The world of e-commerce is constantly expanding, and nowadays it's rare for a product not to be on sale online: from food products to clothing, accessories or electronic items, online businesses are increasingly growing to meet market needs.
However, not all products have the same potential in terms of e-commerce sales. For future business partners who are developing an online business idea, having advance knowledge of which products are the best sellers can be very useful.
This article will determine the most successful products in e-commerce businesses and will offer an array of tips on creating your own online business, the types of business plans that exist, how to create a store and the advertisements for your products, as well as guidelines for developing your brand with Amazon.
However, not all products have the same potential in terms of e-commerce sales. For future business partners who are developing an online business idea, having advance knowledge of which products are the best sellers can be very useful.
This article will determine the most successful products in e-commerce businesses and will offer an array of tips on creating your own online business, the types of business plans that exist, how to create a store and the advertisements for your products, as well as guidelines for developing your brand with Amazon.
How e-commerce works
When the Internet entered our lives in the not-too-distant '90s, the first businesses that ventured out to sell their products online emerged. Something as basic as a pepperoni pizza sold online laid the foundation for e-commerce in 1994. Soon after, the creation of Amazon followed. The company was launched in 1995 and its headquarters were based in a garage in Seattle.
Despite the fact that in 1996, only one year later, the Amazon website was already accumulating around 2000 visitors a day, it would still have been almost impossible to predict just how important a role online businesses would play in the commercial sector. Many other conventional businesses soon began selling their products as well and started selling online in Spain and around the world.
So how does an online store work? It's actually a fairly simple process. Sellers simply create a list of the items available in their online business, design the way in which customers can place orders and decide how to manage the delivery of those products. There are several options, such as carrying out the entire process autonomously or outsourcing the processes through dropshipping, which consists of a third party being responsible for the storage, packaging and shipping of products to the end customer.
In short, the steps are similar to those of a physical business, except that an online business has fewer requirements, in terms of inventory availability, less of a need for initial investment, no need for a physical space to receive customers, less of a need for staff since the service is virtual and generally not immediate, etc.
Although not a mandatory requirement, it can be positive for online businesses to have physical points of sale where customers can go to see the products in person or receive personalised attention if they wish.
It also goes the other way, as the commercial presence of a physical shop is usually much more significant if the business also decides to start selling their products online, as nowadays most people prefer shopping online to visiting a physical point of sale.
Despite the fact that in 1996, only one year later, the Amazon website was already accumulating around 2000 visitors a day, it would still have been almost impossible to predict just how important a role online businesses would play in the commercial sector. Many other conventional businesses soon began selling their products as well and started selling online in Spain and around the world.
So how does an online store work? It's actually a fairly simple process. Sellers simply create a list of the items available in their online business, design the way in which customers can place orders and decide how to manage the delivery of those products. There are several options, such as carrying out the entire process autonomously or outsourcing the processes through dropshipping, which consists of a third party being responsible for the storage, packaging and shipping of products to the end customer.
In short, the steps are similar to those of a physical business, except that an online business has fewer requirements, in terms of inventory availability, less of a need for initial investment, no need for a physical space to receive customers, less of a need for staff since the service is virtual and generally not immediate, etc.
Although not a mandatory requirement, it can be positive for online businesses to have physical points of sale where customers can go to see the products in person or receive personalised attention if they wish.
It also goes the other way, as the commercial presence of a physical shop is usually much more significant if the business also decides to start selling their products online, as nowadays most people prefer shopping online to visiting a physical point of sale.
Selling products online through Amazon
When you begin having business opportunities or when taking the step to start an e-commerce business, one of the first aspects you need to decide on, besides which products you're going to sell, is where to market those products. There are two options:
- Cost savings: By not having to maintain a physical shop, you can save on the cost of renting a commercial space or warehouse, as well as on utilities (such as water, electricity or municipal taxes). Starting up your online business is therefore more affordable than starting up a conventional physical business.
- No geographical limitations: By selling products through an online business, people who live in remote areas who don't have access to a wide range of shops can buy and enjoy your products too.
