounds daunting, because I do not know “influencers”. Can you elaborate on how you were able to successfully sell your items without ads, etc? Thanks
Hi Lisa!
Part of Alison’s program teaches you about using daily deal sites to start selling (and testing) your products. These websites already have audiences that they sell to and if you product looks like a good fit, they will approve it and get you on their sales schedule. Doing this method is really what helped me start selling and getting money in the door, while working on other aspects of my business as well. Then, once I had more inventory on hand, I could reach out to influencers. But I did not start that because it was daunting and I didn’t know what I wanted to sell.
And, for what it is worth, I don’t know any influencers either. I did a lot of cold outreach to them or reached out after getting to know them through their social media profiles.
I hope that helps!
I am new to this
It seems like I would have to pay close to a thousand dollars for the course, then but a licence, then product..(which may or may not sell)…am I the only one trying to see the light at the end of all this?
Tell me how to find the sunshine in this get matter.
Hey Bonnie
I totally hear where you are coming from. It can seem overwhelming (and frustrating) when starting out. Starting a product based business is going to take some initial investment, especially to set it up legally, etc.–unless you start by selling things you already have around the house, and use that money to purchase new inventory. Someone in the group has had those Reborn baby dolls in her house–she decided she didn’t want them anymore and sold them on facebook marketplace for several hundred dollars. I believe her intention is to use that money to buy inventory.
Personally, I did not have success when I was trying to go it alone. I have gained so much from being in the course and I for sure count my knowledge and success to taking the leap and joining the course.
I wish you the best of success, no matter what you decide to do. 🙂
Emily
you can really start selling in two weeks? I have to persuade my husband to let me purchase this investment. I really think it will do us good with our other investments. Do the materials ever teach you HOW to build the website? backend? I am terrible at this and really need help here. Oh, one other question. Who does not succeed here? Do you think they expected too much too soon? Just didn’t really want to put in the work? How many questions do you see if the community where people just aren’t getting it? Just curious about this statistic. Well my hubs will be.
I appreciate how you have answered the questions above. It really helped me with questions I had while listening to her webinar for the second time.
I WANT TO SUCCEED BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN!!
Hi Jessica
Yes, you CAN start selling in just a couple of weeks. Some people take less time, and some take longer. A lot of people can get “stuck” on choosing their first product to start selling, and that definitely slows down the process. But you can find several posts in the facebook group encouraging people to just get that first product over with. Once you get over that first fear you can start progressing more.
As for building the website–Alison’s teaches her students to use a Shopify store for their own online store. The course does not specifically teach how to set up a shopify store. BUT there are TONS of helpful videos in the shopify backend, on the actual Shopify site, to help you if you get stuck. Also, Shopify has a great customer service team to help when needed as well.
As for who does not succeed–I think you nailed it on the head. There are some people who seem it be an instant success, and for those who are struggling it can feel discouraging. Those who don’t succeed are the ones who don’t put in the work, who are constantly comparing themselves to people further ahead in the journey, and who want instant success. You will see some posts of people who are discouraged about various pieces of the journey. But you will also see members of the group rally around those people and try to offer help, encouragement and ideas for seeing success. There is not a huge portion that fail. Those posts are pretty rare. AND, in the group, we believe that fail stands for F.A.I.L. = First Attempt In Learning. 🙂
Alison teaches a process, a system, for success. It is not a “get rich quick” scheme. And it does work.
I hope that helped! Let me know if I can answer anything else for you.
Wow! Thank you so much for writing this blog post and then being so willing to answer all the questions! I found this while googling for more information after watching the intro video and it is so helpful! Thanks again!
Holly😘
You are so welcome! Let me know if there are any questions you have that didn’t get answered. Happy to help! 🙂
You are very welcome! I’m so glad that it helped! Let me know if you have any questions I can help you with.
Hi Emily,
Thank you for sharing all of your insights. I’ve been interested in Alisons system for quite some time, but one thing kinda rubbed me the wrong way during the initial webinar presentation which makes me question the extent to how successful her children were and others have been. She only included sales numbers and never mentioned anything regards to profit or ROI. What are your thoughts on this? Should I be concerned or am I being to critical?
