How to Start Selling on Amazon, Mercado Libre, or Facebook?

• Why selling on Amazon, Mercado Libre and Facebook is heating
• Briefs on the three marketplaces
• Comparisons among the three marketplaces
• How to sell on the websites
• Conclusion

If you have ever bought goods online, you are conversant with the concept of eCommerce. Ecommerce involves the buying and selling of products using online services or via the internet.

The rise of e-commerce is mainly a result of the increase in internet connectivity throughout the world and the access to smartphones which makes shopping online more flexible.

As e-commerce increases, the need for online portals to facilitate different transactions also increases.

Currently, the online portals are in the form of e-commerce websites which have facilitated the process of transfer of information and funds.

Why selling on Amazon, Mercado Libre and Facebook is heating

Unlike the traditional brick- mortar business mode, the eCommerce stores are revolutionizing how businesses are done.

Ecommerce platforms have made getting into business easier for most people as the model eliminates the need to have a physical store and sometimes you do not even have to have an inventory of products.

To support e-commerce businesses, various websites have come up.

This has greatly increased the ease of online transactions as you can find all the necessary tools needed to execute a transaction on these platforms.

The major types of eCommerce websites are:

• Business to Business (B2B) transaction which are transactions between companies.
• Business to Consumer (B2C) transactions which are online transactions between a business and a consumer.
• Consumer to Consumer (C2C) transactions which are those that happen between consumers.
• Consumer to Business (C2B) transactions happen between a customer and a business and this is mostly in terms of services.

The online marketplace platforms are gaining popularity due to a variety of reasons;

• The cost of starting and running a business online is cheap and hence there are greater chances of making profits.
• Since the only requirement for running a business on the online marketplaces is access to the internet, a business can operate from anywhere in the world.
• The websites are designed to easily study the market trends and so you can easily know the products that sell easily and this will help you grow your business. The platforms can also be used to help you stay above the current market trends as you are aware of what to provide at a certain time based on what customers are buying.
• The online platforms have no time restrictions and so you can operate your business at all times.
• Once you have set up your business online, the bulk of the work is done for you and so the platforms are less labor-intensive than running a physical store.
• For customers, the sites provide the ease of shopping as you can purchase products from anywhere in the world without having to worry about how the product will reach you. Since there are a variety of suppliers online you can easily compare different products to find the best one.
• The websites make it easy to interact with customers and receiving direct feedback about the products this is efficient as you can easily know the customer requirements which are important if you want to make profits.
• The websites offer transparency as all the details of the business are made available to the customers which can help build trust between the seller and the buyer.

Briefs on the three marketplaces

Amazon

Amazon is one of the world’s leading online market place which attracts millions of users annually; the website was formed to facilitate the sale of goods from suppliers to the consumer.

The company offers a platform for a variety of retailers and wholesalers to connect with customers by facilitating easy payment and shipment solutions of purchases.  

Mercado Libre

Mercado libre is an online marketplace that is based in Argentina that is dedicated to the online marketplace.

The website connects buyers and sellers all over Latin America by facilitating payments through a tool known as Mercado Pago.

The platform has been designed to link buyers and sellers through a system of bidding and once sold; the goods are then shipped to the customers.

Facebook

For a long time, Facebook was known as a social platform where people would connect with friends but with the increase in eCommerce, the platform has branched out to provide an online marketplace known as the Facebook marketplace.

The site was created to support small businesses by providing a platform where businesses can create brand awareness by connecting to a wider customer base.

Comparisons among the three marketplaces

Though most of the online marketplaces are meant for the transaction of businesses online, they may have some differences in their operations.

Knowing these differences may help you select a platform that will match your requirements.

Amazon

Amazon has been in the market for a long time and over time, the website has improved its features to cater to the various customer needs.  

Some of the benefits of using Amazon as a seller include:

• New and updated products in the catalog.
• Amazon is responsible for handling your shipping and customer service fulfillment.
• The website allows you to use the bulk listing and reporting services using the amazon marketplace web service.
• The website allows you to access sales reports and product performance to enable you to make more informed business decisions.
• For the customer, Amazon has a variety of features to help you have an easy shopping experience from the numerous discounts, same-day deliveries, and refunds for late arrivals.

