12 Things You Should Be Doing to Sell Online And Make More Money

4 min readMay 22, 2022

Are you selling online? If so, are you seeing the kinds of sales volume or margins you expect or desire? If not, what’s holding you back? There are a lot of different ways to sell things online. The right solution for your business depends on your unique set of circumstances, strengths, and weaknesses. For example, some businesses are well suited to operating an e-commerce storefront directly on their website. Others might be better off using a marketplaces like Amazon and eBay to bring in more customers and sell more inventory. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to figuring out which option is best for you. But by asking the right questions about your company and its goals, it will become clear which one makes the most sense for where you want to go with your business in the future.

Committing To eCommerce

The first thing you should be sure of is that you are committed to eCommerce as a way to sell your products and/or services. That’s because some businesses might find that they’re better off keeping their sales in-house or through a partnership with another retailer. There’s no shame in that. In fact, it’s likely a smart move for many companies because it allows them to focus more on their core competencies. That way, they can be sure that their customers are receiving the best buying experience possible. The flip side of that is that being directly involved in the sales process means you’re also taking the risk that customers won’t be happy with their buying experience. That could lead to lost revenue, negative reviews, and other problems that could seriously hurt your business.

Nail Your Marketing Strategy

Successfully selling online is all about marketing. You need to attract new customers and keep the ones you have happy. Plus, you need to be sure they can find you when they’re ready to buy. For eCommerce businesses, that means having a clear marketing strategy you can execute on consistently. And while there are lots of different ways to market your business, certain strategies work better in certain contexts than others. That’s why it’s so important to nail down exactly who your target market is and the marketing channels that will most effectively reach them.

Be Selective With Third Party Products

Many eCommerce companies sell a wide variety of products from a variety of different sellers and manufacturers. That’s a great way to boost your sales volume but also to drive up your inventory and shipping costs. That means you’ll likely need to charge higher prices to make up for those added expenses. That’s fine if you’re selling to a niche market and your customers are happy to pay a premium price. But if you’re trying to sell to a wider audience, you might want to be a bit more selective with what products you include in your product line-up. That way, you can be sure they’re of the highest quality and that they’re compelling enough to generate sales.

Be Transparent With Your Customer

As you’re building your brand and marketing your products and services, it’s important that you be as transparent as possible with your customers. That means being upfront about your policies and selling techniques, as well as being consistent about how you approach every customer interaction. You should also be consistent with how you present yourself online. That includes the look and feel of your website, the tone of your content, and the language you use to speak to your customers. That doesn’t mean you have to be boring and unoriginal. It just means that you need to make sure you’re presenting the best possible version of your brand so that customers can easily recognize that you’re the best option for what they need.

Don’t Be Afraid To Diversify Your Product Line-up

It’s easy to get excited about the money that can come from selling a few high-margin items. But in reality, most businesses have a wider array of products that make up their sales volume. For example, many eCommerce businesses that sell apparel also sell a wide variety of related accessories. That way, they can appeal to even more customers and increase their sales volume through things like hats, socks, bags, sunglasses, and other items. That doesn’t mean you have to sell everything under the sun, though. It just means that you need to be careful not to spread yourself too thin by trying to sell too many different items. Because that can be a great way to lose focus and make less money in the process. That’s why it’s so important to know what makes up your core product line-up.

Conclusion

The path to success in eCommerce can be challenging, especially at the outset. But by committing to eCommerce as a way to sell your products and services, nailing your marketing strategy, being selective with third party products, being transparent with your customers, and not being afraid to diversify your product line-up, you can be sure you’re building a foundation that will last. That way, you can focus on providing the best buying experience for your customers and growing your business.