Starting a business | promunim of india - promunim of india

    1. Overview. 

    If you are in the business of selling physical products and are crafting your eCommerce strategy, there are numerous avenues you can explore to attract customers, sell online, and manage order fulfilment. 

    This guide aims to assist you in determining if online marketplaces are suitable for your business. In this section, we will delve into the significance of an online marketplace, give a brief overview of the four primary online marketplaces currently in operation, and assist you in grasping their functionality along with the essential factors to consider for each.


    2. What are the benefits of selling through an online marketplace?

    A traditional example 
    Let’s consider a traditional setting. Picture yourself establishing a small kiosk. It is situated independently at the end of a cul-de-sac. Next, you'll need to invest in advertising to draw people to your cul-de-sac and encourage them to visit your stall. Even when individuals show interest, reaching the destination can be quite challenging for them. When customers come in with a shopping list, they often realise that they can't purchase anything beyond those items. This means they still have to visit other stores, and it becomes challenging for them to compare your products with similar options available elsewhere.

    While a few individuals may still try to reach out, numerous obstacles exist that prevent many potential customers from discovering you and your offerings.

    Locating your stall in a marketplace alongside other similar businesses is a smart move. Consider places like farmers’ markets or town centres, where there is already a significant flow of potential customers who are eager to make purchases.

    In the online space, it’s quite alike. It is entirely feasible to operate as an independent website and draw visitors to your online store. Establishing a presence on social media platforms is highly beneficial.

    However, if you establish your business in an online marketplace, it becomes simpler to connect with the vast audience that is already engaged in shopping there and ready to make purchases.

    Current customer base and resources 
    Indian businesses can take advantage of the infrastructure that marketplaces offer, such as managing payments and returns, tracking orders, utilising templates for product listings, and accessing analytics to guide future selling decisions. This can help you save on initial time and expenses when it comes to designing and developing your own website and features for processing orders. You might also find opportunities to save on marketing costs or time.

    As anticipated, there is typically a cost associated with this. Just like paying for a stall at a local farmers’ market, an online marketplace will involve costs such as fees for maintaining a shopfront and listing products, along with a commission on each sale or a mix of these charges. It’s important to note that there will probably be many competitors in that marketplace, so conducting thorough research is essential to assess your ability to compete.

    As a seller, it's essential to evaluate—often through experimentation—whether these expenses justify the advantages of the infrastructure and customer traffic that the marketplace offers. It is evident that numerous businesses benefit in the long run, which explains the immense popularity of these marketplaces.

    Factors to keep in mind 
    Online marketplaces are not designed to support individual sellers. These entities operate independently and are primarily dedicated to serving their end customers – the buyers. These marketplaces will evolve as necessary to maximise their long-term profitability.

    This implies that they can implement changes quickly for the overall benefit of buyers or sellers, which might not be favourable for you as an individual seller. These modifications could involve pricing models or trading terms and conditions.

    Hence, relying solely on one marketplace for your entire business can pose significant challenges.

    Once established, you will notice numerous sellers running concurrently on their own e-commerce platforms and/or utilising various channels or other marketplaces. This strategy allows them to better navigate any potential challenges that may arise from platform changes.

    The leading marketplaces 
    In this guide, we will examine the major marketplaces to assist you in determining their suitability for your business. Additionally, we will provide an overview of their fee structures and the opportunities they offer for enhancing your brand visibility.

    Etsy is a popular online marketplace where individuals can buy and sell handmade, vintage, and unique goods. It provides a platform for artisans and small business owners to showcase their creativity and reach a global audience.
    Not on the High Street 
    eBay 
    Amazon 
    These are the biggest and most established marketplaces functioning in the UK. There are many specialised marketplaces in particular sectors like fashion and lifestyle, along with platforms such as Gumtree, Instagram, and Facebook marketplaces, as well as unofficial Facebook groups for local artisans. These points are definitely worth your attention. As a foundational step, this guide highlights the key aspects to evaluate initially when determining if any of the major four firms in the UK align with your needs. 

    3. Etsy is a popular online marketplace where artisans and crafters can showcase and sell their handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies. It provides a platform for small businesses to reach a global audience and connect with customers who appreciate unique and creative products.
    Etsy boasts a vibrant community of over 7.5 million sellers and more than 90 million buyers from almost every corner of the globe. It is estimated that there are nearly 960,000 sellers in India.

