Category: Selling Online

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and it’s the practice of enhancing the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine’s organic results. In simpler terms, it’s about making your site more attractive to search engines like Google, Bing, and even Etsy’s internal search, so that you appear higher in search results. :

The importance of keywords in SEO can not be over stated. Keywords are the terms and phrases that users enter into search engines when looking for specific information, products, or services. They’re like the secret sauce of search engine optimization (SEO).

Here’s why keywords are important:

1. Visibility: Using relevant keywords helps your content appear in search engine results, making it more likely that people will find your website.
2. Relevance: Keywords help search engines understand the topic and content of your webpage, ensuring it shows up for the right searches.
3. Audience Targeting: By choosing the right keywords, you can attract your target audience, who are already interested in what you offer.
4. Competitive Edge: Analyzing and using the right keywords can help you stay ahead of competitors in search results.
5. Improved User Experience: Good keyword usage can lead to more relevant search results for users, enhancing their experience.

For instance, if you have a blog about healthy recipes, keywords like “easy vegan recipes,” “gluten-free desserts,” and “low-carb meals” can help your content reach those who are specifically looking for these types of recipes.

Here are some Etsy seller SEO Tips:

Shop Optimization

1. Use a clear and descriptive shop title that includes relevant keywords.
2. Write a detailed shop description that highlights what makes your shop unique and includes important keywords.
3. About Section: Share your story and what inspires your creations. This can help build a connection with potential buyers.
4. Shop Policies: Clearly outline your shop policies to build trust with customers.
5. Shop Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, as they can boost your shop’s credibility.

Listing Optimization

1. Listing Titles: Use descriptive and keyword-rich titles for your listings.
2. Listing Descriptions: Write detailed descriptions that include relevant keywords and highlight the unique features of your products.
3. Listing Photos: Use high-quality photos that showcase your products from different angles.
4. Listing Prices: Set competitive prices that reflect the value of your products.
5. Listing Categories: Choose the most relevant categories for your listings to help buyers find your products.
6. Listing Attributes: Fill out all available attributes to provide more information about your products.
7. Listing Tags: Use all available tags and include relevant keywords to improve your listings’ visibility.

Additional Tips

1. Keywords: Think like a shopper and use keywords that potential buyers would search for.
2. Conversion Rates: Focus on improving your listings’ conversion rates by providing excellent customer service and high-quality products.
3. Recency: Regularly update your listings to keep them fresh and relevant.

Starting an e‑commerce business has never been more accessible. Whether you want to sell handmade products, digital downloads, or curated goods, online selling allows you to reach customers far beyond your local community—often with low startup costs. This guide walks you through the foundational steps to start an e‑commerce business with clarity and confidence.

Starting an e‑commerce business is a journey, not a sprint. There will be learning curves, adjustments, and moments of doubt—but with the right foundation, your online business can become a meaningful and profitable venture. Start small, stay organized, and take one step at a time. Every successful online seller once started exactly where you are now.

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” — Proverbs 16:3

1. Start With the Right Business Idea

Every successful e‑commerce business begins with a clear idea. Ask yourself:

Is this a product people already buy online?

What problem does my product solve?

Who is my ideal customer?

Choose a product that aligns with your skills, interests, and long‑term goals. Passion matters—but so does demand.

My Personal Journey:
Selling online is my success story which started in the early days of the Internet ! My personal journey in online sales serves as a testament to the unlimited money making possibilities of selling online. When my husband and I started selling online , we capitalized on his passion for woodworking and my knowledge of the Internet.

Combining my husband’s passion for woodworking with my knowledge of how to make money online , we ventured into offering unique, handcrafted wooden products. Our business took off quickly and easily turned into a full time career . A couple of our products was featured on prominent TV shows like the Martha Stewart Show and Extreme Home Makeover. I accredit my online success to having learned SEO early in my Internet career!