HI Renee
That is a legitimate concern. She talks about how her daughters made $100k in sales, but did the inventory cost $100k? I can tell you that, no, the inventory for her daughters did not cost $100k. Her daughters made tens of thousands of dollars in profit. The exact number she hasn’t shared (that I am aware of). But she does talk about how her daughters purchased their inventory VERY inexpensively and then sold it at the marked up price. Alison also teaches that when she is selling a product, she prices it so that she makes at least 35% profit. She is a full believer in building your own business so that you can have the money to meet your goals. The course actually includes a calculator that let’s you plug in product price and various expenses, and then see how much profit per item you can expect. This way you can know if selling a particular item will be worth it.
I hope that answered your question, if not let me know and I will be happy to help in any other way I can.
I believe she mentioned she only gave each of them $200, so their start up costs had to be that or less.
Hello! I have a question and also some feedback that might answer some of the above comments. I saw some comments about concerns over inventory. I have a print on demand store through Shopify, where I design the products and set them up in my shop, but a third party company prints and ships them out for me. It has some cons, such as less control over your packaging and quality (but if you go with a good company, that’s not a frequent issue) and much less of a profit margin, but you also don’t need to store inventory at your home, purchase any inventory up front to sell, handle packaging and shipping your items, or making trips to the post office. It’s a trade off that might be a good way to go for some people, depending on their goals and whether they would prefer the convenience over the extra profit margin.
So, leading from that, would Alison’s course still be a good fit for a print on demand store like mine? I’m very interested in the program, but I realized she didn’t mention the POD method and I haven’t heard anyone bring it up, so I didn’t know if this is a totally different thing or still applicable. Thanks!!
Hi Jessica
Good question! Yes, actually, Alison’s course CAN apply to a POD method. At one time I did a POD item/business model, and was able to use Alison’s methods to sell the items. My biggest complaint was, as you mentioned, not being able to have control over packaging and there were some times when adding a product to be created, some files got switched and thus orders were messed up (my fault, not theirs). You didn’t hear it brought up because it a lesson common method used among her students. But it is a GREAT solution if you don’t want to (or can’t) have inventory in your home, etc. I would say, if you are looking for ways to further your POD business, Alison’s course and methods would be a great way to do that!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Emily
Hi Emily! I was wondering if you think the course would be beneficial for a shop like mine – on Etsy… I am at year 4. My sales each month are $3-4K. That isn’t profit… I have to subtract shipping costs, fees, and materials out of that. But, it’s stills a good supplemental income to my husband’s income… between 1-1,500k for our family. I am just wondering if people in the course have been like me and generated even more? Thank you kindly!
Hi Kami
Yes, I do think this course will help you, if you want your business to grow. There have been several people in the group who already had established businesses. They came into the course, took in everything Alison said and were able to scale their business to bigger goals and achievements. Watching them has been SOOO inspiring.
My Etsy shop is currently my only online store front. But I use Alison’s systems and methods to sell beyond the Etsy platform. Your etsy shop IS definitely a good supplemental income for your family. You have done a great job! If you are wanting to create more income with your store/products, I highly recommend learning how to do that by taking Alison’s course. 🙂
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks so much Emily! You’re so kind to take the time to answer. ❤️
Hi Emily—
I watched the intro webinar last night and am very interested in buying in but my MBA-husband—not so much yet. He’s generally skeptical of training courses for sale, i.e., real estate/flipping houses, how to trade stocks, e-commerce sales, etc., thinking that coaches have hidden agendas, else why would they sell their success. Can you speak to that? Are there additional levels of assistance/modules that will cost more than the initial $997 start up fee (not talking about the business license, LLC, inventory, etc.—mainly is there pressure to buy more coaching modules if you want to get more hands on help or a guarantee in more sales?), does Allison ask for a percentage of sales? I’m sorry for the super skeptical sounding questions! I just need to walk into it eyes wide open. I appreciate your review and answering everyone’s questions!