    Vendor profile 
    If you are a crafter, artist, or collector, Etsy might be a platform worth exploring.

    you are offering unique handmade products crafted by your own hands – not reselling items from others 
    offering craft materials for individuals creating artisanal products 
    offering vintage products (where ‘vintage’ refers to items that are over 20 years old) 
    Etsy accepts a specific range of products that include categories such as home and living, wedding and party, art and collectibles, clothing and shoes, jewellery and accessories, as well as toys and entertainment. 

    The advantage of utilising this marketplace is that shoppers visiting Etsy are particularly seeking products within these specific categories. On the other hand, you will face competition from numerous others providing similar products. Hence, it is crucial that your offerings stand out in a distinctive manner.

    Expenses 
    Like any online marketplace, selling your products on Etsy will require you to pay certain fees. Etsy's fees are determined in USD, meaning that fluctuations in currency can affect the cost of fixed fees like the listing fee. There are various kinds of fees that you must settle.

    The listing fee for every product is approximately 0.20 USD, valid for four months. It will automatically renew unless you opt out.
    The transaction fee is approximately 6.5% of the displayed price, along with any charges for gift-wrapping and shipping.
    The regulatory operating fee in the UK has recently risen to 0.25%, reflecting the increased costs associated with compliance with new regulations, including those related to digital services.
    Etsy Payments processing fees enable you to accept multiple payment methods from customers in your local currency.
    Optional card reader (Etsy Square Reader) for in-person sales, where you won't incur the 6.5% transaction fee, although charges will apply for Square's payment processing. 
    Optional charges for advertising and promotions 
    Etsy Plus offers an optional subscriber fee that provides tools for brand growth, including listing and ad credits, advanced shop customisation, and a personalised Etsy web address. This makes it easier for customers to discover your shop through literature and business cards.
    There are no set joining or recurring annual charges.

    With a small monthly subscription, you can unlock additional tools that allow you to personalise your shop.

    Enhancing sales 
    Etsy provides various features designed to enhance your sales performance. After setting up your shopfront and product listings, it's important to explore various marketing options. However, it's advisable to focus on establishing your presence and gathering reviews before investing heavily in advertising.

    Offsite marketing: Etsy automatically includes sellers in their Offsite Ad program, which operates on platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, along with publishing partners such as Buzzfeed. You will incur a commission fee only if a sale is made from an advertisement within 30 days of the customer clicking on it. If your annual sales are below the sterling equivalent of 10,000 USD, you have the option to opt out of this requirement. However, it is mandatory for businesses that exceed 10,000 USD in sales per year to participate.
    Etsy Ads: Etsy provides sellers with the chance to buy advertising space, enhancing their visibility in Etsy’s search results. Determine the budget that suits your financial capabilities and then establish a campaign to operate for a minimum of 30 days to collect sufficient data to evaluate what works best. Etsy leverages data to analyse successful strategies of comparable sellers, guiding them on the optimal timing for displaying your ads, thereby increasing the chances of connecting with the right customers. They automatically monitor user interactions with your ads and the search terms they use, aiding in the optimisation of your campaign. They provide a comprehensive guide to assist you in grasping the metrics and the necessary steps to enhance the effectiveness of your advertisements.
    Design your own price promotion: Etsy provides you with the ability to generate a unique coupon code as a seller, allowing you to implement your own price promotions and discounts while crafting targeted offers. 
    Promoting on various platforms: It's essential to invest time in marketing your Etsy store by sharing your listings across your social media channels. Etsy provides guides and tools to assist you in doing this efficiently.
    Assistance 
    The Etsy app allows you to efficiently manage your shop, offering free social media tools to enhance your visibility, along with comprehensive statistics on your shop's performance to help you optimise for the future. 

    Transactions processed through Etsy Payments enjoy automatic coverage under Etsy’s Seller Protection Policy, supported by advanced fraud-detection systems, as long as sellers adhere to Etsy’s customer service standards. Etsy can provide support in case of a disagreement with a buyer; however, the outcome may not always be in the seller's favour, depending on the specific situation. 

    Steps to begin your journey 
    In contrast to Not on the High Street, there is no need for an application or approval process to start selling on Etsy. Start by setting up your Etsy account and choosing your shop's location and currency.

    Indian businesses will receive customer payments through ‘Etsy Payments’. This allows customers to make payments through various options, including multiple credit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Klarna, along with Etsy gift cards, ensuring they can transact in their local currency. Etsy will transfer the funds to your bank account, and you have the option to select whether this occurs daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. 

    You will need to provide your own card details to pay for your Etsy listing, as well as any applicable commission and transaction fees. 

