In this piece, we\u2019ll take a deep dive into selling online. We will look at:<\/p>\n
- \n
- What to Sell Online<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Sell Online<\/a>\n
- \n
- How To Set Up Shopify<\/a><\/li>\n
- How To Become an Amazon Seller<\/a><\/li>\n
- How To Become an eBay Seller<\/a><\/li>\n
- How To Start Selling On Etsy<\/a><\/li>\n
- How To Set Up On WooCommerce<\/a><\/li>\n
- How To Set Up BigCommerce<\/a><\/li>\n
- How To Sell On Social Media<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- How to get people to buy what you\u2019re selling<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Building a business is a mix of getting the right audience for the right products and marketing the products really well. Each aspect is just as important as the other, and we\u2019re going to take a look at how you can turn your eCommerce dream into a reality.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What to Sell Online?<\/h2>\n
![\"What](\"https:\/\/www.staging-uk.clickintelligence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/What-to-Sell-Online.gif\")
Picking what to sell is either the most difficult task or the easiest. Either you already know exactly what you want to sell, or you just know you want to sell online in general. Both reasons are very different to begin your eCommerce journey, but both are valid.<\/p>\nI have an idea of what to sell online<\/h4>\n
If you already have a business, maybe a shop that needs to move online to protect sales in this uncertain climate, or maybe you\u2019re a crafter or maker of things, then knowing what to sell will be easy for you.<\/p>\n
Your next steps are to decide where to sell and on what platform and really build up your digital marketing side to ensure that your customers are buying the products from your website or chosen platform.<\/p>\n
I Need Help Finding Products<\/h4>\n
Not sure what you want to sell, but you know you want to sell online? You\u2019ll need to find a product or products that you believe in and want to sell.<\/p>\n
While this seems obvious, it\u2019s actually much harder to sell products you don\u2019t believe in, and you will quickly become disillusioned with it and maybe even bored.<\/p>\n
A quick word on the side here, if you don\u2019t know what you want to sell yet, it might be worth skipping to our \u2018where to sell\u2019 section, as each platform has its own specific quirks and audience. If you\u2019re building up your own website on your own domain (for example, using Shopify), then this may not be much of a consideration, but if you want to sell on Etsy, for example, you may want to stick to the more folk craft and homemade style rather than mass-produced or more tech-related products like external hard drives for example.<\/p>\n
These audience niches aren\u2019t set in stone. There\u2019s no reason why you can\u2019t sell customised external hard drives and USB drives on Etsy, and there\u2019s no reason why you can\u2019t sell your own homemade Christmas decorations on your own domain or Amazon, but it is a consideration to think about when you\u2019re looking for products to sell.<\/p>\n
What Products Will Be Popular?<\/h4>\n
When picking a product or a range of products to sell, you must consider what products are or will be popular. This is a difficult thing to pitch right, and you might want to consider a range of products that can change over time and move with your audience.<\/p>\n
A great example of this is novelty products that are popular right now. Think of popular fads such as loom bands, fidget spinners, slime, and – if you\u2019re old enough to remember – POGs and Pokemon cards.<\/p>\n
All of these were popular in their day and had their five minutes of fame, but what may have been a great seller at the time is probably not selling as well now.<\/p>\n
If we take the above example, they were all kids\u2019 toys and fashion fads. Having a shop or storefront that specialises in kids\u2019 fads may be a great way to move forward, but having a storefront or shop that just sells whatever is popular right now would probably not be a great long-term solution.<\/p>\n
Go Niche or Go Big?<\/h4>\n
When choosing a product or range of products to sell, will you go niche, or will you go big? Will your range of products be very specific, or will you cover a whole range of products that may not even be related?<\/p>\n
Take hot tubs, for example. They are a very niche product; not everyone has space in their garden for a hot tub. This leads to them having quite a select audience. Sure, you can sell specific types of hot tubs such as inflatable ones or fixed ones, and you can sell all kinds of products to go with them, such as cleaners, filters, even decorations, but they\u2019re still a niche product with a relatively narrow audience.<\/p>\n