2. Choose Your Selling Platform

Your e‑commerce platform is your online storefront. Common options include:

• Etsy – Ideal for handmade, vintage, and digital products
• Shopify – A powerful all‑in‑one platform for scaling businesses
• WooCommerce (WordPress) – Flexible and budget‑friendly for those comfortable with WordPress
• Amazon – Massive reach, but more competition and fees

When choosing a platform, consider ease of use, monthly costs, transaction fees, and how much control you want over branding.

3. Handle the Business Basics Early

Before making your first sale, take care of the essentials:

a. Choose a business name

Choose a business name that is simple, memorable, and reflects your brand identity while being easy to spell and pronounce. Ensure the name is legally available by checking trademarks, the Secretary of State, and securing the domain name and social media handles. Avoid limiting names that could restrict future growth.

b. Decide on a legal structure
A business structure refers to the legal framework within which a company operates. Common structures include sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies (LLCs). Each structure has unique implications for liability, taxes, and regulatory requirements.
Choosing the right business structure is essential as it affects your legal liability, taxation, and operational flexibility. It also influences how much paperwork you need to file and the personal assets you may be putting at risk. You need to decide whether you’ll operate as a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation.

A common business structure is sole proprietorship. A sole proprietorship is a type of business owned and operated by a single individual. It is the simplest and most common form of business structure. It’s easy to form because it requires minimal legal formalities, no complex paperwork, and typically involves just registering the business name and obtaining any necessary licenses. The owner has full control and receives all profits, but also bears unlimited personal liability for debts and obligations.

c. Business Licenses and Permits: Check local, state, and federal requirements to ensure your business is legally compliant.

d. Taxes: Register for state and federal taxes. Understand sales tax obligations, especially if selling across state lines or internationally.

e. Consumer Protection Laws: Be aware of laws regulating advertising, shipping, and return policies.

f. Privacy Policies: Implement a privacy policy to protect customer data and comply with regulations like GDPR or CCPA.

4. Set Up Simple Bookkeeping From the Start

One of the biggest mistakes new sellers make is ignoring bookkeeping until tax time. Even a small e‑commerce business needs a system to track.

• Sales income
• Platform fees
• Payment processing fees
• Shipping costs
• Supplies and inventory

Open a separate business bank account. Keeping business and personal finances separate from day one makes bookkeeping, taxes, and growth much easier later. You don’t need expensive software to get started. Free tools like GnuCash or well‑organized spreadsheets can help you stay compliant and confident. Clean books help you understand whether your business is actually profitable.

5. Create Product Listings That Convert

Your product listings do the selling for you. Focus on:

• Clear, well‑lit photos
• Benefit‑focused descriptions
• Honest pricing that covers costs and profit
• Keywords your customers are searching for

Think like your customer. What questions would you ask before buying this product?

6. Market With Purpose

Marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with one or two methods:

• Social media (Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook)
• Email marketing
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Content marketing (blogs, tutorials, videos)

Consistency matters more than perfection. Choose platforms you enjoy and can realistically maintain.

7. Grow at a Sustainable Pace

As your store grows, reinvest wisely:

• Improve your product photos
• Streamline shipping and fulfillment
• Outsource tasks when possible
• Upgrade systems only when needed

Growth is not about rushing—it’s about building something that lasts.

Thinking about selling in an online marketplace or planning to open your own online store, but not sure what to sell? Well, you are in luck some popular online marketplaces give you a window into what type of products are selling like hotcakes! Best sellers lists can also be valuable resources for identifying popular products and trends in the online marketplace. Having an idea of what type of products have the potential to make money online, can give you an upfront advantage, and is well worth the research! Not only will it give you an idea of what is selling but can generate new ideas on what you could offer that would be similar yet unique!

eBay

EBay.com is one of the oldest and popular online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide. Power-Sellers are among the most successful sellers on eBay in product sales and customer satisfaction.

eBay provides a “Trending” section where you can discover popular products that are currently in high demand. You can access this section by clicking on “Trending” in the main menu or by visiting https://www.ebay.com/trending.