    If you handle enquiries for custom commissions that cannot be categorised as specific items in your Etsy shop, it might be necessary to establish an alternative payment method for those orders, such as directly using PayPal. 

    For your brand, it's essential to have a logo and a banner, along with a warm introduction and engaging text. Don't forget to include photos and possibly a video on your 'About' page to effectively share your brand story.

    Next, you should determine your policies for handling deliveries and returns for both standard and customised products.

    Explore further on Etsy’s seller page.

    4. Not on the High Street (NOTHS) 
    Not on the High Street offers a diverse range of over 300,000 products from more than 5,500 innovative businesses across the UK and Ireland. The platform attracts more than 100 million views annually on its website and app, boasting impressive ratings on review platforms such as Feefo and Trustpilot.

    Vendor profile 
    The primary categories of products available encompass jewellery, home and garden essentials, food and beverages, as well as crafting and hobby supplies. Vendors comprise:

    Creators of premium, artistic products that serve as meaningful gifts – frequently crafted by hand 
    Custom manufacturers of tailored products 
    Boutique retailers that source and curate unique or original items on a small scale are encouraged to participate, unlike platforms that do not accept resellers unless dealing with vintage goods or craft materials. 
    Vendors need to submit an application to become a partner on NOTHS and must fulfil specific criteria to be eligible for consideration. After acceptance, you can set up a shopfront featuring your unique text and visuals by utilising their content management system and templates. Their platform efficiently handles payments and refunds, along with any communications you have with your customers.

    When a customer places an order for one of your products, it is essential to formally accept that order – preferably within 24 hours.

    Expenses 
    Once again, there will be a fee involved for selling on this marketplace. Their website does not display costs; you must submit an application to obtain this information. At this point, the model is as follows:

    A one-time joining fee that is non-refundable to cover the setup of your shopfront – anticipate approximately £200 plus VAT.
    The commission on every sale, including delivery charges, is relatively high, so anticipate paying approximately 25% plus VAT.
    Refund fee – a percentage will need to be paid to NOTHS for any refund processed when a product is returned, which may be approximately 2.5% of the total refunded amount. 
    No transaction charges (these are included in the increased commission) 
    No annual fee applicable 
    Listing individual products is completely free of charge.
    Paying a commission instead of a listing fee means you only bear that expense when you successfully make a sale. It is essential to maintain accurate stock levels on your shopfront. If you neglect to update your inventory or forget to indicate that an item is ‘no longer available’, you could incur commission charges if a customer places an order that ultimately needs to be refunded. 

    Enhancing sales 
    NOTHS provides a solid array of features and options for sellers aiming to enhance their listings.

    Brand campaigns: NOTHS consistently engages in prominent marketing initiatives, including television and print advertising, during significant seasons like Diwali and Mother's Day. They collaborate with lifestyle publications and utilise a substantial social media presence. Before the pandemic, they organised regular events too. Individual sellers may find opportunities to be highlighted in these.
    General price promotions: Occasionally, Not on the High Street offers price promotions throughout the site, including seasonal discounts or free delivery, and typically, they will cover the associated costs. If there are any costs for the seller, you will have the choice to opt out of participation. 
    Sponsored product listings: sellers have the option to invest in being prominently displayed in the top row of search results for specific categories, with these listings clearly marked as ‘sponsored’. Prices will fluctuate based on demand and location, operating through an auction system akin to other marketplaces.
    Seller discounts: Sellers can manage their own price promotions within their shopfront.
    Assistance 
    In addition to handling all payment processing, NOTHS offers a variety of support to its 5,500 partners:

    Assistance with launching 
    Support for performance during your initial year 
    Digital information centre 
    Information highlighting the most recent trends and customer perspectives to motivate innovative business and product concepts 
    Representatives to offer enhanced local assistance and networking opportunities 
    Steps to Begin 
    As part of your application, it's essential to provide high-quality product photography and clearly convey what makes you and your products stand out in the market. 

    Explore the terms and conditions along with the FAQs tailored for sellers.

    Become a seller today.
     


    5. eBay 

    eBay stands as one of the largest online marketplaces globally, boasting over 1 billion active product listings and 180 million active users worldwide. It stands as the second largest online marketplace in the UK, following Amazon, attracting nearly 250 million visits to its site each month.

    Established in 1995, it initially functioned as an auction platform, linking buyers with individual sellers of pre-owned goods. eBay has transformed significantly, with most items now being sold by businesses. Currently, 80% of all items available are new, and nearly 90% of products are offered at a fixed price on a 'buy it now' basis, eliminating the need for bidding.