- No opening hours: Your online business is open 24 hours a day so your customers can always visit, buy your products or get in touch. This round-the-clock full availability would increase your outgoings in a physical business, where you would need staff 24 hours a day, among other things.
- Additional source of income: Companies that decide to also establish themselves online will be adding an additional source of income to business volumes arising from sales at their physical shops.
- More customers: By advertising your products online, you multiply your reach exponentially, since you can reach buyers not only from other cities, but also from other regions or even other countries, whereas with a physical point of sale you are limited to those people who reside in your shop's immediate vicinity.
- More and better marketing and advertising tools: By having more information about your customers, you can conduct marketing campaigns or implement strategies to build customer loyalty in a more simple, affordable and effective way than through a physical business.
Ideas for starting an online business
Now that we've explained some of the potential benefits of selling products online, the most important decision remains: What can you sell? This is where your innovative business ideas come into play.
Some people who work with handmade products find business opportunities in e-commerce, as it is the perfect choice for advertising their unique creations. If you have a talent and want to turn it into something more professional that offers you financial return, selling your handmade products online could well be the perfect solution. This is the Amazon Handmade programme, which we'll explain further later on in this article.
Others start with standard products and customise them to the taste of individual customers or even companies. From personalised gifts for Valentine's Day, weddings, anniversaries or any other event, to items featuring the corporate logo to give to workers, today personalisation is a good business strategy and is viewed as a sign of exclusivity. For these types of business opportunities, the ideal programme will be Amazon Custom, which offers the following options:
Some people who work with handmade products find business opportunities in e-commerce, as it is the perfect choice for advertising their unique creations. If you have a talent and want to turn it into something more professional that offers you financial return, selling your handmade products online could well be the perfect solution. This is the Amazon Handmade programme, which we'll explain further later on in this article.
Others start with standard products and customise them to the taste of individual customers or even companies. From personalised gifts for Valentine's Day, weddings, anniversaries or any other event, to items featuring the corporate logo to give to workers, today personalisation is a good business strategy and is viewed as a sign of exclusivity. For these types of business opportunities, the ideal programme will be Amazon Custom, which offers the following options:
- Text customisation: Allow customers to add text to your products using the colour and font options that you have added in Seller Central.
- Image customisation: Customers can add their own image to your products, as well as text.
- Product configuration: Customers can design various options for a product through Seller Central.
It's not only arts and crafts that have a place in the world of online selling; there are also exciting business opportunities in other industries. Here's a list of some of the sectors that work best and sell the most products, in case they inspire you to open your own online business:
- Films, TV, Blu-ray and CDs
- Appliances and kitchen
- Shoes and accessories
- Household tools
- DIY tools for home improvement
- Video games
- Coffee, tea and drinks
- Gourmet gift baskets and gifts
- Ready meals
- Electronics
- Musical instruments and accessories
- Car tools and equipment
Now that you know the 'bestsellers' of e-commerce businesses, you just need to decide which business option suits you best based on your preferences, knowledge or skills, and make your online business ideas a reality.
Building your own brand on Amazon
When deciding whether to create your brand with your own web domain or to do it through Amazon, you need to know the potential advantages and services offered by Amazon when it comes to launching your brand and adapting them to your business strategy.
In order for your business to reach a much higher number of potential buyers, Amazon provides you with an exclusive set of tools that can help you improve your conversion rate, increase visibility and protect your intellectual property.
Here are the simple steps you should follow to make the most of what Amazon can do for you during your brand launch:
Here are the simple steps you should follow to make the most of what Amazon can do for you during your brand launch:
- Create a professional account.
- Register your brand by enrolling in Brand Registry.
- Develop your brand: Create content and manage aspects like advertising.
- Protect your brand: Amazon offers you several services and programmes related to protecting your brand and preventing counterfeiting:
- The Transparency service to combat counterfeiting. This is a product serialisation service to help identify individual units and proactively prevent customers from accessing fakes.
- The IP Accelerator programme, for protecting intellectual property. This is completely free and available to selling partners all over the world. It connects you as a seller with law firms and trademark offices in other countries so that you can register your trademark.
