Simon / Published on September 20, 2013
Whether you have your own business selling products online, or you like to earn a bit of extra cash through selling via marketplace sites, it can be quite hard to make sure your stuff stands out in an over-crowded market.
However, there are ways to ensure you succeed as an online seller.
Check out the following guidelines to help you sell online – some of which you may be surprised by!
1.Be flexible
You may have certain procedures in place, or set rules like ‘no free returns’, but if you adapt to your customer’s needs, you are more likely to make a sale and gain a loyal customer.
So when you receive an email asking you something which you normally wouldn’t consider, don’t be too strict with your rules and become flexible as an online seller.
2. Don’t take risks
This one may be the most surprising to you because, as everyone knows, you must take risks to succeed in business, right?
Wrong!
Only take risks which you can justify.
For example, don’t take out a huge loan, if the figures don’t quite add up, or you could find yourself in a huge mess!
And don’t take the risk of listing something as new if it isn’t, as one angry customer can create lots of negative press online.
3. Multi-channel promotion
Even if you are only selling one thing online, make sure everyone knows about it!
Use all of the popular social channels like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, etc, to ensure your product gets the best chance of selling and utilise the right hashtags for maximum exposure.
4. Thank your customers
If you stand out from your competition and make customers feel special, then you will be remembered.
Find a way to thank them for their custom in a way that is different and unique.
You could try tweeting them an animated gif, or including a handwritten note with their purchase.
5. Only undercut competitor’s when necessary
Most of the time online businesses try to competitively price their products. I know whenever I have sold anything online, I always look at similar products and price mine slightly less.
However, this should not be a firm rule when it comes to selling online.
If you want to set yourself apart, price yourself slightly higher, but make sure you explain and detail exactly why your product deserves to be that little bit more expensive. Consumers will happily pay a little bit more, if they believe they will get something better.
Do you agree with the above? Which one do you think is the most vital element for selling online?
