How to Make Slime and Sell it Online

Stretch Out Your Sales by Selling Slime Online

The internet has been flooded with videos of individuals young and old making slime, playing with slime, and mixing slime, causing a boom to occur in the industry. A fun, sticky, stretchy substance made with only a few common household ingredients, slime has become one of the most popular handmade products to sell online for both kids and adults. Whether its for the colors and scents, the satisfying looks and sounds, or for the engaging stimulation that the substance provides when played with, slime is something that anyone can find enjoyment from. If you’ve ever had an interest in doing fun, homemade crafts for a profit, then now is the ideal time to break into in the slime industry.

However, before you start mixing glue and glitter, you’ll need to learn the basics of making and selling slime online. Just like any other business, an online slime shop requires a business plan with solid tools to back it up in order to be successful and sustainable. With the right eCommerce platform on your side, you’ll have all of the resources that you’ll need to successfully run your slime business. Whether its shipping and inventory or marketing and customer service, Shift4Shop’s platform gives you everything you need to start your own online slime shop.

Slime Products You Can Sell Online

In the slime-making community, there’s a seemingly endless array of recipes that can be used to make unique slime. From slime packed with glitter and beads to soft, thick slime that spreads like butter, you can create any combination of colors, textures, and scents to craft your own unique slime products. Slime-makers pride themselves on constantly innovating their slime creations, thinking of new elements to add in or new ingredients to use.

Due to the extremely flexible nature of slime creation, and the fact that creating slime yourself can be as simple or as complex as you’d like, it’s no wonder that so many different types of slime recipes exist. Even still, every recipe can be made your own with as little as one simple tweak. You can play around with different glitter types, scent combinations, slime consistencies, and ingredients to make a truly unique product. It’s even possible to market your slime based on a specific needs-based niche, such as glue-free slime for those with sensitivities to glue.

Summary of Types of Slime and Related Products to Sell Online

Clear slime
Glitter slime
Fluffy slime
Butter slime
Glue-free slime
Borax-free slime
Crunchy slime
Glow-in-the-dark slime

Edible slime
Soap slime
Oobleck slime
Cloud slime
Color changing slime
Scented slime
Magnetic slime
Slime making supplies (glue, beads, glitter, activator, etc.)

This list is just a small selection of what’s out there in terms of slime recipes and related products. Any of these slime types can be modified or combined to your liking to create an entirely new type of slime. In fact, slime-makers are always looking for new ingredients to use in their slime, constantly innovating and creating new combinations. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different recipes; you may discover a new type of slime that people will love!

Legal Requirements for a Slime Business

While there are no specific permits or licenses necessary to sell slime online, aside from any business permits and licensure needed for any business, you should take certain safety precautions when selling slime online.

For example, a large portion of your customer base will likely be children (or parents buying for children), so you need to ensure that all ingredients you use for your slime are non-toxic to the touch. You’ll also want to disclose every ingredient that you’ve used in your slime so that parents can make educated decisions on whether it’s safe for their child or not; some ingredients like glue or laundry detergent may not be suitable for some children to have access to.

Even further, some customers may have allergies and sensitivities that you need to cater to. This is especially important if you’re making edible slime; you’ll want to disclose every ingredient used in the slime to avoid any adverse reactions. In the case of edible slime, because it is technically a food product, may need to also obtain the proper licenses and permits for selling food products that are required within your area.

How to Make Slime

Like we’ve discussed, there’s not just one singular way to make slime. The slime community has concocted a nearly infinite number of recipes for different types of slime with varying ingredients. However, slime is most often made with glue, colorant, and an activator that causes the slime to take on its patent texture and moldable quality. The variation comes in when you change the amount of glue, the types of colorants, and the amount of activator that you use in your recipe. The ingredient that acts as an activator can be several things, including contact lens solution, laundry detergent, and a Borax/water mixture. Typically, adding more activator creates a thicker slime, with less resulting in a looser slime.

While there is an overwhelming amount of variation regarding slime recipes, most of them fall within three basic recipes: basic slime, crunchy slime, and fluffy slime. Let’s go through how each of these are made.

Basic Slime

When we say “basic slime,” we mainly refer to the most common type of slime. This slime is mostly translucent and is a great base for several types of slime, like colored slime or glitter slime. It’s not the thickest type of slime, and it leans towards the stickier side of the spectrum. It’s also one of the simplest types to make, leaving lots of room for variation.

To make basic slime, you’ll need to mix clear glue and your activator – that’s it! With just these two ingredients, you’ll have the basis of a clear slime; all you’ll need to do is mix them together and stretch the resulting slime consistently until it turns clear and becomes less sticky. However, you may need to wait a few days for the slime to turn completely clear. If you’d like to make a thicker slime, you can add extra activator.