If you were to expand on hot tubs, though, you might look into selling garden pool products, even generalised garden water products (such as pond products and water features). Going bigger, you could expand to general garden products such as garden furniture and decorations, even moving into the grow your own and horticultural side.<\/p>\n
<\/a>It\u2019s important to think about how your shopfront or store will grow over time. Will you keep it to just hot tubs and their related products? Or will you expand out eventually to cover all kinds of garden and gardening products?<\/p>\n
If you think you\u2019re likely to just stick to one niche, you may want to reflect this in your brand name, your shop name, and your domain name. If you think you may expand in the future, keep your shop and brand a bit more generic. Be Dave\u2019s Gardens rather than Dave\u2019s Hot Tubs!<\/p>\n
Of course, there are no rules to say you have to even mention what you sell or your niche in your brand name or shop name, you could go with something completely unrelated and build a brand around it, and there\u2019s nothing wrong with that at all.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
How To Sell Online<\/h2>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.staging-uk.clickintelligence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/How-To-Sell-Online.gif\")
Now that you\u2019ve decided what you want to sell, it\u2019s time to look at how you\u2019re going to sell it. Who will you be selling it to, and on what platform?<\/p>\nWhich Is The Best Ecommerce Platform For Me?<\/h3>\n
Choosing a platform is huge when you\u2019re looking into selling online, as each platform has its own quirks and own audience. Some platforms are more situated to some products than others, so it\u2019s important to really do your research first.<\/p>\n
Buying online has gone through some major changes over the last few years, but one of the most consistent worries for buyers is security. Many buyers don\u2019t like buying from a shop that has no familiarity, and they will definitely not like buying from a shop without a security certificate and a secure payment method.<\/p>\n
Payment options are varied, and it will depend on the platform you choose. If you go with Amazon, for example, they use their own payment system, which is trusted by millions of users every day. Other platforms such as eBay and Etsy have a few different options, but usually, these boil down to either paying by card using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express, or by using PayPal.<\/p>\n
PayPal is by far one of the most recognisable and trusted payment methods on the web and, although the fees can be quite high for an independent seller, buyers are more confident when buying through PayPal than any other payment method.<\/p>\n
Choosing an eCommerce Platform<\/h3>\n
Here is a rundown of each of the big seller platforms available to most eCommerce sellers, how to set them up, how much they cost, and the type of audience you can expect to attract through the platform.<\/p>\n
As a side note before we dive into it, you don\u2019t have to limit yourself to only one of these platforms. There\u2019s no reason why you can\u2019t have your own store with Shopify and also sell on eBay, for example. The more platforms you have, the more confusing it may get, but the more chance you have of expanding your audience.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Selling on Shopify<\/h2>\n
![\"Shopify\"](\"https:\/\/www.staging-uk.clickintelligence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Shopify-homepage.jpg\")
When Shopify first hit the scene in 2006, as a set of resources for shop owners to build their own websites, the playing field was suddenly levelled for small business owners and smaller sellers to really begin to build their brand.<\/p>\nFast Forward to 2020, and there are now over 800,000 Shopify stores worldwide, and they collectively bring in over \u00a375 billion in sales.<\/p>\n
Shopify is a great option for the tech fan and for the technophobe among you because you can customise it to match your needs accordingly.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t have a love for tech? Use Shopify\u2019s easy to use tools to create your theme and add your products using a simple step by step wizard, and if you are a tech fan, then you can dive deeper into the ins and outs and even add Shopify as a plugin to another web-based CMS like WordPress.<\/p>\n