Etsy

Etsy is a great place to sell your Handmade Items . Etsy is a peer-to-peer (P2P) e-commerce website focused on handmade or vintage items and supplies, as well as unique factory-manufactured items. These items cover a wide range, including art, photography, clothing, jewelry, food, bath and beauty products, quilts, knick-knacks, and toys.

Many sellers also sell craft supplies such as beads, wire and jewelry-making tools. Etsy has over 54 million users registered as members, and the online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods connects millions of active sellers with millions of active buyers.

Etsy Hot Selling Products

Do your research before jumping into selling on Etsy to get a feel for what people are buying. To give you an idea of what is selling on Etsy check out their popular selling items list and top-selling products list. Alicia Shaffer claims to be the most successful or richest seller on Etsy according to the business insider.

Amazon

Amazon.com Marketplace is fixed-price online marketplace that enables sellers to offer new and used items alongside Amazon’s regular offerings. Customers can buy those items directly from third-party sellers.

Amazon Best Sellers

For an idea of what people are buying in the Amazon Marketplace – check out amazon’s best sellers list of the most popular products based on sales. updated hourly.

Walmart:

Walmart’s website includes a “Top Rated Products” section where you can find highly rated and best-selling items across different categories. You can access this section by entering the words top rated products in the searchbar.

Target:

Target’s website features a “Best Sellers” section where you can explore top-selling products across various departments. You can access this section by using the sort filter on a product page.

Build Your Own Store With WordPress E-commerce. Choosing the right e commerce platform can be a challenge . With numerous options available, each boasting unique features and benefits, it’s essential to select a platform that not only meets your current needs but also scales with your business growth and budget.

WooCommerce –is a powerhouse e-commerce solution built on the robust foundation of WordPress. WooCommerce stands out as the ultimate choice for anyone looking to establish or enhance their online store without breaking the bank..

When comparing WooCommerce to Shopify or Square space a popular choice among entrepreneurs, WooCommerce is an attractive choice due to:

Cost-effectiveness:
WooCommerce is an open-source platform, meaning the core plugin is free to use. you have more control over your budget since you can select from a wide range of free and premium themes and extensions based on your needs and financial constraints. Your full startup cost can be as low as $40.00 or less for the first year.

No transaction fees:
Unlike Shopify, which charges transaction fees for each sale made through third-party payment gateways if you don’t use Shopify Payments, WooCommerce doesn’t impose any additional transaction fees. This can lead to significant savings, especially for small businesses with tight profit margins or for businesses just starting out.

Flexibility and customization:
WooCommerce offers unparalleled flexibility and customization options, allowing you to tailor your online store to your exact specifications without being confined to preset templates or restrictive design options. With access to thousands of themes and plugins, you can create a unique and personalized shopping experience for your customers without breaking the bank.

Integration with WordPress:
If you’re already familiar with WordPress, using WooCommerce is a natural extension of your existing skill set. You can leverage your knowledge of WordPress to manage your e-commerce store seamlessly, eliminating the need to learn a new platform from scratch and potentially saving on training or onboarding costs. While you don’t have to have full knowledge of WordPress to use Woocommerce to setup you own online store.

Scalability:
While Squarespace may be suitable for small businesses starting out, WooCommerce offers superior scalability, allowing you to expand your store and add new features as your business grows. With features like inventory management, order tracking, and comprehensive reporting, you can scale your operations without outgrowing your e-commerce platform.

SEO-friendly:
By optimizing your store for search engines, you can improve your visibility and attract more organic traffic, reducing your reliance on paid advertising and maximizing your return on investment. WooCommerce is inherently SEO-friendly, offering features like customizable permalinks, product schema markup, and integration with popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO.

Community support:
As an open-source platform, WooCommerce benefits from a vast community of developers, designers, and users who contribute to its ongoing development and provide support through forums, documentation, and online resources. This community-driven approach ensures that help is readily available whenever you encounter issues or need assistance, reducing the need for expensive third-party support services.

