Themed Selections Business

Themed Selections Business Success Stories [2024]

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Updated: October 8th, 2024

In search of a unique business that sparks curiosity and creativity? Consider starting a themed selections business.

A themed selections business curates and markets collections of products around specific themes or events, such as seasonal holidays, birthdays, or niche interests. It’s a creative enterprise where you thoughtfully assemble and sell packages of complimentary items, creating convenient, ready-made experiences for your customers.

The appeal lies in the mix of personalization and convenience. Imagine offering a "Summer Beach Day" package with sunscreen, a beach towel, and a novel, or a "Cozy Winter Night" set featuring hot cocoa, fuzzy socks, and a good book. Customers love the curated experience, and you get the thrill of crafting each collection.

If you're passionate about curation and have an eye for what works well together, this venture can be both enjoyable and rewarding.

In this list, you'll find real-world themed selections business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a themed selections business that makes money.

1. art.com ($100M/year)

Back in 1994, the internet was still in its infancy, and Josh Chodniewicz didn't even know what it was until his friend Mike Marston called him from Virginia Tech and told him it was going to be huge. Intrigued, Josh bought a modem and the two started brainstorming potential online business ideas. After passing on books and music, they decided posters and prints were perfect for the online market where people had limited local options for art.

They observed the struggles people had finding specialty posters, like a Boston Red Sox fan living in Texas trying to find team memorabilia. This made them realize the potential of a single online source for a wide variety of posters and prints. To validate their idea, they leveraged early internet marketing strategies, like pay-per-click advertising on Yahoo! Overture and an extensive affiliate program with 750,000 websites.

Throughout this process, they encountered challenges like low repeat sales and ineffective advertising expenses but refined their approach by focusing on profitable marketing channels and banding together for logistical efficiency. This experience taught them the importance of perseverance, innovation, and leveraging the right partners to bring their vision to life.

How much money it makes: $100M/year
How much did it cost to start: $35K
How many people on the team: 1000