Amazon, Shopify or an online store on your website; which is the right choice in 2023?

In the modern world we are living in today, digitalization increases the pace and quality of life and businesses. The emergence of the internet considerably has had effects on customers’ behaviors. More and more people take advantage of the internet to stick to their pace of life. It is a common denominator between virtual interactions. More than 4.95 billion people buy, trade, and educate on online platforms. With this increasing number on the go, ventures and entrepreneurs are making big attempts to sell products and services online. Selling online is a beneficial approach. But what is the best way to do so? Which eCommerce platform should I use? What are popular e-commerce platforms? Is it fine to create an e-commerce website for my niche?

If you had the questions above in mind, continue reading this article. It will help you a lot.

Amazon

Amazon is the world’s leading online retailer, headquartered in Washington. Among all converting websites, Amazon owns a broad spectrum of products and services available, everything from books to nuts. As well as that, the company ships items to more than 50 countries around the world, including Canada, the UK, China, and Australia. Apart from selling consumer goods itself, Amazon opens up the opportunity for people and businesses to employ the platform to sell online. In 2019, Amazon announced that businesses of different sizes well 4000 items every minute. Although the market is lucrative, there are some pros and cons to consider before using its cutting-edge platform to make money.

Pros

• Amazon is a huge market with millions of users on the globe.
• It has an easy way to join eCommerce: Amazon has paved the way for retailers. You won’t have to worry about hosting your own website, setting up a logistics network, or getting your products to clients on time.
• It is not rocket science to employ Amazon. It just takes a few minutes to upload a products’ photos and descriptions.

Cons

• Competition on Amazon is fierce. Competing with Amazon itself and other marketplace sellers is a bit challenging for people who are newbies to the platform.
• Being fairly new to Amazon means you have to pay for advertising and marketing, so your products can be discovered sooner by people.
• Amazon’s FBA limits.
• It is not your platform, which means it can have limitations at times.

Shopify

Shopify is a subscription-based platform that facilitates e-trade by establishing an online store for selling products. In other words, you can purchase a monthly subscription plan to avail your business of the Software As A Service (SaaS) model. It’s online, but it’s up to you to personalize the look and design of your online store. Furthermore, Shopify POS comes with the hardware for purchases in physical locations. You can sell and send almost anything on Shopify, from home furniture to event tickets. It is like a cakewalk to use Shopify, and the variety of tools it offers helps to track the progress of your online store. Here are Shopify’s pros and cons.

Pros

• Shopify is easy to use.
• It has free themes that shape the look of your store.
• 24/7 support can be very helpful.
• It has marketing tools to rank on SERP.

Cons

• Its transaction fees.
• The demand for more apps increases your monthly subscription plan on Shopify.
• You have to pay to use most of its themes.

Building an online store on your website

So far, you might have gotten a general idea of what eCommerce is. In a simple term, it means selling online via eCommerce platforms or the eCommerce shop implemented on your website. It is estimated that by the end of 2023, eCommerce will make up 22% of retail sales worldwide. So, why not take advantage of this flow?

When it comes to building your website from scratch, reaching the end customers is the first direct possible outcome. On the other hand, the playground is competitive, and building a solid platform matters. That’s where a team of specialists (Team as a Service) can help you. At Twelfthdream, we have helped businesses in Vancouver and beyond. You can book a free discovery call with us right now, here. We won’t let you down.

Pros

• Selling anywhere: Finding customers regardless of the geographical location is the common denominator in online selling methods.
• Building a database of customers’ data: Most people are reluctant to share personal data such as email addresses and phone numbers. On the other hand, on most websites and apps, filling information gaps is vital to make purchases and interact with the platform. Making a gateway to contact customers is a great aspect of building a database of clients’ data, so, for example, they are informed of the latest products and sales campaigns.
• Recruiting workers: It is an online business on an online platform. The number of staff goes down in comparison to a real-world store. For instance, there is no need for people to fix lightning issues. Moreover, you can consider hiring employees from different cities and counties.
• Making a passive money revenue: Earning money while you are sleeping without physically working sounds exciting, right? Another advantage of having eCommerce and a website for a business is attracting customers 24/7, without needing to actively work.
•  Scalability: As time passes, your business might expand. Scaling a website is more straightforward than a brick-and-mortar store. Location is limited, which means hiring a specific number of employees is fine.
• Content marketing: Blogging is a popular approach to drive traffic to a website. Content can come written, visual, and in audio. Creating comprehensive and fruitful blogs based on a niche’s field is an eminent tactic to adopt.

Two crucial questions when selling online are ” What are buying decision factors?” What encourages customers to purchase from you?”. Thinking about these questions ahead is vital since they profoundly contribute to arranging all the aspects relating to an eCommerce platform.

Cons

• Sending products to customers can take longer than expected.
• Customers cannot see and touch the efficiency of items.
• If the website breaks down, no one will be able to buy from you.

Conclusion

The Internet has paved the way for a more convenient life. A clear example of this is in eCommerce. Selling online has dominated F2F trades. There are plenty of website platforms to sell, and some of them will definitely meet your needs. Selling online is extremely fruitful for businesses and entrepreneurs. One important facet can be attracting more customers out of your geographical borders. Moreover, enlightening and communicating through push notifications and other marketing methods constantly bridges you and your customers together, which is a win-win relationship. But the competition is cut-throat and you may face challenges. It is always good to broaden your knowledge before taking action. And if you do not have time, you can ask experts to have your back. On this occasion, you can contact the TwelfthDream team. We cherish the collaboration.

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