Key tips to know before starting to sell online(LONG POST ALERT ⚠️)

Making the most of internet sales requires meticulous planning before launching an online business. Fortunately, there are many options available to help you achieve this goal. It would help if you were sure you had done everything possible to get ready for your launch, from deciding what to sell to how to drive customers to your store. Below are key elements to consider before selling your products online.

1 PAYMENT METHOD You can boost conversions and reduce abandoned carts by giving customers several ways to pay. Keep multiple payment methods, not just M-Pesa, but alternative options such as Swipe, Apple Pay, Amazon Payments, paypal etc. If you offer more than one payment method, your customer can use the one they feel most secure and at ease with to send you the money.

2 SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTIONS Social media advertising your wares is a fantastic way to increase your brand’s exposure and attract new customers to your website. Once again, this will not happen overnight, but if you stay consistent with your message, it will eventually pay off. The more followers you have, whether on Instagram to publish images of your items or on Facebook to go live and reveal a behind-the-scenes look at operating a business, the more likely they will become paying customers. If you want a high conversion rate from your followers, you must ensure they all fall into your target audience.

3 REFUNDS AND RETURN POLICY Another critical step is to question the validity of the return/refund policy. You don’t want to think about customers sending items back and asking for refunds, but it’s better to be prepared for this scenario than not. It will help if you put up a disclaimer on your website stating the terms of the return 4 IDENTIFY COMPETITORS Identify competitors that provide a product similar to yours, and once you have a list of companies to compare yourself to, it’s time to start spying on them. Visit their site to see how well it’s put together. Look at the product presentation they’ve crafted. You may learn a lot about running a successful internet business by examining how your competitors do it.

5 SHIPPING AND DERIVERIES Your strategy for transporting the items you sell online is another crucial factor to consider when setting up a shop. The best option is the one that is most convenient for you, whether hiring a shipping business or going to the post office on your own. Time and money commitments are usually the deciding factors. Think about whether or not you want to add on a delivery fee. Free shipping is a nice perk many large corporations give, but it’s often beyond reach for small enterprises operating out of a home. Pricing should reflect that you are not charging for shipping if that is your intention.

There is no longer any difficulty involved in starting an internet store. With a few mouse clicks, anyone can open their virtual shop. However, traffic alone will not ensure a prosperous future for your company. A lack of forethought and preparation is to blame for the failure of most web enterprises. Your startup’s chances of success will improve and grow if you pay attention to the thirteen factors listed above.