Does it make sense to set up an e-commerce site in 2022? How do you take the first step?

Technology and the internet continue to make our lives easier. Communication, socializing, daily activities and even the business world are now taking place in the virtual world. When this is the case, new ways are opened for people who want to make money. The first option that most of us thinks of is e-commerce. So, does it really make sense to go into e-commerce? Here are the details…

The market volume of e-commerce sites is growing every year

First of all, if you wish, “Is it really reasonable to get into e-commerce?” Let’s start with the question. Although we have a long answer to this question, we can say yes to keep things simple. However, like any business, this industry has its pros and cons.

What are the advantages of e-commerce?

• Opening an e-commerce site or joining an existing marketplace is much less costly than traditional methods.
• You save time. Instead of a store that you open in the morning and close in the evening, you have a store that is open 24/7.
• With the campaigns and discounts you will offer, you can melt your remaining products and get rid of your stocks.
• Your customers are no longer numbered by the limited population of your neighborhood. You can be reached from anywhere in Turkey.
• You can be wider in product variety and offer hundreds of products in different categories.
• You can increase your brand awareness more easily thanks to social media and satisfied customers.

What are the cons of e-commerce?

• Competition rate is much higher. You are no longer in competition with the shopkeepers of your neighborhood, but with the sellers all over Turkey.
• Exporting to different countries may expose you to various tax regulations.
• Cargo can be a serious problem for you. A mishap on the road may result in product damage and bad ratings.
• Communication with the user via message and e-mail will not be as strong as in real life.
• The points awarded to the products you sell affect future sales.
• If you don’t own an e-commerce site and use someone else’s open marketplace, price comparison tools can cause your customers to go to different vendors.

At the end of the day, you should examine all the details written and not written here and make your decision with careful thought. If you decide to enter this business, you are left with two critical options.

• You can become a seller in the open marketplaces of platforms in Turkey or other countries. Although this process, which is quite easy, offers the opportunity to sell almost zero costs, it causes you to give some of your earnings to the intermediary platform.
• Or you can literally be your own boss by setting up an e-commerce site instead. This situation, which will greatly reduce foreign dependency, will provide you with serious gains depending on your success.

Things to consider when opening an e-commerce site

Of course, setting up an e-commerce site does not mean that you will be successful immediately. If necessary, you should advertise, open and manage social media accounts, and increase brand awareness with the content you share.

For example, recently, many small business owners are aiming to reach wider audiences through videos that will be popular on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. However, there are many variables to consider when determining your strategy.

Things to consider when opening an e-commerce site

Of course, setting up an e-commerce site does not mean that you will be successful immediately. If necessary, you should advertise, open and manage social media accounts, and increase brand awareness with the content you share. For example, recently, many small business owners are aiming to reach wider audiences through videos that will be popular on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. However, there are many variables that you should pay attention to when strategizing.

• Be careful when determining your target audience

It is important to determine the target audience when marketing and selling a product. You do not want to market a product that only appeals to women in the 20-30 age range to people of all ages and genders. Therefore, you need to do your analysis properly.

What is the age range and occupation of your customers, where do they live and what interests do they have? you should know.

Also, when choosing a target audience, it may be a good idea to choose people you are familiar with. To successfully create, sell and market products, you need to truly know and understand your customer base.

• Follow trends and popular products

Selling a product you’re passionate about or an expert on may sound like a good idea. Although there is nothing wrong with that, popular products have the potential to give you a much bigger profit. Check for popular search terms with tools like Google Trends. In addition, social media will help you gain this knowledge.

• Prefer easy-to-carry products in terms of logistics

One of the most annoying problems of e-commerce is shipping. The possibility of damage to the product you will carry on the way will negatively affect the points you will receive. So before you decide to sell a product, consider how easily you can carry it.

Another issue here is to supply the product. Stock shortages especially affect customer groups that we can call regulars. It is important that not only the customers but also you have easy access to the products. Thus, you will not have problems in the supply chain and there will be no loss of profit.

So what do you think about this subject? Establishing an e-commerce site or participating in open market places, which is your choice. You can share your views with us in the comments section.