The internet has turned the purchasing process completely upside down. Only 22% of Americans shopped online in 2000, according to a Pew Research Center research. In comparison, according to a 2016 research, 79 percent of Americans make internet purchases. Stores that aren’t online are closing. Consumers now want to purchase from the convenience of their own homes, using their cellphones. (ecommerce platforms)
Entrepreneurs can take advantage of these changes. To run a successful business, you no longer need a physical location. Here, I’ve broken out the fundamentals of five major internet sales possibilities.
Amazon is a great place to sell things. (ecommerce platforms)
The fundamentals
The most well-known ecommerce website is Amazon. It’s also safe to state that Amazon dominates the ecommerce business and crushes its competitors, with $135.99 billion in net revenue last year.
How does it work?
You’ll have to select between Amazon’s two selling options if you want to sell things. The Professional Plan, which costs $39.99 a month, is best for entrepreneurs who have a higher sales volume (more than 40 items sold per month). Smaller size vendors will benefit from the Individual Plan. Each item sold costs $0.99 to the user. Create an account and register after you’ve chosen your plan. You can sell things that are already listed on Amazon or add new items to your store.
Authors may sell books on Amazon, musicians can sell recorded music on Amazon, and filmmakers can sell independent films on Amazon. Amazon’s self-publishing service is provided by Createspace, an Amazon partner.
Benefits
For aspiring businesses, selling on Amazon has numerous advantages. Many customers prefer to shop on a website they are familiar with and trust, such as Amazon. You also benefit from Amazon’s enormous website traffic. Being listed on Amazon exposes your business to a huge new audience of potential clients.
Owning and operating your own store
The fundamentals
Some businesses opt to use an ecommerce solution to create and run their own online stores. The most common platforms for this are Magento, Shopify, and Woocommerce.
How does it work?
To set up an online store, ecommerce platforms allow you to utilise a personal domain. You can choose from a variety of configurable themes, or you can design and submit your own. You upload your products, track inventory, and fulfil orders using the platform.
Benefits
These platforms enable you to create a one-of-a-kind website that reflects your brand and mission. These sites also serve as a CRM solution in addition to providing personal freedom. They work together effortlessly with programmes like Google Shopping and MailChimp, as well as social media networks. They offer a variety of price options, allowing you to pick the one that best suits your needs.
On Facebook, you can sell things.
The fundamentals
With over one billion users, Facebook is a terrific place for entrepreneurs to market their products. Users may make purchases directly from your Facebook page using Facebook Store.
How does it work?
If you currently use an ecommerce platform like Shopify or Magento, setting up your Facebook Store is a breeze. Your items will be imported immediately to your Facebook Store after you add the Facebook App to your store through your website. You don’t have an online store? That’s fine as well. All you have to do now is download the Facebook Store app and set it up.
Benefits
Why not turn your Facebook profile into a sales opportunity if your company already has one? After all, your consumers are more likely to go to Facebook than to your website. You can now contact them even while they aren’t “shopping.” Furthermore, Facebook offers advanced analytics that give you with valuable traffic reporting information.
Offering online courses for sale
The fundamentals
Online certifications and courses are becoming increasingly popular. Profit from this current trend by selling your courses on sites like Udemy and Skillshare.
How does it work?
As course materials, Udemy allows entrepreneurs to post PDFs, audio files, videos, and PowerPoint presentations. It also contains a message board that allows students and instructors to communicate more easily. Instead of monthly payments, Udemy takes 50% of your course revenue if you promote it on the platform. Udemy only takes 3% of your money if you advertise your own courses.
Courses on Skillshare are divided into short, pre-recorded videos and end with a class project. Instructors are paid royalties based on the number of minutes their course videos are seen each month, as well as referral fees.
Benefits
People choose elearning because it allows them to take a course at their own speed and is flexible. For parents or those who work full-time, traditional classroom learning is just not an option. Students may learn on the go on their cellphones with Udemy and Skillshare’s iOS and Google Play apps. These sites also have large customer bases, which means your course will get a lot of attention. Udemy claims to have 15 million users, whereas Skillshare claims to have 2 million.
e-book sales
The fundamentals
Ebooks are becoming more popular among entrepreneurs. Self-publishing enables authors to write books without having to deal with literary agents or publishers. Two of the most popular ebook stores are Apple’s iBooks and Google Play.
How does it work?
It’s simple to sell your book on iBooks. You can sell your book after completing a short online register. Each sale earns Apple a 30% commission.
You can become a seller on Google Play by logging in with an existing Google account. On Google Books, you’ll be able to see a preview of your book. Publishers keep 52 percent of their ebook sales money.
Benefits
The book industry is becoming more democratised as a result of the sale of ebooks. Self-publishing is far easier than having your book picked up by a publisher and distributed in bookstores. You have more control over your revenue with ebooks because you can choose your own book prices. Ebooks are also popular among readers since they are generally less expensive than paperback or hardback novels and allow people to read without having to carry a book with them.
Source: ecommerce platforms , online selling platform