To make the process easier, Amazon offers incentive programmes for new selling partners, so they get bonuses for registering their brand, credit for advertising and a whole host of other benefits that will help them have the perfect launch.
Amazon Launchpad
Amazon Launchpad is a programme that helps entrepreneurs to launch and boost sales of their unique, innovative or sustainable products on Amazon. This is an ideal programme for startups and SMEs with a unique business idea. Some advantages that Amazon Launchpad offers to companies in its programme include:
- Strategic support: Through an integration manager that identifies gaps and opportunities for business growth.
- Customer interaction tools: With services and tools such as A+ Premium and quality reports on the product detail page, to visually attract and better inform customers and to encourage increased traffic and conversion rates.
- Amazon Merchandising: Promote your product by accessing important Amazon advertising events, free Amazon offers and ads on the Amazon website.
- International expansion: Your products will have access to Amazon Launchpad, which is active across nine markets, both European and international.
Furthermore, Amazon Launchpad has a free quarterly programme called the Sustainability Accelerator, which is designed to support start-ups that aim to improve or care for the environment.
Some examples of success stories from companies that have had a huge boost thanks to the Amazon Launchpad programme are:
Some examples of success stories from companies that have had a huge boost thanks to the Amazon Launchpad programme are:
- FabLittleBag: A company that creates sustainable disposable bags for sanitary and intimate hygiene products.
- Boompods: A manufacturer of innovative headphones and speakers in the consumer electronics sector.
- Scentered: A company that creates on-the-go aromatherapy products to help promote well-being, even when you’re not at home.
As you can see, Amazon Launchpad rewards innovative, sustainable and proactive companies, so if your business idea meets the characteristics described above, just visit this link for more detailed information on the Amazon Launchpad programme.
Amazon Handmade
If the last example was not the right fit but you are an artisan, Amazon Handmade is, without a doubt, the perfect programme for your business idea. Want your unique and exclusive products to reach millions of people? Apply for access to the Amazon Handmade programme now and share your craft on Amazon.
To enrol in the programme and benefit from this business opportunity, you must already be registered as an Amazon Seller. After submitting your application for Amazon Handmade, a team of experts will carry out a thorough evaluation of your handcrafted works and, depending on their decision, you could be granted access to this exclusive community of artisans.
This community includes artisans from 80 different countries who are dedicated to making genuine pieces of art to be sold through Amazon. Handmade products are classified into the following categories:
This community includes artisans from 80 different countries who are dedicated to making genuine pieces of art to be sold through Amazon. Handmade products are classified into the following categories:
- Accessories
- Works of art
- Baby and baby items
- Beauty and personal care
- Clothes, shoes and accessories
- Home and outdoor
- Jewellery and watches
- Pet products
- Sports and outdoors
- Party supplies and stationery
- Games and toys
Membership of the Amazon Handmade community is free and you will only be deducted a 12% referral fee when you make a sale.
If you are interested in accessing the programme and believe that you meet the necessary access requirements, please find the steps on how to register below:
If you are interested in accessing the programme and believe that you meet the necessary access requirements, please find the steps on how to register below:
- Create a Seller Central account
- Submit a request to access Amazon Handmade
- List your products
- Utilise the programme's benefits to grow your business
Once registered, you can start selling your handmade products in the regions where the Amazon Handmade programme is in place:
- North America: United States, Canada and Mexico.
- Europe: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Selling books with Kindle Direct Publishing
KDP, also known as Kindle Direct Publishing, is an Amazon service that allows you to publish both hardback and paperback books for free. And since Kindle is one of the most popular e-book readers globally, publishing through KDP will make your work available to millions of readers no matter where they are in the world.
By self-publishing a book on KDP, you can enjoy the following benefits:
By self-publishing a book on KDP, you can enjoy the following benefits:
- Make your work available for sale.
- Opportunity to earn more money.
- Maintain control over the copyright and price of your book.
- Make changes to the book at any time.
- Option to publish your work in both digital and printed formats.
If you'd like to learn more about how to self-publish your work with Kindle Direct Publishing, which book categories are most popular or all the benefits offered by KDP, just click this link.