Mercado libre

The platform is divided into 5 business units which form the main features of operations:

• The market place is used for selling products.
• The Mercado Pago which is used to facilitate online payments.
• Mercado Publicado which is an advertising and marketing feature for the website.
• Mercado Credito is the platform’s credit line option.
• Mercado shops are a feature that is used for the overall functionality of the platform.

Facebook

The Facebook marketplace was launched in 2016 to promote the growth of small businesses by connecting business owners to a large pool of customers.

The platform has 3 main features which include:

• The browse to buy feature which allows you to access filtered items on your feed making it possible for you to connect to sellers. The Al features enable buyers to connect with potential buyers easily while making the shopping experience more personalized for buyers.
• The platform allows you to easily sell products without having to set up a new profile.
• The platform has features that enable you to filter out what you want by location, cost, or product category making it easy for you to choose from a wide variety of options. This feature also enables both the seller and buyer to approximate their locations which may help in decision making.

How to sell on the websites

Like any other business, the online business also requires you to research widely to find out which website favors you and your business model.

After identifying a website that works for you, there are some common steps you can follow to set up your business online.

Choose a product to sell

Finding a product niche will help you be more specific in the online marketplace.

Finding a niche will help you narrow down your options which is important in finding customers and staying above the competition as you will be more aware of the needs of your customers and hence you will easily fill the gaps that may be present in the market.

Identify your target market

Finding a niche will help when it comes to finding your market as you will be able to quickly filter out the wide client base according to the searches that are being made.

Finding the market will also help you set the right prices for the products to enable you to make profits.

Set up your online store

After identifying the product you want to sell, you can then set up the store on the platform you have chosen.

Choosing the right platform is necessary for the success of your business and so you will have to identify what you require from a website and how you want to run your business to run then find what works best for you.

Market your business

After setting up your store; the next step is to make your clients aware of your business and the products you are providing.

The marketing strategy you choose should be efficient enough to save you money while bringing in customers.

Provide quality products

Maybe you are making the products yourself or sourcing them from suppliers, the basis of running a successful business is providing customers with quality products.

Conclusion

Ecommerce is one of the fastest-growing business models in the world.

With eCommerce, small businesses can compete with larger businesses with the potential for growth being tremendous.

Starting and running online businesses has been made simpler by the numerous online selling platforms available.

To start a business you need to identify a platform that best suits your business needs and use it to efficiently sell products.

Most online e-commerce platforms have unique features that will enable you to run your business efficiently and make profits.

6 Easiest Ways to Start Shopify Dropshipping With no Course

Small businesses are available everywhere and are a major part of a growing economy.

Most small businesses serve market niches that big mass production industries do not reach and hence play an important role in reaching the wider market.

Small businesses oftentimes require little capital to start and are run by a small number of people making the business easily adaptable to changes that may occur compared to large industries.

The businesses are also flexible enough and most times they can be used to supplement regular incomes for most people.

Dropshipping is one of the recent small online business models that are gaining popularity in the world with more and more people using it as a way to earn money hassle-free.

The current state of small businesses

In all parts of the world, small and medium-sized enterprises make up a huge percentage of the GDP in most economies.

For most entrepreneurs starting and managing a small business enterprise is among the best ways to earn an income and since the business does not require a lot of capital, fewer risks are involved.

Most people will get into the small business enterprise to break free from the normal working conditions which are in most cases not the best places for personal financial growth.

The need to grow has resulted in more and more people being attracted to the concept of small businesses.

Since small businesses are run by fewer individuals compared to other larger enterprises, it is easy for them to be flexible to changes that may occur.

With the pandemic, most small businesses have suffered huge losses with some being forced to close down.

But there is some form of optimism that the business will bounce back to normal and even keep growing as projected.

The allure of starting a small business goes beyond the need for supplementing incomes for most people.

Some other advantages of starting a small business include:

• Low initial capital– a small business does not need a large amount of capital to start. The capital required is mostly dependent on the type of business and the amount of capital you are willing to put in to start the business.
• High growth potential– Since you are starting small, the growth potential is tremendous in a small business, you have the option of either maintaining the level of business as is or you may choose to expand if you wish.
• Low overhead costs– A small business does not require a lot of money to operate. Since you can run your business independently you can choose to set up your business online or go with the traditional brick and mortar way. Either way, you will incur less overhead costs compared to a large enterprise.
• Easy to adapt to changing market conditions– In most instances, the market, especially for goods, is dictated by trends. Since the trends change rapidly, the small businesses are well suited to adapt to the market changes that may occur.
• Easy customer interactions– most small businesses cater to a specific market, and this makes it easy to interact with the target market to find out their needs and address their concerns.