It’s a scientific fact that product photography is an extremely effective tool when it comes to influencing the thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and perceptions of the consumer.

If you would like to produce professional-quality photographs but don’t have the time to learn the technical elements or money to buy the expensive equipment or software, here are some tips and links to free resources to help you get started.

Before taking any pictures find out if the supply vendor you purchased your products from has downloadable pictures of their products, that you can use to sell their products on your website.  It won’t hurt to ask, I have found that some vendors are more than happy to send you pictures of their products to sell, free of charge of course.

Product Photography  Tips:

1.) A well-ironed white sheet can provide a good backdrop, use a photo editing program to adjust the color balance. 

2.) A white poster board is inexpensive and flexible and also provides a perfect backdrop. Curve it up and prop it against a wall when you need a seamless surface below and behind an object, or lay it flat on a table when shooting a product from above.

3.) If you use a digital camera or a smartphone such as Android, iPhone, Tablet, iPad or consumer digital camera, make sure that the digital photographs are saved in a readable format such as a JPEG or PNG.

4) Use diffused light, and daylight if possible. Set up your shots outside on a bright but cloudy day, the clouds will scatter the sunlight, thereby eliminating harsh shadows. The same concept applies indoors. Under bright fixtures, try to diffuse the light in some way, for example by placing white fabric around your product (but outside of the shot). Using your white balance and ISO settings. will get the color as close to “real life” as you can, and produce the sharpest photo possible given your lighting environment.

5.) Make the most of your camera. Even inexpensive point-and-shoots have variable settings try not to use the flash unless you want undesirable bright spots or harsh shadows in your shot.

6.) Use your cameras macro mode for very small items it will help you capture even the smallest details, it is best to use a mini tripod when shooting in macro mode.

Internet Resources:

• Brighten Your Product Photography With Bounced Light
• 3 Tricks For Styling A Product Shot

How to Make a Homemade Lightbox:

homemade-light-box-for-product-photography

In most cases, once a customer purchases a product from your online store, you must determine the best way to ship the product to them. Many small and new businesses choose the “do it yourself” (DIY) method when it comes to shipping and fulfillment. DIY tends to be more work, but it can save a business on costs and may make more sense for online sellers that have lower product inventory and shipment volumes. A myriad of things must be considered when you have reached this step in the eCommerce process.

Pricing. Not surprisingly, the more your site users are charged for shipping, the less likely they are to want to purchase your product. Online “shopping cart abandonment” is often caused by unexpectedly high shipping prices. In a study done by United Parcel Service (UPS,) 55 percent of shoppers abandoned their shopping carts before purchasing because shipping and handling costs were too high.

Warehousing. You also need to consider where you will store your product. If you currently have a warehouse or storage facility you use for brick-and-mortar sales, then the same facility may work. However, keep in mind that B2B transactions often involve bulk quantities, so once you are involved in B2B eCommerce, (B2B e-commerce, short for business-to-business electronic commerce, is the sale of goods or services between businesses via an online sales portal.) you may need to expand your space or look for other options. Some municipalities prohibit the stocking up of large quantities of inventory in a home business. Check with your municipality.

Packaging. Another way to minimize shipping costs is to use the correct packaging. In general, smaller and lighter packaging is better, because shipments are most often paid for by size or weight. 

Tracking and Insuring. Major carriers include shipment tracking with their services. If you are shipping expensive items, bulk items, or items that can be easily damaged, you may want to offer shipping insurance as an option for the customer to purchase. Insurance is often offered by a third party, so make sure to do your research on the insurer and to inform the customer about the insurer. Major carriers also include some form of shipping insurance with their service as a guarantee.

Selecting a Carrier. You will also need to determine which carrier to use to ship your products. The major carriers used for eCommerce tend to be FedEx, UPS, and USPS.  Along with selecting a suitable carrier, you should be sure to include on your checkout page what carrier you are using and when the customer or business can expect the package.

