What challenges and advice await newcomers to marketplaces?

It all started with the first step. A newcomer, full of ambitions and ideas, opened his online store on the marketplace, not knowing what difficulties lay ahead. The naive expectation of instant success faces a cruel reality: competition, lack of sales, complex platform algorithms... Every hour of scrolling through analytics seems like an eternity, and ridiculous mistakes turn into nightmares. And yet, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Success is forged in the fire of trials. I’ll tell you how to overcome the first difficult steps, avoid insidious traps and begin your path to stable income. It’s important to remember: entering marketplaces is a marathon, not a sprint. A gradual, deliberate approach based on experience and constant market analysis will certainly lead to success. Share your successes and mistakes, learn from other people's examples and find your own victories.

Glossary

• 🌟 Marketplace: An online platform where sellers can list their products for sale and buyers can purchase them.
• 📦 Product Card: Texts and images on the product page that provide buyers with detailed information about the product.
• 📈 Commission: The percentage of each sale that the marketplace takes for using its services.
• 🛠️ Services for work: Programs and tools that make it easier to do business on marketplaces, such as sales analytics and warehouse management.
• 🏷️ Product certification: The process of confirming that products meet certain quality and safety standards.
• ⚖️ Competitive analysis: Assessing potential competitors on the marketplace to understand your position in the market.
• 📊 Marginality: The difference between the cost of producing a product and its selling price.
• 🎯 Seller Rating: A rating based on customer reviews that influences trust and sales speed.
• 🚫 Brand Plagiarism: Illegally using someone else's brand or name to sell your own products.
• 📉 No sales: A situation when a product is not purchased, despite its presence in the marketplace catalog.
• 💼 Own warehouse: A logistics solution in which the seller stores goods at home and is responsible for delivering them to customers.

Strategies for beginning sellers

Product and platform selection

Choosing the right platform has a significant impact on sales success. In my personal experience, I have found that choosing the right product and site is critical. I used services such as Google Adwords to understand consumer queries and select in-demand products. To do this, you should consider:

• 🌟 Popularity of platforms: For example, I chose Rozetka for clothing sales because it is one of the most popular platforms for this.

• 💰 Cost-effectiveness: I avoided products with a retail price of less than 10 euros to cover logistics and packaging costs and not end up at a loss.

• 🚚 Logistical difficulties: I did not recommend that beginners choose large-sized products, as this entails additional difficulties in transportation.

Studying the rules of the platform and product certification

Before starting sales on the marketplace, I carefully studied the operating rules of each platform. This allowed me to avoid fines and problems when selling products. I recommend:

• 📜 Reading the rules: It is important to highlight the key points and compare the conditions of different marketplaces. For example, some products require special certificates, and their absence can lead to fines of up to 2,000 euros for legal entities.
• 🚫 Product Bans: Some platforms prohibit the sale of certain types of products, which is very important to consider.

Assessing the potential of competitors

To evaluate competitors, I used both manual methods and paid programs. This allowed me to adapt my strategies and achieve success. Statistics show:

• 📊 Sales growth: Since the end of February 2024, sales in online stores have increased by 81 %.

• 📈 Purchase Value: The average purchase amount increased by 36%, creating additional sales opportunities.

Useful resources for monitoring competitors: Mention, Brand24, Hootsuite.

Commission calculation

Platform commission directly affects the final price of the product and profit. In my experience, I have always considered:

• 💼 Sales Commission: It is important to understand how commission affects pricing and include this information into your calculations.
• 🚚 Logistics: Many marketplaces charge extra for logistics. It is also necessary to take into account the cost of returning the product if the buyer refuses it.

Selection of services for convenient operation

Automation of business processes plays a key role in managing an online store. I've used CRM systems to improve my processes:

• 🤖 Automation: Programs like SalesDrive and KeyCRM have helped me simplify your work and avoid routine tasks.

• 🛠️ Popular services: I can recommend QUINCEFIN and h-profit for managing inventory and orders.

Assessing the possibility of using your own warehouse

I have always carefully assessed the financial and logistical aspects of storing goods:

• 🏢 Renting space: Having your own warehouse gives you independence, but puts all the logistics processes on you.

• 🏬 Marketplace warehouses: They are convenient, but require additional costs. I often chose marketplace warehouses to save time and resources.
  
  

Filling out product cards with high quality

High quality Filling out product cards significantly increases the chances of successful sales. I have always adhered to the following principles:

• ✍️ Conciseness and accuracy: Don't be too creative, it's important to provide accurate and informative description.

• 📸 Photos and reviews: The addition of high-quality photos and positive reviews significantly increased the attractiveness of the product.

Monitor rating

Store rating plays a key role in attracting new customers. I used the following approaches:

• 🎁 Buyer Bonuses: I added small gifts and cards as a thank you for the purchase , which helped to collect positive reviews.

• 🛠️ Reaction to reviews: It is necessary to closely monitor reviews and quickly respond to negative comments. This will allow you to maintain a high reputation for the store.

Tip: I always took into account the quality of goods and delivery times to avoid negative reviews and maintain a high rating.

