If you’re thinking about selling products online in 2024, that’s great news! Ecommerce offers such great opportunities for you; in fact, it’s been a lucrative venture for a lot of people for a lot of years.
And just in case you’re wondering, there ABSOLUTELY room for you even if you think that what you want to sell is a saturated market. Tee-shirts, jewelry, artwork…they were selling a decade ago and are still selling.
So if selling products online is something want to do, this article is a perfect overview to help you get started. You’ll learn the essential steps and strategies you’ll need to know to build a successful business.
Identify Your Target Audience
You might think we’re jumping into serious stuff like this too soon. But it's hard to build a successful online store if you’re not sure who you’re selling to.
Picture in your mind the person you want to sell to. Is it a man or a woman? Or would you like to sell products that will be something both men and women would purchase? How old do you think your customers will be? What are their pain points and aspirations? What do they want and need?
Grab a notebook and start writing answers to these kinds of questions and anything else you think of when it comes to selling products online in 2024. When you do this BEFORE buying inventory, you’ll be able to buy products to sell in your online store AND tailor how you want to sell them to your specific audience. And that, my friend, increases your chances of success.
Choose the Right Platform:
Over the last decade, the number of online sales platforms has exploded. WooCommerce, Magento, custom-coded sites…the list goes on. And I really wish I could have had these kinds of options when I got started! I had to build something from the ground up, which was far from perfect.
Today, my favorite sales platform is Shopify. It’s easy to use, scales along with your business, accepts tons of different payment options and connects really well to websites. It’s also easy-peasy for people to use, which is definitely a win in my book.
Just remember that every customer wants to be able to use your site to find products they want and need—and your site will be a reflection of your business and how you connect with your customers. Choose wisely.
Optimize Your Online Product Listings
Create an irresistible customer experience by presenting and describing your products in the best way possible. Use high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and accurate specifications. Incorporate relevant keywords to improve visibility in search engine results and attract potential customers.
Imagine that your listings are invitations to your customers, not just asking them to purchase a product but to engage with you. Oh—and make sure your product pages are easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and incorporate customer reviews whenever possible.
Implement Effective Marketing Strategies
You gotta use solid marketing strategies to drive traffic and increase sales. Say yes to social media—getting good at one platform before adding more of them. And I’m a HUGE fan of working with influencers…they can do so much for you while building their own businesses.
Provide Exceptional Customer Service
Exceptional customer service is key to success in the competitive world of online selling. If a customer has a question, don’t leave ‘em hanging; be sure that you’re checking your DM’s and other messages regularly.
It’s also important to decide right from the start how you’re going to handle customer service issues. For example, what can you do to make taking payments easier (psst! accept multiple payment options!) or what your return policy will be (be sure to put it right on your site!) These kinds of up-front decisions will help you deliver better service to your customers.
Build Trust and Credibility
When you’re selling products online in 2024, you need to establish trust and credibility. Both are essential to attracting and keeping customers.
What are some trust signals you can use? It’s way easier than you think. Consider secure payment gateways, customer reviews, trust badges, and SSL certificates.
And my friend, to establish a strong brand presence, you need to consistently deliver high-quality products and maintain transparency in your business operations. Actively engaging with customers on social media, responding to feedback—and putting testimonials throughout your site is a way to reflect the awesome way you care for your customers.
Take It Mobile
Back in the day, we all went online using our desktops or laptops. Now, however, many people prefer to shop on their smartphones. (Maybe even you?) So you need to make sure your online store is mobile-responsive, which means that it looks as great on your phone as it would on a laptop. You’ll also want to offer mobile payment options, optimize loading speeds, and simplify checkout to reduce cart abandonment. Embracing mobile commerce will help you tap into a massive pool of potential customers and maximize your online sales.
Selling products online in 2024 offers you an immense opportunity. To make the most of your success, you’ll want to make sure you’re identifying your target audience, choosing the right platform, optimizing product listings, implementing effective marketing strategies, providing exceptional customer service, building trust and credibility, and embracing mobile commerce. And using tools like Shopify can put all of that right in your hands and allow you to grab a strong position in the online selling landscape.