Shipping Internationally. Tariffs, taxes, or duties may need to be paid for items to enter or leave a country. A good website to find accurate estimates on international duties and taxes is to contact your nearest U.S. Commercial Service office or U.S. Export Assistance Center to receive personal assistance from an international trade specialist. The customer or business that purchases the product will be responsible for paying those fees upon delivery, and it is a good idea to give customers notice of the fees, and include the proper forms and documents with the shipment to ensure that the shipment will clear customs in the destination country. 

How to Save On Shipping:

You can save on shipping and handling costs by using USPS Click-N-Ship, with click and ship you can pay, print the shipping label from your home or office printer. You can schedule a free pickup of your packages without leaving your home, order free priority shipping boxes and so much more visit USPS small business service to learn more.

With UPS you can setup an account with them and speak to an agent about their discount policy.

Prompt Delivery Rules

The Federal Trade Commission has rules and regulations which govern prompt delivery rules get familiar with them to make sure you are in compliance with the law.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them.

Enforced by the FTC, the Mail or Telephone Order Rule applies to orders placed by phone, fax, or the Internet. The FTC Merchant obligations rule spells out the ground rules for making promises about shipments, notifying consumers about unexpected delays, and refunding consumers’ money.

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One good hot selling item and you could be set for life! Not only does importing offer low cost with high-profit potential, but it also paves the way for you to find unique items not sold in the US. The lure of low-cost products has always been the incentive for importing from China and other places.  After years of experience selling online, I find that importing your resale items is a great way to stay one step ahead of the competition, on the Internet and pocket almost 100% of the profit.

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How would you like to start a business selling online where you don’t have to buy or stock any merchandise? If this sounds like you then the drop-ship business maybe for you. This type of business can be run will little to no upfront money. Starting a drop shipping business is very easy, and you can run it from anywhere in the world, especially out of your own home.

Overview:

The great thing about setting up a drop shipping business is you don’t need any special skills to start this type of business. All you really need is a person who is willing to dedicate their time to ensure that the business succeeds. It will also help to have a computer with Internet access.

A Drop Shipping Business brings together people who want to buy a particular product and companies that are selling it. YOU – As THE SELLER – sell the merchants products through your own online store, or. online marketplace or your social media channel. If you plan to sell in an online marketplace, make sure you are aware of their rules on drop shippers, many online marketplaces may not approve of the drop shipping method of selling products you don’t physically have.

How it Works:

Once someone purchases a drop-ship product from you, your job is to submit the order to the drop shipper.

The DROP SHIPPER ships the product white-labeled as if the products(s) came from your business. Be sure that white labeling of products is in your contract agreement to retain your customers.

Your Profit is the difference between the price you pay for the vendors’ product, which should be the wholesale price and the retail price you sold it to your customer for.

The first step is to find a dropshipping company you are satisfied with and create an account with them. Make it your business to form a good relationship with a prospective drop-shipper! It is important that you treat your business just like any other business.

Selling your drop ship products online follows the same methods you would use if you physically had the products. The only difference is you only need to sell the product and accept online payments.

Avoid A Scam

The first thing in starting a drop-ship business is to find reputable drop shippers and avoid a scam. Due to its increased popularity, it is important that you find a reputable drop-shipper for your business. Unfortunately, there have been many scams that have come to light in this particular industry.

This form of online business has become so easy to do, and because of its increased popularity, many prospective drop shipping businesses have become targets for the less reputable people online, such as scammers. Unfortunately, many people do not really understand what drop-shipping is about and only see it as a way of getting rich quickly. Because of this, there are plenty of people out there who are ready to exploit them. Thankfully Drop Ship Scammers are in the minority and not the majority, but none the less, you have to be careful, there are things you need to beware of to minimize the risk of scam.

