Founded in 1890, Hansen Bros. Moving & Storage the parent company of Portabox has successfully weathered many history-changing events including the Great Seattle Fire, WWI, the Spanish Flu of 1918, the Great Depression, WWII, the 2008 recession, and 9/11 among many other public crises. We are taking the current COVID-19 threat very seriously and will promptly adhere to any and all directives from local, state and federal government officials. Hansen Bros. and Portabox have been categorized as an essential industry business (moving & relocation) within the current mandate established by Washington State Governor Jay Inslee.

As essential services, we will maintain normal operations until such time as either company management determines we must close our offices or we are directed to do so by a governmental authority. We are taking extensive precautionary measures including the adoption of all CDC guidelines and the establishment of our own policies intended to minimize health risks for all customers, employees, contractors, vendors, and community stakeholders. We are proud to be able to support the needs of our customers during this crucial time but are prepared to quickly change course as required.

Stay safe together with Hansen Bros. and Portabox

The COVID-19 crisis is fluid and there are many uncertainties and factors outside of our control that may, with little or no advance notice, impact our delivery of moving & storage services. Please be aware the current crisis could potentially result in small inconveniences such as a delayed project start time or significant inconveniences such as the complete rescheduling of services.

Although there are many unknowns to be navigated, you can be certain that Hansen Bros. and Portabox will be timely and transparent in our communications regarding servicing your moving & storage needs, and our professional relocation consultants will work diligently to offer creative solutions in the event your project is impacted by the current health crisis.

Steps We're Taking:

  • Company-wide Implementation of all precautionary measures recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
  • Office staff and crews are being monitored daily for symptoms and/or known exposure by management and asked to go home, contact their healthcare provider, and self-quarantine as directed. Staff that experience symptoms and/or aware of exposure when not at work have been directed to stay home and notify their supervisor.
  • Office staff and crews are receiving daily briefings on precautionary measures and have been directed to follow them on and off the job.
  • Office staff and crews are being instructed to maintain appropriate “social distance” of 6 feet minimum between one another, customers, and all other people.
  • Office staff and crews are being provided with appropriate hand sanitizer and surface disinfecting supplies. They have been directed to disinfect truck cabs and moving equipment between each move to the best of their ability. These supplies will continue to be replenished as we are able, based on availability from retailers.
  • We are limiting visitation to our branch offices. If you wish to purchase moving boxes or supplies, please simply call in your order and we will happily deliver to your vehicle outside.

We are all in this together.  The team at Hansen Bros. and Portabox is proud to continue offering our services in accordance with the necessary precautions outlined above. We are here to make the process of storing belongings seamless & safe for you.

A checklist for starting an online retail business in Seattle

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Many people are deciding to get into online retail, given the expansion of this type of business. It’s never been easier for you to make a living and create a brand, and all you have to have is a computer and a strong will to start! That doesn’t mean you will automatically succeed. You have to follow some key steps first, to ensure your business has a future. There are plenty of people who are starting an online retail business in Seattle, but not all of them are doing it the right way. That’s why we at Portabox self storage Seattle want to help you by sharing our knowledge and experience. Let’s jump right in.

Register a domain and create a website

First things first, you should buy and register a domain, and then build a website. That will literally be the home of your business. That’s where your customers will be ordering your products and placing their purchase orders. Get familiar with this side of the business intimately. Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most important factors that determine how well will an online business will fare against its competition.

Laptop with a search for starting an online retail business in Seattle
The first investment you should make for your online retail business in Seattle is a good website!

Don’t leave these things to chance, just because you have a website it doesn’t mean people will all of a sudden start flocking there. They need to be directed to your page, so do everything you can to make sure that happens. Don’t think about anything else, like where to find reliable portable storage containers Seattle has to offer before you complete this step.

Invest in digital advertising and social media

This step should be done at the very end, but we’ll expand on it more now because it’s closely tied to the previous point. Having a good, functioning website where everything is subdued to SEO is just one piece of the puzzle. It should go hand in hand with digital ads and social media pages. Social media, as we all know, is where everything happens these days. They’ve become the number-one place for socializing, fun content, online retail businesses, etc.

Make sure to use that to your advantage. Investing in carefully constructed ads and having a well-run and organized social media page is a must in today’s competitive world. Be sure to secure some funds in advance for this side of the business, if you wish your online Seattle retail business to succeed.

Social media page of an online retail business in Seattle
Don’t neglect social media, as they can make or break your online retail business in Seattle!

Do market research and then purchase a stock of products to sell

If you already know which products you’ll be selling, then great. If you are still unsure, do some market research first. There are great online tools available for you to really dig in and learn about the shopping habits of people. Once you have a grasp on what’s hot and what’s not, plan on getting these products and having them in stock. Design your portfolio so it has multiple products that are often purchased together, but don’t spread it too wide. If you have too many different products, you risk not having enough in stock because for sure some will be selling better than others. 

Hire the best storage service company you can find in Seattle when starting an online retail business 

Having a reliable partner that will store your inventory is a critical step. You shouldn’t simply browse for ‘Inventory storage Seattle‘ and settle for the first thing that pops up. Instead, take your time and visit those storage facilities. You have to see firsthand how secure their warehouse is, whether they are reliable and easy to do business with, do they have enough space for your inventory, etc. You should also see how easy it would be for your couriers to go over there, get the products, and ship them away.

Ease of access is something you should definitely look for, as you don’t want to waste any time and money. Of course, don’t even think about getting in business with a storage company that doesn’t have all the required licenses and registrations! That will be detrimental to your online retail business in Seattle which hasn’t even started to blossom yet! 

Don’t think too far in advance when starting an online retail business in Seattle

It’s easy to get lost in optimistic projections at the beginning of your career. You set up a great website for your online retail business, got enough products in stock, set up a reliable storage and warehouse network, and now the first orders are coming in. Once those first orders hit your page, you can get an adrenaline rush and think that you’ve made it, it’s all uphill from here! However, that isn’t always the case.

Retail warehouse in Seattle
It’s imperative you hire only the best storage service company in Seattle you can find, so they can help you expand your online retail business

Don’t plan too far ahead in terms of getting more products, widening your portfolio, and expanding your warehouse network. That is something that should happen organically, and only when the numbers really show that you have space to grow. Do not force growth only for the sake of it. That way you can start spending more money than you have to and end up ruining your online retail business!

Be sure you have enough funds for the first year of your online retail business in Seattle

This point is closely tied to the previous one. You should have enough funds to cover all expenses during the first year of your online retail store. You never know how things will turn out. Your projections might be great and accurate, but they are only predictions at the end of the day. It’s never easy starting an online retail business in Seattle, as the competition is tough and fierce. Prepare yourself for the ups and downs that will inevitably come. But don’t worry, tough times can be over just as quickly as they came! If you followed all the steps, you’ll have no trouble reaching new customers every month! Get in touch with our PortaBox Storage once you’re ready to kickstart your online business. We’ll gladly help you in any way we can!

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