Payment options and rates for online businesses
So far, the process of creating your e-commerce business has been fairly straightforward. Plus, Amazon is by your side every step of the way. However, it's important that we define some fundamental aspects of the sales process, such as payment cycles, selling plans and product shipping rates.
- Individual or Professional Plan as an Amazon Seller
Joining the Amazon selling partner programme will allow you to reach tens of millions of potential buyers across Europe. Registering as a professional seller on Amazon will only cost you a flat rate of €39 (excl. VAT)/month plus additional selling fees. However, if you enrol in the Individual plan, you'll pay a fee of €0.99 for each sale you make, plus additional selling fees.
You can decide which plan best suits your needs by clicking here.
You can decide which plan best suits your needs by clicking here.
- Payment options
Offering a wide variety of payment options to your buyers will give them more reasons to buy, since you'll be making it easier for them to make the sale. Among the various payment options you can offer, the main choices are paying via credit or debit card, via financing or with Amazon credit (from a gift card, using a promotional code, etc.).
- Pricing
In terms of payments, it's also worth taking a look at businesses similar to yours to establish logical and competitive prices based on the products that you're selling. In addition to that, you can apply advertising campaigns with discounts to temporarily make your products more attractive so that, for example, you can improve your visibility by obtaining more reviews.
In order to implement a beneficial payment, pricing and advertising policy for your online business, Amazon has a training section where you have access to a multitude of webinars and online events that you can sign up to, in order to learn about how to advertise on Amazon at key times, such as Prime Day or Black Friday, as well as Christmas, Father's Day and Mother's Day campaigns.
In order to implement a beneficial payment, pricing and advertising policy for your online business, Amazon has a training section where you have access to a multitude of webinars and online events that you can sign up to, in order to learn about how to advertise on Amazon at key times, such as Prime Day or Black Friday, as well as Christmas, Father's Day and Mother's Day campaigns.
Success stories
If you want to become a successful Amazon seller too, drop fear by the wayside and get inspired by reading some success stories from entrepreneurs who decided to set up an online business with Amazon and succeeded thanks to the advantages offered in terms of brand launch, advertising, brand protection, price incentives and much more.
- Koala Babycare: This online business sells baby care products. They protected their products from counterfeiting through the Transparency service, provided by Amazon to selling partners.
- Express Pet Supplies: This family business sells quality products for pets. It also joined Amazon's Transparency programme to prevent its products from counterfeiting and thus gain its customers' trust.
- Ociodual: This consumer electronics and computer accessories company was certain that one of the ways to gain a foothold in the sector was to protect the quality of its products and safeguard its competitive advantage by using Amazon brand protection programmes, like IP Accelerator, to help quickly register a product and thus prevent counterfeiting.
- Windhorse: Sells ceramics made by artisans in Thailand. To avoid dupes and fakes, the company has registered with Amazon Brand Registry and registered its products with Transparency.
- Nortembio: This company sells products for healthy living and participates in Amazon's Pan-European Fulfilment Programme, which has allowed it to expand its business into other markets, such as the Netherlands, Sweden and Poland. With a monthly rate of just €39, it has been able to advertise and reach many more millions of people, which can increase sales exponentially.
As you can see, examples of success stories vary greatly, since they apply to selling partners or companies from very diverse fields. If you'd also like to be a success story like the companies listed above, you can use the tools made available to you by Amazon to boost your online business.
Conclusion
Now you know the areas that currently experience the most sales in the e-commerce sector, Amazon's special programmes for artisans and for innovative startups and SMEs, as well as the KDP programme and various success stories from Amazon business partners, among other things, you have much more information on how we can become successful business partners in an online business in 2024.
If you made it this far, you will already know if your online business idea could be successful or if you should consider selling other types of products that have greater sales potential. Amazon provides all kinds of tools to help you launch an online business, so we advise that you read more about how to become an Amazon seller to make the most of them. Get started now!
If you made it this far, you will already know if your online business idea could be successful or if you should consider selling other types of products that have greater sales potential. Amazon provides all kinds of tools to help you launch an online business, so we advise that you read more about how to become an Amazon seller to make the most of them. Get started now!