Getting Started With Shopify<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Costs<\/strong> – Shopify\u2019s pricing structure can seem a bit complicated at first, especially because it is so varied. The prices range from $9 (around \u00a37) a month for merchants who just want to sell on Facebook (called Shopify Lite), right up to $2,000 (\u00a31500) a month for merchants who want a fully customisable and scalable platform (Shopify Plus). The usual pricing tiers are from $9 (\u00a37) per month to $299 (\u00a3223) per month with discounts if you decide to purchase a one-year or two-year plan.<\/li>\n
- What you can sell<\/strong> – You can sell practically anything on Shopify, but it\u2019s worth tailoring your products to your brand and your niche. As with all online selling platforms, there are some prohibited items<\/a> such as firearms, alcohol, tobacco products, CBD products, etc.<\/li>\n
- Requirements<\/strong> – You don\u2019t need anything to get started except products to sell and an account to get paid into. Shopify is an all-in-one platform, and it will handle your hosting as well as your domain, website, look, brand, etc. You may want to have your own website on another CMS service, like WordPress, for example, and this will mean setting up the domain side yourself and using Shopify as a plugin.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Shopify SEO<\/strong><\/p>\n
Shopify SEO works a bit differently to the likes of Amazon and eBay because you are not using someone else\u2019s platform per se. Instead, you\u2019re on the Shopify platform, but you own the branding, the look, and feel. Therefore, you will need to really work on your search engine optimisation to ensure that your business is found.<\/p>\n
This type of SEO can be quite technical, and it\u2019s always worth speaking with an expert who will be able to advise you on how to improve your SEO rankings, build backlinks, and drive more traffic to your website.<\/p>\n
How To Set Up Shopify<\/h3>\n
Setting up Shopify is really simple, and the setup wizard will take you through the process easily. Essentially you\u2019ll need to sign up and create an account, provide Shopify with your bank details and add your products to get started.<\/p>\n
![\"Shopify](\"https:\/\/www.staging-uk.clickintelligence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Shopify-Dashboard.jpg\")
Image Credit: shopify.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Step 1:<\/strong> Sign<\/strong> up and create an account<\/strong><\/p>\n
To create your Shopify account, fill in your email address, store name, and come up with a password before clicking on \u201cCreate your store<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n
This will sign you up for a 14-day trial.<\/p>\n
To finish your store creation process, answer some quick questions with information about your business.<\/p>\n
Step 2: Create your store <\/strong><\/p>\n
To start building your store, you will need to add product listings.<\/p>\n
Choose one of your products you want to sell, add your images, and make sure to include your keywords in your product title and description.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget to add the price, as well as the shipping options or requirements for that product, such as weight.<\/p>\n
Step 3: Add pages <\/strong><\/p>\n
Next, you will want to start creating an About Us<\/strong>, Contact Us<\/strong>, and a Policies Page<\/strong> as this builds trust.<\/p>\n
Click on Online Store<\/strong> > Pages<\/strong> and choose the appropriate template for the page you want to create.<\/p>\n
Step 4: Customising <\/strong><\/p>\n
Head to the Online Store<\/strong> section and select Themes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
You can change the colours, fonts, what the checkout looks like, and decide what displays on the screen in this step.<\/p>\n
Step 5: Shipping <\/strong><\/p>\n
You then need to set up your shipping.<\/p>\n
Click on the Setting<\/strong> tab and click on Shippings<\/strong>. You can create shipping zones, real-time shopping, and set standard rates for shipments to other countries here by clicking Add Rate<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Step 6: Don\u2019t forget about your taxes<\/strong><\/p>\n
If your tax has been miscalculated, go to the settings <\/strong>tab, click on Taxes<\/strong>, and override the default rates.<\/p>\n
Step 7: Choose your payment gateways <\/strong><\/p>\n
You then need to select your payment options. To do this, head to Settings<\/strong>, and click on General. <\/strong><\/p>\n
Step 8: Launch <\/strong><\/p>\n
Once you have done the above steps, you are theoretically ready to launch. Of course, you can go back and make any changes before you do so; you can even get a start on your marketing efforts.<\/p>\n
If you want to launch straight away, click on Preferences<\/strong> in the online store and disable the password protection.<\/p>\n
