Selling online is an attractive business model for any business to grow. When you sell anything online with an Ecommerce Store or ecommerce website, you don’t need to design a showroom or manage multiple store locations and warehouses – unless you’re willing to step into the bandwagon of large-scale business.

Apparently running a business online has grown into a more realistic and profitable option for many, thanks to eCommerce.

If you’re already in the retail business and looking to take your offline business online, this handy guide will walk you through the process in no-time.

We will help you with one piece of the puzzle by sharing strategies and tips as well as an Ecommerce platform that can make selling products online a breeze.

 

How do I start with Online business from Retail?

 

Luckily, if you’ve already made up your mind to generate more revenue with your business, therefore want to jump into online selling, you would want to know “how launching your business online could be a profitable move?”.

Well, in just four years, global revenues of eCommerce Sales spiked 70%, jumping to over $3.84 trillion in 2021, according to Statista.

Global online sales of eCommerce reached nearly $4.29 trillion in 2022, according to Digital Commerce 360. This figure is forecast to grow by 56 percent over the next few years, reaching about 8.1 trillion dollars (per year) by 2026.

 

Growth Category of eCommerce Sales (2019-2021)

As you can see in the graph above, The fastest growth category of e-commerce sales over the past two years were furniture, building materials, and electronics which cumulatively grew more than 200% since 2019.

Food and beverage e-commerce grew 170%, representing 9.6% of all grocery sales in 2021 according to eMarketer. Apparel was one of the few categories of e-commerce to grow slower than the industry average at 39%.

It will come as no surprise to anyone that a global pandemic accelerated the adoption of e-commerce sales or online sales in the world.

Even with the acceleration, the US retail sector is still in the very early innings of digital disruption, barely representing 13% of retail sales, compared to a more digitally mature market such as China, where e-commerce sales represent more than 46% of all retail sales.

Below are the screenshots depicting average revenue generated in eCommerce sales globally, as well as Revenue Change and average revenue per user with the estimated revenue in coming years.

 

Average Revenue in eCommerce Sales Globally

Average Revenue Change in eCommerce Sales

Average Revenue Per User in eCommerce Sales

Again, if you are low on budget and willing to start still, you can start with selling old or used products, too. The online business of selling used products (such as used Furniture, used Smartphones, used Laptops, used Cars or other used Electronics Products etc.) has also established itself and will continue to break the ceiling that has been put above it, as its revenue is only going to surge upwards in the coming years.

Now you might be wondering, what category or products should I start with to sell online? Well, keep on reading to find out.

 

Most Sought After Products Categories You can Pick to Sell Online

 

Online business can be of many different kinds but some types of businesses or services are needed by people every single day. For instance, Food business (restaurant or bakery) is a cone-bearing industry, so are the businesses like Fashion, Beverages, Grocery, Beauty, Health, Personal and Household Care products; generating revenue in all months of the year.

Furniture Product Categories:

• Chairs and sofas
• Armchairs and recliners
• Dressers and wardrobes
• Bookcases and shelving units
• Couches and futons
• Dining and coffee tables
• TV stands and media furniture

Food Product Categories:

• Dairy Products
• Fats & Oils
• Dried Foods
• Packaged fast foods
• Stews, Pies, and Staple foods
• Fruits & Vegetables
• Dips, pastes and spreads
• Confectionery Items
• Cereals and cereal products
• Bakery Products
• Fermented foods
• Meat & Meat Products
• Sweeteners
• Beverages
• Substances added to food
• Hemp Seeds and Seed Products
• Indian Sweets and Indian Snacks & Savouries products
• Foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional uses
• Salts, spices, soups, sauces, salads and protein products

 

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Fashion Product Categories:

• Apparel
• Footwear
• Sportswear
• Traditional
• Formal Wear
• Accessories
• Watches & Jewelry
• Luggage
• Cosmetics
• Textiles
• Vintage & Secondhand

Grocery Product Categories:

• Canned Goods – olives, soup, tuna, veggies, fruit, etc.
• Frozen Foods – fish, ice cream, pizza, potatoes, ready meals, etc.
• Deli – cheese, ham, turkey, salami, etc.
• Baking – flour, baking powder, butter, milk, eggs, etc.
• Cereal – oats, rice, wheat, granola, etc.
• Pasta/Rice – spaghetti, macaroni, noodles, white rice, etc.
• Sauces & Oils – olive oil, tomato sauce, hot sauce, soy sauce, etc.
• Snacks – chips, crackers, pretzels, popcorn, peanuts, nuts, candy, etc.
• Bread & Bakery – whole wheat, white, italian, sandwich, tortillas, pies, muffins, bagels, cookies, etc.
• Bakery products (including without limitation fresh breads, desserts and/or any other items)
• Tea, Coffee, Chocolates, confections, and other items
• Nuts, snack mixes, and other bulk food item
• Condiments & Spices – salt, sugar, pepper, oregano, cinnamon, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard , etc.
• Household Supplies – detergent, softener, bleach, dish soap, air freshener, gloves, sponge, trash bags, batteries, etc.
• Paper & Wrap – toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, aluminum foil, zip bags, etc.
• Baby Items – baby food, diapers, wet wipes, moisturizing lotion, etc.
• Other items – pet food, flowers, tobacco, etc.

Note: Grocery items can also include dairy products, meat, liquors, Seafood, bakery items, fruits and vegetables etc. As well as Health and Personal care products.

 

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Beauty Product Categories:

• Perfumes
• Skin care products
• Skin cleansing products
• Body hair removal products
• Bleach for body hair products
• Correction of body odor and/or perspiration
• Shaving and pre- / after- shaving products
• Make-up products
• Sun and self-tanning products
• Hair and scalp care and cleansing products
• Hair coloring products
• Hair styling products
• Nail varnish and remover products
• Nail care / nail hardener products
• Tooth care products
• Mouthwash / breath spray
• Tooth whiteners
• Other hygiene and skin products

 

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Electronics Product Categories:

• Mobile Devices
• Wearables
• TVs, Set Top Boxes, Monitors
• Laptops, Tablets, Computers
• Appliances & White Goods
• Computers, Printers, Scanners.

Vehicle Categories:

• Bicycles
• Motorcycles
• Cars etc.

Medical Equipments Product Categories:

• Storage and Transport Medical Equipment
• Durable Medical Equipment
• Diagnostic Medical Equipment
• Electronic Medical Equipment
• Surgical Medical Equipment
• Acute Care
• Procedural Medical Equipment etc.

Other Product Categories to Sell Online:

 

Other product categories to sell online might include Stationary items, Paintings, Handicrafts items, Plants, Toys, Fancy lights, Sunglasses, Bakery items, Jewelry, Household or Home Care products (such as glass cleaners, surface cleaners, air treatment products, floor cleaners, toilet cleaners, disinfectants, laundry detergents, car wash products, stain removers, dishwashing products, and others).

 

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The list could be huge, so basically; keeping the item stock of above-mentioned categories will prove quite beneficial for your online business store.

 

Set Up an Ecommerce Store with Mobile app

 

 

The online marketplace has considerably changed the way people buy and sell products. Nowadays, there’s an app for virtually every task, and with the increasing number of demand, more and more people are adopting the idea of online business and using SaaS-based (Software-as-a-Service) applications to sell their business or products online.

There’s a handful of apps that make it easy for people to sell their products online and we couldn’t be happier. So there might be a question popping up in your mind, how selling products through an Ecommerce website or Ecommerce store developed with Mobile apps can be helpful? Well, we are sharing a number of reasons below regarding the same.

 

Why Selling Products Online with Ecommerce Store is a Great idea?

 

Following are a few good reasons why you should sell products online with Ecommerce Store or Website:

1. They bring the marketplace closer, i.e., to your home screen.
2. Launching an online Ecommerce store through a mobile app is affordable. Unlike commercial Ecommerce websites, their prices are reasonably lower than retail prices (Build cost for creating a simple website is around $800 or less while a complex e-commerce website will cost you around $3000, expensive, right?).