What is Shopify’s dropshipping?

In dropshipping, a retailer transfers customers’ orders directly to the manufacturer or wholesaler who then ships the products directly to the customer.

Dropshipping is an order fulfillment method that allows a retailer to supply goods without holding inventory.

This means that you will need very little capital to start and since the business is mostly online, there is no need to have a physical store.

Shopify is an e-commerce platform that offers retailers with online services that include marketing, shipping, and payment services for a variety of goods to help make the process of running an online store simple for most small businesses.

If you want to break into eCommerce, using Shopify will enable you to easily access the tools that are required to run a store.

Being one of the popular eCommerce platforms, Shopify offers well-developed features that will enable you to run your online business.

The platform works by allowing you to run a store without paying any website hosting fee which is rather expensive.

All you need to do if pay a monthly fee and your business will run without any problems.

When using Shopify for dropshipping, the need for excess inventory will not be an issue as you will only purchase the products that your customers need.

This is unlike directly working with suppliers or wholesalers who may want to sell you their products in bulk.

How to start a Shopify dropshipping with no course

Shopify has made it easy to start a dropshipping business by providing a platform you can use to set up your store.

If you are unsure of how to start a Shopify dropshipping business, the platform offers a free trial period along with a set –up guide to help you start your business.

The guide consists of tutorials that will enable you to successfully set-up the store easily.

 The steps to take to start Shopify dropshipping include:

• Register for a Shopify account– to begin using Shopify, you will need to set up an account on the platform by registering using your email address.
• Have a store name– when choosing a name for your online store, you will need to be creative to allow customers to easily identify and remember the store.
• Optimize your Shopify account– this is where you will need to personalize your account details based on your preferences. This will include payment options and store policies along with the shipment options and rates.
• Set up your dropshipping store-after you have optimized your account, you will need to add online stores to your selected sales channels.
• Design your dropshipping store– to be able to stand out you will need to personalize your online store with specific logos and themes to help you stand out as the platform is used by many other businesses.
• Market your store– setting up the online store is one thing, but the main core of any business is getting customers and this is where marketing comes in. You can take advantage of the numerous social media platforms to market your products to enable you to make sales and therefore earn profits from your dropshipping business. Test out various marketing strategies to find out which best works for you.

Dropshipping suppliers

Finding suppliers is an important part of a dropshipping business. The suppliers provide the product that you need to sell and ship the products to the customers therefore, finding a reliable supplier is essential for a successful dropshipping business. Some of the recommended reliable suppliers for any dropshipping business include:

Nihaojewelry– Nihaojewlery is a trusted supplier for a variety of jewelry and fashion accessories. The company is a manufacturer of high quality and trendy jewelry pieces at affordable prices. Nihaojewelry can be trusted for any dropshipping business as the company boasts of reliable and fast shipping of products all over the world. The Nihaojewelry website is easy to use and with the efficient customer care services offered, all questions you may have will be answered efficiently to ensure that you are satisfied with the services being offered.

Aliexpress- Aliexpress is a platform that offers a variety of goods at very affordable prices. The website offers dropshipping options for goods from a variety of suppliers who are available on the platform by facilitating the fast shipment of the products directly to the customers. Since the platform contains a variety of suppliers, the options for products is also wide.

Salehoo– Salehoo is an online platform that connects you to a large online directory of suppliers for a variety of products. With a membership fee of 67$ yearly, you can have access to dropshipping services for products from a variety of suppliers who are found on the website. Due to the high number of suppliers on the website, most of the products are affordable which makes it easy for you to make profits after sale.

Oberlo- oberlo is a platform that allows you to import products that have been drop-shipped from Shopify directly to your eCommerce store and shipped to the customers. The platform makes it easy for you to handle your online business without thinking about packaging, inventory, or shipping. The site provides a Shopify link to a variety of suppliers and this means you will have access to a wide range of products for your business.