Also, you should avoid the “turnkey” internet businesses which are willing to sell you a package of products,
e-commerce site, and marketing for an exorbitant membership fee or charge you a monthly fee. These types of businesses, you will soon find, do not actually help, but rather hinder, and you will soon find that you are not making any profit whatsoever, while they are.

Starting a Drop Ship Business

The minimum requirement for starting any drop shipping business online is that you have a business license. Avoid any company that doesn’t have these requirements at all costs. Unfortunately, most of the companies which are willing to do business with an illegal business will usually be middlemen, who then send your order through to the wholesale company, and will end up taking a cut of the profits that you are trying to make.

You will also need to get a valid re-sellers certificate. What the exact requirements are to obtain the certificate will vary from state to state.

How To Find Reputable Drop Shippers

Do Not Purchase Drop Ship Directories. Do not be fooled by those sites offering you a drop-ship directory for a fee. Unfortunately, these are normally copies of the more legitimate lists provided by reputable directories, and will often be out of date.     

You need to do plenty of research with regard to drop ship sources It is best if you avoid using search engines when doing this, as they will also offer up a list of the less reputable companies, as well as providing you with page upon page of links which are completely useless. If you do a Google Search on dropshipping you’ll find a ton of information but much of it is erroneous and even downright illegal scams. It can be hard to tell what’s real and what’s not out there.

The best way to find a legitimate drop-shipping company is to do your due diligence and research. If you see a product you are interested in selling, contact the company producing it directly. Inquire if they have a drop shipping program/dept.

Ensure the drop shippers you find require a valid wholesale or resale certificate from you.

Important Steps to Running a Drop Ship Business

If you want to ensure that your drop-shipping business is profitable, there are a number of things you need to remember.

1. You need to find a product which will sell in sufficient quantities, as well as one which will provide you with a good mark up, in order for it to be truly profitable. Therefore, it is important that you try to determine what the demand for the product is, and also what competition, if any, there is for that particular product.

2. You need to take a look at what your competition is charging for the product you choose. You may find that some businesses will have much lower profit margins than others, including you.

3. It is best when first starting out selling products using drop-shipping, that you only sell a select few. And a good rule of thumb is to make sure that those products that you do select are related, or can be targeted and sold to the same market set.

It is important that you do not try to sell every drop-shipping product that you find, as this will help you concentrate more on marketing your goods, as well as keeping your own costs to a minimum. Plus, you are more likely to make an impact in the market place as well.

4. Avoid those people who are offering to sell you lists of drop-shippers for 100’s of dollars, unfortunately sometimes these are middlemen who are posing as drop-shippers themselves, and will then charge much more than you actually should be paying. Remember, the whole idea of using drop-shipping is to keep your costs down rather than raising them but also still be able to make a profit at the end of the day.

5. You will still need to deal with the problems associated with backorders and returns. Unfortunately, not all the hassles associated with running a normal retail business can be eliminated from a business that is run online.

Product Images

It is a known fact that product images equal higher conversion rates. For photos of your dropship products do not hesitate to ask the vendor for a copy of the product images to display in your ads. You can also ask for permission to make a copy of the ones on the vendor’s site.

There will be times when you find that a product your customer has ordered is not in stock, and so will not be available for dispatch immediately. Therefore, you will need to work out these matters with your drop-shipper ahead of any of these problems occurring. This will then provide you with answers that you can provide to your customer should such an event occur.

Final Tips:

1. Before you start selling any products through a drop shipping business, you should do as much research as you can.

2. Always select products that there are not thousands of them already selling on the internet, or that has very few people competing for the customers.

3. Ensure that the products you are supplying are of the best quality possible, and also provide the best customer service that you can.

4. If at all possible purchase test products you plan to sell to your customers. If you can not afford to purchase the product, search the Internet for a product review on the products you want to sell.

5. If any of your customers have a question, then make sure that you respond as quickly as possible and follow up afterward to ensure that they are satisfied with the information you provided to them.