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I live on a street which has, by my last count, 47 teashops. They are highly competitive. Yet, they don't appear so. They are havens of peace.

I'm not a great tea aficionado, but I like an occasional treat. These shops sit you down and explain the teas' origins and their manufacturing processes. They let you smell the teas, then go through the ceremony and ritual of brewing each tea to perfection. Different teas have different rituals.

After tasting and comparing vertically and horizontally, I make my choice and it is lovingly wrapped. I hand over my cash, go home (without shipping charges) and I'm sorry to say, probably don't do the teas the justice they deserve.

Now, I know not everyone lives in China or Japan or India, but I also know there are good, knowledgeable teashops in western cities, too.

I would never buy tea online*. Unless perhaps the online site also had a physical presence.

I guess my main point is that only people who are seriously interested in tea would be your target audience. A small, select breed.. You would really have to have something truly special to stand out from the crowd, then prove you had that by offering tastings etc. I don't see how you can do that online.

*I'd make an exception for PG Tips.

I live on a street which has, by my last count. 47 teashops. They are highly competitive. Yet, they don't appear so. They are havens of peace.

I'm not a great tea aficionado, but I like an occasional treat. These shops sit you down and explain the teas' origins and their manufacturing processes. They let you smell the teas, then go through the ceremony and ritual of brewing each tea to perfection. Different teas have different rituals.

After tasting and comparing vertically and horizontally, I make my choice and it is lovingly wrapped. I hand over my cash, go home (without shipping charges) and I'm sorry to say, probably don't do the teas the justice they deserve.

Now, I know not everyone lives in China or Japan or India, but I also know there are good, knowledgeable teashops in western cities, too.

I would never buy tea online*. Unless perhaps the online site also had a physical presence.

I guess my main point is that only people who are seriously interested in tea would be your target audience. A small, select breed.. You would really have to have something truly special to stand out from the crowd, then prove you had that by offering tastings etc. I don't see how you can do that online.

*I'd make an exception for PG Tips.

I live on a street which has, by my last count. 47 teashops. They are highly competitive. Yet, they don't appear so. They are havens of peace.

I'm not a great tea aficionado, but I like an occasional treat. These shops sit you down and explain the teas' origins and their manufacturing processes. They let you smell the teas, then go through the ceremony and ritual of brewing each tea to perfection. Different teas have different rituals.

After tasting and comparing vertically and horizontally, I make my choice and it is lovingly wrapped. I hand over my cash, go home and I'm sorry to say, probably don't do the teas the justice they deserve.

Now, I know not everyone lives in China or Japan or India, but I also know there are good, knowledgeable teashops in western cities, too.

I would never buy tea online*. Unless perhaps the online site also had a physical presence.

I guess my main point is that only people who are seriously interested in tea would be your target audience. A small, select breed.. You would really have to have something truly special to stand out from the crowd, then prove you had that by offering tastings etc. I don't see how you can do that online.

*I'd make an exception for PG Tips.

I live on a street which has, by my last count. 47 teashops. They are highly competitive. Yet, they don't appear so. They are havens of peace.

I'm not a great tea aficionado, but I like an occasional treat. These shops sit you down and explain the teas' origins and their manufacturing processes. They let you smell the teas, then go through the ceremony and ritual of brewing each tea to perfection. Different teas have different rituals.

After tasting and comparing vertically and horizontally, I make my choice and it is lovingly wrapped. I hand over my cash, go home and I'm sorry to say, probably don't do the teas the justice they deserve.

Now, I know not everyone lives in China or Japan or India, but I also know there are good, knowledgeable teashops in western cities, too.

I would never buy tea online. Unless perhaps the online site also had a physical presence.

I'd make an exception for PG Tips.