|
Testing the Waters
If you've ever dreamed of quitting your job and going into business for yourself, you may have considered online retail. But opening your own website is quite an undertaking - you'll need to get a URL, acquire a shopping cart, have someone design your web pages, optimize your site for the major search engines, and so on. And you're going to have to pay for all those services up front, which means you'll need to have some capital set aside. So before you tell your boss what you really think of his toupee, you may want to consider taking a less-drastic route into the world of eCommerce - the eBay store.
Opening an eBay store is a great way to get a feel for whether or not selling on the Internet suits you. It's a very simple entry point that lets you test the waters without committing a lot of your money or time. At a cost of only $15.95 a month, it's a pretty safe investment.
5 Benefits to Choosing eBay
EBay takes care of much of the busywork associated with running an E-Biz. In fact, there are numerous advantages to starting an eBay store before attempting to create your own website:
EBay hosts your site and provides you with a URL, a shopping cart, and an easy-to-use tool that lets you quickly design an attractive storefront.
EBay takes care of search engine optimization for you - making sure you will be listed with the major search engines.
EBay gives you an immediate presence online - from day one, you have over 200 million customers.
EBay has an 800 number with live support.
EBay provides workshops, at no extra cost, on how to implement their various tools. 3 EBay Tools You Should Be Using
EBay offers several built-in channels for growing your business. Janelle Elms, successful e-business author and lead instructor for eBay University, exclaims, "I'm always amazed at how many sellers are not taking advantage of all the amazing tools that eBay gives for that $16 every month." Below are three of eBay's biggest untapped resources:
An opt-in newsletter to keep your eBay store in front of your customers. A series of clicks and pull down menus, and your newsletter is ready to go in a matter of minutes. A simple source to keep your customers coming back, but many people don't even realize that option is available to them.
RSS Feeds (Really Simple Syndication). Once you turn this button on, all your buyers have to do is click on it, and every time you put new products in your store or up for auction, they'll get an update telling them what you've added. Elms explains, "RSS feeds are basically a legal version of a pop-up ad - the difference is, your customers actually want them."
Printable brochures of your eBay store that you can send out with every package, to show your customers what else you offer and to remind them to shop with you again. EBay stores are user-friendly - anyone can run an one. In addition to being a great proving ground for your online retail skill, you may find it to be a very profitable enterprise in and of itself.
BIOGRAPHY: Product Sourcing Radio is Created and Hosted by Chris Malta and Robin Cowie of WorldwideBrands.com, Home of the Internet's Largest Source of Genuine, Factory-Direct Wholesalers for online sellers. Click Here for more FREE E-Biz & Product Sourcing info!
|
PRINT