For a more in-depth look into setting up your Shopify account, take a look at our guide here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Selling on Amazon<\/h2>\n
![\"Become](\"https:\/\/www.staging-uk.clickintelligence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/sell-on-amazon.jpg\")
Why build your own website and have all the hassle of setting up domains and security when you can just use something that millions of people already know and love and are happy to use every day for everything from books to groceries, tech to clothing. We\u2019re talking about Amazon, the world\u2019s biggest online store.<\/p>\nGetting Started With Amazon<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Costs<\/strong> – Amazon has two plans, either an individual plan which costs you \u00a30.75 per item (like a seller fee on eBay) or \u00a325 per month for an unlimited number of items. Both of these prices may include extra fees and are not inclusive of VAT.<\/li>\n
- What you can sell<\/strong> – On Amazon, you can sell practically anything. This does include restricted items such as knives and alcohol. Firearms are not permitted for sale at all on Amazon, but some exceptions are made for non-firing guns such as replicas, toy guns, BB guns, and airsoft guns. These are subject to geographical restrictions<\/a>.<\/li>\n
- Requirements<\/strong> – You will need to purchase the product bar code for the products you\u2019re selling. In the UK, this is called an EAN, formally known as European Article Number.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Amazon SEO and Ads<\/strong><\/p>\n
Using the right keywords and metadata for your products will help improve your SEO and drive customers to your products. This is good news for you and good news for your customers who want to find products easily and effortlessly when they search.<\/p>\n
A note on the SEO side, Amazon has an affiliate program that many bloggers and article writers take advantage of. It may be worth looking into this to help your business grow.<\/p>\n
Amazon ads are completely legitimate and legal, and buyers expect to see them. The ads show up for buyers as sponsored or promoted products, and they are usually put at the top of search results for individual products and at the bottom of search results for brands or shops.<\/p>\n
![\"why](\"https:\/\/www.staging-uk.clickintelligence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/why-sell-on-amazon.jpg\")
<\/p>\nGrowing Your Amazon Store<\/strong><\/p>\n
There are many ways to grow your store, from outreach marketing and influencer marketing to SEO techniques, affiliates, and seller coupons. Getting good reviews, seller feedback, and testimonials is another very solid way to grow your store and build trust with your audience.<\/p>\n
How to Become a Seller on Amazon<\/h3>\n
![\"product](\"https:\/\/www.staging-uk.clickintelligence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/product-detail-page.jpg\")
Image Credit: sell.amazon.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n To get started selling on Amazon, you\u2019ll need to sign up with an Amazon seller account with your personal details and bank details. When you upload your items, you can either use the barcode to find the details of the products (if they are already available elsewhere on Amazon) or manually enter the details if it is a bespoke product.<\/p>\n
If you have selected to pay per item, you won\u2019t be charged until your item sells. When your item does sell, you\u2019ll get an email notification. You can either fulfil the posting yourself (you are responsible for postage, packaging, storage, etc.) or select Fulfilled<\/strong> by Amazon. If you are choosing Fulfilment By Amazon (FBA), you will be paying extra for storage, postage, and Amazon\u2019s customer service, but that does mean they take care of posting and speak with customers in their own language, so this isn\u2019t such a bad thing.<\/p>\n
For more information on how to set up on Amazon, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Selling on eBay<\/h2>\n
- What you can sell<\/strong> – On Amazon, you can sell practically anything. This does include restricted items such as knives and alcohol. Firearms are not permitted for sale at all on Amazon, but some exceptions are made for non-firing guns such as replicas, toy guns, BB guns, and airsoft guns. These are subject to geographical restrictions<\/a>.<\/li>\n
- What you can sell<\/strong> – You can sell practically anything on Shopify, but it\u2019s worth tailoring your products to your brand and your niche. As with all online selling platforms, there are some prohibited items<\/a> such as firearms, alcohol, tobacco products, CBD products, etc.<\/li>\n
- How To Become an Amazon Seller<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Sell Online<\/a>\n