Hi Julie
So I can’t speak to your husband’s experience with courses, just my own. I was skeptical of Alison’s course at first too. Before signing up, I had taken some webinars, bought the course and felt like my money had been wasted. So I took time to research and reach out to others who had worked with Alison and/or taken her course. I can tell you, Alison has no hidden agenda. She is the real deal (which is why I am still in the course and using what I learned from it). The $997 course is what you need to get started. She DOES offer what she calls “Next Level” that is for people who have seen success and want to really scale/grow their business–with a smaller group coaching type learning environment. I have not signed up for this, though I am considering it when it is launches again in the new year. But there is no pressure to buy it. Everything you need to see success is in the initial course.
Alison absolutely DOES NOT ask for a percentage of sales. She wants to help you succeed, not take away from your profits. Alison’s course teaches a system, a process, to build a business toward success. It is the same system/process she has used (and uses) for her own ecommerce businesses. That is what she is selling. After that, success is based on the individual and much they work on their own product and business ideas.
I hope that answered your questions. Please reach out to me some more if you have more questions or concerns. I am always happy to help! 🙂
Hi Emily,
I have been very intrigued by Alison, but I was laid off a week before my baby was born ( last September) and I’m skeptical on joining and not succeeding. Will the team be there to help hard workers stay above ground. What type of things does the module entail ? Will I be spending a lot more after I purchase her 0-100k? I’m just very new to this and would love feedback. Am I the only one ?
HI Emily
I am so sorry you were laid off! That is scary, and frustrating. And I definitely understand being scared to spend the money on a course without knowing if you will succeed. I can say that the facebook group has so many people who will cheer you on with your wins, and help you come up with solutions when you struggle. If you are working hard on the course, learning and applying all you can, and keep going, you can succeed. Now, I can’t guarantee how much you will make, and nor can Alison. Some people take off it seems right away. Others (like me) it is more of a slow and steady course. But there is help in the group, and a couple trainings each week to answer questions and get more help.
As for how much you will spend after the course… that varies. You should get a business license, but I wouldn’t jump to getting an LLC until you are more established and know what your business is. But licenses will cost money. And then you will need to find a way to buy inventory to sell. Other than that, you won’t need to spend more money for the course.
It is okay to be new. Everyone starts at the beginning, and you are definitely NOT the only one. I see people in the group who say ” I’m new and I have no idea what I am doing, I am just happy to be here” A LOT. You will have support and cheer leaders.
I hope that helped and answered your questions. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help!
Hi Emily my name is Matthew and apparently the only man in the group but I am interested in the course as well. I am on a fixed income as I am a disabled veteran and would like to make extra money to help get out of debt and more. Like others, I am skeptical. I have researched other e-commerce opportunities and found most of them to be scams. One thing that concerns me and something I read online is that there is too much competition to make any money in the e-commerce business. What do you have to say about that. Does Alison adress that concern?
Hi Matthew
Thank you for being here! While you may be one of the few men to comment on this post, I promise you will not be the only man in the course (should you choose to sign up). Your concern is valid. ecommerce is a popular business idea… because it works. Yes, there is competition. But just because there is competition doesn’t mean you won’t be successful. For instance, there are TONS of people selling face masks right now. You would think it would be a saturated market. And yet, I hear of more people jumping in to sell masks, and making a lot of money. When it comes to competition, Alison teaches to find your own spin on a product to make it unique. I have done with several products, and it has worked. There is room for everyone! In the group we talk about having an abundance mind set, rather than a scarcity mind set. As this mind set will help you to be successful instead of being scared to try anything.
I hope that answered your question, and I hope it helped. Let me know if you have another other questions.
P.S. If you want an example of how competition doesn’t mean you can’t be successful….check out the bread aisle at the grocery store. 😉 This example is brought up a lot in the group too. 🙂
Hi,I emailed you a couple days ago or so. Did you get it?
Just responded back. Let me know if I can be of any more help.
No I didn’t get it.
Sorry, I thought you were referring to the first comment you left here on the blog. I never received an actual email from your email address…
Are there people in the Facebook group who are successful and can actually give advice based on personal experience? Can I join anytime?
Yes. There are many people in the group who are successful and can offer advice. If you post a question in the facebook group, you can expect to receive answers from people who have experience and know what they are talking about. Alison herself is in the group a lot, answering questions and helping. Alison also does a weekly facebook live Q&A where you can ask questions for specific help.
I believe you can join anytime. I don’t *think* Alison has specific time periods where the course is open and then she closes it. I know she has done that in the past, but I don’t know about her current strategy.
