eCommerce grew 44% in 2020, and it shows no signs of slowing down. If you want to get in on the action, it’s time to start selling products online. Here’s your quick-start guide.
Sections
1. Brainstorm and design your product.
You may already have an idea of a product to sell. If you do, that’s great. You can skip ahead to step 2.
For those of you who don’t, it’s time to brainstorm. Product inspiration typically comes from one of three mindsets:
- Trend hunting. Use product research tools like Exploding Topics, Kickstarter’s Trending Product search, TrendHunter, and Google to discover the hottest products and retail categories. Then, create your own product for the space.
- Problem solving. Is there something that drives you crazy in your daily life, and you can’t believe there’s not a tool to make it better? Make your own and sell it.
- Product improvement. Same scenario as above, but the current solutions just aren’t cutting it. Take the best version out there and iterate on it to give it a spin all your own.
Once you’ve decided what you want to sell, you need to build it. Reach out to manufacturers and get the product development process started.
Pro Tip: As you start receiving prototypes, share them with your friends, family, and anyone you meet in your target audience. Gather their feedback to help you iterate until you reach the final product. For more, listen to our podcast episode, “Designing and Building Your Ecommerce Product.”
2. Define your brand.
A product is just a thing. For it to sell, you’ve gotta make it a story. This is where branding comes in.
Start by asking yourself, “What’s unique about your product?” Don’t focus on what the features do; focus on how they make you feel. Does your product make a person’s life better, easier, happier?
Next, think about the kind of people your product is designed for. This is your target audience, the people you’ll design your branding and marketing around. How do they speak, look, and act?
Your branding should reflect the needs, preferences, and personality of your target audience. Get more tips in our product branding guide.
3. Make it official.
Your product and branding are all set. Now, you’ve got to tackle the business side of things. Here’s what to do:
- Select a business entity (LLC, S-Corp, etc.).
- Register for an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
- Open a business bank account and credit card.
- Secure a seller’s permit.
- Brag to friends and family (okay, this one’s optional).
4. Set up your online store.
You’re nearly ready to sell products online!
Build a website for your online store. At a minimum, you’ll want a home page, product pages for all of your products, and pages that cover your shipping and returns policies. We personally recommend Shopify, but other popular ecommerce store platforms include WooCommerce, Squarespace, and BigCommerce.
As you’re designing, research plugins to help you manage sales tax, order fulfilment, shipping, and returns. Make several test orders through your website, to know what you can handle and to identify any issues.
5. Start marketing.
Your website can only do so much in its little corner of the internet. To sell your products, you need to do some marketing.
Consider investing in PPC advertising and social media. You can add your products to Google Shopping and run Instagram Story ads. Boost conversions with next-level product photography and video.
Finally, remember that you can sell in more places than your own website. Increase your reach by selling on other platforms like Amazon Marketplace and Etsy.
Subscribe to our podcast for more ecommerce tips and tricks
If you found this blog helpful, you’ll love our podcast series, “How to Start a Successful eCommerce Business in Less Than 30 Days.” Subscribe now and never miss an episode.