Conclusion

Every small business has its advantages and disadvantages, to be able to make profits, you need to carefully study the market and identify a particular niche of products that can sell easily.

Identifying a niche will also come in handy when you are searching through suppliers as you will easily narrow down to a specific set of suppliers who you can use to source for products.

Since the suppliers are the heart of a dropshipping business you will have to carefully research the most reliable supplier in the market to avoid disappointments as you will not directly deal with the process of packaging and shipping of the products.

Is Starting an E-Commerce Business at Home Available?

The history of eCommerce dates back to 1991 when the internet was opened up for commercial use.

E-commerce involves the buying and selling of goods over the internet and the sale is facilitated through the online transfer of money and data.  

The e-commerce sector has become popular due to the increase in internet connectivity across the world making the process of transacting business online easier and faster.

As the world advances technologically, the eCommerce trend is also increasing with more businesses shifting to incorporate the eCommerce business model alongside the traditional brick and mortar type business.

Why are businesses shifting to eCommerce?

The growth of the eCommerce sector is accelerating rapidly all over the world, with the increased online purchases the demand for businesses to shift to the online platforms is increasing.

The rise of the e-commerce platform can be attributed to the number of people who have access to the internet and since the millennial culture is one that is fast-paced the majority of the working class prefers the efficiency of shopping online as opposed to going to a physical store.

The increase in technology means that the e-commerce sector has no chance of slowing down any time soon.

This year alone, the number of transactions that have been conducted online has increased tremendously making e-commerce the most efficient way to conduct business.

This shift though having been witnessed before has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic which caused a huge change in routine operations.

The pandemic resulted in lockdowns across many nations, which meant that people were not allowed to go out to the stores for supplies and goods. This automatically meant that most of the purchases would be made online.

Setting up online stores is relatively cheaper than having a physical store. This makes it a convenient way to set up and manage a business as opposed to having to manage a store with all the workers needed.

The cost of doing business is also much cheaper than running a store as you will have to pay for space and also pay your workers.

The eCommerce platforms facilitate a wider market reach.

Since the internet connects the whole world, your business can be easily visible over a wide geographical area, this means that your business will have a higher chance for growth and expansion making it easier for you to make more profits.

Unlike a physical store, the online platform allows a business to sell a large number of products as the business does not necessarily need a physical store that has limited space.

The pandemic has exposed the good and bad aspects of various business models, but e-commerce has stood the test.

More people have opted to do business online as buyers become increasingly digitally inclined.

The online platforms are efficient in making sure your business is visible and more customers will be inclined to buy products for a business that provides an efficient online shopping experience.

E-Business Online Networking Technology Marketing Commerce Concept

The boom of the eCommerce business

According to a report by Statista 2020, the eCommerce market is expected to rise to over 2 trillion USD, which is a huge increase from 2019 which saw the market at 662.2 billion in sales.

China is one of the largest contributors to the eCommerce platform and is predicted to stay in the lead position for some years to come.

The Chinese market alone contributed 862.2 billion USD in 2019 alone and these figures have risen tremendously in 2020 especially due to the increased need to buy goods online.

Since the e-commerce business depends mostly on technology, the change in technological trends enhances how online businesses are conducted.

Some of the trends that are expected to be witnessed include:

Enhanced payment options

The payment services will be more improved to facilitate ease of conducting business.

Chatbox and AI

They will be used more to improve customer experiences and enhance the ease of shopping online.

Sustainability

It will be a huge conversation in most businesses, the ability of a business to respond to various social and environmental issues will be highly considered.

Introductions of subscriptions

To ensure that the customers are updated on the current goods that are being provided.

Mobile shopping

It will still be the leading tool that customers will use for shopping therefore more businesses will ensure that they provide the customers will apps for their business to facilitate an easy shopping experience.

Voice searches

Since the world is becoming more fast-paced, more people will prefer time-saving mechanisms to shop online and hence voice searches will become common.

Personalized shopping experiences

Businesses will move to create personalized shopping experiences for their customers based on what they are looking for at a given time.

The delivery services

It will be more automated, it is expected that the eCommerce platform will most likely incorporate the use of drones for delivery.

Product fulfillment options

It will expand to cater to the customer and ensure that they have an easy shopping experience from the product search to delivery.