Hello!
So I have an LLC and just started a business this year- right as corona hit. I was going to teach mommy and me music classes. Now I’m pivoting to selling musical instruments to elementary music teachers (basically to schools). I already know where to find my customers and have a large list of interested buyers already! I’m planning to drop ship direct from my supplier. Would this course teach me anything else I’d need to know in addition to what I’m already doing? I also have an Etsy shop selling customized instruments as well but they are a much higher price point. Sales are ok, but I’d love more. Let me know what I might learn that I’m not already doing. Thanks a million!
Hi Lori
Wow! It sounds like you have done a great job already! So Alison’s course teaches her students methods to utilize websites and people (influencers) who already have an audience, and sell with those resources to get sales, etc. But the majority of those audiences are going to be every day people… not schools/music teachers. Now, that’s not to say that there aren’t influencers in the music instrument/teaching niche. And if you can find them, you could reach out to them about your custom instruments. If you want to do well on Etsy itself, I would look into learning more about Etsy SEO and how to get your products found that way. Can you “mass produce” your customized instruments? If so, you may also be able to utilize some of the other methods Alison teaches for getting more sales.
I set up an Etsy shop last year with products that I made. It was not immediately successful and so I put it on vacation status. Time to rethink. BUT I do already have a business name and an ein# and bank account set up as sole proprietor. I do not know what I want to sell. I am thinking of starting with POD to get up n going quickly (hopefully). So if I set up a website selling POD, would it be advisable to also sell physical products on that same site? Or is it better to stay within the same type products?
Well, technically doing POD is selling physical products. You just aren’t personally making and fulfilling them. But when it comes to adding products to a business, you don’t want to confuse potential customers. So if your new products go well with the POD products, then listing them together is fine. If they are totally different niches, you may want to have two different stores.
Also, I want to encourage you not to give up on Etsy. Etsy can take time to learn and grow to success.
Hi,
So I just got through listening to Alison’s free course about starting your own business. This is interesting to me, however my plan is to be successful on Etsy and to sell my art prints. In your opinion would signing up for Alison’s course help me to drive sales on Etsy if I paint my artwork and sell my prints? Building my own website and essentially doing everything from the ground up, on my own seems a bit overwhelming at the moment. That is why I am turning to Etsy to at least help me get started. I’m not sure how her course would translate with what I am trying to do though. Any advice or feedback would be appreciated!
Hi Richere
Okay so, strictly speaking, Alison’s course is not a course about how to sell on Etsy. I have an Etsy shop, but I use Alison’s methods to sell outside of the Etsy platform. You CAN use her methods to sell outside the Etsy platform as well (and it doesn’t have to be your own website either). She talks a lot about using influencers, so you could reach out to influencers, using her teaching methods, and have them come to your Etsy shop. The main “issue” there is that Etsy has an affiliate program already that doesn’t give a big affiliate percentage, so it isn’t SUPER enticing to influencers. You can offer an additional percentage of sales to potential influencers, but when I asked about doing that, I learned that influencers can be leery of such offers because Etsy shops have been known NOT to deliver the promised commission.
I feel like that was kind of a convoluted answer. The short version is: If you want to learn to be successful on Etsy, and only Etsy, I suggest not getting the course right now. But, when you are ready to explore beyond Etsy (your own website, deal sites, influencers, etc) then absolutely the course will help you grow.
I hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Emily
Hi Emily,
I am so impressed by your thoughtful responses to all of these great questions. You are a light! I also have a quick question. Does Allison encourage you to become a brand ie the face of your business to sell more or to be in one area of commerce? (Example only sell things related to what your brand is about?) Also does she encourage you to build a following & be engaged on Instagram? I’ve built a nice brand in a certain area that does not sell products and want to start something totally different and want to use Instagram minimally. Thanks again Emily! Cheers- Erika
Hi Erika
You are so sweet. Thank you for the kind words. Alison teaches that you CAN become the brand of your business, but it is in no way required. With the businesses she still has, she is not the face of them and she rarely uses Instagram, except as a tool to find and connect with influencers. I totally understand wanting to minimize Instagram usage (I struggle with it as well). But nowhere in the course does she say/teach that you need instagram to be successful. Does it help? Sure. Especially if you are able to build up an active following. But is it essential to succeed? Nope! There are people in the group who are successful on Instagram with their business, and plenty that are successful without Instagram. 🙂
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other question!