👉 In summary: Successful selling on marketplaces requires careful planning and careful study of all aspects of the work. By following these tips, you can avoid many common mistakes and achieve success in your business.

What difficulties should a newbie expect on a marketplace

Starting sales on marketplaces is like diving into unknown waters. It is worth being prepared for numerous challenges, some of which can be truly nerve-wracking. For example, I had to deal with plagiarism, low margins and lack of sales. Thanks to my experience and research, I can tell you how to deal with these problems.

📜 How I protected my brand from plagiarism

Brand plagiarism has become one of the the most unpleasant events. One day I noticed that my product was copied a short time after being posted on the marketplace. This turned out to be a fairly common practice - unscrupulous sellers copy descriptions, photos and videos, then offer low-quality products at reduced prices.

To combat this, I acquired a patent for my products. This step gave me the opportunity to defend my rights in court and even demand monetary compensation for the violation. Thanks to this, I was able to minimize financial losses and protect my brand.

📌 Brand protection tips:

• 🛡️ Product Patenting: Apply for a patent to legally protect your rights.
• 📃 Competitor monitoring: Regularly check to see if your content is being used in other stores.
• ⚖️ Legal Advice: Consult with an attorney to understand your rights and defenses.

📉 How I dealt with low margins

Margins are a key aspect of successful sales. When I first encountered forced discounts and promotions, my income went down sharply. Marketplace algorithms do not recommend products that are not on sale, which makes it difficult to maintain stable sales.

I realized that it is necessary to be flexible in pricing. Increasing the price before the promotion allowed me to maintain margins, despite the discounts. This balance helped me avoid financial ruin and even increase my profits.

📌 Tips for increasing margins:

• 🌟 Price optimization: Increase the price of goods before participating in promotions.
• 📈 Competitor Analysis: Study your competitors' pricing policies and adapt your prices.
• 🛒 Selling additional products: offer bundles or related products to increase the average check.

🛑 How I overcame the lack of sales

The lack of sales became for surprise me. Despite positive reviews and a good store rating, my products were not in demand. The reasons were various: outdated assortment, inflated prices, insufficient information in the product card.

I used the internal and external advertising tools offered by marketplaces. Used targeted advertising and collaborated with bloggers. This helped attract new customers and significantly increase sales.

📌 Tips to increase sales:

• 📊 Advertising and promotion: Use all available advertising tools, including targeting and collaboration with bloggers.
• ✏️ Optimization of product cards: add detailed descriptions, high-quality photos and videos, collect reviews.
• 💬 Feedback Analysis: Carefully study customer feedback and improve products based on it.
  
  

Conclusion: Start selling on marketplaces are not easy, but by correctly analyzing and adapting to challenges, you can achieve success. I believe that applying these tips will help you overcome major challenges and achieve great results.

I am sure that the right approach and perseverance will help you to achieve success on marketplaces.

Purina Experience

Detailed description of the client and their business goals

Purina is a world-renowned pet food and pet products company. As one of the industry leaders, Purina is committed to expanding its presence in online marketplaces to increase sales and strengthen its brand among consumers.

Main goals and objectives

The company needed:

• 🛒 Increase sales volumes through online marketplaces.
• 🤝 Strengthen relationships with customers and increase their level of loyalty.
• 📈 Increase Brand awareness among the target audience.
• 💼 Streamline operational processes to improve efficiency.

The main problem

Purina was faced with the need to quickly adapt to the specific operating conditions of a new yourself in the online sales market. It was necessary to solve the problem of how to effectively promote your products and maintain a leadership position among competitors.

Characteristics and interests of the target audience

The company's target audience includes:

• 🐶 Pet owners, who are looking for high quality food and accessories.
• 🌐 Consumers accustomed to the convenience of online shopping.
• 💬 People who actively discuss purchases and recommend good products through social networks and reviews.
  
  

Key points that may be of interest to potential clients

1. High quality products: Many positive reviews from customers confirming the quality of Purina food.
2. Availability on various platforms: Opportunity to purchase Purina food and products on popular online marketplaces.
3. Competitive prices: Regular promotions and discounts, making Purina products more accessible to the mass consumer.

Project results

As a result of entering marketplaces, Purina achieved the following results:

“We were surprised by how positively customers responded to the opportunity to purchase our products online. In a short time, we were able to not only grow in sales, but also strengthen trust in the brand,” says a company representative Purina.

This case shows that a strategic approach to entering marketplaces can significantly increase sales and strengthen a brand.

Frequently asked questions on the topic: What challenges and tips await newcomers to marketplaces?

Thank you for your attention and for becoming more experienced! 🚀

Now that you have plunged into the world of marketplaces, you know that this is not just a platform for sales, but a whole universe of opportunities and challenges. At the beginning of my journey, I also encountered difficulties: from misunderstanding of algorithms to distrust of buyers. The main thing is not to stop. 💪 My friend Sasha, who opened an accessories store, was at first at a loss. But after studying marketing and reviews, he learned to “talk” to algorithms. Today his project is thriving! Dare, experiment and, most importantly, believe in yourself. I look forward to your comments, share your successes and mistakes!