In addition, Ecommerce stores made with Online store builder mobile apps also charge lower (or nothing) than charged by other apps (including Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce etc. to name a few) which require a commercial interest when selling products online.

3. They offer some convenience and ease of use along with reasonable prices such as QPe. Don’t worry; it doesn’t demand cash or any advance payment unless you hit the button for a premium account (which include various features such as logistics, marketing etc.).
4. They reduce the number of intermediaries between buyer and seller; therefore, the seller gets the most profit.
5. They make it possible for the seller to receive feedback from several buyers.
6. They make it easy for potential buyers to find the items they want with ease and, more importantly, without too much effort.
7. Unlike commercial websites that require registration and confirmation before selling, apps do not require such requirements from you as long as you have an account under that app’s name and email address.
8. It is much easier for potential buyers to contact you than the old-fashioned way of receiving your phone calls and knocking on your door.
9. App offers a wide range of payment options, including PayPal, Stripes, UPI, credit card, and many payment options worldwide.
10. The buyer will contact you directly when they see the item they want.
11. It allows you to create individual profiles with photos of your items so that potential buyers can quickly identify and contact you.
12. Finally, they open the global market for the sellers; hence they can even sell to international clients.

 

 

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Requirements to launch a Successful Ecommerce Store?

 

• An eCommerce Platforms which provides easy-to-manage Dashboard
• A business Name that embodies your brand
• A Unique Logo
• Variety of Themes to Choose from – for your Online Catalog
• Strategy to define Your Target Market or Audience
• Understanding the Market & Your Competitors
• Promoting Your Products on Social Media

 

Best Platform to Launch an Online Ecommerce Store

 

Developing an online store consists of four steps in general. We will talk about the same in this article. Keep on reading.

Apparently, you want to launch an online store that represents your brand and passion; to save time, we recommend choosing a platform like QPe that includes all the features and business tools needed to create a successful online store with beautiful themes and ecommerce templates.

To get started, all you need to do is; Download the QPe app or login to the web dashboard, sign-up with your mobile number, give your business a name, upload a logo and add products.

That’s all! Your online store is ready and you can start selling anything, anytime, anywhere.

QPe’s themes and catalogs are fully customizable, allowing you to tailor both the desktop and mobile experiences.

 

Choose a business Name that Embodies your Brand

 

Your business name says a lot about your company and will be with you for years to come, so you want a memorable name that embodies your brand, quality, and purpose.

Make a list of any business names you might consider, and then check for domain availability. Avoid special characters and unique spellings, and keep your domain name length reasonable so that it’s easy for customers to remember and type it.

Pro tip: Ecommerce platforms such as QPe also give you accessibility to launch your business online with your own domain name and they will provide hosting for your unique domain URL.

 

Create a Unique Logo for Your Brand

 

Brand’s logo is critical to your business as it represents your brand throughout your marketing channels. The colors, fonts, and imagery you use within your logo should align with your brand personality, appeal to your target audience, and be easily recognizable.

Try to avoid designs that are overly complex. Instead, keep the design simple, using one to three colors at most.

Either you can hire a professional designer to do so or you can simply opt to Canva or similar platform to get the job done by yourself.

 

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Decide on a theme for your eCommerce store

 

 

With your target market in mind, research trending products and determine a theme for your catalog that will appeal to your market.

For example, will you offer a specific style (e.g., modern or traditional) type of furniture or food services or Fashion/Clothing products?

Or will you feature collections for home decor, including Paintings or Plants or only offer Electronics gadgets (new/used) or handcrafted items made of a particular material?

Whatever you choose, you might want to pick a theme for your online store catalog to list your products in a style your customers will love!

Somehow, if you already have a brick-and-mortar location, think about how your online catalog will compare to your offline offerings. Will you offer your full line of products online? Or, will you reserve your online store for your best-sellers or a specific products line?

Well QPe can do it all with an easy-to-manage dashboard which requires no coding from developing a store to making products available for sale.

How you shape your product catalog is paramount to the development of your brand. So choose it wisely.

