Your Online Resource Centre
Tips on Choosing and Finding the Right Products to Sell Online
By: Stacie Leonard
So you've made the momentous realization that online selling is the wave of the future, and the present for that matter. But now that you've found the wave you're not so sure what to do next. Lucky for you online selling has been around long enough to learn from the success of others. After researching what products do well online, here are some tips that were devised to help you in your own search. (Please keep in mind that these are just a few basic tips for online business starters. SEVERAL successful small businesses start out facing major competitors and many have products that are more complex to ship.)
Tips for choosing the right product to sell.
Good demand
A product that people want or need is ideal. A product that people want and need, even better!
Niche products
A niche product is a product made and marketed for specialized uses. Instead of throwing yourself into the surf with the sharks, find a product category without a huge amount of competition and one you can stand out in.
Easy to ship
The product or products you offer will need to be shipped to the buyer. Look for items that are:
Non-perishable (perish- "to die or to be destroyed, especially in a violent or untimely manner"- need I go on?), light (reduces shipping costs) and sturdy (prevents returns on broken items and the effort put forth in packing the fragile objects).
Now that you have an idea of what type of product to sell, go find it! You can search for products on the computer or away from the mouse.
Places to Find Products.
1. Search Online.
Type a phrase below into a search engine, and see what comes up.
1. Search Offline.
Have you ever seen a great product somewhere and wondered why it wasn't online?
Or, have you ever had to travel to get a product and wished that you had the option to purchase it online?
If you've answered yes to either one of these, be the first to put those products online.
Offer to sell products online in exchange for a percentage of the profits made.
Some places to look:
Tradeshows can be a great place to find products. You can search through products that interest you, products you feel comfortable recommending and products you feel will make the sale. You'll also be able to meet the vendors and get price sheets to figure out your costs.
Now that you know what to look for and where to look, ride the wave and get to surfin'! For a Free 14-Day Trial of an All-in-One Ecommerce Solution, Click Here. Stacie completed the Texas Creative program, receiving a degree in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin and is now happily employed with Volusion, Inc. Volusion.com |