Using this recipe, you can also create colored slime by adding a colorant such as food coloring, acrylic paint, or pigment powders. You can also add glitter to this recipe to create glitter slime; consider adding glitter of different shapes and colors into the same slime, such as iridescent glitter or flakey flitter, to give the slime dimension.

Crunchy Slime

Crunchy slime is very similar to basic slime, in that it uses the same basic recipe – clear glue, activator, and a colorant if you’d like it to be colored. However, the difference lies in what makes the slime “crunchy,” which refers to the sound and texture that the slime takes on when plastic beads or gems are added to it.

When making crunchy slime, you’ll want to add as many plastic beads or gems as the slime can take without any beads falling out. It’s as simple as putting your basic slime into a bowl of plastic beads and slowly kneading them into the slime. To create “floam” slime, which is a slightly different version of crunchy slime, you can add foam beads instead of plastic. Floam slime has a unique sound and texture when playing with it due to all of the foam beads, which differs from the crunchy slime.

Fluffy Slime

Fluffy slime is quite different from basic or crunchy slime in that its texture is much thicker and softer, with the slime itself looking opaque and keeping its shape when played with. What makes fluffy slime look and act different from the previous two slimes is its ingredients: white glue, shaving cream, foaming handwash, corn starch, body lotion, and activator. All of these ingredients give fluffy slime its unique qualities that make it much different from classic slime.

To make fluffy slime, simply mix all of the aforementioned ingredients together in a bowl. The specific amount of each ingredient will depend on the recipe you’re using and the final result that you’re looking to achieve with your slime. For coloring your slime, some slime-makers use acrylic paint; however, this type of colorant may “eat up” the shaving cream and distort the texture of your slime over time. Instead, many recommend using food coloring or powder pigments.

Tips for Packaging and Shipping Slime

Typically, slime is packaged in clear plastic jars of varied sizes with a reusable top so that the customer (and you) can see what type of slime is inside. The reusable top is especially important so that the slime can be kept fresh in the container; if it’s exposed to air for a long period of time, it may lose its stretchy qualities. To reinforce the freshness, ensure that the slime you’re shipping out to a customer is still fully activated and fresh before packing it away for one final time. The name of the game in slime packaging is keeping the slime intact on its way to the customer without spills, damage, or leaks, so adding extra tape to keep the container’s cap on tight may be a good idea.

Packaging is a good opportunity for marketing as well; you can label the container with your online store’s name and the slime’s name, either indicating its scent, color, unique mixture, or any other naming system.

Aside from the actual slime product, you may want to include a few pack-ins to ensure that the customer’s post-purchase experience is the best it can possibly be. One of the most important pack-ins to include a “slime care card” with full instructions on how the customer should care for their slime so that it lasts. For example, different temperatures while shipping can alter the slime’s texture, so you should include instructions to the customer on how to re-activate the slime (possibly with a packet of extra activator included). You should also include your ingredients list, safety disclaimers, and any maintenance tips, such as keeping the lid on and storing the slime in a cool, dry place. Many slime shops also insert business cards and fun extras like candy, stickers, and more.

Using Social Media for
Marketing Your Slime Shop

Slime exploded in popularity due to one simple thing: social media. Especially on Instagram and YouTube, one simple search for “slime” will bring you to a seemingly infinite number of slime videos. These videos showcase the slime and all of its qualities, from its stretchiness and thickness to the sounds it makes when it’s played with. By reaching out to these slime influencers, you can have them promote your slime by showcasing it in one of their own videos. But, by creating videos of your own slime in this fashion, you’ll be able to tap into the slime community on both platforms yourself.

When recording videos of your slime for social media to show off how it looks, you’ll want to enhance each satisfying aspect of the video; this means bright-lighting, high saturation, and a high-quality microphone that pics up every sound the slime makes. A slime’s sound is an especially important selling point for those who experience ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response, which is a pleasant sensation triggered by specific satisfying sounds and imagery (like the sound that slime makes).

Beyond videos on social media, you can also get the word out about your business by doing giveaways and setting up promotions. This helps new businesses gain traction without much of an online reputation, because customers will be less willing to buy slime from a brand-new shop with no reviews at the same price as other well-renowned shops. Trust is an important factor in the slime community because quality can vary widely between slime-makers.

How to Sell Slime in Person and Online

While eCommerce is the main destination for selling slime, you don’t have to stick to online sales. Slime is a popular item for kids to not only make themselves, but also sell to fellow peers and classmates. Some schools allow students to sell things that they’ve made on their grounds, meaning you can help your child start their own business before they even graduate high school! Aside from school, kids can also sell at children’s business fairs or any other craft fair with an adult’s help and supervision.