VR

Virtual reality will be used as a shopping strategy to give the buyers a unique shopping experience without having to go to the physical stores.

Benefits of starting an e-commerce business at home

The pandemic has greatly affected how businesses are run and generally, it has caused a huge number of job losses.

With most countries putting lockdowns in place, most people have been forced to stay indoors for long periods.

This has caused more people to think of ways to either supplement their incomes or get new sources of income due to job losses.

Since all businesses are shifting online, the best way to get into business is to, therefore, find ways of entering the market and make profits.

The online business has its advantages and some of these include:

• Ecommerce allows you to reach a wider market since the business relies heavily on internet connectivity, you can have access to any market as long as they are connected to the internet.
• Ecommerce allows businesses to respond to trends and the demands of the consumer faster. Since you have real-time data on what the customer needs, it is easy to attract customers by providing current goods.
• Ecommerce offers an easy and cost-efficient way to set up and run a business, this is because the overhead expenses to run a business are greatly reduced as you do not need a lot of people to operate the business and you do not have to rent out a space for the business or hold any inventory in some instances.
• Ecommerce allows for a personalized shopping experience for your customers, which enables you to curate the website to fit their needs.
• Ecommerce works on the model of instant gratification and quick feedback, if the customer is happy, you will be able to know instantly and if not you will be the first to find out and find ways to address the customers’ complaints.
• Due to the visibility of the search engine, it is easy for you to know your target market and find ways to reach them. Due to the increased SEO practices, customers can easily be redirected to your landing page after using keywords to search for products.
• The e-commerce market runs 24/7 and hence businesses are conducted around the clock, therefore, the amount of effort you put in your business is not limited to time and geographical locations.
• Since there are multiple online stores, the market is highly competitive; this gives the customer an advantage as they can search for a business that offers the best price for products.
• E-commerce eliminates the cost and time required to travel.  since the e-commerce market is flexible, you can shop at any place and at any time without having to think about travel costs, you are also assured that your goods will reach you on time.
• For customers who do not like invasive and unnecessary interactions, the eCommerce platform is the way to go. E-commerce reduces the interactions that are otherwise prevalent in the traditional brick and mortar type business model.
• Ecommerce allows you to process large orders easily. Most of the time the business does not need to stock products and the customer can shop directly from the manufacturer but through your business through aspects such as drop shipping making it easier to start and run a business.

Conclusion

Ecommerce is and will continue to be the fastest-growing business model in the world.

As technology increases, the platform gets better and more people are moving towards the more efficient and reliable model.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further increased the pace at which the platform was expected to rise and more people have been forced to shift their businesses online to be able to survive.

The benefits of conducting businesses online are numerous and so you need to consider how you choose to do business so that you may succeed.

Since e-commerce is showing no signs of slowing down yet, it can be the safest way to start and run your business without having to worry so much.

Fashion Jewelry Trend Of 2018

The development of design is unrepeatable, and the jewelry trend of design is hard to fathom.

Jewelry trend 2018

Jewelry design conforms to the trend of The Times. New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week have all ring the curtain down on in the big four fashion weeks of the spring and summer of 2018, with hundreds of fashion brands releasing new collections successively. In addition to the fine clothes and fine jewelry that have already been released, the jewelry match by the model on the catwalk show which is also be striking for her unique fashion choices and style!

Fashion jewelry trend 2018

At present, we are in an era of increasing globalization and transparency of information. Due to the Internet and the flood of global trade, information is spreading more and more widely. Emerging culture and design have been unrestricted by the network of various contacts, find the suitable soil capsule, spread anywhere in the world. The mainstream, mainstream culture that we once knew is long gone.

For example, in the past, jewelry design was limited to precious metals, but now there is no such boundary anymore. Even jewelry design has been embraced by jewelry design.

There is some analysis of fashion Jewelry Trend Of 2018:

Asymmetry hoops

Asymmetry of jewelry in 2018 spring and summer series are common in many brands, such as Marni、Jacquemus、Gabriela Hearst、Roksanda、Rejina Pyo、Oscar De La Renta and so on, they all using the asymmetric style in earrings designed, which mainly expression two forms includes the asymmetric design and unilateral wear. The pearl to the jade, the sphere to the cube, the maple leaf to the ring, which all are the one of the expression forms of the asymmetric design

Asymmetry hoops

However, The single side of the earrings is reflected in the way of it is worn, highlighting its uniqueness and individuality.

