How to Sell Products Online: Get Started in 5 Easy Steps

Over 75% of people shop online. The number of online buyers is increasing day by day which is a great benefit for online sellers out there. Selling products online has risen to be an excellent business option for people. You can sell your products online just by sitting in the comfort of your home. All you need is just to be aware of how to sell products online.

Today, there are lots of online selling sites you will come across if you start running any online business. Some of them are focused on specific niches only, like tech and video games. In contrast, other portals allow retailers to sell anything from books to clothes to furniture and way beyond.

In this ultimate guide on how to sell products online, we will take you through some of the best online selling sites out there where you can make an exciting earning by selling your products online. We will also let you know the benefits of building an online store of your own and how to use it properly. If you are a beginner who is new to this domain and wants to learn how to sell products online, you are at the right place. This guide will cover every aspect of how to sell products online.

Benefits of Selling Products Online

How to sell products online has been an intriguing question among many people. There are multiple benefits of selling products online. It is part of e-commerce. Therefore, it has all the benefits that an eCommerce website or work-from-home business model offers.

The following are the benefits of online selling:

1. Freedom of Work

A Business offers you the independence of decision-making. Starting your own business provides you freedom of work. Also, online selling saves time and effort by eliminating the hassle of attending to customers physically.

2. Higher Profit Margin

This business offers lower operating costs without any huge investments. The cost associated with the extra expenses of selling is reduced. Therefore, it increases the net income from the sale of products.

3. More Flexibility

Online product selling provides flexibility in working hours, decision-making, and customer engagement. It also helps in adjusting to other work in life. There are no commitments like going to shop or opening it at a particular time.

4. Self-Fulfillment

Starting an online business makes you financially independent. When you earn for yourself, there is always a sense of fulfillment. Such merits help in creating a positive attitude which makes online selling a beneficial earning option.

5. Relaxed Lifestyle

Online selling is a work-from-home business. Working from home gives you a very different lifestyle to enjoy. Online sellers have more flexibility in their work-life balance which helps them live a more relaxed and stress-free life.

6. Growth Opportunities

Online product selling provides lots of growth opportunities. It helps in dealing with new products to diversify your business. It provides greater growth and diversification of work. Online selling helps you achieve your goals and set new ones.

7. Wide Customer Base

Online product sales overcome the constraint related to the geographical location of the customers. Online selling exposes you to a wider range of customers. You can sell your products to anyone no matter how far they reside.

Best Products to Sell Online

After deliberating on how to sell products online, the next question that arises is which products to sell. The online selling market offers diverse product categories. There are a wide variety of products that can be sold online. Following are some of the product ideas for an online product selling business:

1. Creative Accessories

You can sell fashion accessories online. The demand for fashion products such as bracelets, pendants, earrings, rings, etc. has been increasing lately. These products have a very good profit margin and are in high demand.

2. Stationery

Products like trending diaries, pens, books, holders, books, novels, magazines, etc., are widely demanded by customers. You can sell such stationery products and make a decent income. These products have a good customer base as well as higher profits.

3. Customized Gifts

The trend of giving customised products has been very popular. You can sell normal, regular products by customising them as per the needs of the customers. These are high-demand products.

4. Cosmetics and Make-up

Demand for cosmetics and make-up never ends. You can sell beauty products such as daily skin and hair care products and more to earn money online. The only catch here is the quality and genuineness of the products.

5. Clothes

The merchandise industry has changed a lot. Nowadays, you can also sell your inventory of clothes online on the various platforms available. Products like T-shirts, shorts, party dresses, etc. can be sold easily.

6. Gadgets

Our life are hugely dependent on electronic gadgets. Hence, you can also sell gadgets and other related accessories like earphones, headphones, cables, speakers, mobiles, etc. online easily.

7. Second-Hand Goods

Many people prefer using second-hand products, which have increased the demand for such goods over the past few years. You can sell used clothes, gadgets, furniture, books, etc. These products are generally open for negotiations, which also helps in earning more.

8. Groceries

Groceries are daily-use household items. Due to the pandemic outbreak, many people started buying groceries online. These products are demanded by all; hence, it is also an easy and safe online selling business option.

How to Sell Products Online

After looking at the business ideas above, the first question that comes to mind while thinking about online selling is “How to sell products online?”. You need to follow certain steps when you decide to sell products online. So let us look at the steps to start selling products online.

1. Decide your product and price it well.

This is the first and most basic step to follow for how to sell products online from your home. Deciding what you will sell is the most important thing. Based on your interest and available resources, choose the best-suited product to sell online. Your products can be some unique handmade products or some sourced items from a third-party vendor. It can be used products like used books, used vehicles, etc.

Secondly, you must price your items reasonably. Do not over-charge your products when you go to sell them online. You must do a good amount of market research before setting the price. Look at your competitors’ price rates to get an understanding of your product price. Everyone wants the best at a cheaper price. Therefore, customers will come to you to buy your products. In this way, you will be able to give a tough competition as well.

2. Identify your target market.

Identifying and researching your target market and competition will assist you in deciding the type of products, price, website branding, and design. It is an important step in how to sell products online, as it helps in building your initial strategy of marketing.

A target market refers to the prospecting customers to whom you will offer your products for sale. Knowing your target audience will help you to deal with the changes in the business world.

