There are a variety of online platforms that you can use to sell your products. It depends on how much customization you want to do for your online store.
Choose a Domain Name
A domain name is your website address, such as youronlinestore.com. Typically your domain will be your business’s name. However, domains are notoriously difficult to find, so if you’re struggling to find an available domain consider using your business name plus a relevant keyword or your location. For example, a cafe named “Half Baked” might try halfbakedcafe.com, drinkhalfbaked.com or halfbakedaustin.com.
To begin searching for an available domain, visit one of the best domain registrars, such as Namecheap or Domain.com. From there you can search for domains and purchase your own for around $12 to $15 per year.
Find the Perfect Platform for Your Online Store
Finding the perfect online e-commerce platform is easy after you determine the scope of your side hustle or business.
Shopify is one of the most popular platforms for a reason. Although there isn’t a free option, it’s easy to set up a store and integrate with print-on-demand services, such as Printful and Printify. It also allows customers to recover abandoned carts and has a ton of customizable themes for your shop. Shopify is also good for dropshipping businesses.
Shift4Shop is another store builder that has a free plan available. This is a good idea to start with if you’re looking to keep the business small or scale proportionally.
Squarespace is a website builder platform with selling capabilities. If you’re interested in web design and want to show off your products with an eye-catching website, this is a good place to start.
Finally, Square (which also sells credit card processing hardware for brick-and-mortar stores) allows you to build an online store on a free plan. This is also a good plan to use if you plan to ever have an in-person selling option for your products, whether that’s a store location or a trade show.
Sell Products on Large Marketplaces
In addition to building your online store where you can sell your products directly to consumers, it’s also wise to list your products on large online marketplaces, such as Amazon, Etsy, eBay, Walmart, Zazzle or any other relevant platform to your product type or niche. While these third-party e-commerce platforms will take a fee or commission, they provide a great deal of exposure, giving your business the opportunity to get in front of consumers and land sales.
Here are the most popular platforms to sell products online:
- Amazon
- Etsy
- Walmart
- eBay
- Zazzle
- Facebook Marketplace
Learn more about how to sell on Amazon and how to start an Etsy shop. Additionally, consider selling products on specialty marketplaces or niche sites that your target market uses to shop online.
