All About Selling

Do’s and Don'ts of Online Selling

A guidance of what to do and what to avoid when selling online

16/04/2020

Online selling is like playing chess. You have to be aware all the time. You must know the steps ahead and how you’re going to win the game. Understanding the buyer’s minds, the competition, your product placement, customer feedback are some of the ways to improve your sales.

Do's and Don'ts of Online selling representation

Did you know that 86% of Amazon sellers are profitable!
But a lot of sellers onboard don’t know how to successfully sell their products online. Things may go south if you do not know the strategy. You need to understand how the platform works once you put up your product. How? Don’t worry, we’re here with some online selling tips for beginners.

The Dont's

1. Neglecting Customer Feedback

This is one of the easiest and common mistakes any seller can make. Once the product starts selling, it may be hard to look back to what the buyers are saying about it. But the current consumers heavily depend on product reviews. Any negative feedback can create havoc and divert customers to other sellers. So make sure you constantly check out the reviews and improve the product accordingly. You can get insights as an Amazon seller through the VOC Dashboard.

2. No Pricing Strategy

Setting the right price is critical for your product. If you’re looking at Amazon as your primary selling channel and are here for the long run, then you might look for a stable product pricing. Stable pricing may build trust among the customers for reliable products.
However, it is also important to follow competitive pricing. Dropping prices to match the competition or to raise it to reduce loss needs to be optimized regularly. So make sure you have a set pricing strategy in place to avoid losing both customers and profits. Using the Automated Pricing tool, Amazon sellers can set rules on automatially pricing competitively.

hitting the target with online selling pricing strategy

3. Entering the high competition market

Avoid doing what others are doing. Product categories that have already saturated are not going to do any good for your pockets. It will only lead to one thing - bringing down your product cost to compete with the market. And that’s not what you’re here for. You are here to make money not lose it. So it’s advisable to choose ‘the path less taken’. Decide on products which are not much tapped on by the existing sellers. Find a niche where your product stands out. This is where you’re going to make more money.

venn diagram of customer wants needs and opportunity when selling online

The Do’s

1. Optimized Product Title and Detailed Info

More than 20 million products are being sold on Amazon. It seems almost impossible to mark your presence there with already established players dominating the platform. But wait, we have a way out for you. Using accurate keywords for your product titles.

You need to understand how a buyer searches and use words accordingly. For example, ‘Nike’s brown shoes for men’. This is how someone would go for a particular search. Make sure your title includes brand, product type, model number, size, color, etc. to provide buyers exactly what they need.

Another way of getting your product known is detailed product information. Give as much product information as possible to potential buyers, so they know yours is a genuine product that can actually be useful to them. But do not over give details. Too much and irrelevant information can confuse them and divert them to your competitors selling similar products.

steps indicating how product information can improve when selling online

2. Product Catalog

Have you ever stepped into a store and made a buying decision looking at their product catalog? Probably yes. That’s what catalogs do. In an online selling business, your catalog actually works as your salesman, showing and telling the buyers just what they need. They present a complete picture of your products. It comes in very handy when the buyers are looking for similar kinds of products. So, you can actually promote your products and also bring in sales. Learn more about listing your product catalogue on Amazon here.

representation of product ranking well when selling online

3. FBA for logistics

Fulfillment by Amazon is one of the best services for anyone who is looking out to start selling online. All you need to do is have a fabulous product and make it e-commerce ready. We take care of everything else - from picking up at your door front, to storing it at our fulfillment centers, to delivering products to the buyers, and handling the customer service front for you. While we take care of your business, you can focus on growing it.

5 steps representing how selling on FBA works

4. Marketing Strategy

Imagine opening a new local shop and waiting for customers to rush into the store. Do you see this happening? No, right? Of course, you need some promotion. Flyers all around the neighborhood or at least word of mouth.

The same is the case with Amazon selling. You need to plan your marketing once you put up your product. Buyers look forward to offers and sales for special occasions and festivals. So don’t forget to make full use of it. You can also go for the paid ads, where your products are more visible to the buyers according to the keywords, shopper interests, and related products.

The pillars of great marketing strategy apply to selling on amazon

Following these dos and don’ts is going to make your Amazon selling a better experience. Some of these may sound unimportant, but if neglected can create a significant difference in your sales. You’ll have a better chance of reaching your target audience while following the Amazon guidelines. It’s all just about refining your product presence on the platform. Now that you know how to sell online and how to increase online sales, let’s get started.

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