    Vendor profile 
    Various types of eBay sellers exist, including household retailers offloading surplus inventory (like Office Shoes or Argos), small businesses offering specialised products, and “power sellers” who deal in large volumes of popular items. 

    On eBay, you have the opportunity to buy and sell a wide range of items, from nostalgic toys to high-end vehicles. Some of the most popular categories that attract buyers include mobile phones and accessories, electronics, video games, health and beauty products, home and garden essentials, fashion items, car parts, and crafts.

    eBay attracts numerous sellers due to its significant traffic, which creates a vast potential buyer base. Once you set up a business seller account, you can begin selling almost right away, allowing you to get your operations up and running in no time.

    Nonetheless, the competition among products can be quite intense, leading to lower prices and margins for certain items. To assess if eBay suits your business, it's essential to analyse your competitors and the platform itself. Evaluate whether your product range and business operations can stand out in your market segment.

    How it operates 
    To sell on eBay, you need to pay for listing your products, with the goal of having them appear in search results when users look for items on the platform. Your objective is to develop engaging and competitive listings that stand out in relevant searches.

    In reality, there is certainly more involved than this – and significant effort is required for the development, ranking, and promotion of effective listings. It is essential to identify whether your listing will be auction-based or fixed price and establish an appropriate price point. Choose the right product categories, craft engaging listing descriptions, utilise high-quality images, and optimise your listings effectively. Additionally, ensure that you offer suitable postage and payment options for your customers.

    Consider setting up your own eBay shop, allowing you to design a personalised shopfront that enhances your brand and effectively showcases your entire range of products. eBay enables you to reach customers globally, as long as you can manage the shipping, allowing you to expand beyond just a local or national market. We offer three distinct shop packages: Basic, Featured, and Anchor. To determine the most suitable package for your needs, take into account the volume of your sales and your aspirations for business growth.

    Expenses 
    eBay imposes several fees that encompass: 

    Charges for selling products: There are primarily two types of charges involved – a listing charge (approximately 30 paise) to showcase an item for sale and a final value charge thereafter. The final value fee differs based on the category of products being sold, typically falling between 5% and 13%. This fee is calculated as a percentage of the total sale amount, which includes the item price, shipping costs, taxes, and any additional charges, along with a fixed fee of 30p for each order.
    Shop subscription: To establish an eBay shop and enjoy the advantage of lower selling fees, you will need to invest in a monthly subscription. The cost varies from £25 to £399 per month based on the package you select.
    Upgrade fees for listings: You have the option to enhance your listing by adding extra features (like reserve prices or 'buy it now' prices) for an additional fee for each listing.
    eBay has transitioned all sellers to Managed Payments, eliminating the need for a third-party payment processor. 
    For additional details regarding fees, please refer to eBay’s Seller Centre.

    Enhancing sales 
    eBay provides an excellent array of tools and features designed to assist you in promoting your products and expanding your business. 

    The Terapeak Research Tool is an insightful resource for eBay that assists in discovering new product opportunities. This analysis reviews a year's worth of eBay marketplace data on product demand and pricing trends, assisting you in determining what to sell, when to sell it, and at what price. This information can be extremely beneficial for the growth of your business.

    eBay provides the opportunity to enhance the visibility of your listings through the option of ‘promoting’ them. This enhances the visibility of your listings and functions on a pay-per-sale model. Effectively promoting listings can significantly boost sales.

    Enhance your listings by crafting high-quality content and incorporating additional details known as 'item specifics' into your listings. Similar to optimising your website for search engines, this ensures that your products are easily discoverable on both eBay and other external search platforms. 

    eBay provides business sellers with various promotional tools that can enhance their listings, including multi-buy discounts, sale events, and codeless coupons. 

    Discover additional insights in the Boost Your Sales section of the Seller Centre.

    Assistance 
    eBay provides a multitude of online resources to assist you in exploring all the features available and to guide you in starting your online selling journey. These can be located in the Seller Centre of eBay.

    A large support forum is available for sellers to ask questions, search for answers, and connect with eBay’s broader community of members and experts. As a seller, you have the advantage of utilising Seller Hub, which allows you to efficiently manage your listings and view your sales data all in one location. For an extra fee, you can opt for Selling Manager Pro, granting you access to enhanced reporting, inventory management, and automation features.