 

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Identify Your target Market or Audience

 

Describe your ideal client using thorough research. A well-defined target market helps you maintain focus as your business grows, so be specific.

For example, the following target market description isn’t too broad and lacks direction:

 

“People who like modern-styled Products.”

 

Here is a better version:

 

“For first-time furniture buyers ages 22 to 38, living in India, with a monthly household income of ₹100K or more. We favor eco-friendly, modern-styled quality furniture that’s economically priced and aesthetically supports your minimalistic lifestyle.”

 

Be it residential or commercial customers, your description should help you understand precisely who you’re looking to engage and what types of products you want to offer them.

Pro tip: Avoid using the words “people” or “anyone” when describing your target market. This will force you to get more specific about the individual user you want to target.

 

 

Pinpoint what differentiates your business from the Competition

 

Apparently, there’s a lot of competition within every industry, so it’s necessary to be clear about what sets you apart from other sellers. If you have a brick-and-mortar business, think about what brings customers through your door instead of a competitor’s.

Differentiators could include:

• Your customer service
• Your materials
• Your price
• Your designs
• Production and shipping speed
• The customization options you offer
• Your range of products
• The number of variations you offer
• The causes you support
• Where and how you build your Products

Consider all this as you decide the right makeup of products.

 

How to Market your Online business

 

 

With your online Ecommerce store or Ecommerce website up and running, it’s time to start helping potential customers find it through a strong eCommerce marketing strategy.

Ecommerce platform QPe offers a complete marketing and customer management suite of tools to earn traffic, manage relationships, and build customer loyalty.

With QPe’s premium plans, you can:

• Optimize your site for search engines using SEO
• Raise brand awareness and increase engagement through social posts on Facebook and Instagram
• Create videos to showcase your business and your products
• Reach out to visitors via live chat – thanks to Chatbot
• Regularly email customers with new product announcements, product care tips, and more to keep your business top of mind
• Offer private member accounts with exclusive access or services
• Create automated responses based on customer actions with help of Chatbot feature
• And more

 

Marketing and Promotion tools

 

E-business world offer various marketing and promotion tools for getting an App-running Ecommerce store on the map but the major ones among them are advertising, public relations, sales promotion, direct marketing, and referencing.

 

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Show Authority in your niche, Tricks to sell Online

 

This point refers to the fact that you must show your company as an expert on the subject of business niche. If you want your web store or eCommerce Store or eCommerce website to be a reference in the world of online shopping, you should show that it has been in the market for a while.

So important is the time that an online business has been in operation that even Google gives more importance to blogs and websites with more years of publication.

 

Use images or videos

 

Although this point may seem very obvious, it’s necessary to emphasize it. Many online businesses don’t take into account graphic works and the impact they have.

Make sure the light is natural but not too sunny; photos with too much sun can make the product appear faded and more worn than it actually is.

A slightly overcast day with your product in a room with lots of windows works best. If that’s not an option, just be sure to avoid shadows, too much artificial light or too little artificial light.

In the same way, you can shoot videos of your products with discounted offers and show them why the customers will love the product when they will use it in person.

 

Write a Good Description

 

When writing a product description it’s important to play up the piece’s features without being dishonest.

Dealing in (used) products online selling business, don’t say “excellent condition” if it’s not nearly as new. And don’t bank too much on telling people what you paid for the piece. While that can be important, buyers are more concerned with whether or not they can afford to pay what you want to get for it.

Also, adding in measurements for the piece is super helpful so people can determine whether or not the piece will fit in the space they need it for. Take width, height and depth measurements and try to be as accurate as possible.

 

Things to Keep in mind while selling Used Products Online

Make it Pop

 

No one would spend the money to get your used products until professionally cleaned before you sell it (you likely wouldn’t recoup the cost unless it was a high end piece to begin with), however you can spiff it up a bit.

If you’re pondering to sell old or used products, you can also take a damp rag and work to remove any stains or dirt that might wipe off easily. Beware of using the types of cleaning products until you’ve checked the manufacturer’s directions, however.

