7 Reasons Why Starting an Ecommerce Business is Safer Bet Than You Might Think

 

 

People are more comfortable than ever with the concept of shopping online.

 

Heck, it’s hard to drive through any given neighborhood these days without seeing Amazon Prime packages lining the doorsteps, right?

 

Some might say that we have a digital shopping addiction.

 

And so if you’re in the ecommerce space, society’s rabid shopping tendencies represent a massive window of opportunity.

 

However, there are still plenty of skeptics when it comes to the world of ecommerce.

 

That is, it’s easy to look at the rise of ecommerce businesses as little more than a cash-grab.

 

The reality, though? It is easier than ever to get started selling products online. Doing so doesn’t have to be a massive risk, either.

 

If you’re interested in doing the same but still have your skepticism, we don’t blame you. To help ease your mind and give you new perspective on the space, consider the following seven reasons why ecommerce may be a safer bet than you’ve been led to believe.

 

A Level Playing Field

David Zheng of WiseMerchant perhaps puts it best in regard to the state of ecommerce: “Each entrepreneur started off in the same place you are: without a store, without a success story, and with little or no experience.”

 

Part of the beauty of ecommerce is that the playing field is relatively even. That is, there are tons of intuitive platforms and potential products to sell, all the while the same avenues of marketing are more or less available to all merchants regardless of budget.

 

Although scaling might be easier for some brands versus others, the fact remains the same window of opportunity is available to industry veterans and newcomers alike.

 

No Need for Inventory

Undoubtedly one of the most appealing aspects of ecommerce is the fact that you don’t necessarily have to deal with physical inventory. The idea of spending cash upfront and sitting on a bunch of product is an absolute nightmare to potential vendors and rightfully so.

 

That’s why dropshipping and selling digital products are smart moves for risk-averse merchants. Such products require little to no overhead and costs only come on an order-by-order basis. Whether it’s products sourced from Ali Express or digital courses and e-books, there’s no need for a bunch of excessive upfront spending.

 

You Can Fly Solo

Another added bonus of starting a digital store if that you can more or less go it alone, at least until you need to scale. From store setup and digital creatives to crafting product descriptions and promotions, you can easily take a DIY approach thanks to the wealth of platforms out there.

 

Of course, some tasks (think: copywriting and design) can be outsourced to freelancers on an as-needed basis if necessary.

 

Ads Are Insanely Advanced

Looking at the capabilities of Facebook dynamic remarketing ads, it’s clear why ecommerce brands are able to make such a killing. The ability to target hyper-specific audiences, including people who’ve viewed your brand’s site or social channels, means that you can speak directly to those who are most likely to buy. The end-result is a higher ROI for your paid efforts.

 

The Low Cost of Marketing Campaigns

Beyond paid ads, some of the most powerful forms of advertising for ecommerce brands is totally free.

 

For example, even the most massive brands out there rely on social media and user-generated content campaigns centered around customer photos. Similarly, email deals and newsletters are perhaps one of the most time-tested aspects of digital marketing that still make a killing.

 

Especially for storefronts starting out, you can get off the ground with free or nearly free marketing channels until you’re ready to reinvest in paid ads.

 

No Shortage of Niches

Beauty products? Business tech? Specialty apparel?

 

The opportunities are seemingly endless when it comes to what you can sell. Consider that there are companies out there like Beardbrand which score over $100,000 per month selling beard oil. This again signals the fact that just about any niche if fair game if you can find an appropriate audience.

 

The Learning Curve is Relatively Low

To bring things full circle, ecommerce represents an industry that doesn’t require a steep learning curve to get started. Stacking up the best ecommerce platforms of 2018, the likes of Shopify and BigCommerce are equal parts robust and intuitive for newcomers to the space. In other words, just about anyone can get a store started granted they do their homework.

 

Although some people might look at you like you’re crazy for suggesting starting an online business, the fact remains that they’re much more of a “sure thing” than the public realizes. Granted you zero in on a product that fills the need of a target audience, getting your ecommerce empire off the ground can be done relatively quickly in today’s climate.

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