    For well-established businesses with the premium monthly shop subscription, you also gain access to ‘eBay Concierge’, an upgraded customer support service that provides direct access to a dedicated team of specialists.

    eBay has implemented 'seller protection', a set of policies designed to safeguard sellers from unfair buyer actions and unforeseen circumstances, such as preventing abusive buyers from posting negative feedback. 

    Steps to begin your journey 
    Starting on eBay is quite straightforward – the initial step is to set up a business account. As per eBay's guidelines, it's essential to register for a business account if you plan to sell in bulk, if you possess items that you've created or purchased for resale, or if you already operate a business beyond the eBay platform. 

    To establish a business account, you will require essential details such as your business name, the nature of your business, email address, phone number, and physical address. You'll also require your bank details or card number for the payment of eBay fees. Keep in mind that you will need to establish a username that your customers can see, so choose a name that closely aligns with your business brand, preferably your business name.

    After setting up your account, it's essential to conduct thorough research to understand the various features available and identify which ones will suit your needs best. By creating an account, you can access extra services, including the option to set up an eBay shop if required, as well as tools like Selling Manager Pro.

    To begin your selling journey, simply add your first listing. However, we recommend exploring eBay’s resources to identify best practices that can assist you in crafting compelling listings that drive conversions.

    6. Amazon 


    The vast reach of Amazon is impressive, boasting more than 300 million active customer accounts worldwide. It stands as the biggest online retailer globally and is undoubtedly the leading online marketplace in the UK, attracting 400 million visits each month, far surpassing the second-largest online retailer, eBay. More than 85% of shoppers in the UK turn to Amazon, with Mintel data indicating that nearly 15 million of these customers have subscribed to Amazon Prime. Additionally, more than 40% of consumers begin their shopping journey on Amazon, in contrast to 33% who start on Google. This underscores that for a significant number of people, Amazon has become the go-to platform for online shopping.

    In 2021, more than 15,000 small and medium enterprises in the UK that were selling on Amazon achieved revenues exceeding £100,000, with over 700 of these businesses hitting sales of £1 million or more for the first time. 

    Amazon provides an opportunity for businesses to reach its vast customer base, allowing a wide range of sellers—from seasoned eCommerce enterprises to newcomers launching their first online product—to participate in the marketplace.

    Amazon presents a significant opportunity to enhance your online sales, but it is a complex and highly competitive marketplace. Successful sellers dedicate significant time to researching ways to enhance their visibility, offerings, and pricing strategies. They frequently adopt a ‘test and learn’ methodology to uncover potential challenges with minimal risk while identifying new opportunities.

    Vendor profile 
    On Amazon, you typically find two categories of sellers – ‘resellers’, who offer products that are already available in the market and can be sold by multiple sellers, and ‘brand owners’, who create and sell their own distinctive products or source items to market under a private label. Nonetheless, numerous sellers provide both options. Conduct thorough research on both options to identify the most effective strategy for your enterprise.

    On Amazon, you have the opportunity to sell a wide range of products. It's important to keep in mind that while more than 20 product categories are available to all sellers without restrictions, certain categories are restricted and will require you to obtain pre-approval before you can list your products. Some are entirely forbidden.

    Connecting with people and enterprises 
    In addition to selling directly to consumers, Indian businesses can now also sell directly to other businesses on Amazon.

    Individuals can engage in selling, known as ‘Selling on Amazon’, allowing sellers to operate across all of Amazon’s European marketplaces while managing everything from a single seller account.

    Engaging with enterprises in the UK known as ‘Amazon Business Seller’. This feature is accessible to sellers on the Professional plan (more details below) and adapts Amazon’s renowned strategy for individuals to assist sellers in catering to businesses such as:

    Automated VAT invoicing 
    Price display excluding VAT 
    Pricing strategies and bulk purchase discounts 
    Capability to offer products and pricing exclusively to business clients 
    Enable companies to seek quotes from you 
    Pricing alternatives 
    As a seller, it's important to be aware that you will incur fees when selling your products on Amazon's marketplace. The fee structure can be quite complex for those who are new to it, making it crucial to invest time in understanding the various fees involved. This knowledge will help you calculate accurate cost data for your business.

