If you are into setting-up an online store, you have to ask yourself several key questions:
1. Should I use a marketplace or create my own store?
Using Marketplace means you are getting someone else to do the marketing for you. However, due to stiff competition, you probably have to lower your price to win orders. The advantage is more orders due to higher visibility. You make money by selling in volume. However, do keep in mind that your competitors may further reduce price to win back orders. It could become a price game! Does this scenario fit into the long-term strategy of your business model?
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2. Should I host my store myself or use a hosted e-commerce platform?
Hosted solution has many advantages:
- Better stability and uptime
- Dedicated support
- Payment Gateways
- Better cyber protection
- Better scalability
If you host yourself you will have maximum flexibility on what you do with your website. However, self-hosting will incur higher initial set-up cost and recurrent cost to fix/update your website.
3. Which e-commerce platform should I select?
There are endless platforms in the market. The most popular is Shopify, which has:
- Good user interface
- Awesome add-on apps
- Large community of users
I feel this is the better platform. Volusion is less customizable and BigCommerce lacks the total control of shopify.
Conclusion:
You should not rely on marketplace alone to sell your product. Marketplace could be used for acquisition and used as an ADDITION to your own store. Your own store should preferably be built on a stable and reliable e-commerce platform like shopify. Click here to go to Shopify site.