Just clean it up well and make sure it’s free of any dirt, grime or crumbs.

Feel free to add in other information that might make buyers feel more comfortable too. One of the big fears people have with buying used products is that there have been the usual life challenge damage to it: kids throwing up on it or soaking through a diaper, beer and soda spills, etc.

Putting potential buyers’ minds at ease by telling them the products have been lovingly cared for with no spills or other types of kid or adult messes can help people be more eager to look at what you’re offering.

 

Point Out any Flaws

 

No-brainer, there’s almost nothing a buyer hates more than expecting one thing when they go to look at a piece of product and getting something else.

If there are tears, holes or stains in your product’s piece, be upfront and honest about them so that potential buyers don’t end up seeing an item in person that’s in much worse shape than what the photos show.

People expect used products to have flaws, but if they know ahead of time what those flaws are they can make a more informed purchase decision.

On the other hand, if an item only shows the flawless parts on the pictures and there are tears, holes or stains that aren’t shown, a buyer will likely feel deceived if they show up to buy something and there are undisclosed flaws.

 

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Price It Right

 

As you decide what price to charge for your products, use other similar items online as a guide. Try and remove your emotional attachment to the piece, either the emotional attachment of how it’s served your family or the emotional attachment of what you paid for it.

Determining the right place will require thorough market research. Analyze how similar items are priced within the industry and how much your target buyer is willing to pay. Settle on a price that is fair and consistent with the market, but make sure that it covers the cost of your materials and related expenses.

Moreover, make sure you know how to diagnose your eCommerce profit margins properly, so that you can ensure a profit from every sale.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with your pricing as you go by raising or lowering the price slightly and seeing what happens.

Here are three options to consider offering:

Flat rate shipping – Charge a single rate for all products. For instance, you could charge $10 shipping for each item sold. This splits the burden of shipping fees between your business and your customer.

Free shipping – Offer “free shipping” but offset your expenses by increasing your product’s price to include some or all of the shipping cost. If you’re working with a shipping carrier or fulfillment partner, ask for upfront quotes so you can calculate shipping costs accurately.

Calculated shipping – Automatically calculate shipping charges at checkout based on shipping weight, dimensions, and destination, then charge the customer accordingly. Many customers may shy away from hefty shipping fees so this method may hinder sales.

In the expensive products business, returns are tricky, so minimizing them is your best option. Publish high-quality photos, videos, and detailed product descriptions to pre-empt customer questions, plus provide excellent customer support.

When writing your return policy, you can also limit returns to defective products and/or charge customers (partially or in full) for return shipping.

Decide what works best for your business, clearly state your terms, and make your policy easily visible on your checkout and product pages to avoid unwelcome surprises.

 

Research Before You Sell It

 

Before you sell any used product, check what things are selling for right now. If you want to get rid of it quickly, then price it towards the bottom of the range. If you don’t mind storing your product for an extra week – while it looks good then price it towards the top.

The nice thing about used cars & furniture is there aren’t 100s just like yours. Unlike selling used mobile phones, furniture and cars are very unique and therefore you may get more than you think.

The bottom line is to spend two minutes on the relevant app or website researching similar items so you price it at the speed you would like to sell it.

 

Simplify your Offer and make it Irresistible

 

For you to get more income from your online business you must make your sale offer simpler to attract your customer. You can offer the products that are the best sellers or in greater demand for the people within your niche.

Remember that in business you must create a sense of need to purchase a product. If we add an offer to that, many clients will look for you more.

 

Automate Online sales to make them more Scalable

 

The best way to get ahead of online sales is by anticipating what your customer wants. This is a great advantage of online tools and integrations and how they can help you get more sales.

Here are several ways in which you can optimize sales and anticipate them: Creating ways to get new followers or subscribers to your Ecommerce store or Ecommerce website online with “contests or extra elements that you only get when you subscribe”.

Create sales funnels to sell online to your mailing list through email marketing. Develop a landing page with the offer of your star product. Use marketing and advertising campaigns to increase your visibility on social media or even in mass media.

