With technology rapidly expanding into everyday life, there are so many new ways to make a little, or a lot, of extra cash. Selling items online has become a popular way to do so, as there are many efficient online platforms for selling your things on.
While there may not be one correct answer for what platform you should be using, there are a few top choices. Running an e-commerce business can be rewarding and also tricky when trying to sell online. A popular and trusted website known as Shopify can help anyone start selling their items effectively.
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that guides business owners to sell their products online. There are several important steps that go into establishing a successful online selling business or side hustle. Other popular websites you can use to sell things on besides Shopify include Etsy, Amazon, eBay, and Bonanza.
Although each platform might operate a bit differently, each can provide you with the tools you need to make some extra money. Regardless of what platform or website you use to sell on, it’s important to properly set up your e-commerce store and advertise it to get the outcome you desire. After reading this article, you will know exactly how you can sell your stuff online, which platforms to use, and how doing so can benefit your business.
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Best Websites For Selling
There are several online platforms that anyone can use to help sell their items or products in a way that will benefit them. Shopify is one of the top websites to do so, as it provides a good amount of key features that make it easier for people to sell and buy things. It can help build customer trust as well as offer important fraud protection measures. We will discuss how Shopify works later on in the article.
Etsy
Etsy has also become popular for selling, as it is one of the biggest e-commerce sites for arts and craft items. The platform has made over $1 billion in revenues since 2020 and continues to grow today. All you have to do is set up your Etsy shop by making an account, customizing the preferences of your shop, and then you’re able to list your items. You’re able to preview your listings to see what your Etsy shop looks like to other people viewing it. Most items Etsy focuses on are not mass-produced and are handmade. If this describes your small business, then Etsy might be the right place for you to sell your items on.
Amazon
One of the most popular ways of selling online is using Amazon as well. With Amazon, there are two different plans you can choose from including the Individual Plan and the Professional Plan. These allow sellers to choose the way they want to sell and determine how they are charged for Amazon’s services. The Individual Plan requires sellers to pay 99 cents every time an item is sold and the Professional Plan costs about $40 monthly regardless of how many items are sold. Whatever you are selling is what will most likely determine which plan you choose. Amazon allows you to choose your product category, which includes beauty, books, business products, clothing, accessories, jewelry, electronics, etc.
eBay
With over 182 million active buyers on eBay, this platform has also become one of the largest selling sites online. There is a wide range of products that can be sold on eBay, such as furniture, jewelry, video games, collectibles, crafts, etc. There there are two main selling fees, an insertion fee, and a final value fee. The amount eBay charges will depend on the price of what is being sold and its category for its listing. To create your listing, sellers must first identify the product’s category, choose between a fixed-price selling or an auction style, and set a duration for the listing.
How to Sell Online
Anyone with a device and internet connection is able to sell their things online these days, as it’s an easy way to make extra money. A seller’s online store should say a lot about their business, what it sells, and its purpose. How far you want to take it will depend on the advertising efforts you make to help attract people to your online store. The first step is understanding your product and how you want people to view it. This will help you set up your storefront on a platform that coincides with what you’re selling.
Next, you must establish who your target audience is and how you want to reach them. Performing market research can help sellers avoid making the wrong mistakes such as choosing the wrong outlet to sell on. For instance, although other platforms can help you sell your homemade crafts, Etsy is the number one e-commerce site for selling arts and crafts. What platform you choose also depends on the fees they require their sellers to pay as well as how often buyers are on the site.
Promoting what you’re selling is a large part of your success with it, in both sales and brand awareness. To get your storefront noticed, regardless of what online platform you use, you should be engaging with people you know to help spread awareness of your product and use content marketing. When it comes to search engine optimization and content marketing, SEO Design Chicago can help anyone perfect their site or storefront.
Benefits
There are many benefits that can come from running an e-commerce business that sellers may not get if they were to sell in person. For example, there is a lower cost to selling online than running an offline shop. There is no staff to pay wages to, no rent to be paid, or electricity and heating bills that must be kept up with.
Another major advantage is that you can sell your items from anywhere you like to since it’s all online. All you need is access to the internet and a device to use. There are also no hours of operation to restrict any potential customers, which can help optimize your revenue. When selling fully online, it is a lot easier to keep track of the number of orders processed a week and how much actual revenue is being made. Tools such as Google Analytics can help you do so without having to do much work yourself. It will also allow you to invest less time into running your business online than in person. This is because these transactions are being done through your platform’s virtual system.
Sellers are also able to decide what items are being sold the most to be able to increase their stock levels. This is important for your profits. For example, when selling on Amazon, the platform will closely monitor the sales of each product. These benefits, along with many others, have been the reason why many people decide to sell items online rather than starting up a shop nearby.
Selling Online With Shopify
When using Shopify, there is technical support staff available 24/7 as well as regular security and server maintenance if needed. This popular e-commerce platform also provides Shopify Plus. Shopify Plus gives sellers a greater range of customization settings, which can help expand the storefronts of sellers. To design a Shopify website to sell items, it’s important to develop a unique and detailed description of what is being sold. Shopify makes it simple for anyone to purchase anything with their direct navigation system. Sellers also choose to utilize Shopify marketing apps to help increase sales such as Oberlo. Oberlo helps stores purchase from third-party suppliers. Using Shopify to set up a storefront can be beneficial for your business, no matter how small it is.
Shopify vs Amazon
Amazon is a top competitor to Shopify when it comes to selling online. Amazon is also a great platform to use when trying to make some extra money selling your items. Both platforms include selling fees, as any other platform would. However, Shopify is an e-commerce platform while Amazon is an online marketplace. Since both come with their own benefits as well as costs, it’s important to look into them to help you decide what selling platform will be best for you. Amazon also provides extra services as well to help sellers organize inventory and keep track of their sales. It may be harder to establish a customer base at first with Shopify, as it’s more personal for customers. With Amazon, the marketplace is large and buyers are less personable when it comes to who they buy from.
Building Your Own E-Commerce Website
If you decide on a platform that requires you to build your own website, SEO Design Chicago is here to help. Our team of dedicated professionals can take your website to the next level. After all, when it comes to your business, you need a website that is user-friendly and inviting. Spare yourself the hassle of doing it yourself and contact SEO Design Chicago today!
FAQ:
- What are some platforms I can use to sell online?
- What are benefits of selling online?
- Why is selling on Spotify a good idea?
- Do I have to pay any fees when selling online?
- Is Shopify or Amazon better for selling online?
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