Online Marketplaces to Build Your Online Business

How to Use AliExpress to Build Your Own Business

AliExpress is owned by Alibaba group. While Alibaba is best known for bulk purchases, Aliexpress is suitable for buying single units. You can buy almost anything on Aliexpress. You can use Aliexpress to build your own business in multiple ways and the easiest one and also the low cost business is related to dropshipping. You can integrate Aliexpress with your shopify store or woocommerce store and then sell Aliexpress products directly through your own store. Aliexpress has fulfilment stores around the world, so it is one of the best platforms to outsource products.  If you do not have funds to create a store, you can even use ebay to sell Aliexpres products.

How to Use Alibaba to Build Your Business

Alibaba is B2B marketplace based in China. You can use this platform to buy almost anything from a hair pin to a car and even car manufacturing unit. If you are thinking about starting your own business, you can use Alibaba to outsource products. This is probably the cheapest B2B marketplace you can find on world wide web. Even though some sellers offer single product, the platform is best known for bulk purchases. You can use the platform to buy in bulk and you can then sell those products individually through an online store or offline store. You can even contact the seller and ask for custom made design and start your own brand.

Want to Start a Business? Consider Using eBay

If you want to start an online business, you should be using eBay. Ebay is the best platforms for starting an online business because

Ebay is one of the top 20 websites for traffic. The platform has millions of registered buyers globally.

You can sell new as well as old items on eBay. You can start selling the item that you no longer need. You can even buy the product from the thrift store and put it on sale.

You can do dropshipping as well as print-on-demand on eBay. Both of these business models do not require to create your own product and fulfill the order.

eBay fees are very small compared to other online marketplaces.

How to Start Selling on Zazzle

If you want to start a business but do not have a lot of money to create your own products or create your own store to sell your products, you can try Zazzle.

Zazzle is mostly known for selling print and demand products. You can design products like mugs, cups, t-shirts, phone cases, etc. and upload your designs on the platform.  Etsy might be more popular option for print on demand, but Etsy is not print provider, in other words, Etsy does not fulfill your order. However, Zazzle not only creates the product you designed but also ships the products to your buyers.  

If you are a designer, you can use this platform to make money from your designs.

Different Ways to Sell on Amazon

If you want to start an online business with a small investment, if you want to start an online business without creating your own website, Amazon is the ideal platform. You can sell on Amazon through multiple methods.  Whether you are an individual seller, or someone who wants to establish a business, Amazon offers multiple selling programs:

If you are an individual seller, try Individual Selling Plan. This program is designed for individuals who want to sell a few items without having a professional seller account. With this selling plan, you pay per sell (there is a fixed rate for each item sold).

If you are a business and want to sell a lot of products, Professional Selling Plan is for you. Instead of paying for each product sold, you will pay a monthly subscription. This plan will give you access to a lot of features for listing reports, and promotions.

Fulfillment by Amazon or FBA in short is a selling program where you are required to send your products to Amazon warehouse. With this program, Amazon will take care of packaging and shipping. Apart from subscription, you also pay storage fees. FBA is available for individuals as well as businesses (Professional Selling Plan).

Amazon Handmade is a selling program designed for people and businesses who create handmade products (soaps, candles, knitted items, handmade jewelry, etc.). You will have to meet. You will pass the review before you can sell.

Pros and Cons of Selling Through eCommerce Markets

If you want to start an online business, there are two methods, one, you create your own store and start selling from your store, and two, you join existing ecommerce marketplaces and start selling from these marketplaces.

There is a significant difference between selling through your own store and selling through ecommerce marketplaces.

Pros

Can make a lot of money: You can make a lot of money by selling on ecommerce marketplaces.

Selling is easy: It is difficult to sell through your store because you will have to spend a lot of money in branding, marketing, and SEO. However, ecommcerce markets already have a lot of consumers.

Cons

Limitation in scaling your business: If you have your own store, you have the potential to grow very large, which is quite impossible while selling through ecommerce marketplaces.

No control over your store: You won't have complete control over your business, it can be shut down anytime.