3. Pick the right e-commerce platform.

After looking for how to sell products online, people search for where to sell products online. There are various e-commerce websites where you can sell your products online. Picking the right e-commerce platform is very essential. Make sure you select a fully hosted, and all-in-one solution for selling products online. Look for a genuine e-commerce platform that can help you run your business efficiently.

4. Set up your online store.

Building an online store is an essential step for how to sell products online. Choose the best-suited website theme that works well with your brand. Nicely set up the product categories and upload all the relevant information about your product. Set up the shipping methods and payment gateways well.

5. Market your online store.

An important step for how to sell products online is advertising or marketing. It is the most vital aspect of a business when you decide to sell products online. The success of your business largely depends on how well you market it. The reason why marketing is important is explained below:

• Marketing attracts a large pool of customers.
• It creates brand awareness and establishes your business identity in the market.
• Marketing encourages customers to buy your products.
• Marketing helps in expanding your business greatly. It results in the growth of a business.

Platforms to Sell Products Online

Many platforms can be used for selling products online from the comfort of your home. Choosing the right platform is a significant element of how to sell products online. Following are some platforms that can be used to sell products online.

1. Social Media

Social media has a huge presence of potential customers for almost every product. Platforms like Instagram have even business account options. It has many tools to assist online businesses. There are many other platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, etc where you can sell products online without any major investment.

2. Shopping Sites

There are many shopping sites like Amazon, Flipkart, eBay, etc. You can list your product there to sell it online. These sites already have a good customer base. It can help you with the advertisement and promotion. You can earn a good income and reputation for your business through such shopping sites.

3. Own Websites

You can create your own online marketplace by developing your own website. It creates a good image and brand loyalty among the customers as people consider a website to be more reliable. So, it is a full-fledged business that can earn a fortune if all other factors are favourable.

Also, Read: 20 Best Reselling Apps in India in 2024: Start Selling Online

Top 5 Online Selling Sites in India

We have listed the top 5 online selling sites where you can sell your products online:

• Flipkart
• Amazon
• Snapdeal
• Paytm
• Craftsvilla

1. Flipkart

With more than 200 million registered users, Flipkart is one of the best e-commerce websites to sell your products online. You must have noticed that Flipkart presents enormous products on its website or applications. Hence, you get the option to sell any kind of product on this e-commerce website. The process of selling products online on Flipkart is very simple.

• Register your seller profile on Flipkart.
• List your products for sale.
• Flipkart provides you with a dashboard where you can manage all your business operations.
• Flipkart then offers the shipping and logistics for your products.
• A reasonable amount is charged for selling your products on Flipkart.

2. Amazon

With a user base of more than 200 million, you can make money on Amazon easily by selling your products. Amazon offers certain professional services to help you with the selling process. It also provides the advantage of fast and stress-free shipping. On Amazon, you get the option to pay the selling charges after your products are sold.

You can start selling your products on Amazon by following these steps:

• Register yourself as an Amazon seller by providing all the required documents.
• Do some product research using the sales rank feature to find fast-selling products.
• List your products.
• Design the shipping plan.
• Price your products and calculate profits.
• Check your eligibility for selling the particular product.

3. Snapdeal

Snapdeal has over 30 million active users on its platform. It is also one of the best platforms for selling products online. You can broaden your scope of sales by selling your products on Snapdeal. The selling process on Snapdeal is very simple:

• Begin with registration.
• Upload your products and list them.
• Once uploaded, you are open to receiving orders.
• Create your shipment plan.
• Receive your payment once your product is sold.

4. Paytm

Founded in 2010, with a user base of over 330 million, Paytm is an excellent option for selling products online. Moreover, there are over 3.4 million Paytm mall users who shop online on Paytm. You can expect a steady flow of orders and great earnings by selling your products on this e-commerce website. Paytm’s selling process is hassle-free:

• Create your seller profile by registering.
• Control your inventory using the Paytm unified dashboard.
• List the products.
• Draw the shipment plan.
• Receive payment after each sale.

5. Craftsvilla

Craftsvilla has a customer base of around 250 million. It is one of the best sites to market and sell your products. It has a huge number of dealers in apparel, fashion, and beauty products. Craftsvilla provides wide exposure to your business and promotes your brand in the market. You can sell your products on Craftsvilla easily as follows:

• Register as a seller on Craftsvilla.
• List your products.
• Start receiving orders.
• Create the shipment plan.
• Receive your payment after your product is sold.
• Pay the selling charges to Craftsvilla.

Tips to Increase Online Sales

• Utilize high-quality images and make them attractive enough for buyers.
• Provide accurate product descriptions.
• Offer attractive discounts and sales.
• Prioritize customer reviews and showcase them for credibility.
• Offer excellent customer service with fast response.
• Ensure your website is mobile-friendly to cater to the growing number of mobile shoppers.

Online Selling in a Nutshell

Selling your products online is always a good idea. It is cost-effective, easy, and gives you a high return on investment. Many people nowadays have shifted to proper online selling. The next step, after you are ready with your online business idea, is to create a business plan.

This article is for business owners to help them with all they need to know about online selling. You can expand your small business and start an online shop. Online selling not only fetches you an exciting income but also expands your networks.

You can diversify your business through the online window, which also attracts countless customers. You can grow your business and establish it as a distinctive brand in the market. Hence, selling your products is indeed a great way to earn money online.

Frequently Asked Questions