13 Things To Consider Before Selling Products Online

If you're thinking about selling products online but you're unsure where to begin then don't worry, you have definitely come to the right place.

Whether you've been running your business for years or you've only just started, you need to be sure you're as prepared as you can be when it comes to selling your products online. Luckily, there are lots of ways in which you can do exactly that. From working out which products you're going to sell to finding out a way to direct traffic to your store, you need to be sure you're doing all that you can to prepare for your launch in advance. Whilst it may be overwhelming at first, you'll be thankful when your business is a huge success. With that in mind, here are 13 things to consider before selling your products online: 

1. Do You Have A Business Plan?

One of the first things you need to do when it comes to selling your products is to put together a business plan. Whether you’ve already started working on one or you’re yet to give it a go, having a business plan in place in the best way to ensure your business is going to get off to a strong start. It will feature your mission statement, your goals and all of the steps you’re going to need to take in order to run your business successfully. 

Although it can take some time to put together, having a business plan is essential for those that want to succeed. For some tips and tricks when it comes to putting together a business plan, you can visit this site here. 

2. What Products Are You Going To Sell? 

While you’re putting together your business plan, you also need to think about the products you’re going to sell. Whether you’re selling your full product line online or you’re just choosing a select few products, having a clear idea of what you want to list online will make all of your other decisions much easier. If you’re unsure what you should be selling online, you may want to take a look at what your competitors are doing and what is performing well for them. It may be that you launch a couple of products, to begin with, and then build on your range. 

3. Will You Be Making Them Yourself Or Buying Them From A Supplier?

When you’re thinking of your products, you need to consider whether or not you’re going to be buying them yourself or getting them from a supplier. Although both are great options, you need to think about your business model before you started selling things online. Have you always created your own products? Do you make enough profit margin? For a guide to making your own products for your business, you can visit this site here. 

4. How Much Stock Do You Need At Once?

Another important thing to consider when it comes to your products is how much stock you’re going to need at once. If you’re a small business that only gets one or two orders a week, chances are you’re not going to need to keep high levels of stock. If you’re expecting lots of orders, however, you’re going to need to ensure you have the stock levels that are needed to fulfil the orders. If you notice you’re getting busier and busier each week, you may want to consider increasing your stock in small increments. 

If you have to invest a lot into your stock before it sells, it’s best to start with small numbers at first. 

5. Where Are You Going To Sell Them?

Once you have started to think about the products you’re going to sell and the quantity of stock you’re going to need to think about where you’re going to be selling them. Whether you’re using social media as your sole platform or you’re using sites like Etsy or eBay, it’s important you know which platform your target audience is most likely going to be using. If you’re unsure, you may want to trial a couple of different platforms before you find what is right for you. For advice when it comes to choosing the right platform to sell your products, you can visit this site here.  

6. Will You Be Making Your Own Website?

Another great way to sell your products online is to build your own website, which is what most online sellers should be aiming to do as their business starts to grow. If you’re going to be setting up your website from the start of your launch, you need to be sure you’re doing all that you can to make it a success. This means hiring a designer and web developer, putting all your efforts into writing the web copy and ensuring that it works from a user perspective. The more time you put into your website, the better. 

If you’re worried about creating a website, there are lots of people that you can outsource the work to. Not only will this help free up your time but it will also ensure that your website is fully functional from the get-go. 

7. How Will You Drive Traffic To Your Website?

Once you have built your website or started listing your products online, you need to think about how you’re going to be driving traffic to your website. From focussing on your SEO to working with a paid ads specialist, there are lots of ways to get people to click through to your site. Although it may not happen right away, after a little bit of hard work you’ll soon start to see your numbers grow. Patience is key when it comes to traffic. 

8. Will You Be Using Social Media To Promote Your Products?

Another great way to direct traffic to your site and to grow your brand is to use social media to promote your products. Again, this is not something that will happen instantly but if you’re consistent in your message it will come. Whether you’re using Instagram to share photos of your products or you’re using Facebook to go live and show a behind the scenes look at running a business, the more followers you have the more chance you have of turning them into paying customers. 

When it comes to followers, you need to ensure they’re all within your target audience if you want a high chance of converting them. 

9. Could You Use Influencers And Bloggers To Promote Your Products?

If you’re struggling to grow your brand and direct traffic to your site, working with influencers and bloggers is a great idea. Working with influencers who have a similar target audience to you will allow you to get your products in front of people who may be interested. Although it will cost you, it’s proven to be super effective.  

10. How Will You Be Shipping Your Products?

Another important thing to consider when it comes to selling your products online is how you’re going to be shipping your products once they start to sell. Whether you’re using a shipping company or you’re heading to the post office on your own, you need to choose the method that is easiest for you. In most cases, it will come down to the time and cost that you have to invest. For more information when it comes to shipping, you can visit this site here. 

11. Are You Going To Charge For Delivery?

Speaking of shipping, you also need to think about whether or not you’re going to be charging for delivery. Although some companies choose to offer free delivery over a certain spend, often not possible for those that are running small businesses from their home. If you do want to charge free delivery, you need to ensure your prices reflect that. 

12. Will You Have A Refunds And Returns Policy?

Another important thing to consider is whether or not you need to put together a refund and returns policy. Although you don’t necessarily want to think about people returning your products and asking for refunds, having a policy in place will make it much easier should this happen. If you can, try to include this policy on your website. 

If you need help when it comes to putting together a refund and returns policy, you can visit this site here. 

13. Do You Have A Contingency Plan?

Finally, you need to think about whether or not you have a contingency plan in place. Although you may never need to use it, knowing what you’re going to do if your business is not successful is important as it will allow you to prepare in advance. After all, you never know what could happen in the world of business. 

Are you thinking of starting an online business selling products? What can you do to ensure your business is a success from the start? How will you be selling your products? Did we miss anything? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.