Emily Bass
This is the most direct and helpful blog I have been able to find about this course. Thanks for all of your direct opinions. As with the other cautious investors on here, I’m very interested in Alison’s course, but can only find reviews that she has posted. They all sound great, but it seems a little “curated” if you know what I mean.
I listen to her podcast and it’s wonderful for motivation, but she never actually gives any instruction, or definitive steps to take. Maybe it’s to protect her paid $ course, which I totally support. So I’m wondering, from your experience, is the 0-100K course ACTUAL help and instruction? As in “Here’s how to do this” step by step kind of info? Or is it a, you can do it if you BELIEVE in yourself hype reel? I really am a true beginner with setting up an e-commerce store, and sadly can’t afford $1000 for someone to only pep talk me. I need useful, step by step help as well at this point. What do you think? Thanks!
Hi Jennifer
I hear you 100%. The reviews Alison has are great, and completely genuine. But I wrote this post for people like you who want/need more information before making the decision AND who want someone to talk to/ask questions about it. I can tell you the course is definitely more step by step than the podcast. The course tells/teaches you exactly what you need to do to start/set up a business legally, where to find products that are selling well so you can pick one to start selling, how and where to start selling those products once you have them, how to grow your business to sell more, how to ship those products once you get sales and so much more. She really teaches a system that works again and again for creating a successful ecommerce business. And, being a beginner, you would not be alone. I see lots of posts in the facebook group that say something along the lines of “I’m brand new, I have no idea what I am going to sell, but I am excited to be here and get started”. The trick after that is to get started. To follow the steps and start working. There is pep talk along the way because starting an ecommerce business can be hard, and roadblocks will come and it can get frustrating. So having some cheerleaders to help keep you motivated and moving forward really does help. There were SO MANY TIMES I have been so frustrated and wanted to quit. But I never could, and haven’t yet, and now I am making more progress than I thought I could!
I hope that helps. And I hope it answers your questions. Please reach out again if you have any other questions or need advice. I am here. 🙂
Emily
Thank you for taking the time to respond! This was very helpful, and detailed, and now I feel ready to take the leap. So scary and exciting at the same time. Good luck in your growth for the future.
Do you need to be the creative type to do well in the course? I read that Alison got started reselling wood blocks that she recrafted. I am totally no arty or creative, can’t craft or make things nice for nuts.
Hi Chui
That is a great question! It is true that one of Alison’s first big sellers was the wood blocks, but she tells that story to get people thinking about what they have around the house that they could sell to make some money. I can tell you with 100% certainty that you do not have to be crafty to do well in the course. The course teaches you a step by step process to succeed with creating an online ecommerce business. I have had success selling both items that require me to be crafty, and items that don’t. But that is my own personal choice since I grew up in a DIY household.
There are LOTS of people in the course who do not sell anything requiring artsy skills, and they are doing very well. The great thing about this course is that it can work for all different types of products and sellers alike.
I hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Emily
Hi!
This year has been a year of learning for me. At the beginning of 2020, I looked into Amazon FBA…but decided against it because I didn’t know how to get products from China, etc. I then took the One Funnel Away Challenge from Click Funnels (which I know Alison uses)…while this was inspiring, I didn’t know where to go from there. I then went the route of learning WordPress and creating a website/blog and apply affiliate links. I also set up an Amazon Merch store selling t-shirts and created an Etsy shop. The last few weeks, I have sold a few items, but overall, nothing has really taken off just yet. I feel like I have a better understanding of what it takes, but need help guiding me to make it all successful. You mentioned Alison teaches you how to use Shopify to sell. I see that Shopify costs about $30/month and Click Funnels is $97/month. If I took her course, could I apply what she teaches, but use WooCommerce on my website (since I’m already paying for WordPress) instead of Shopify and use my Thrive Theme builder to create funnels instead of Click Funnels? In other words, could I use what she teaches and do it using those platforms to save money? Hopefully this all makes sense. Thanks!
