How to Sell Items Online (2024 Beginner’s Guide)

If done right, selling stuff online can be a profitable business venture. According to a 2023 study by Insider Intelligence, online sales will see steady growth over the next three years, hitting $1.137 trillion in 2023 and $1.720 trillion by 2027.

Given the many advantages of selling online, such rapid growth is hardly surprising. Selling online allows you to start your entrepreneurial journey with little to no capital. It also expands your reach, giving you access to a global pool of potential customers.

However, if you want to be successful, you must follow the right steps. In this guide, we’ll provide a step-by-step tutorial to help sell stuff online using your preferred sales channel.

How to sell online in 2024

To set your eCommerce business up for success, it’s vital to build a solid foundation.

Here are 10 essential steps to follow.

Step 1. Conduct market research

Before you start selling online, you need to define your niche and know it inside out. A niche is a small segment of the market with similar needs, preferences and characteristics.

Defining your niche requires you to identify where your expertise lies. Once you’ve established your niche, put on your analyst hat and conduct in-depth market research.

Look into the following as you conduct market research:

• Key players in the industry: Search for keywords related to your chosen niche and see which companies rank high in the search results. Visit their websites and assess their strengths and weaknesses. The data you glean will help you identify market opportunities and differentiate your brand from competitors.
• Industry trends: To further differentiate your online store, stay updated on new trends (e.g., disruptive technology, emerging market demands and consumer preferences) that are shaping your industry. This helps you develop innovative products that are in high demand.
• Customer feedback and reviews: Explore customer reviews, feedback and testimonials related to products or services in your niche. Collecting feedback and insights directly from customers can help you get a more accurate picture of their preferences and challenges.

Step 2. Identify your target audience

Identifying your target audience starts with the question: “Who do you seek to help?”

To generate sustainable income from your online store, you need to be specific about who you want to serve. If you try to appeal to everyone, you’ll end up not appealing to anybody.

Here are three proven ways to identify your target audience:

• Use social media: Join online groups, forums and communities that align with your idea of a target audience. Become an active member and engage with other members to gain insight into the needs of your target audience and discover how best to satisfy them.
• Run surveys: Conduct online surveys to learn more about your potential customers. Ask questions about their challenges, preferences and shopping habits. Use tools like Google Forms and SurveyMonkey to create free online surveys.
• Attend events and meetups: Events are a great way to learn more about potential customers and network with other professionals. For instance, if you plan to sell outdoor apparel, consider attending outdoor enthusiasts’ events such as festivals, sports memorabilia shows and tournaments.

Once you’ve gathered sufficient data, you’re ready to develop buyer personas for your small business. Developing a buyer persona is key to the success of your online business because it helps you position your offerings in a way that resonates with your target audience and increases conversion rates.

Step 3. Find the right product to sell

Now that you have a deeper understanding of your target audience, what can you offer to make their lives better?

Start brainstorming to come up with as many solutions as possible. Work backward by re-examining your audience’s pain points and the insights you’ve gained from your market research. Then, think of innovative products or services that can provide value to your audience.

While you’re at it, try to identify gaps in the market, i.e., unmet needs. If you’re stumped for ideas, try combining niche markets. For example, if you love collectibles and notice a growing interest in eco-friendly products, consider curating a line of eco-friendly collectibles.

Step 4. Craft your unique selling proposition (USP)

If you want your online business to thrive, you must communicate product benefits in a way that appeals to your target customers and differentiates your brand from competitors.

Crafting a USP is a great way to pull this off. A USP is the unique characteristic or advantage that sets your product or service apart from competitors. It answers the question: “Why should customers choose your product over others?”

When crafting a USP, the best approach is to show rather than tell. Don’t just highlight the features of your products. Demonstrate the value of your products so customers can see why they need to choose your brand. Use vivid language that leaves a lasting impression and strengthens your customers’ emotional bond with your brand.

Coming up with a great USP can be tricky, so here are some real-life examples to inspire you:

• “Our mission is to bring the sommelier experience beyond the fine dining restaurant, wherever you are.” — Nomadica.
• “You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less — or it’s free.” — Domino’s Pizza.
• “Buy the world’s strongest coffee.” — Death Wish Coffee.
• “The indoor, outdoor, use anywhere rug.” — Ruggable.