 

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How to Handle Shipping for Ecommerce Store

 

Picking the Right Logistic Service

 

Managing the logistics of online shipping can be tricky, especially with the many weight and size restrictions that apply to the categories of products. But fortunately, there are various options at your disposal.

For smaller, lightweight pieces, you can continue using standard ground service via carriers like FedEx, UPS, and USPS. For oversized items, less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipping is a good option.

In any case, you’ll want to heed best practices for heavy-weight items shipping, such as using a platform like FedEx can lock in the lowest rates (up to 90% compared to retail rates) and track shipments.

On a positive note, QPe has collaboration with the logistic service giant (FedEx) and you don’t need to opt for shipping features elsewhere, as the eCommerce platform includes it all in their annual or lifetime business plans.

It also supports a variety of shipping platforms and methods that sets your warehouse location, delivery charges, and placing of the delivery address. Almost all the payment methods are available through the QPe platform such as PayPal, Stripes etc.

 

 

Extra Strategies for selling Online

 

Here are some strategies that you can apply if your customers feel more comfortable with the physical looks of the product first before purchasing:

Ship to store (store pickup) Many customers prefer to collect the products in the store or in the place where the product is, instead of making a delivery.

 

What do I do if the Customer wants to Physically see the Products?

 

As we mentioned before, many of your customers will want to touch or see the product before purchasing it. This can be a stumbling block for many companies, but it isn’t impossible to achieve.

The best thing you can do to make your customer feel more confident is by showing them lots of high-quality images. Some experts recommend approximately five photographs at various angles and close-ups.

Don’t be afraid to get creative with photos, use neutral backgrounds, and also a setting that is ideal for everyone. Besides, if your piece of product comes in different colors you can use that as an idea for more photographs.

One of the favorite ways for stores to erase their customer’s doubts regarding the purchase of that new piece of product is by offering a return service in the first days after the purchase.

 

Conclusion

 

Online store or website development demands a lot of thinking and investment to succeed. However, in this pandemic where every online activity is surging, developing an online store is not a bad idea at all.

Investing your energy along with these useful tips in this arena will reap you endless benefits that you always wanted to associate with your business quest.

One thing that we want to mention is when selling anything online or locally, just be prepared to deal with low-ballers, no shows, window shoppers and people who are trying to trade instead of purchase with cash. With that out of the way, if you are looking to sell online to make extra money, here’s the scoop:

 

QPe instantly connects with local buyers to sellers all within the app. Users can sell everything from phones, cars, electronics, furniture, plants, paintings, clothes, bakery items, handicrafts, toys, jewelry and more.

Overall, it is probably your best bet for selling products online within your city. Unlike other online store builders who do charge listing fees of varying amounts for items listed (even if they don’t sell) and they also charge selling fees as well – QPe is one and only platform allowing users to create a lifetime free online store (*No premium services like marketing and logistics services are included with free plan*) and charge no additional fees or commission when you sell anything online.

Tip: Even though we live in an online world, don’t forget about the tried and true method of placing copies of flyers around your neighborhood to sell your stuff as well.

 

Get More of QPe

PWA feature for Ecommerce Store

 

PWA stands for progressive web applications and is a type of application software that is delivered through the web. PWA is built using common web technologies including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

This feature is primarily designed to eliminate essential issues from slow networks to a complete lack of connectivity. Using PWA, will therefore improve your online store’ leaps & bounds and make your app work flawlessly.

 

 

QPe Wallet

 

E-business platform QPe also offers wallet services which you can recharge and use for premium services like QPe Express (the in-house delivery solution of QPe), marketing features (SMS marketing, WhatsApp Marketing etc.).

For every order there will be a fixed amount that may be deducted from your wallet for the shipping/delivery.

Other services include Custom and Personalized packaging, Friendly & Self Intuitive UX & UI, which are of course the attributes of a Successful Online Ecommerce Store.

The more attractive and up to the point your interface is, the more customers will remember your store and decide to visit it again in the future.

So what are you waiting for? Visit QPe website or download the app from PlayStore and make the magic sales happen.

Information on QPe features are in the video below.