Blinky
Owner
I am posting this thread to avoid spamming the dropshipping topic.
Here I will briefly expose my observations of creating and managing an online store operating world wide.
As I can see it it is a regular thing- the closing of offline stores. There are lot of signs saying "For sale", "For rent" and etc. Mostly in places, where you can not see a lot of people passing through. All became to great online stores, because Internet is the future and their potential client are there. In most case we are talking about online sopping carts, where you can buy yous product at the moment, and in other - online catalogs, where you first contact the person in charge and then you make the purchase. Here is the moment to mention that every online store, no matter what, should have contact and about us page. The second is not so important, but is good to be there. People want to know who stays from the other side of the site.
Here are my recommendations and tips!
After that it comes the hard work - how to segment and attack the market
This is not a joke - about 5-6 months ago, I guy called me, explaining me that they hold the right to operate with Google AdWord in my location. Do not follow in this. Take a second opinion and you will see that some of that kind of call is to take your money, nothing more.
So, let see what can we say as a final:
Wishing all the best and a lot of sales.....
Here I will briefly expose my observations of creating and managing an online store operating world wide.
As I can see it it is a regular thing- the closing of offline stores. There are lot of signs saying "For sale", "For rent" and etc. Mostly in places, where you can not see a lot of people passing through. All became to great online stores, because Internet is the future and their potential client are there. In most case we are talking about online sopping carts, where you can buy yous product at the moment, and in other - online catalogs, where you first contact the person in charge and then you make the purchase. Here is the moment to mention that every online store, no matter what, should have contact and about us page. The second is not so important, but is good to be there. People want to know who stays from the other side of the site.
Here are my recommendations and tips!
- Research the market and see if your users use Internet actively - nobody uses online agricultural pharmacy;
- Find the right platform for your store. By risking here to be attacked, I personally recommend you free platforms such as osCommerce, OpenCart and a good-looking template for it, in order to save (in the beginning) your expenses! Once the store is developed and popular, allow yourself set up shop with unique content, then with that money you can great a good advertising campaign!;
- Find a niche, which you are interested in and have knowledge, in order to be able to give expert opinions to your customers (be sure that this will happen);
- Do not great shop for everything you think of. It is full of such, selling from underwear to auto parts. It is a big mess out there. And the worst part is that once you place an order the seller tells you to wait just to see is it out of stock. He will probably give you a call to let you know do they have in their "store". This is not a good strategy. Believe me! Of course, you can increase the number of the products, but with reliable and known merchants, that could react fast. Costumers want their stuff now, if it's possible yesterday;
- Make your store clean, shinny and well-structured. The products should be the places they suppose to be. Finding them easy and fast is a key benefit. The less you have the best you can do that;
- Do not do the mistake to earn from Ads. The logic here is far away from this. The client has to be focused on the main reason why is on your store. Once he come on your store, you do should not lose him by offering him some other stuff with AdSense Ads. That way you work for your competitors and they will take advantage of this for sure. Also, be careful with the links you put on your site. For example, if you sell perfumes, it will be a bad idea to add (in your side bar, footer or anywhere else) a link to a candle store. The client could thing that the candle is better gift than the perfume;
- Write a good title, but do not do keywords stuffing there. All you can say - do it in the content, pages, categories, blog and ect.;
- If you have an offline store, do not close it, the client ask from time to time where you are based and want to come in order to see and hold the product. Clean up the delivery and payment options! Make a call on every sales and request, that way you can be sure that smuggs won't make you loses;
- As I wrote 60-70% of this is offline, so make sure you have skype and phone number on your site;
- Respect your clients and do not spam them with bullshits. Happy-birthday card is enough to make them happy.
After that it comes the hard work - how to segment and attack the market
- Make a detailed plan which target group of users would love to have some of your products and attack. You can not sell to everyone. For example, by target group is users of the age of 25-40 years and with monthly salary of $600-1200;
- Include payment that will make your live easy and simple like PayPal, MoneyBookers and more, but not add 10 options;
- Choose a relabel, tasted and stable delivery services. It is really important to do that in a smart way, because one wrong move and you are out of the business. In case you are local business, you can create your own delivery network. Find someone who would love to deliver flowers to the front of your client's door and get $10 for this job;
- I will not explain you about submitting your store, the problem comes lately - everyone will call you to offer your inclusion in known and unknown sites and portals, explaining your what great amount of traffic do they have. Most of the cases this is a bullshit. Reject without a doubts. It is not worth. An do a submission once your store is finished. Do not do it at the same time while building it. It is wrong practice;
- I have heard that there is no such thing as bad advertisement. I do not believe in this. Getting in newspapers, for example, it is a stupid idea and expensive. Observe the Internet what people write about your. A negative comment on a big site(with a lot of traffic and trust) can ruin your brand.
This is not a joke - about 5-6 months ago, I guy called me, explaining me that they hold the right to operate with Google AdWord in my location. Do not follow in this. Take a second opinion and you will see that some of that kind of call is to take your money, nothing more.
So, let see what can we say as a final:
- When you creating your advertising campaign make sure you pay per click! In case you want to do branding, but at the beginning you need to do big invesments to get in this;
- Do not skip the targeted and good advertising - it will return!;
- Research in great details your competitors! You can present yourself as a reporter and ask them for interviewee. It is a tricky, but it works
- Do not feel down and under. No matter that your competitors are financially stable. Remember: Here is not important to be big, but fast and flexible.
Wishing all the best and a lot of sales.....