Step 5. Define your brand identity

Most online purchases are driven by emotions. So, if you want your target customers to become loyal shoppers, appeal to their emotions by creating a unique brand identity.

Answering these key questions can help you craft a recognizable brand identity that resonates with your ideal buyers:

• What makes your brand unique?
• What are your core values?
• What motivated you to start your small business?
• How would you want your customers to describe your brand?
• What emotions do you want your brand to evoke in your audience?
• What changes do you want to make in the market?

Once you have the answers to these questions, you’re ready to build a memorable brand.

Step 6. Choose a sales channel

A sales channel is any platform you use to reach end buyers and sell your products to them. Without a sales channel, you can’t earn money as an online seller.

Here are three primary channels through which you can sell stuff online:

• Your own website: Your website is a digital storefront that allows you to sell stuff online. This option is ideal if you desire complete control over your marketing activities, pricing and the overall customer experience.
• Online marketplaces: An online marketplace is an eCommerce platform where third-party sellers connect with buyers. These platforms allow you to set up a shop without the hassle of building a standalone website. Some of the best websites include Amazon, Etsy, eBay and Walmart.
• Social commerce: This involves selling products directly on social media. Instead of being redirected to an online store, customers can buy products on your social media page. Examples of social commerce platforms include Instagram Shopping, Poshmark, Facebook Shops, Pinterest and TikTok Shop.

For a more detailed breakdown of the differences between each sales channel, here’s a comparison table highlighting key factors.

Step 7. Set up your online store

After choosing your preferred sales channel, it’s time to set up your online store.

An online store should be able to:

• Accept orders
• Track orders
• Receive payments
• Track stock levels
• Handle shipping
• Provide customer service

How you set up the above features depends on your chosen sales channel. For instance, if you want to start selling online on your own website, you need to register a domain name and choose a reliable web hosting plan.

Once that’s done, you can set up an online store either by building one from scratch or using an eCommerce platform such as WooCommerce. These platforms provide templates you can use to build an online store, helping you save time and effort.

The eCommerce platform you choose will walk you through the process of setting up your online store. Follow each step to add products to your store, customize your store’s appearance, set up payment gateways and configure shipping options.

If you’re selling through an online marketplace or social commerce, use the built-in tools provided by your chosen platform. These include product listing tools, payment processing and customer support.

Step 8. Create appealing product listings

Now that you’ve set up your online store, it’s time to stock up. When listing items for sale, it’s essential to write compelling product descriptions to attract potential buyers.

Here are key elements to include in your product listings:

• Product titles: Craft clear and descriptive product titles. For more visibility, include relevant keywords to help you rank high in search results.
• High-quality images: Upload clear, high-resolution images that showcase your products from various angles.
• Detailed descriptions: Write informative, concise and engaging product descriptions. Prioritize benefits over features to highlight what the product can do for the end user.
• Pricing information: Clearly state the selling price, any discounts and potential bundles to provide complete pricing transparency.
• Customer reviews: Encourage satisfied buyers to leave reviews. Social proof builds trust and credibility, making your products more appealing to potential buyers.

Step 9. Set up secure payment methods

Once you’ve created a compelling product listing, it’s time to set up a payment method for your online store. When choosing a payment gateway, prioritize the safety of your customers.

The Federal Trade Commission reported that online shopping scams were the second-most common customer complaint in 2023.

Plus, an average of 2,244 cybercrimes are committed every day. So, you need to protect your customers’ data by choosing secure payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, Square and Google Pay.

Step 10. Launch and promote your online store

After setting up a secure payment gateway, you’re ready to launch your online store. However, selling stuff online requires more than just setting up a sales channel. You have to market your products to your target audience and strengthen your online presence.

