Get started selling products online in 7 easy steps
The world of eCommerce — selling products and services through the internet — offers vast opportunity for entrepreneurs everywhere. A quick look at eCommerce statistics will show solid growth with no sign of slowing down. If you're interested in starting a business, selling online can be extremely rewarding. It can also provide a path to success without the risks involved in buying property and opening a physical store.
Of course, there are several steps involved in starting an online store. You'll have to choose an industry, think up a business name, and decide what types of customers you want to serve. Since your storefront will be on the internet, you'll also need to choose the right domain name for your website, build your online store, and handle other details like which shipping carrier to use. At the beginning, this can seem overwhelming, but the process will be much more approachable if you follow our guide.
We've put over 20 years of eCommerce experience into this simple guide just for entrepreneurs like you. Below, we've condensed the whole process of starting your business and creating your online store into seven steps, plus supplementary guides and resources. Remember, take it one step at a time and don't be afraid to go back and revise your original plan as you learn more about the market you want to enter.
So, let's get started!
How to Sell Online in 7 Easy Steps
Choose what products to sell
Just because you have dreams of an eCommerce business doesn't mean you've fully decided on what you want to sell. Maybe you have diverse interests, or maybe you're looking for an industry that offers a certain profit margin. In any case, deciding what to sell is the most crucial step in the process. The best way to make this decision is to start with something broad and then narrow it down to a niche. Choosing a smaller niche makes it easier to excel in a particular area and cuts down on competition.
For example, a new kitchen supply store would start out facing steep competition from huge, established brands selling a full selection of kitchen supplies, and the business owner would need expertise on a massive variety of products in order to make the new brand stand out as an authority. "Niching down" to a single type of product, like coffee makers, would allow time, energy, and money to be invested into a much narrower field, which produces stronger results. It's far easier to position your brand as the world's expert on coffee makers than on kitchen products in general.
While choosing your niche, think about the types of products that interest you. Starting your business and building your brand will be much easier and more rewarding if you choose an industry you're passionate about. Also consider your possible suppliers for these items. Are you going to make a product yourself, or will you buy inventory from a wholesaler? Are you going to start out by dropshipping? These are important questions for creating a viable business plan.
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