Hi Rebecca
Yes, of course you can use software different than what Alison suggests. With this blog I plan to add an ecommerce shop (beyond my Etsy store), and I plan to use Shopify because that it what I am familiar with. But there is no rule that says you HAVE to use Shopify. Alison recommends it because she has had great experiences with it.
And, instead of Click Funnels, I use a page builder on this blog for some digital products. I am very familiar with Click Funnels, but have not pushed enough business through the funnel to make it worth the $97 per month. So I use an alternate solution to save money.
The purpose of the course is really to teach you the process and system for successfully building an online store. But no where does she say “you must use Shopify and Click Funnels or you will not succeed”. Nope! Not the case at all. In fact, I don’t have either right now and I am still making sales through the other methods she teaches.
I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Emily
Thank you so much for your response! I appreciate it so much. I plan to buy the course tomorrow and will use your link. Thanks!!
Hello. How do you know what products to sell and or they expensive to purchase?
Hi there!
Alison gives you some tips and tricks, and even has a product finding tool, in the course, to help you decide on a good product to sell. When you purchase products as inventory, the idea is to buy them at a low price (wholesale price) and then sell them for a higher price so you can make a profit. Sometimes there is a learning curve and some trial and error (I definitely experienced some trial and error), but if you keep going, you can make it!
Does that answer your question?
Hi,
I went through all the comments and they have been helpful, but not too direct when it comes to numbers.
What other costs besides business setup (LLC and inventory would I need to budget for? Would an extra $1000 on top of what the course costs be seasonable to invest and get the ball rolling?
Hi Cyslyn!
Thank you so much for your comment. I’m sorry you haven’t seen the specific information/numbers you are hoping to find. So besides getting an LLC and inventory, what other costs are there to get started? Honestly, you don’t HAVE to spend any other money to get things rolling. You can start selling on deal sites and facebook marketplace to get money coming in. Then roll that money into more inventory and building up your business. I would recommend getting set up with a shipping service to help you print labels and keep track of shipments ( I use ship station and it is about $30/month)– and if you do that you will want to get a thermal label printer as well ( I use the Rollo and love it. It is less than $200 on Amazon. Works great and much cheaper than other options) Now, you CAN jump in and get your domain name ($14 ish), sign up for Shopify ($30/month), business email through google ($6/month), plus Shopify add-ons (variable costs)–but doing all these extra things aren’t truly necessary to get the ball rolling.
If you have $1000 extra, beyond the cost of the course, then I think you will have plenty to get up and running.
I hope that helped! Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Emily
I have been searching for honest reviews on this course and appreciate your back and forth in regards to questions and concerns. After noticing that Alison owns the “Pick Your Plum” deal site, I read some reviews as well as BBB complaints and it appears that this course is at least in part a means for Alison to funnel vendors into her own site, which to be fair, doesn’t have great reviews from those who have used it to purchase.
Today I read another review from a former student of Alison’s who was banned from the facebook group for asking questions about PYP and voicing her concerns. I was considering purchasing this course but reading her experience was truly disheartening. Do you have any insight?
Hi Dalia
I’m afraid I don’t have any insight into a former student’s experience. I can tell you that Alison sold Pick Your Plum a couple of years ago. So she doesn’t use the course to funnel vendors to another of her businesses.
I have used Pick Your Plum to sell items in the past, and my experience has been positive overall. I have also used Pick Your Plum to purchase items. I know there were problems in the past with vendors not holding up their end of the bargain, shipping out products late (or not at all) and were then prevented from selling on the site again.
I understand being disheartened, and cautious, after reading someone else’s negative experience. But I have personally had incredible growth and success because of Alison’s course, and there are hundreds (even thousands) of others in the course who have as well.
Let me know if you have any other questions. I am happy to answer what I can.
Hi,
I had a baby in July 2020 and have been in maternity leave from my salaried job since then. During my maternity leave I started selling things on Ebay. The things I sold where my own belongings that I didnt use anymore. I discovered I really enjoyed it and decided to look into having an e-commerce store.
I am very interested in the course and have a vague idea of the genre of item I want to sell. Not sure about what specific item as of yet.
I am based in the UK so I am worried that the course is targeted towards USA residents and how much of the content would be applicable to me and whether I could use the resources to their full potential when I do not live in the US.
