It’s Easier Than You Think: Busting 5 Common Myths About Online Selling
It would be an understatement if we say that you are missing out on opportunities by not selling online. The e-commerce market has more opportunities right now than there has ever been.
As it stands, as many as 2.14 billion people shop online every year. This number associated with digital buyers is only going to increase because of the wide accessibility that internet has these days.
Moreover, successive lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic have changed our shopping habits. As a result, online selling has received a major push. So much so that the global eCommerce jumped to $26.7 trillion during this period.
But despite all that, there is hesitancy among people to sell online. Many people admit to thinking about selling online, but fear often holds them back. Many misconceptions and doubts creep into people’s minds that prevent them from selling goods online.
One can often hear things like –
- “It will take too long for me to make sales online.”
- “I cannot compete with Amazon so why should I try?”
- “Only young people shop online.”
- “It is too difficult to set up an online store.”
- “I am already making sales offline so I don’t need to sell online.”
- “My business is not suited for online selling.”
- “I won’t be able to make money as a new seller.”
This skepticism about online selling is mostly due to misconceptions that people have. If you are among those still on the fence about online selling then we are here to help. Here we’ll bust 5 common myths that people have about online selling while also sharing the reality behind each one.
Myth 1: Online shopping is only for youngsters
Reality: Everyone shops online now
It’s true that the younger generation is more likely to prefer online shopping. But internet has bridged this gap between different age groups.
As per a report, the share of online shoppers was found to be highest in the age group 25-54 followed by the age group 16-24. This shows how online shopping isn’t restricted to millennials anymore.
So, as an online seller, your target is not necessarily youngsters. In this time and age, all age groups shop almost equally online. What matters is what you are selling online. So plan your marketing based on your target audience.
Myth 2: Setting up an online store is too difficult
Reality: You can set up an online store even without any technical expertise
Many people assume that they need a full-fledged team to set up their online stores. But thanks to various e-commerce platforms, online stores can be set up in as little as 5 minutes.
Yes, it is that easy. Various e-commerce services like Shopify and Amazon make it easy to quickly set up online stores. They also come up with easy customization options, website templates, and drag-and-drop features to change design with just a single click.
You don’t necessarily need core technical knowledge to create your online store. Thanks to various user-friendly e-commerce platforms, setting up an online store is not difficult anymore.
Myth 3: One needs a big budget to start selling online
Reality: It is cheaper than your current expenditure
The average cost of setting up a brick-and-mortar store is much higher than setting up an online store.
Consider this – For opening a brick-and-mortar store, you need to invest in the rent of the property, permits, licenses, equipment, insurance, advertising, renovation, employee salaries, and operating expenses, etc.
When comparing this to online selling, you can save a lot of money.
Don’t get us wrong, there are expenses in setting up an online store too. But compared to a physical store, it’s significantly lower. An online store can be 10-15 times cheaper than a traditional store.
Myth 4: I cannot make money as a new online seller
Reality: Things change quickly in the online space
While there is truth to the fact that you won’t be making money right away as a new seller, it must also be kept in mind that things change quickly in online businesses.
There are brands trusted by consumers but it doesn’t mean new sellers cannot survive in the market. The key is to build trust with your target customers.
Once you have their trust, your brand will grow through the power of word-of-mouth.
Online businesses offer a great way of growing quickly. So, focus on identifying customer pain points and you’ll find yourself growing quickly.
Myth 5: People already making money offline don’t need to consider online selling
Reality: It’s important to consistently innovate
Adaptation is the key to staying relevant. Offline selling might be working for you right now but things change quickly. To stay competitive, you need to regularly innovate and adapt as per the market demands.
Failure to innovate can turn even the most successful business into a failure.
Conclusion
We hope we were able to dispel some of the myths you have about online selling.
The key takeaway is that online selling isn’t as difficult as you might think. With a few good tools, you can quickly launch your online store and start selling products worldwide.
One such useful tool that can make your task easier is DoMyShoot. This AI-powered visual content tool makes it easy to create professional-quality product images.
You don’t need expensive equipment to create high-quality images. Just use your smartphone camera, click photographs, and leave the rest to DoMyShoot.
