Navigate the Sea of (eCommerce) Possibilities
Published
19 Aug, 2022
7 min read
Ecommerce takes advantage of the convenience and immediacy of online shopping. If you have a product, you can sell it to a global audience from your own website. Ecommerce has grown rapidly in recent years and is now one of the most popular ways for people to shop for goods and services.
In this section, I will be discussing about what is eCommerce, how does it work and what are the benefits of eCommerce.
The first question that we should ask ourselves is: "Is eCommerce for me?" Ecommerce has grown rapidly in recent years and is now one of the most popular ways for people to shop for goods and services.
It's important to remember that while many people enjoy buying things online, some may still prefer shopping in person at brick- and-mortar stores. This is why every business should assess whether or not they're capable of handling the needs of eCommerce customers.
Ecommerce is a high-risk and high-reward venture, and businesses may find themselves struggling to keep up with demand if they don't maintain a steady supply of products on their website. Additionally, small businesses often fail to understand the importance of maintaining a well-designed website, and they may not have the resources needed to compete with their larger competitors.
eCommerce is a notoriously difficult industry to break into. However, it is not impossible. The following article will explore the basics of eCommerce and provide some tips for getting started with this industry.
If you are interested in starting your own eCommerce store but don't know where to start, here are some tips.
If you're not sure about whether to go for a niche that is a small, specific area of your industry or one that's larger and more generalistic, there are pros and cons to both approaches. Decide what will work best for you before deciding. If you're unsure, search out an area you're interested in or passionate about, learn what others are doing in.
Take the time to find out what people are interested in, what they want to know about, and where you can find them online. Are you looking for customers or for more traffic? Figure out who your audience is and where they hang out to then tailor your content accordingly.
What is the main idea of your business? How will you sell your products/services? What are the ways to measure success for the company? How do you plan to advertise and what channels do you have in mind (e.g. Google Ads, direct mail)? All these questions need to be answered before starting your eCommerce business, in your business plan.
What's your plan of attack? Where will you launch and when? How much time do you have to grow your store revenue? These are some important considerations to make before opening your store.
Defining your target audience for your eCommerce business is essential for success. It will help you define who you are selling to and what they want. Who are you targeting with your business and what do they care about? What have you communicated to them about who you are and what you're offering them? These are the questions you need to keep in mind when defining your audience.
Your company name can be two words; try to pronounce it like a word instead of a string of letters. The logo should have the company name and a discreet symbol that represents you. Pick one of 3 colors for the branding. The color should be in tune with your brand, and the products you are selling.
Setting up an online store can be a daunting task and many companies don't have the time or resources to do it. Luckily, Shopify provides a solution that takes care of all of this. You can use their eCommerce platform to create your online store, manage orders and inventory, and accept payment from customers with a few clicks of the mouse. A site builder for nano-business is your best option, as they usually offer everything a small business needs, like templates and analytics, and campaign management.
Social media, especially Instagram and TikTok give you a free platform to promote your products. Granted, you need to learn how to become a content creator, but if you evidentiate the passion you have for creating your products, then half of the job is already done. Therefore, don't shy away from creating content for social media, because this is how you engage your customers.
This is just the beginning. The hard work starts from here, as you need to sell your products. But if you lay out a great base, it will be easier for you to achieve success. Therefore, you need to create a meticulous plan before starting your eCommerce store.
The best places to sell online are those that offer more than just a 'store'. They offer a platform where you can also sell your products, and they provide the tools and resources to help you with the entire process of selling your items.
A good place to start is by looking at what each site offers in terms of payment processing, shipping and handling, product listing, customer service, analytics, etc. As of now, the most popular places to sell online are Amazon, eBay and Etsy.
Amazon is one of the world's largest online shopping destinations and it's a good idea to sell items on Amazon if you have them. You can list your products for sale, manage inventory easily and build up your customer base. There are a few disadvantages to selling with Amazon too - buyers can return items they don't want and you'll need to do some research on how best to price your items
Amazon has been a blessing to many small entrepreneurs who don't have the means to invest in expensive storefronts. However, this convenience comes with a price. Warehouse fees can be costly and there is a question of whether or not Amazon will ever allow you to compete on their site.
If you're an entrepreneur, eBay provides a great starting point for earning money. With eBay's free shipping program and other buyer protection features, it's one of the most popular places for sellers to list their items. In addition, there are no listing or transaction fees, so your profits go up.
The first and most important disadvantage to creating a store on eBay is that you have to pay monthly fees. eBay charges a fee of $0.40 per item sold, plus an additional listing fee of 10% of the selling price. This can really add up if you have multiple items for sale or if your items are expensive; in addition, sellers can never get back the money they pay in fees. Another disadvantage is that eBay's marketplace might not be the best for whatever type of business you are selling. Although it has the largest market share, it does not cater to all types of sellers. Whether you sell clothing or stationary, there is a good chance eBay is not your best option.
If you're not into the whole entrepreneurship thing, but still want to earn a side income from your creativity, there's no better place than Etsy. All you need is an idea and a little know-how to turn your hobby into something people will pay for.
The main disadvantage of making a store on Etsy is the high fees. If you are just starting out, they will start off as low as 20 cents and then go up to 20% in some cases. The other disadvantages of using Etsy are that it can take a while to get your store noticed and there is no seller protection.
The best advantage to an eCommerce business is that it exists in a place where you have no boundaries. So you can expand as much as you want, you can interact with your customers and create a community, and you can create your own aesthetic. So, having an online business gives you independence.
On the other hand, the online business market is very competitive, therefore, you need to be on top of your game at all times, even if that means hiring people to help you.
