What’s the first thing you do when you have to make an online purchase? If you’re like most people, you’ll head to Amazon.com, and run a quick search for the product.
Whether you want to buy a new computer, your favorite board game, or fitness equipment, Amazon is the go-to destination for all your online shopping needs.
It isn’t surprising that Amazon accounts for more than half of the U.S. eCommerce retail market. The company’s rise from an unassuming online bookstore to the world’s most popular eCommerce marketplace continues to be an inspiration for entrepreneurs.
The Perks of Selling on Amazon
If you’re a business owner or retailer, it’s only natural that you’d want to sell your products on Amazon. With nearly 6 billion direct site visits from various countries, Amazon gives you the perfect opportunity to reach millions of paying customers.
You don’t have to worry about ensuring order fulfillment, building customer trust, and maintaining your online store. With the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) model, you won’t even have to handle product returns and replacements, as well as customer complaints.
Given the benefits, it’s natural to wonder whether you even need to build an eCommerce website. Wouldn’t it suffice to make money by selling your products on Amazon?
Well, you can’t build a successful online business with that mindset. A well-designed eCommerce website is integral for building your brand and reaching more customers.
In the following sections, we’ll highlight the key benefits of creating an eCommerce website, even if you’re already generating steady revenue from Amazon. Also, we’ll discuss the factors that’ll help you determine whether you’re ready to launch your own online store. Let’s get started.
Why Build an eCommerce Website?
Here’s the thing – if you want to generate a steady stream of passive income, selling your products on Amazon or another marketplace platform will do the trick. But if you’re serious about creating a recognizable brand in the eCommerce landscape, you need your own website.
Are you wondering whether building your website is the next logical step for your eCommerce business? Here are a few compelling reasons to help you make an informed decision.
1. Improved Branding
The biggest drawback of selling your products on an eCommerce marketplace is that customers often don’t realize they’re buying from a third-party seller. Their loyalties lie with the platform where they’re making their purchase.
That makes it difficult for any seller to build their brand identity. Even if a customer buys your product on Amazon, there’s no guarantee they’re going to visit your website or dig up more information about your business.
With an eCommerce website, you get the opportunity to carve a unique brand identity with colors, graphics, logos, and other visual elements. You have complete control over the appearance and functionality of your website.
Similarly, you get to decide whether your brand will be relatable and friendly, or authoritative. You can further reinforce your branding with attractive and thoughtful packaging.
The key is to maintain a consistent brand image across different channels, including your website, social media profiles, newsletters, etc. It’ll go a long way to distinguish your eCommerce business from other online stores in the market.
2. Lasting Customer Relationships
With an eCommerce marketplace, you rarely get access to a customer’s contact information. It leaves you with no way to reach out to customers after they buy your products.
A branded eCommerce website helps you overcome that challenge. You can use popup boxes and opt-in forms to collect contact details from website visitors. Even if they don’t purchase from you right away, you can use email marketing campaigns to stay in touch with them.
Similarly, once a customer makes their first purchase, you can continue to surprise them with new promotional offers and product features. It goes a long way to improve customer experience and boost retention rates.
3. In-Depth Analytics
Amazon only provides you with superficial insights into consumer behavior. You don’t get access to detailed analytics about your potential and existing customers.
On the other hand, an eCommerce website works round-the-clock to collect customer data. It provides you with a ton of insights about how they’re interacting with different elements on your website. It helps you better understand their online behavior and purchase.
Also, you can identify emerging trends in consumer preferences. Better still, you can directly reach out to customers for their feedback and product reviews.
That kind of information empowers you to tailor your products according to customers’ needs. Also, you can delight them with personalized product recommendations. It enhances their purchase experience and ultimately, helps you gain more loyal customers.
4. Increased Earnings
Most eCommerce marketplaces charge you a commission for every sale you make on their website. So, selling your products on Amazon means you’re losing a significant fraction of your earnings due to the platform’s fees.
With your own online store, you don’t have to worry about paying commissions or fees to any third party.
Of course, creating and maintaining your website will require an upfront investment. But the increase in revenue will soon turn your online store into a self-sustaining asset.
Also, the availability of sophisticated eCommerce website builders minimizes the cost, time, and effort needed to build an eCommerce website. The right eCommerce platform will help you get your online store up and running in a few weeks without hiring a specialized web development team.
Are You Prepared to Fly Solo?
The benefits of having your own eCommerce website outweigh the cost and hassle of building it. But launching your website is only one of the several steps of operating an independent online store.
Before you take the plunge, evaluate your readiness and expertise in the following areas:
- Web development
- Digital marketing
- Product development and research
- Customer service
- Logistics
Make sure you have dedicated teams to handle each of these tasks. Otherwise, your dream of building a successful online business will quickly turn into a nightmare.
In Conclusion
If your products have been garnering traction on Amazon, launching an online store is the next big leap for your eCommerce business. An eCommerce website will help you establish your brand and skyrocket your revenue. Also, it’ll be instrumental in forging long-standing customer relationships.
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