Online shopping has increased in popularity, especially since the COVID pandemic closed many physical stores and forced people to shop online. As eCommerce businesses get more successful, you may be considering how you can begin your own eCommerce business and how do you get your product in stores. By understanding the types of customers who are going to buy your product, you gain a better idea of what stores your product will perform in best. Before you can sell your product in stores, it’s important to know how to get your eCommerce business started.
eCommerce Business Benefits
Due to the fact that eCommerce businesses aren’t restricted to customers in a single geographical area, they have many benefits that physical stores don’t. The following are just a few of these benefits.
Larger Variety of Customers
Ecommerce businesses can attract customers from all over the world which is one of the greatest benefits of an eCommerce business. Customers can buy your products from anywhere, whether they’re at home or work. Customers have easy access to a virtual marketplace hence eCommerce businesses make shopping easy, convenient, and accessible.
Provide a Product Not Easily Available in All Locations
Due to a larger geographical reach, eCommerce businesses can provide customers with products not easily available in their location. Products can be shipped all over the world if a business chooses to make their product available worldwide. Additionally, you gain an understanding where there is a geographic demand for your item which allows you to have a better idea of how your product will sell in stores in that area.
Flexible Hours
As mentioned previously, customers can shop from anywhere but they can also shop at any time. Ecommerce offers buyers the convenience of not having to rush to stores before they close. Orders can be made late at night or early in the morning. In other words, eCommerce business owners can make money while they sleep.
Ecommerce businesses offer a larger customer reach when compared to physical brick-and-mortar stores. Anyone with internet access at any geographical location can shop online. By having products easily available to anyone, eCommerce businesses benefit from more sales.
Ways to Find a Good Supplier
Once you have figured out what product you want your eCommerce business to provide, it’s time to find a supplier. Finding good eCommerce suppliers is important because you want to provide customers with a quality product while still being able to make a profit. The following are ways to find a good supplier to get your eCommerce business started.
Google Search for Domestic and International Suppliers
You will quickly find both domestic and international eCommerce suppliers. Three of the most popular wholesale suppliers are Alibaba, AliExpress, and Indiamart. You can compare product prices to determine whether you can make a profit from sourcing with the supplier you chose.
Local eCommerce Suppliers
Due to how accessible online wholesale eCommerce suppliers are, you are likely to have more product competition. Hence, another way to find a good supplier is by sourcing locally. Local “mom and pop” shops may offer products that there is a demand for and that are not easily available online or from wholesale suppliers. By communicating with local businesses, you can meet people that want to sell online but don’t know how to. Through networking with local business owners, you can discuss ways for their product to be available to customers globally while also determining a way for you to make a profit.
Quotes and Samples
When deciding on a supplier, it is important to understand the quality of the product and the price you will be paying. Arrange for samples of the product with your supplier before you place any large orders. Compare the product between different eCommerce suppliers. Once you have a feel for the product quality, you can discuss with the supplier how much the product will cost you. Take into consideration whether the price you pay will yield you a sufficient profit margin.
A trustworthy and quality supplier is vital to your products’ success. Take your time exploring supply options and keep in mind what the product will cost.
Tips for Beginner Small Business Owners
If you have decided that an eCommerce business is for you, here are a few more tips to help you prepare for running your own business.
Understand Your Customer
For any business, it’s important to understand who will be buying your product. You should have an idea of what your customers want from your products. Understanding who your customer is will also help in figuring out how to get your product in stores. When you know who is buying and where they are buying from, you can then figure out where customers will buy your product from.
Stay Engaged
Ecommerce shopping can be a very impersonal experience compared to shopping at a brick-and-mortar store. There is very little communication between the customer and the business owner in most cases. To improve customer experience, consider setting up a social media account to promote your product and to engage with your customers. Consider running promotions or doing giveaways that will improve both customer involvement and customer satisfaction. Remember to keep the page professional as it represents your business.
Financials
When selling products, you want to keep in mind your expenses. Expenses can range from how much it costs to keep your website running to money spent on shipping supplies. You want to make sure that you’re selling products at a price that allows you to make a profit and that also helps you afford the expenses that come with running your own business.
Running a business involves more than simply selling a product. An eCommerce business owner’s responsibilities range from having to stay on top of customer engagement to keeping track of business expenses. While it can get overwhelming, staying organized and recognizing your businesses’ needs will make running your business easier.
Conclusion
Starting an eCommerce business is hard work and requires great patience. Making a profit off of your products may take a little bit of time. Ecommerce competition is growing as more people are shopping online than ever before. As a result, there are more and more eCommerce businesses for customers to buy from. If you’re passionate about running your own eCommerce business, determining the product you want to sell and finding a supplier is the way to start. With a greater geographical reach, your product will be available to customers all over the world. Once you see the locations where your product sells at best, you can start determining how to get your product in stores where customer demand is high.