FAQ
Is it a good idea to set up an online business right now?
Everything is indicating that e-commerce will continue to expand, so if you're considering setting up an online business from scratch or starting to sell your products online as well as in a physical shop, 2024 seems like a good time to do so.
What are the sectors with the highest e-commerce sales?
The sectors that currently sell the most products are those belonging to the following categories:
- Films and TV
- Blu-ray and CDs
- Appliances and kitchen
- Shoes and accessories
- DIY tools for home improvement
- Video games
- Coffee, tea and drinks
- Gourmet gift baskets and gifts
- Ready meals
- Electronics
- Musical instruments and accessories
- Car tools and equipment.
What steps do I need to take to become an Amazon seller?
Registering as a seller on Amazon is very simple. You can do it through this link. After creating your account as a seller, you should find your niche depending on the type of product you want to sell: handmade products, used products, customised products, etc.
How do I build my own brand on Amazon?
If you've already decided to sell through Amazon instead of through a personal domain, all you have to do now is start taking advantage of the services that Amazon offers to its selling partners to protect their brands and prevent counterfeiting.
What is Amazon Transparency?
This is a product serialisation service that Amazon makes available to its selling partners to verify the authenticity of their products.
What is the Amazon Launchpad programme?
Amazon Launchpad is an Amazon programme that seeks to boost small entrepreneurial startups selling unique, innovative or sustainable products through Amazon.
How much does the Amazon Launchpad programme cost?
Selling partners must pay a 5% incremental referral fee, in addition to the category's standard referral fee for each product sold.
Who can sell on Amazon Handmade?
Any Amazon seller registered with Seller Central and engaged in producing unique and original handmade products. Your registration will be reviewed to assess the originality of the products that you make.
Can I sell in other countries if I'm part of Amazon Handmade?
If you already sell with the Amazon Handmade programme on Amazon.es, you can sell on all five European Handmade stores without any additional steps. This is currently available in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. You can also sign up to sell in our three stores in North America (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com.mx).
How does Kindle Direct Publishing work?
KDP allows you to self-publish your own works for free and however and in whichever format you like. You can configure the aesthetics of the work, including all the details of the book, as well as the rights and prices through a simple process with a step-by-step guide.
What is a business opportunity?
A business opportunity is an action taken on specific occasions where the launch of a service or product is necessary to meet market demand.
Making a business opportunity happen can generate monetisation value, which benefits both companies and individual sellers.
For example, selling on Amazon could be a potential business opportunity for sellers looking to expand their reach with a large base of potential customers, or use different resources that encourage business partners to generate more sales.
Making a business opportunity happen can generate monetisation value, which benefits both companies and individual sellers.
For example, selling on Amazon could be a potential business opportunity for sellers looking to expand their reach with a large base of potential customers, or use different resources that encourage business partners to generate more sales.
What is a market opportunity?
A market opportunity is the detailed study of various factors that can generate action by investors upon discovering a potential business opportunity.
Some of the factors that influence the diagnosis of a market opportunity may be the lack of supply of a product or service, the location, the launch of an innovative product or the capacity to expand and reach a new customer base.
Some of the factors that influence the diagnosis of a market opportunity may be the lack of supply of a product or service, the location, the launch of an innovative product or the capacity to expand and reach a new customer base.
How much has online commerce grown?
Online commerce is constantly expanding and, particularly in recent years, growth has been much more accelerated.
In Spain, online commerce increased by up to 25% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to 2021 and global online commerce is estimated to have increased by around 10%. This demonstrates that the change in society's shopping habits will continue to expand.
In Spain, online commerce increased by up to 25% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to 2021 and global online commerce is estimated to have increased by around 10%. This demonstrates that the change in society's shopping habits will continue to expand.
How do I choose my selling plan?
If you're already registered as an Amazon seller, the next step is to choose your selling plan based on the number of monthly sales that you expect to make and the advertising services and marketing tools you need to use. There are Individual and Professional plans, which offer various services to meet each individual seller's needs.
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