    Amazon provides two primary selling options:

    Sell a little (the Basic plan): designed for businesses that sell fewer than 35 items each month – there are no monthly fees, but you will incur a charge of 75p for every item sold, along with various referral fees and charges. 
    Sell a lot (the Professional plan): for businesses selling over 35 items each month – you will pay a monthly subscription fee of £25 + VAT, enabling you to sell an unlimited number of products, along with additional selling fees that still apply. 
    Various fees apply based on the type of product you offer, such as referral fees, closing fees, and fulfilment fees. Given the wide range of product categories available on Amazon, it is understandable that the fee structures are more intricate compared to the more straightforward marketplaces like Etsy and NOTHS. Amazon shares comprehensive information regarding all these fees and product categories in their Seller Central platform. It is important to dedicate time to thoroughly review this matter. To begin, check out the different fee and revenue calculators along with comparison tables available on Amazon.

    Amazon द्वारा पूरा किया गया (FBA) 
    Businesses have two primary choices for order fulfilment: Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) and Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA).

    With FBM, you can list your products on Amazon and manage the shipping and fulfilment directly from your local stock. It is essential to handle customer support in the regional language when selling in different countries. Additionally, providing a local address for returns or offering refunds for international shipping is crucial.

    With Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), you send all your inventory to an Amazon fulfilment centre for storage. They take care of picking, packing, and shipping your products directly to your customers. Amazon will take care of customer service (in the local language) and handle returns and refunds efficiently. Your products will feature the Amazon Prime badge on eligible items, enhancing their appeal to customers.

    In FBA, there are two additional options:

    Fulfilled by Amazon – a service that takes care of your products sold on Amazon's platform 
    Multichannel fulfilment – a service that ensures your products sold on various platforms are efficiently delivered. The benefits of this are that it allows you to oversee your complete online business from one central source.
    FBA presents significant opportunities for small enterprises, allowing you to expand your business while keeping fixed costs like warehouse storage low. Manage demand surges effectively without the need to hire additional staff. What's the catch with these two options? The costs can be quite intricate, so it's essential to calculate them meticulously to grasp how they relate to your particular products.

    Assistance 
    As anticipated, Amazon offers a comprehensive resource centre to assist sellers.

    Before the pandemic, Amazon offered on-site warehouse tours. Now, they have shifted to virtual warehouse tours, which can be particularly beneficial for sellers looking to gain a deeper understanding of the operations. 

    Enhancing sales 
    Amazon offers robust advertising solutions for sellers aiming to enhance their visibility and improve their rankings. Several paid advertising options are available for sellers on Amazon, provided they are not dealing with ineligible products, such as refurbished items or those in restricted categories. The available paid options are:

    Promoted products: enhancing the visibility of your offerings by developing advertisements that show up in shopping results when customers search, as well as on product detail pages.
    Sponsored brands: empowering sellers to enhance their brand visibility with their logo and tailored headlines showcased in search results and product pages.
    Sponsored display advertising allows sellers to engage in Amazon advertising across various websites, helping to broaden their reach.
    Establishing a shopfront: current sellers have the opportunity to build their own multi-page store on Amazon at no cost, allowing them to share their brand narrative more effectively. 
    Discover additional insights on promoting your products on Amazon.

    It is essential to enhance your product listings, akin to SEO practices, to improve their visibility in Amazon’s search results and increase conversion rates. Focus on refining listing titles, utilising high-quality images, and crafting engaging descriptions. This is a unique craft, and there are plenty of resources available online to assist you. However, it's essential to always adhere to Amazon's terms of service.

    Steps to begin your journey 
    As anticipated with Amazon's efficient systems, launching your business on Amazon is a technically swift process. It is essential to carefully consider your options and choose the cost structure that suits you best—whether Basic or Professional. Additionally, think about your target market, whether you are selling to individuals or businesses, and decide if you will handle order fulfilment yourself or opt for Fulfilled by Amazon.

    Discover how to establish your seller account.


    7. Additional assistance 


    Online marketplaces present a significant opportunity for eCommerce sellers, as they already attract a vast audience actively seeking the products you wish to offer.

    However, this doesn’t imply that they are without challenges! Engaging with marketplaces demands a similar investment of time, research, and attention as any other selling approach. Ensure you invest the necessary time to thoroughly grasp the marketplace, analyse your competitors, understand the pricing structures, and how these elements connect to the products you intend to offer. The positive aspect is that you can easily initiate and experiment with a few items at a relatively low risk, allowing you to grasp how everything functions effectively.

    It’s improbable that you will achieve perfect results right away and begin generating substantial profits instantly. However, by adopting a test-and-learn strategy, you can swiftly determine if it aligns with your business goals.

    Our DigitalBoost programme provides extensive support and resources for everything related to the digital landscape. Enhance your skills across various areas such as digital strategy, eCommerce, social media, and more. Make the most of our complimentary digital health check, webinars, guides, and video tutorials.