How To Start Selling Online

TIPS TO START SELLING PHYSICAL PRODUCTS ONLINE

Here you are, I know you are thinking of how to start selling your physical product online (sometimes used products). Don't worry, we've got you covered.

 A few decades ago, it looked impossible to start selling online, but then e-commerce came and made reaching large audiences and vendors faster and easier, including selling products online and making the kind of money you want and also reaching the kind of audience you can't imagine. I wonder why many people will be scared to start selling online, you shouldn't be, the online marketplace is quite simple and has many benefits, the good thing is you might not need to quit whatever you do now it can serve as a side business or side hustle. These give you the freedom to do other things you wish to do when you want to do them, and set yourself terms of how you wish to do them.

 To make sure you have a positive result selling online, you need to know how to persuade your customers to buy from you as the online space is a wide competitive world. Make sure you try everything possible to reach your customer online, and believe me it will be worth your effort. 

HOW TO GET STARTED

How do you get started selling? Here are a few simple steps:

Step #1: 

Find a product to sell. Your first step to making this Internet option work is finding a product to sell. Fortunately, there are several ways to go about it. For instance, you can start by taking a look around your house and seeing what you have that you no longer want or need, as selling your unwanted or unused items is a great way to get them out of your house without just sending them to the trash. The key to making a lot of money is to make sure they are still in good, if not excellent, condition. That being said, some people do sell broken things online, as others may be buying them with the intent of fixing them and offering them for resale. So, in essence, nothing is off limits (“one man’s junk is another man’s treasure”) as long as you are honest and market it accordingly.

A second option is to frequent yard and garage sales (and swap meets, flea markets, and antique sales), As sometimes you can find great deals there that you can resell online. Whether the item you purchased is in great condition already or you have what it takes to refinish it, you can make a lot of money off other people’s no longer wanted goods.

If you can find a superb deal at retail or even wholesale stores, you can also buy direct from them and resell the items at a higher price. Liquidation events, going-out-of-business sales, and discontinued items are great for this purpose. Good items to consider selling are ones that appeal to a niche market. You can find unique things online, making this one area that you can do really well in.

Still not sure what to sell? Jiji and eBay have a Selling Inspiration House that can help you find top-selling items for your home. Select an item, and it will tell you how much they are currently going for online.

Step #2: 

Pick a platform and create an account. Now that you have something to sell, it is time to decide where it is you want to sell it. Some notable sites are Amazon, Jiji, Konga, FB marketplace, eBay, and many others. However, you can also list your item on Craigslist (best for bigger items like cars and furniture).

Be sure to read each one carefully, so you know upfront what is required of you as a seller and how much commission they will take on the sale. Some charge you a subscription fee as well, so you’re going to want to check all of this out prior to signing up. Whichever one you choose, you’re going to have to create an account in order to list and get paid. So, pick the one (or ones) that is best suited for you and the items you want to get rid of, and provide all the requested information to create a complete account.  In order to get your money from them, you are also going to have to provide payment information. To keep your bank information private, you can always create a PayPal account and accept payment that way. (PayPal does charge fees as well, so you may have to weigh that into the cost and whether it is worth it, given what you are selling.)

A great way to figure out which site you prefer is to buy something from it before even placing your goods for sale. This way, you get firsthand knowledge of how it works from the buyer’s perspective, allowing you to take them into consideration when it comes to selling your goods online.

Step #3:

 Prepare your listing for optimal results. To get good results on your listing, you want to include both benefits and features of your product.

For example, features of a TV include screen size, resolution, and things like that, whereas benefits are being able to see the television clearer, having a flat-screen that doesn’t take up too much room, and being able to see your favorite sports up close, almost as if you were there in person. Your product description needs to be complete as well. The more information you provide about what it is you’re selling, the easier it will be for people to determine if that is what they are looking for. Think like a buyer and include everything you would want to know if you were making the purchase yourself.

It helps to be familiar with jargon that is often used on popular selling sites. For example, BN stands for brand new and VTG means vintage. HTF represents a hard to find item and VGC tells the buyer it is in very good condition. If something is unique or distinct about your product, point it out. The more you can make your product a “one of a kind,” the greater your chance of selling it. Use keywords in your listing so that your product can be easily found by anyone searching for it. Not sure which ones to use? Consider what words you would use to search for the item, and just use them. Include the brand if it is likely to make a difference.

Your product pictures (the more, the better) need to be high quality. If they are fuzzy or too far away, you’re not going to give prospective buyers a good feeling. Also, make sure the surrounding environment is good too because people like to buy from others who appear to take care of their things. If you’re stuck on any of these things, look up other people’s listings and use them as templates to write yours. Just be sure to choose a top seller so that you know how to create an ad that sells, not one that doesn’t get noticed.

Step #4: 

Set your price. As far as price is concerned, this one may take a little bit of research. Google the item you are selling and see what others are getting for it. Before pricing yours, though, you’ll want to take into consideration its condition. Depending on the site you intend to use, you can sell your item via traditional auction or by set price. Auction means that you sell to the highest bidder (and you may want to set a minimum price, so you don’t practically give it away) and a set price means that you sell it to anyone that wants it for the price which you are selling it. If you have a bunch of smaller items and don’t want to price them for individual sale, you may want to group them together and sell them as a package. This may also entice a buyer as they will be getting several things for one standard rate.

An additional tip: some successful sellers offer free shipping, as it catches people’s attention. It’s easy enough to do, as you just have to add this amount to your base price. The one caveat is that shipping isn’t always going to be the same price, as it is location dependent. So, you’re going to want to keep this in mind if you choose to take this route.

Step #5: 

List your product on Amazon, eBay, Jumia, Facebook market, and Jiji. When you decide to list your product, you’ll want to time your listing, so you get the most out of it.

For example, if you only have a 10-day window, you may want to post your product on a Thursday so that it appears online for two full weekends, giving you more bang for your buck.

Another factor to consider is whether your item is seasonal, or in high demand during certain times of the year. If this is the case, you may want to wait to sell it, drawing in the most money possible.

Conclusion

Do not set boundaries to what you think you can learn and achieve as you grow in your online business.