How to Sell eCommerce Products Online using Shopify

Krista Greenaway

Krista Greenaway

shopify on a laptop to start selling online

How to sell eCommerce products online? eCommerce platforms like Shopify help business owners develop brand websites and sell eCommerce products online.

Here’s how to use them, start building your brand and drive online sales.

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How to sell eCommerce products… why bother?

Convenience and consumerism now replace the traditional shopping experience as high street sellers turn to selling online.

The world of eCommerce has taken over the high street, and since the COVID-19 outbreak the eCommerce market has started turning over £90m in revenue on a yearly basis, continuing to grow by the second. 

In 2020, it was forecasted that UK consumers will spend £141.33 billion online in 2021. The demand from consumers for a shop-from-home experience has meant that many companies and start-ups have moved away from ye old bricks and mortar stores and are choosing to sell primarily online. 

Of course, selling effectively online and making profit would not be possible without the development of eCommerce platforms like Shopify, which help businesses set up and manage their online transactions.

Here’s our guide on how to use these platforms, sell effectively online, and help you decide which is best for your business and it’s products.

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What is an eCommerce platform?

Businesses that wish to sell online need to showcase their products, arrange shipping and delivery services, engage with customers and manage their finances and operations. Larger businesses will have separate department’s working in each of these areas, spending a lot of time and money on running efficient operations.

An eCommerce platform removes both the cost and need for manual labour by taking everything online and running all of the above processes in one efficient platform that can be easily accessed and managed through your company website.

It also allows integration of other business tools like One Tribe to add and enhance your customer shopping experience, brand image, and general operations.

shopify

How to sell eCommerce products… introducing Shopify

Shopify is a type of eCommerce platform that allows anyone to set up an online store and sell their products.

It is well known as one of the best eCommerce platforms out there and for good reason. Shopify offers the basic service of managing all essential business tools in one space so that you can build your store and sell your products online whether you be a small business owner, budding entrepreneur or business tycoon. 

Aside from offering a simple functioning system, there are other benefits of using Shopify that make it such a great asset to any business owner.

Shopify users can also sell in physical locations if they wanted to expand onto the high street or simply set up shop in a more traditional manner. Shopify has a simple to use an app with integrated hardware that makes it possible to both begin or develop their high street venture. 

The Shopify Bonus

The bonus is that if you wanted to sell both online and in-person, the app manages data in a way that syncs inventory and stock, meaning sales can be managed from one account or any device.

It is highly convenient, acting as a hub for a network of stores above and beyond its primary service. 

In addition to this, Shopify allows users to customize their sites so that you can build a fully functioning eCommerce website that is not generic but unique to you and your brand.

It is a versatile platform that can either serve a basic function or help grow your brand into a flourishing empire.

Shopify

How to start selling your products online using Shopify

1) Determine where you will ship and sell products

Before even setting up your site, you need to decide where you will be selling your products and which countries will be able to interact with your site.

Shopify has merchants in 175 countries and can be used in over 20 languages, making it super easy to decide your base but also allow room to grow and expand your business to an international scale.

2) Set up and design your site

Shopify is a multi-functional tool that makes eCommerce shopping an easily digestible topic. It’s the ideal platform for beginners, drop shippers, small businesses and budding entrepreneurs. 

Start building your site from scratch or choose from a range of Shopify themes that you can use as templates to build your brand.

For a fully tailored site, you can use developer tools and Shopify APIs to power custom experiences, and a unique shopping experience.

Alternatively, if you are more experienced or want a deeper level of personalisation, you can alter the coding yourself or hire someone from Shopify’s Partner ecosystem.  

3) Add your products

Shopify is a highly versatile tool that allows you to sell a range of products and services. To begin selling online, you need to add products to your Shopify account and set up a payment processor.

Once this is done you will be able to tailor your products to the style in which you wish to sell. This could be building an online store, selling via social media or dropshipping.

4) Build your brand

A functioning site is just the first element of building a successful brand and business. To get people to buy from you, you’ll need to market your store so shoppers can visit your site and discover your brand and its products. 

The choice of marketing you decide to use really depends on what it is you’re selling and who you are trying to reach.

Determining your target audience and analysing the market data for your products will only help you later down the line when it comes to the fun stuff like designing campaigns and writing newsletter copy. 

5) Start selling

Setting up a website, adding products and marketing are all part of the initial stages of building a brand people will want to buy from.

While the steps are simple, it can take time to develop a business into the idea you might have in your mind. Irrespective of where you want to be in the future, this is how to start selling.

Getting your products up is basic, research and development are necessary, and marketing and branding are crucial in standing out amongst the crowd and encouraging users to buy repetitively through you and not your competitors. 

If you’re wondering whether Shopify is right for you and something you’ll be able to make use of, the Shopify team offers a discounted use of service available to all start-ups and small businesses over a short trial period. That way, you can test and trial elements of the site and choose the relevant Shopify plan depending on your business needs.

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Conclusion

Once upon a time you needed investment and funding to start a successful retail business.   The world of eCommerce has not only made it possible for anyone to sell online, it’s eradicated the need for funding to grow and develop a business.

It has introduced new entrepreneurs to the scene, allowed smaller businesses to actually develop and grow into large and successful ones, and encouraged more and more people to see out their entrepreneurial pursuits. Shopify, among many other eCommerce platforms, are readily available to everyone and are worth exploring if you’re serious about laying the foundations of a great business.

Sell more sustainably here. 

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