But, if you’re an adult doing this on your own, you don’t have to sell solely on your online store either! You can also sell your slime products at craft fairs or other local market venues. To keep all of your sales in person and online synced together, so you never lose track of inventory or income, it’s a good idea to utilize a POS (point of sale) system in all of your physical transactions. Not only does this allow you to take credit cards for payments, but you’ll also be able to keep your online and offline business organized. With Shift4Shop's direct integration with Harbortouch, a leading POS system, you can get set up quickly and start selling using fully integrated eCommerce software.

How to Get Started Selling Slime Online

To start selling slime online with the ultimate eCommerce platform by your side, consider utilizing Shift4Shop for your slime shop. Aside from what we've already discussed, such as direct integration with leading POS systems, Shift4Shop comes with hundreds of features designed to facilicate your online business's success. With Shift4Shop's software, you can easily build your own custom website, sell on several marketplaces, market your slime products, stay in contact with customers, and more. By getting started with a FREE online store, no credit card required, you'll be able to get started right away with Shift4Shop.

Why Shift4Shop is the Best eCommerce Platform for Selling Slime Online

HTML Builder and Page Editor

Building a custom website doesn't mean starting from scratch. Using Shift4Shop's comprehensive website builder, you can pick from a selection of website templates designed for success and customize it to fit your business. With a live preview as you edit, you can craft a fully branded online presence in no time.

Comprehensive Categorization

With a varied inventory full of different types of slime comes the need for powerful organization so that shopping is easy for customers and inventory control is easy for you. Shift4Shop gives you the ability to create an unlimited number of categories and subcategories, meaning there’s no limit on how many types of slime you can sell on your online store.

CSV Data Import and Export

Are you looking for a way to quickly and easily add multiple products into your online store simultaneously? Shift4Shop offers convenient data import and export tools for products, customers, tax rates, and more for uploading in bulk as opposed to manual entry. You’ll also have access to data exporting.

Multichannel Sales Features

Selling slime online can happen on more than just your online store; marketplaces like Etsy, eBay, Instagram, and even Amazon are ideal for selling slime to new audience. By integrating these marketplaces with your eCommerce platform, you’ll be able to keep track of every sale across all channels in one convenient spot: your Shift4Shop dashboard.

Advanced Marketing & SEO Tools

Social media marketing is vital for the success of your online slime shop. Through Shift4Shop, you can sell directly on your Facebook Shop or Instagram store while staying synced with your online store and add your social media profiles to your eCommerce website. Plus, you can go even further and optimize your site for search engines and create email newsletters for even more marketing opportunities.

Accept Online Payments

Shift4Shop is powered by Shift4 Payments, an industry-leading solution for accepting credit cards and several alternate payment types. We also integrate with more payment processors than any other eCommerce platform, meaning you can give your customers plenty of options to pay, such as PayPal, digital wallets, "buy now, pay later" financing, and many more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is having my own website better than selling on Etsy?

While Etsy is by far the most popular marketplace for slime shops, that doesn’t make it the best. Unfortunately, Etsy imposes a multitude of fees and restrictions on merchants that sell on the platform, making it difficult to do business the way that you want. Rather than struggle with Etsy’s rules while building your brand, running your own eCommerce website will give you the freedom to sell your slime how you want to. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sell on Etsy at all; you can very well sell on Etsy while you sell on your online store so that you can still capture that audience.

Are there any further resources for slime makers and shops?

With a quick search on YouTube, you’ll find a countless number of channels that cover every facet of making and selling slime. These channels typically include video tutorials on how to make different types of slime, like glitter slime, fluffy slime, cloud slime and more. Some of the most popular YouTubers that make slime content include Cyndi Renee and Courtney Wohl.

Can I dropship slime and slime-making supplies?

While it is possible to dropship slime, it’s not recommended. One major reason is a lack of quality control in your products; if you never physically interact with the products that you’re selling to customers, you’ll have no way of ensuring that the slime is fresh when it’s shipped. Without personal touches like this, customers in the slime community will be able to tell that your slime isn’t homemade. However, you can definitely dropship supplies for slime making! Several dropshipping platforms, like AliExpress, carry tools and ingredients like mixing spoons, bowls, containers, glue, beads, foam balls, glitter, and more.

Where can I get ingredients for making slime?

Because many of the ingredients needed for making slime are common household and classroom ingredients, you can purchase them in bulk for a relatively low cost from Amazon or any other online marketplace that sells bulk items. However, when you’re first start out, it’s important that you only get as much as you need for a few specific recipes when it comes to ingredients. You don’t need to have a wide product selection when you first open up your shop; start with a few reliable recipes at first and build up from there.