Working from home has become the new normal these days and e-commerce has become even more popular. With social distancing implemented in all areas, it has become quite tasking to go grocery shopping in brick and mortar stores. Fortunately, technology has made it possible for us to do our shopping at the comfort of our homes. As long as you have internet connection, online shopping will be a breeze.
But how about entrepreneurs who have been used to selling goods the traditional way? How can they shift from selling goods on their physical stores to selling online? For those who want to start a career on online selling but do not know how and where to begin, below are some useful tips on how to start selling online.
Know What You Want to Sell
The first step to selling online is knowing what to offer to the consuming public. Would you want to offer them certain products or would you want to sell professional services? Whichever you choose, be sure to narrow down your choices and focus on a particular niche. Working on a particular niche can help you cut down on competition better and widen your chances of success.
Choose an Industry You Are Passionate About
Selling online is like any other type of business. If you want to succeed, you should choose to sell products or services that fall under your passions. When you do something that you love, work does not seem like work at all and things can seem to get easier despite obstacles. On the other hand, when you work on something that you never liked or wanted, any problem that occurs in the business, no matter how small, could seem ginormous to you. Taking on a venture that you are never passionate about can only add to your stress overtime. Having your heart fully on something you are doing, however, can lead to better success in the long run. Once you have decided on what to sell online, it is time for you to find suppliers.
Decide on Whether You Will Be Stocking Inventory or If You Want to Dropship
There are two ways to do business online – have your own stocks ready or dropship from a trusted source. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. Having stocks on the ready makes it easier for you to sell and gain trust among your customers. It also means you have control on when to ship the items you have sold. Furthermore, you will have an idea on the quality of the products you are selling. The only downside to this is you need to shell out some capital to run your business.
Dropshipping is an excellent choice for those who do not want to shell out some capital or simply do not have the financial means to start their online business. With dropshipping, you only need to post the products online and then leave the shipping to the company or website owner. While this may be a good choice, dropshipping does not allow you to have control over the quality of the products you are offering to your customers.
Build Your Online Shop
Once you have decided on what products or services to sell, you can now build your online shop. There are a number of online platforms where you can sell and build your online brand. These include Facebook, Lazada, Shopee, Zalora, Amazon, and EBay to name a few. You can also create your own online store by building a website for your business.
Market Your Business Online
Whether you choose to dropship or have your own inventory, and whether you choose to build your website or use other selling platforms, marketing your business online is crucial. Marketing is the heart of any business. Without it, chances are your target market may not know that your business exists. Using the right marketing strategies can help your business get a steady flow of customers. Your online marketing efforts can include the use of social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or you can use paid advertising, search engine optimization, and email newsletters.
Choose Your Shipping Method
Shipping is an important aspect of e-commerce or online selling, especially if you are offering tangible goods and physical products. Decide on which courier you want to use for shipping your merchandise to customers and know whether you want to offer cash on delivery (COD) or ask customers to pay for orders first before shipping any sold goods. You also have to choose whether you will be giving your customers free shipping or let them shoulder all the shipping fees.
Once your business has taken off and you start to receive orders, make sure that you are able to process orders right away. As much as possible, do not keep your customers waiting. If you make customers wait too long for the delivery of their orders, chances are they might cancel and look for another online shop to order from.
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