algorithm challenges, database
management, logistics and
fulfillment, invoicing and payment,
returns and credit, managing
a fulfillment center under the
Amazon Prime program, customer
service and much more. This
has earned Amazon the right
to charge fees (hefty for some)
upon a sale, because it is not
just a listing that is working but
a super engine that is there to
promote and provide a higher
sales probability for your product.
Many clients have asked us if
having their own eCommerce
website is necessary. They are
often in a dilemma if they should
opt to design their own branded
website or should they simply use
a third party website like Amazon,
Ebay or Alibaba or do BOTH! The
truth is, building a website from
scratch is exciting, interesting, a
great process to work through
and here comes the BUT…it is not
an overnight process to get your
website ranked and visible on
major search engines. The recipe
required to raise visibility on the
first page of Google for example
will take time and money. There
needs to be an organic and direct
advertising strategy. Depending
on the type of business or product,
organic (SEO) rankings can take
up to 6 months sometimes 12
months. Advertising is based on
the managing keyword bids and
making sure your ads are seen
at the right time to your target
audience. An ad campaign can
start at $1000 a week but you
may need to ramp that up even
more should your competitors
start increasing their bids.
So the question is why have
your own website when the
SEO recipe requires so much
engineering and nursing! The
simple answer is to have control
over your brand. If you have
a brand, a story to tell, an
image to maintain and grow,
having your own website is
critical. Control is 100% in your
hands. The other truth is, unique
products sold on Amazon tend
to be purchased by consumers
who will check out the original
website, alongside reviews and
testimonials. So having your
own website is important.
However many online retailers
don’t have the time and money to
invest in optimizing their websites
so they go with third parties like
Amazon, Ebay and Alibaba. It
isn’t a bad way to start off but
don’t expect your brand to get
the love it requires. You will be
competing head on with the
same product, in a price war
with other alike sellers. May the
best one win. Amazon, Ebay and
Alibaba are all dynamic, amazing
platforms, which have been built
to increase your chances of selling
a product. This is a fact. Your
fees to them are justified because
they have done all the legwork,
in SEO and website structure.
Payment is simple, their returns
policy and procedures are robust,
delivery has to be on time – their
focus is the consumer, the buyer.
So if sales is your only focus
than a third party website may
just be the way to go. But if you
want to control your brand and
messaging, having your own
website is critical. The good
news is you can do both at the
same time! Just be prepared to
be handcuffed to your laptop
or computer every day, be
prepared to manage multiple
stores and be ready to ship the
products on time every time. O
yes and one more thing, if you
don’t abide by Amazon’s rules
on fulfillment you get locked
out, yes your store simply shuts
down automatically, overnight!
So your own store might just
serve as a great back up!
What do you do after
your website is done…
So you have decided to go with
your own website, you have
gone with either an easy to use
Wordpress - WooCommerce
site or a heavy duty Magento
website, both are great platforms
to work with, database driven
and provide the ability to be
hooked up with your merchant
and banking account to accept
credit card, Paypal and Bitcoin
payment. Yes there are others,
plenty of other brands such as
Shopify, VistaPrint, Big Commerce
etc., but so far the ones that have
been great to work with for us has
been the initial two I mentioned.
Your shopping cart is loaded
with products or services and
the website is now ready for
launch. Question is are you ready
to get it ranked on your search
engine of choice, e.g. Google.
Is your website ready to take on
China who has a different set
of internet protocols? Are you
clear on where you are about
to sell your products to? If it is to
Mexico or Japan, do you need
the site translated into the local
language, do you need a different
domain name? Where are the
goods going to get dispatched
from? Have you worked out
the cost of shipping? Are your