Could you shed some light on this?
Thanks
Hi Becky
Thank you so much for your comment. The course actually works no matter what country you live in. I just did a quick check in the facebook group, and there are several people from the UK in the course. I know there are several from Australia as well. Basically you would need to take the information from the course and apply it to your situation. For example… find influencers who are based in the UK instead of in the states.
That is one of the great things about the course. Alison teaches you a system/process that works over and over, no matter where you live! And if you get stuck, there are a lot of people in the group to offer help, support and encouragement.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Emily
Hi Emily, I have been reviewing Alison’s course and thankful to find your review which are very helpful to get better ideas about her program – mostly whether it’s a legitimate program and if it is for beginners who needs steps by steps to venture into the online business.
If I am going to start this year and hoping to get something running by the fall, what would you suggestion for the plan of actions? I am a mom working remotely from home but could manage some weekend hours into an online business. Also, any tips on how to start small with little investment and tax deductible tips that could help doing this business?
Appreciate your feedbacks!
Hi Missy
Thanks so much for your comment. Alison’s course is definitely a step by step program to help take you from beginner to online business. Which is part of what makes it so great.
If you were to start now, you should have a business up and running by the fall. But that really depends on how much work you put into it between now and then. Making sure you spend dedicated time on your business is going to be the best bet to seeing success. I would recommend going through the steps, and not getting stuck on pieces that aren’t as important. A lot of people get stuck on picking a business name… just pick one. You can change it later. Others get stuck on picking that first product to sell, wanting it to be perfect (guilty over here!). But pick one, put it up for sale and learn from the experience and then keep moving forward and trying different things.
If you have a little investment to start, then order a small quantity of product to sell. Once it sells, take all the money from those sales and purchase more inventory. This way you can build up inventory gradually, without spending a ton of money all at once.
For taxes…. I’m not an accountant. I keep detailed records of my business expenses and sales and then let an accountant do the rest. There are some videos from an accountant in the course and facebook group that can help as well.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Thank you so much Emily for your time and effort to answers ours questions.
I am ready to get started now. Do you think I should first try to setup a Sole proprietorship or LLC before starting this course? Would that help to get going quicker?
Appreciate your feedbacks.
Hi Missy
Alison walks you through all the steps of setting up your business, even when to do the LLC. A LLC is recommended, eventually, but it isn’t necessary when first getting started. I didn’t get a LLC until I had more consistent sales in my business. Up until that point I use a sole proprietorship.
Let me know how else I can help!
Thank you so much Emily. I value your feedbacks. I’ll sign up for the course in a few weeks and will use your link.
I have also favorite your blog so I can come back to review other things you have posted here.
Much appreciated it 👍❤️
I’m really thinking about joining
It is a big decision. Do you have any questions I can answer for you?
Hello, I enjoyed your review of Allison’s course and I have a quick question. My wife has an Etsy store and an online store on Ecwid (similar to Shopify) selling soaps and bath bombs but her store is new and hasn’t made too many sales. Does Allison’s course cover handmade items or does she only recommend or talk about purchasing items to sell? Thanks!
Hi Kevin
Alison’s course definitely works with handmade items. Most recently I have been focusing on my Etsy shop and my first successful product was actually a handmade item as well. She doesn’t “cover” handmade items so to speak, but the methods and strategies she teaches definitely work with handmade shops.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Emily
Hi Emily, do you need to have an LLC set up just to try selling on Etsy, Alison has spoken of trying to see selling things you already have at home to see that the process is working so just wondering? Can you set it up after you are comfortable with the process and have a higher volume of sales?
Thanks for letting me know,
Janet
Hi Janet
You actually do not need any formal licensing or set up to start on Etsy. When I first started on Etsy I did not have any business license, I just started. Eventually I did get a sole proprietorship business license, but it is definitely not required for Etsy. They don’t even ask when you sign up. I hope that helps!
Will this course cover POD ?
Hi Kristi
Thank you for your question. While you can use Alison’s course to enhance a POD business (and some in the course do use the course to grow their POD business), she does not go over the nitty gritty of starting and building a POD business as that is not her focus/specialty.
I hope that answers your question. Let me know if there is anything else I can help with.
