SET UP GUIDE

Welcome! We're so excited you're here. This is your step-by-step guide to get your business set up and prepared to launch.

Here's what we'll cover:
  1. Setting Up Your Business
  2. Placing Your First Order
  3. Launching, Marketing, and Selling

SET UP BUSINESS, TAXES, PAYMENT PORTAL

Like a brick-and-mortar or Etsy store, you need to work out if your state requires you to register as a business and/or collect sales tax. We are not business law or tax experts so we suggest you start by reading through this simple guide from the SBA.

This is often the most daunting part but we're here to help in whatever way we can (your onboarding call will be a great resource for this). We strongly recommend using a service to help manage this part of your business (see links below). It will save you time and money in the long run.

1. Create a new email
We figure you might already have an account with Common Good. To avoid confusion (and because our system needs a unique email to register you for wholesale pricing), step one is to create a new gmail address. This will be for your new business, so call it whatever makes sense (maybe savetheworld@gmail.com is taken but what about ellie.refills@gmail.com?) You can forward your new email to your regular address if you prefer. We just need a new email to get you registered.

2. Register your business
Start by finding out if you need to register your business with your state's government. 
The SBA has a helpful page on this with a great tool to look up your state. 
You can establish your business however you like. But be advised there are a few things to consider: A sole proprietor has legal and financial responsibility vs a Limited Liability Company which moves responsibility to the business. As you're just starting out, it's likely fine to run as a sole proprietor but this is something worth discussing with your accountant and possibly your lawyer. Read more about structure here.

Useful links:

3. Register to collect sales tax
We need your Tax ID or EIN to sell product to you without charging you tax. The SBA has a guide and links to all the state offices, so you can find yours here.
If you're familiar with sales tax collection and reporting, you can go to your state's treasury site and register there. 
If you're not familiar with sales tax, we highly recommend using a service like Tax Jar's Filing for Stripe Tax Users. It costs $35 per filing (usually 4x per year). They will take the headache out of what can be a confusing process.
You'll also need to fill out the ST-120 Form for New York State and Local Sales and Use Tax and send that to us.

Useful links:

4. Set up a payment platform
All merchant platforms charge around 3% per transaction to run credit cards. You can also accept cash, Venmo, or CashApp! In our experience, people like to use their credit cards so we factor in 3% cost on those orders. 
Stripe is a $0 per month service that only charges you 2.6% - 3.5% depending on whether you have the card. They don't support filing, so this is a good option if you're familiar with sales taxes. Square charges 2.9% on all transactions and for an additional 0.5% per transaction, will prepare tax filing reports for you.

Useful links:

5. Get onboarded
Once you're familiar with business and sales tax registration, we think it's a great time to jump on a call with us to ask any questions. We're here to help you get set up and give insight on product or selling. It's your time to meet us and get more familiar with the program.

6. Insurance check
You want to make sure you're covered if someone is hurt while visiting your home for a refill. Parts of your business might not be covered, such as product lost in the event of a fire. All policies are different so it's worth checking with your carrier. 

7. Create At Home account
While you need your EIN or resale certification to place a wholesale order, now is a good time to go ahead and enter your information into the system so we can create your account.

8. Order product
Once you have your EIN #, you can place an opening order! You won't be able to see the discounted pricing until then, but you can check out the shop by clicking below. Or look below to learn about some of our best sellers.

Pricing refills and other products


We made several handy worksheet so you can decide how much you will charge for refills and have everything you need right at your fingertips. 

Set Up

Refill Box FAQ

Don't forget about our Closed Loop Program!


We created the Closed Loop program as a method for reusing some of our plastic packaging. The liners in our refill boxes can be sent back to us for cleaning, processing, and refilling! We even cover the shipping. Check out the Refill Box FAQs page above for more info on this program. 


Create a business plan

This form is just a jumping off point for you to think about your goals and how you're going to achieve them. Start by making a list of friends and family who will be excited about increasing their sustainability at home. Consider who might not be excited but rather who could use a nudge towards living more sustainably. If you want to go bigger, list all the businesses in your area whose bottles you would like to refill. 

Put some thought into how much time you have to spend on the program, when you will open your refill station, or if you'll offer a refill delivery service. 

Here's the SBA's guide to writing a business plan to get you started:


PREPARING TO SELL

Placing your first order


Now that you have your business registrations underway, you've wrapped your mind around pricing and how to set up a refill station, and have done a quick business plan, it's time to think about which products you want to offer. This will depend on what sort of setup you'd like to have in your home, as well as who your target customers are. Wondering how to determine that? Here are some examples of who to reach out to and how:


- Consider which family members and friends might want clean products with sustainable practices

- Make a list of local businesses that you think could benefit from offering CG products (restaurants, yoga studios, boutiques, salons, etc)

- Invite people over to introduce them to your line

- Talk about CG products in social situations or group settings like PTA meetings, book club, or even around the water cooler.

MARKETING & LAUNCH


You've done the hard part and now the fun can start! What follows are some guidelines to get you ready to launch. Our Member's Page has a lot more tips and tricks to keep growing your business. 

Here are some of the things we've learned about selling Common Good products over the last 10 years:

- Be your natural, charming self. You don't need to hard sell anyone.
- Don't assume people know much about sustainability.
- People are often motivated by personal safety first.
- New parents and homeowners are usually very open to trying something new.
- Keep it short and sweet.
- Showing and feeling are better than telling.
- Know the facts.

Presentation slides


We made some slides to help you learn about Common Good products and the company. From our history to the environmental impacts of our products, this deck will inform you and is a great resource to share with your customers. You can also find information on our FAQs page.

Email

The first and easiest thing to do is use our intro email to share product and environmental information with your network. 

Social media
Social media is a powerful tool to build your network. As a member, you will have a unique coupon to share with your customers.

Host an event
Throwing a party is a great way to share information about reducing single-use-plastic packaging. We'll help you with training and environmental impact information, music playlists, recipes, and lots more. Check out these handy guides below!

Planner

Schedule

Checklist

WE'RE HERE TO HELP


We understand things can get overwhelming at times. But we've got your back! 

Feel free to schedule a call with us and we'll walk you through whatever you need.