Selling online can be easy but it can also be overwhelming.

There are hosting platforms such as Shopify, Big Commerce, Woo Commerce and even more.

And there are also sales channels such as Etsy, Amazon or eBay  I like to think the later more as Marketing Chanel’s. And they are an amazing way to sell your products. E-Bay especially for online retails and with Amazon coming to Australia soon this will be another marketplace to keep a very close eye on.

While there are benefits to selling via marketplaces, for longevity it is really important to establish your brand and choose a platform that allows you to have complete control around your brand and your products. In other words, it’s on your terms!

I personally recommend Shopify (yes I am an affiliate) however let me tell you why below.

It’s is also the platform I used to grow my online store. If you are wholesaling a product I do recommend looking at Big Commerce as there are many features Big Commerce has over Shopify ( that’s for another email )!

Some of the key things to look for when choosing a shopping platform include:

• High percentage of uptime, that means your website doesn’t just crash.
• Easy of use – you don’t need to pay a developer every time you want to make a change
• SEO friendly features – mobile optimised. Given that 98.9 Million mobile users have purchased online it really is a must!
• Help desk & Unlimited support
• Powerful back end plug ins and integration
• Easy and secure payment processing – must include Paypal, Stripe and AfterPay
• Beautiful themes that do not cost a fortune
• easy plugins such as Ebay, Amazon and Shipping Couriers.
• Dropshipping options – seamless integration with AliExpress

One of the biggest positives of using a hosted platform is that all The technical stuff is taken care of.

I have seen too many small eCommerce businesses struggle with old technology to finally bite the bullet and change over to platforms such as Shopify to then witness their sales double within the first month. How does that happen? Well, Shopify is adaptable for all your needs and whilst you pay a percentage of sales depending on how much you sell, I factor these costs into say a developers insurance, that is you paying a small fee for a big company to be ahead of the game all the time. Small price to pay now than a massive one later when your technology is now outdated.

Reports are also a must in any platform. Being able to see real-time what is happening in your store is essential – there really is no point marketing a brand if you do not have the data and see how your customer interacts on your store!

So there you have it these are just some of the things to think about when starting or looking to transfer over too

Start your Shopify store today and do not pay a thing until the day you go live! You can test all the themes and save yourself hundreds and hundred in the meantime.  

Simply email me sarah@sarahquinney.com and let’s get your online store and up running in no time!