Choosing the right sales channel for your e-commerce business can be a daunting task. In this post, we share the various platforms to sell on, the steps to set them up, with their pros and cons.
Why do you need to find the right sales channel for E-commerce?
Dropshipping business is the most popular way to get started with the eCommerce industry in today’s time.
If you’re looking to start your own eCommerce company, starting up with a drop shipping platform would be a great idea.
It will be an exciting business with low startup cost and good margins.
The only drawback is that much of your business is out of your hands. On the other hand, it is the most profitable business, if done right.
But how do you go about it?
- Select the products
- Establish a relationship with your suppliers
- Register your business legally.
Once all these steps are set, you have to start evaluating the sales channels. Now how do you decide where to sell?
There exist different sales channels for e-commerce, but you’ll most probably pick one or a combination of selling on your own online store, eBay or Amazon.
Rewarding Sales Channels for your e-commerce Business:
1. Dropshipping on eBay
eBay is the well-known world’s largest auction site for physical goods online.
Begin by deciding what products to sell, then source those products from a wholesaler that can guarantee quick and reliable shipping.
Above all- volume is the key to successful dropshipping. Few sales will not give you a huge return, most drop shippers gain only a few dollars per sale.
Elements such as pricing, marketing efforts, and timing can shape or shatter the dropshipping strategy.
The Pros of Selling on eBay
- Easy to Get Started
- Access to a Large Audience
- Less Marketing
The Cons of Selling on eBay
- Listing Fees
- Constant Monitoring and Re-Listing
- Can’t Customize Your Sales Platform
- No Long-Term Connection With Customers
- You’re Not Building an Asset
To learn more about selling on eBay, click here.
2. Dropshipping on Amazon
Amazon is the online retail giant, which stocks and sells a number of items.
But did you know a lot of the products listed there are sold by third-party merchandisers via Amazon’s website?
In other words, Amazon does the packaging, shipping, and fulfillment without owning the product.
Besides, it also provides support and service to you if you choose Amazon as a sales channel for your e-commerce business. Isn’t it amazing?
The Pros of Selling on Amazon
- Easy to get started
- Instant access to a huge range of audience
- No pressure about marketing or SEO
- Fulfillment warehouses by Amazon which provide packing, shipping, warehousing, and delivery services
The Cons of Selling on Amazon
- Exposure of Sales Data
- No Long-Term Connection With Customers
- No Customization
To learn more about choosing Amazon as a sales channel for e-commerce, click here.
3. Dropshipping with Facebook
Sure, you’ve heard of Facebook Advertising as a great sales channel for your e-commerce business.
But were you aware of setting up a dropshipping store on Facebook?
The good news is you can. But before moving on to how to set it up, let me tell you why you need to set it up-
Basically, when your customers view an ad, they shouldn’t have to leave Facebook to make a purchase. If they have to, you’re losing out on sales.
It is all about making the user experience better and easier. As a result, your checkout process gets shorter. And of course, shorter the checkout process, higher the conversion rate.
So you better buckle up now, as I share next- how to set up this budding sales channel for your e-commerce business
Quick Steps and Hacks to get you going–
- Set up a Facebook business page.
- Connect your website to your Facebook store and make use of the platform to drive more sales.
- Build a following and create organic traffic by promoting your product.
- Run ad campaigns on Facebook
Don’t worry if you’re just starting out. It doesn’t take a huge Facebook ad budget to build a big crew of Facebook fans in a short span of time.
Also, if you’re selling for a while now and you haven’t seen good results in your store, selling in Social media can be a great option for your e-commerce business.
As a result, you get much higher revenue for every penny spent on creating your Facebook store.
The pros of dropshipping with Facebook
- Brand awareness
- Drive website traffic
- Targeted advertising
- Generate business leads
- Customer service and feedback
- Monitor and improve
The Cons of dropshipping on Facebook
- Time and Resources
- Skills
- Budget
- Negative Feedback
To learn more about choosing Facebook as a sales channel for e-commerce, click here.
4. Dropshipping with Instagram
Instagram has become the most favorite platform for businesses.
It provides the advantage of being a less saturated market. I don’t think I have to emphasize on the importance of this sales channel. We all love Instagram, don’t we?
Quick Steps and Hacks to get you going–
- Create a content strategy
- Use high-quality pictures for posts as well as promotion
- Decide the structure of what you want to show on your stories vs your posts.
- Build a following organically.
- Make sure you post at least 4-5 times a week.
I know what you might be thinking if you’re just starting out. It’s overwhelming. I completely agree with you- learning something new can be daunting.
So take your time and start getting comfortable using Instagram for your business.
Remember to be strategic on what to post and who you follow.
As you do it, you will get a clear idea about using it. It’s a popular saying that you often learn things by doing it.
Therefore, keep experimenting, find the winning formula, leverage it, and you’d move towards business growth and success.
The pros of Dropshipping with Instagram
- Instagram is all about photos
- Connects to Your Target Audience
- High Engagement Rate
- Post Your Contents Easily
- Visual Representation of Your Business
- Allows You to Respond Quickly
- Increase Your Reach
The cons of Dropshipping with Instagram
- Not Everyone Is on Instagram
- Limitations on Your Contents
- Advertising Is More Difficult
To learn more about choosing Instagram as a sales channel for e-commerce, click here.
5. Drop shipping with your own online Store
Always wanted to start something of your own? Well, then this is the road to your dream, my friend.
It is the best alternative to selling online with third-party websites like Amazon and eBay. However, you can still have a mix of both the worlds.
The Pros of Selling on Your Own Store
- More Control
- Easy Design
- Mobile Ready
- No Third-Party Fees
- Building a Real Business
The Cons of Selling on Your Own Store
- Less Free Traffic
- Take a long time to get off the ground
You can get your own Shopify Store or Woocommerce Store with us. Let us know, just in case!
Conclusion–
Still confused? It’s alright. Let me give you further tips on deciding on your sales channel. To choose the best one, you’ll need to ask more questions and evaluate your priorities.
Prioritize whether you need High-profit margins or more exposure to an audience.
If getting exposure is your goal, Amazon or eBay can be used. These are effective channels that will cut your margin but get more sales quickly.
However, if you’re all in on creating a brand, then having your online store is the way to go. You can also have a presence on Facebook and Instagram alongside.
Besides, having an online store gives you control over selling your products. You can set your own boundaries and work independently.
Most importantly, you should have a long-term goal. Think about how you can serve better and bring value to your customers. After that, you can decide on the platform.
Green lights to you. Evaluate the available sales channels for your e-commerce niche, and start selling!
Also, I’m curious to know, which one of them are you heading with and why?