Asymmetry hoops

Oversize style

Oversize earrings are in vogue in the first two seasons, and this oversize earring is equally popular in some brands on the the fashion show in the spring and summer of 2018, such as Topshop Unique、Roksanda、Marni、Burberry、Ralph & Russo、Diane Von Furstenberg

Oversize style earring

The large earrings with tassel, annular and geometry look slightly exaggerated in the design, which attracts the viewer’s attention beyond the usual style, which is quite a bit striking effect of “overawe others by displaying one’s strength ”

Oversize style earring

Gorgeous jewelry

In the jewelry design of spring and summer of 2018, a number of brands have introduced earrings decorated with ornate jewelry, such as Burberry, Ashley Williams, Dolce &amp Gabbana, Versace, Simone Rocha, Gucci, etc.

Gorgeous jewelry

The earrings of these brands are made of pearls and gemstones, which not only presenting a design style of luxurious and valuable, but also showing the sense of luxury.

Gorgeous jewelry

Concise Style

In contrast to the luxury of jewelry decoration, the series of jewelry of the summer and spring in 2018, it’s presents a Simple design Nordic style, mainly manifested in jewelry design of some brand, such as the Halpern, Emporio Armani, Christopher Kane, Ulla Johnson, Simone Rocha, Oscar De La Renta brands and so on, like a geometrical frame, a transparent piece of “leaf”, a common cord, a pearl, which can be turned into a simple pair of earrings, although there is no excessive decoration, still lasting appeal is highlights its unique design.

Concise Style

Annular and geometry.

Geometric design always is popular among designer, this season is 2018 spring and summer series of jewelry design, geometric modelling design is no longer a minority, Giorgio Armani, Fenty x Puma, Christopher Kane, Jacquemus, Halpern brands contribute a series of geometric modelling earrings, among them, in the majority with the design of the ring.

Annular earring

In addition to the usual annular, there is also the design of the loop, the zigzag, the spiral and so on. This is creative.

geometry jewelry

Layered Necklaces

In 2018 spring and summer series pendant design has presented a way of multi-level wear. This  kind of fold in the form of a multi-level has forming a abundant and eye-catching visual effect, increase the administrative levels feeling of the overall modelling

Layered Necklaces

 

Crystal beads embellish the delicate chains of this layered necklace with a long silhouette.

Layered Necklaces

Pure Crystal

People are really falling in love with crystal jewelry these days. Necklaces featuring large crystal stones, or necklaces with threading speckled with crystals will be trending jewelry pieces in 2018.

crystal jewelry

You’ll also see crystal pendants worn on thin chain and big chains in multiple layers. The more tiers of crystals, the more luxurious the look. Add some ethnic style pendants too. That will add some extra flare.

crystal anklet

Fauna Brooches

No, your grandmother’s brooches are not back in style. Today’s brooches are much trendier. They speak to the fashion styles of Millennials, Generation Xers, Baby Boomers and all other jewelry lovers. They will breathe new life into the jewelry world next year.

swan brooch

Brooches are not back in style. Today’s brooches are much trendier. They speak to the fashion styles of Millennials, Generation Xers, Baby Boomers and all other jewelry lovers. They will breathe new life into the jewelry world next year.

Lizard brooch

Expect to see fashionistas wear very huge brooches featuring lizards, insects, snakes birds and various types of animals. Popular designs will be made of metals, such as white and yellow golds and platinum. They will be scattered with various different colors, structures, diamonds, pearls and other stones.

butterfly brooch

Cocktail rings.

Large cocktail rings will still be in style in 2018. This fashion line includes everything from white gold rings with natural stones to yellow gold rings with large pearls.

Cocktail rings

These days, semi-precious stones are just as popular as the precious ones. So, feel no shame sporting stones like amethyst, malachite and jasper in your jewelry pieces next year.

Cocktail rings

Based on the analysis of the example above, the jewelry trend 2018 of the earring design presents a several trend of the asymmetry, Oversize style, gorgeous jewelry, concise style, annulus and geometry on the show of the issued 2018 spring and summer series which was already over, show personality and a unique sense of design. All the fashion jewelry trend 2018 you can find in Nihaojewelry.com