There are plenty of different ways to sell your products online. Ranging from Marketplaces to eCommerce websites, selling online has never been easier. Below, we will explain the differences between online platforms and the best ways to make the most of your target audience.
What marketplaces can you sell on?
eBay used to be a marketplace in which consumers would sell to consumers. However, in recent years, in recent years, in recent years, eBay has shot up to be a real competitor in the marketplace territory. Many businesses have recently set up an eBay account to sell their stock and product to eBay users. No longer is it the marketplace to sell unwanted home items. Instead, it is now the place to find products to sell without a vast auction. Although the auction function is still around for those who want to use it, buying and selling on eBay is now more business-friendly.
In the same way, eBay began as the auction marketplace; Amazon has also grown extensively. We all know about Jeff Bezos’ wealth and how Amazon started from his garage. Instead of just being the marketplace to buy and sell books, the Amazon selling platform for businesses has taken off. Whatever you want or need, there is likely to be an option to purchase the product through Amazon. It’s not just the smaller items either. Flooring companies even sell oversized items like artificial grass on the platform. This resulted from increased demand for flooring and outdoor items during the pandemic.
What are the advantages of selling on marketplaces?
There are many pros to selling your products online via marketplaces. First, you can garner a more extensive reach as not everybody trusts buying products on websites. If you are a seller on a marketplace like Amazon or eBay, you will have gone through the checks required to be a trusted seller. These brands carry credibility and authority, which can provide peace of mind for the consumer if they are viewing your product.
There are also fewer technical hassles alongside a more stringent customer service structure. If your standards dip, marketplaces are always on you, so you can only expect the same from them. Many of them will also help shipping and delivery management if required, while services like Klarna help consumers delay payment. So, you can already see why marketplaces are a tried and tested way of selling your equipment and stock.
Transacting and converting via an eCommerce website
Sometimes you want a functioning website to sell your products and stock. In the days of SEO and PPC, marketing can sometimes get overcomplicated. However, some business owners and employees prefer a standard website that can convert without thrills.
Thanks to website building software, you can sell your product online relatively quickly. Shopify is a great example, as well as WordPress. You can check those out if you have never heard of them. They could be game-changing your business.
But perhaps the biggest reason to sell via your eCommerce website is that you are in control of your cybersecurity. The best way to increase your conversion rate is to provide extra security for consumers. Many potential buyers who bounce off a website are put off when they have to enter their card details. They are wary of malware on websites stealing their data. So, to ensure that you can sell your product online via a store, make sure you have all the necessary security checks in place.
Other reasons you may not be converting
Of course, your website is safe and secure doesn’t always mean your conversion rate will go up. There are other factors as to why your products might not be selling online. You can use Google Analytics to deep dive and look at conversion and bounce rates on specific pages.
This is not necessarily a negative to selling via an online store, though. You can use the analytics to your advantage. Work out which products and pages are converting and which aren’t, then form a strategy. If you can fix your products, an online store is a brilliant way to sell your products.
Use your website to bring in leads rather than sell via an online store.
Some websites that sell products and services tend to use a website as an advertisement and don’t sell the products online. This is another way to sell your product online, through engagement and lead capturing rather than a transaction. Examples of businesses that we found doing this include printing companies that will allow you to purchase products like scratchcards and wedding invitations. However, you can’t just go on the website, buy,,, and then it is sorted. Instead, customers would have to fill out a contact form and inquire about the quantity of product or service they need.
The company then invoices buyers, and they can usually pay via BACS. This can help build trust between the buyer and the company. So although companies are not directly transacting through their website, they are still selling their products.
Hopefully, you have learned a few things from reading this article regarding eCommerce. First, there is no right or wrong way to sell your product. It depends on your product, service, and niche. However, having online visibility is what is most important when it comes to selling your products online.
