‘Ecommerce is the future!’ You may have heard this phrase before because eCommerce really is the next big thing that will change the way we do business on a global scale. Companies like Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba.com have already managed to capture a large share of the global market and have made their presence known worldwide.
So, how does one take advantage of this emerging opportunity and align their business to gain maximum benefit? Well, there are three major ways to take a business online and get access to an industry worth trillions of dollars. Note that this list is not based on whether these methods allow selling your products and services locally, internationally, or both – you will have to make that distinction yourself.
Here are the 3 ways to sell your products online:
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1. The Traditional Way
This method is complicated but its rewards can be substantially higher. It requires the setting up of an online store, listing the products, and then advertising the website to generate traffic and create orders.
You first need to buy a web domain and build your website from scratch. Then, list your products, connect with a payment gateway, and use SEO on your website to generate traffic to finally start receiving organic orders.
The whole process requires a number of unique skillsets and you may need to hire freelancers to do each task effectively. For example, you will need a web designer to make your website look presentable, a web developer to actually create the website, a content writer to fill your website with engaging content, and an SEO expert to rank your website high on Google’s search results. Additionally, there is an indefinite waiting period as the web page slowly begins to generate traffic.
Your website may not be visited on the first day, or even after a month in some cases. Moreover, attracting new customers to an online store can be a tedious, lengthy, and expensive process.
If you feel discouraged by now, note that there are numerous online resources to help you learn how to simplify performing the process. Also, if you are not short on cash, you can simply outsource each of the tasks to professionals.
If you are interested in seeing what a finished online store looks like, here is an example of a website that is run by a local company and has successfully managed to bring in a large number of sales simply from selling online.
2. Selling on Amazon.com
Being the largest online retailer in the world, this platform needs no introduction. There was a time when selling on Amazon was straightforward and lucrative – a winning combination, if there ever was one. You only had to list your product online to start getting a stream of orders within a few days. Unfortunately, selling on Amazon now requires an expert hand and a large initial budget.
The process of selling on Amazon can be divided into four categories: Product Hunting; Product Sourcing; Listing Creations; and Optimization, Ranking, and Marketing.
In other words, you start with finding a viable product that has low competition and high demand. There is usually a set criterion for the number of reviews, the profit margin, the number of units sold per day, and the selling price that helps you determine the ideal level of demand and competition.
Next, find a supplier for your product – most probably from Alibaba.com as its rates are relatively cheaper in the online B2B marketplace. You will also have to handle supply chain logistics and deliver the product directly to Amazon’s warehouse after which you will be allowed to create a product listing. Also, it is better to use highly relevant keywords and high-quality pictures to attract potential buyers.
Finally, you will have to rank your product on the first page of search engines by running a marketing campaign and advertising on social media platforms. That last part is optional if you fulfill all the previous requirements, and you may also not have to pay to market your products or services any further.
There is a considerable waiting period before you see organic orders come in and before buyers leave reviews that will then help bring in even more orders for the cycle to continue.
You are probably wondering how you are even going to become an Amazon seller when Amazon does not even operate in Pakistan. Well, the good news is that there is currently a large ecosystem of like-minded Pakistani entrepreneurs working under the company Extreme Commerce which is headed by Sunny Ali. With his invaluable guidance, Pakistanis have been able to find a way to legally and ethically sell on any Amazon market, be it for the US, Canada, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and even Australia.
If you are interested in beginning your Amazon journey as a seller with expert guidance, follow Extreme Commerce’s official Facebook page here.
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3. Selling on Alibaba.com
Alibaba.com and Amazon are two vastly different online eCommerce marketplaces. While Amazon deals strictly in retail and works on a B2C/C2C model, Alibaba.com aids businesses in buying from other businesses in what is normally termed as a B2B service. If you want to buy a single unit or item like a bedsheet, it would be difficult to do so on Alibaba.com because most sellers there have a minimum order quantity (MOQ) at which they sell and it usually does not go below 500 units on average.
Therefore, there really is no option for the common customer to buy one or even ten units of a product on Alibaba.com. Nonetheless, this is also why it is a gold mine for businesses aiming to sell their products in bulk and engage in transactions worth thousands of dollars.
One great aspect of Alibaba.com is that the majority of its buyers are repeat customers who are not looking to place a one-time order and move on. Instead, they are searching for long-term suppliers with whom they can form lasting business relationships and place repeat orders over an agreed-upon period of time. You would only need to negotiate with a buyer once for them to become your permanent source of revenue in the future.
Selling on Alibaba.com can be a profitable endeavor if done right and this requires a reasonable amount of effort before it has tangible results. However, the returns gained compared to the time and money initially invested in it are staggering.
If I have piqued your interest in selling online, I suggest you start your journey by taking this course designed by Trademor – one of Alibaba.com’s authorized channel partners. It will give you comprehensive, in-depth knowledge of the platform and will teach you step-by-step how to successfully operate as a seller on Alibaba.com.
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