Here are effective online marketing strategies to implement:

• Social media marketing: Create accounts on popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to connect with potential customers and market your brand.
• Content marketing: Create engaging and valuable content, such as blog posts, videos and infographics, to showcase your expertise and build a loyal following.
• Email marketing: Set up email campaigns to nurture relationships with your customers and build an email list. You can use this marketing channel to update your audience on new products, exclusive deals and industry insights.
• Search engine optimization (SEO) marketing: Optimize your content for search engines. By incorporating relevant keywords into your sales pages and other website content, you’ll increase the chances of your online store ranking high in search results when target customers look for products similar to yours.
• Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising: This is an advertising model where you pay each time a user clicks on your ads. With a well-thought-out advertising campaign (and perhaps with the help of a great PPC agency), you can launch paid ads that reach the right audience.

Sell stuff online: Best practices for success

If you want to successfully sell stuff online and outsmart your competitors, here are six additional things to do.

Offer multiple payment methods

To increase your chances of making a sale, offer multiple payment methods so customers can choose the option that’s most convenient for them. When online shoppers can’t find their preferred payment options, they may become frustrated and abandon their carts.

Here are different payment methods you can add to your online store:

• Credit cards/debit cards
• Digital wallets
• Bank transfer
• Cash on delivery (COD)

Offer live support

Customers want instant answers to their questions. Fast resolution improves customer satisfaction and may even convert an unhappy buyer into a loyal customer. As the demand for real-time support increases, it’s no wonder the global market for live chat software is expected to hit $1.7 billion by 2030.

Live support allows you to provide personalized assistance to each customer. When potential customers are making purchase decisions, real-time support via live chat just might give them the final nudge to place an order.

Reliable live chat tools you can use include Help Scout, HubSpot live chat and Chatlio.

Adopt an omnichannel marketing strategy

If you want to optimize your conversion rate, you need to adopt an omnichannel marketing strategy. This involves creating a cohesive and unified customer experience across all marketing channels.

If done right, an omnichannel approach can help you reach your target audience via the right channel at the right time. Most digital marketers agree that a strategy that integrates different marketing channels is critical to online sales success.

The good news is that if you follow the steps in this guide, you’re well on your way to adopting an effective omnichannel marketing strategy.

Use consistent branding

If you want your online store to be recognizable, your branding must be consistent across all sales and marketing channels. To maintain consistent branding, consider documenting your brand’s visual elements, including colors, fonts and your logo.

Be sure to use the same branding elements across all platforms. This makes your business stand out from the competition, helping you build a solid reputation.

Offer discounts

Discounts are a great way to attract and retain customers. But if you’re not careful, you may end up hurting your bottom line.

Customers may have unrealistic expectations of your brand and patronize you only when you offer discounts.

Here are effective discount pricing strategies to help you remain profitable:

• Give discounts to first-time buyers.
• Offer discounts to repeat customers.
• Give discounts on bulk orders.
• Give limited-time discount offers.

Whether you’re offering seasonal discounts, promotional discounts or tiered discounts, ensure your offers align with the customer journey and your marketing strategy.

Offer a fair return policy

Approximately 30% of all products bought online are returned, so you’ll likely receive return requests from unsatisfied customers.

While return requests are no fun, you want your customers to feel confident about their purchases. Offering a fair return policy is a great way to bolster that confidence.

To create a return policy that’s “fair” to all parties, make sure to:

• Clearly define your return terms, including the time frame, eligible items and conditions.
• Simplify the return process with clear instructions and forms.
• State refund procedures transparently for customer understanding.
• Offer free return shipping for enhanced convenience.
• Provide regular updates on return and refund statuses.

Final thoughts: Selling online made simple — a comprehensive guide

Whether you want to launch a dropshipping business or earn extra cash as a reseller, consider selling on your own website. An eCommerce website gives you full control of your marketing activities, branding and pricing, making it one of the best sales channels.

If you want to expand your reach and increase profitability, you need to optimize your online store for better performance. Your customers want a fast, secure and reliable shopping experience. And that’s what you get when you sign up for Bluehost’s WooCommerce hosting plan today.

We offer 99.9% uptime and robust security, helping you build a reputable brand. Plus, you’ll get a free SSL certificate and a free domain for the first year. So, you can save yourself a few bucks as you create a superior online shopping experience for your customers.

How to sell items online: FAQs