Do you still feel the same about the program today?
Hi Tracy
Yes, I do! I am still part of the group, still applying Alison’s teachings and working towards the goal of 100k in total sales. My journey has been slower than others, but that is okay. I have learned so much (and had lots of life changes). But I can say for certain I would not know what I do today, or have the business knowledge and confidence I do, had I not taken Alison’s course.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Emily
I’m really interested in this course. My concern is how much money I actually need once I pay for the course and the legal fees for buying the actual products? It will take me awhile to save up for the course and I know approximately how much the legal stuff will cost. My fear is that once I get the course then I’ll find out I need $5000 to get products. Also, are people able to do this living in a small apartment or do most people have houses and garage? I’m really excited about doing this.
HI Tiff!
Great questions. There are some fees for setting up your business legally. Alison talks about getting an LLC, etc. However, you can start with a basic business license and once you start selling more/making more money you can purchase an LLC license. You don’t need to buy that right away. As for buying products— you do NOT need to spend thousands and thousands to get started. In fact, Alison BEGS you not to. She doesn’t want people going into debt to start a business. She encourages over and over to start small and build up. If you can only buy 5 items, then buy those 5, sell them and use the profits to buy 10 next time. Then sell those 10 and buy 20, etc. People will start by selling things they have around the house and use that money to buy their first official products.
And everyone’s living circumstances are different. If you can’t house a lot of product, then house what you can . Some products are small in size so a large quantity will fit in a some what large box that won’t take up too much space. Again, start small and grow as needed. You don’t need a warehouse or a garage full of inventory to be successful.
Please let me know if that helped and if I can answer anything else for you.
Emily
Hello. I read all 132 comments! Thanks for all the information. I have sold on Etsy and Amazon FBA in the past but never took any paid courses first. I am ready to try out this program soon. I recently set up a Shopify store to get an idea of what it is like. One question I have is in the program is there any information about the legal aspects of selling online? With Amazon I was selling pet products and was shocked when I was threatened to be sued for selling a certain item. I received a cease and desist letter from a lawyer and I panicked and shut down my FBA store and never reopened. I am afraid of selling something that I might get sued for later on and lose everything. I was not set up as an LLC yet. Thanks for any info!
Hi Barb
Yes, Alison goes through how to set up your business legally, including the LLC. Also As for getting sued for certain products, she teaches to stay away from products that are licensed or definitely protected by copyright/trademarks, unless you are a recognized seller for that company/product . Though she doesn’t have a list of “don’t sell this” to prevent being sued. Part of that is on us as sellers/business owners to look into the product and make sure we have the rights to sell them.
I hope that answered your question. Let me know if there is anything else I can answer for you.
Emily
Hello! I read through all 132 comments. Thanks for all the information. I am interested in signing up soon but have a question. Is there any information in the program about the legal aspects of selling online? I have sold before on Etsy and Amazon FBA after watching youtube tutorials and recently starting a Shopify store. I just want to make sure I am protected from legal action on a product I sell. THANKS!
I watched Allison’s webinar and am considering her course. Do you still recommend it? I read through all of the comments and it is so helpful you are answering all the questions
Sorry I am just seeing this! Yes, I definitely still recommend her course. I am still part of the group. There are amazing people and information being shared all the time. Alison is just as invested as ever in helping give people the tools to create their own online store and succeed with it. I actually just reached the $100k in total sales goal! It took me longer than others but I have had A LOT of life changes over the last few years and never thought I would actually reach that lofty goal. But I did it just at the beginning of this month!
let me know if there is anything else I can answer for you!
I’ve read a lot recently about ad inflation and how this is really hurting online businesses. Does any of her strategies require paid ads to run your business?
Hi Erin
No. In fact that is one of the great parts about Alison’s course…no ads are required to grow a successful business. There are people in the course who do run ads, after their business is established. But it is not required to be successful. I actually reached the $100k in sales goal, and never once ran an ad!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Do you receive compensation for linking her program?
Hi Christine
Thank you for your question. I have taken Alison’s course and I am still a current member of her program. I am also an affiliate of her course, which means I do receive a small compensation if someone chooses to purchase her course, after clicking on my link. That being said, all opinions and experiences discussed here are my own.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Emily