You might be asking yourself, “Should I sell on Amazon or on my own website?” The answer to this question is dependent on your business and goals. This post will help you make your decision.
Selling on Amazon is a different game than selling your products on your own website.
There are several factors to consider before deciding which you should choose, but identifying these considerations will help you track down the answers and ultimately find the best solution for your business.
The pros of selling on Amazon
Amazon offers several perks to companies looking to become professional sellers on the platform.
Reach
There are more than 300 million Amazon shoppers across all of the company’s platforms, which gives you the opportunity to reach a large number of potential customers.
Audience
Focus on people that want to buy your products. Purchasing on Amazon is a natural next step for consumers, and customers will naturally look to Amazon first when making choices about where to shop.
Convenience
Save time and money by selling your products on Amazon. Amazon takes care of the maintenance, costs, and management that come with running an e-commerce site. You don’t have to worry about web hosting or redesigns. When you sell on Amazon, they handle those tasks for you.
When you sell on Amazon, you can focus on what’s most important for your business: selling and growing. Selling on Amazon.com means you’re already in front of millions of shoppers who have come to trust Amazon for their fulfillment needs.
Amazon is a huge company, and to achieve the success you’ll need to partner with an agency that knows how to navigate the Amazon ecosystem.
It’s easy enough to manage your product listings; adding a product tracking system that integrates with Amazon and analyzing customer reviews is much more challenging. Don’t waste time trying to get started with these projects yourself!
Protection
When you register your brand with the registry, you’re protected against knock-off versions of your products, as well as copycat sellers who are trying to steal customers. As a registered brand, you also get access to Amazon Advertising services to help drive sales.
Community
More than one million other small-to-midsized businesses (SMBs) sell on Amazon. Get started today with an Amazon Business Seller account.
Amazon has a forum where sellers can go to ask questions and get advice from other sellers. This can be a great way to learn about new ideas for products.
The cons of selling on Amazon
Selling on Amazon isn’t perfect. The platform comes with some disadvantages, including:
Competition
The biggest downside of selling on Amazon is competing with over one million other sellers. You might need to spend money on PPC ads or run promotions to get people’s attention and stand out from the crowd.
Amazon
There are cons to selling on Amazon. For example, competitors may sell similar items and use the same keywords. Another con is having your item listed below other sellers’ products in search results.
Or you might feel like you don’t get enough time for inventory management and product research because of Amazon takes up all of your time.
When it comes to sales, Amazon tops all the other options when it comes to product listing optimization and boosting brand awareness. Optimizing your listings for search is the first step toward more traffic and orders.
You can also enhance your presence with an ad campaign, which will help get you a better spot on page one of search results, increasing sales from potential customers.
Fees
When you sell on Amazon, you must pay several different seller fees, which include:
Seller plan
Amazon sellers can choose between two options when selling on Amazon. The Individual plan is a non-subscription service that allows you to sell more items on Amazon.
In comparison, the Professional plan requires a $39.99 monthly subscription but provides access to additional features for retailers who wish to run their business with the help of Amazon
Referral fee
Referral fees are just one way Amazon makes money from your hard work. When someone buys an item from your Amazon store and spends $10 or more, you receive a referral fee for bringing them to the site.
FBA fees
As the largest online marketplace in the world, selling on Amazon can give your business a competitive advantage. With millions of customers flocking to their website every year, it makes sense for you to tap into that powerful consumer base.
The pros of selling on your own website
Selling on your own website, instead of Amazon, has a few advantages. You’ll have more control over your brand and be able to create a website that best represents your products.
Owned
With your own website, you take control of the entire process. You’re in charge of everything from the product page design to your checkout process. You also eliminate all the competition that comes with renting platforms like Amazon, Walmart Marketplace, and Sears Marketplace.
Customers
If you sell products on your website, Amazon is not involved in the transaction. This means that you don’t have to worry about meeting Amazon’s sales, growth, and quality requirements.
And when it comes to marketing and advertising, Amazon doesn’t offer as many options as selling on your own website does.
Data
Amazon is great, but having your own platform means you can do things like track user data, make changes and improve your site with zero interference from any third party.
The cons of selling on your own website
Selling on your own website comes with some disadvantages too, including greater expenses, longer waiting periods for getting paid, and the need for more technical know-how.
Management
If you’re a small or medium-sized business and choose to sell on your own website (as we do), you’ll have all the work of managing and maintaining a website. From choosing a web hosting provider to adding a new product page, it’s up to your company to keep your site operational.
Cost
The decision of whether to sell on Amazon or your own website requires an instant and substantial investment. That’s because you need to create your site and marketing strategies before you go live.
Reach
If you sell products on your website, it can take time for people to discover and trust your brand. Several customers will likely try out your products at first, but after that, you’ll need to push them to come back
SEO is a digital marketing strategy that helps make your site more visible in search results on search engines like Google or Bing. It allows you to reach new customers who are actively looking for products like yours.
Where should you sell your products?
The most important thing to consider when deciding where to sell your products is: what works best for your business. You need to explore the pros and cons of selling on various e-commerce channels, as well as how much work is involved.
Don’t forget to talk with your team and do some research into what other brands are doing!
Increasing revenue through your website and Amazon Store
The world is calling for your products and services. Which channel do you want to use to drive more sales? EnactUp can help you find the right e-commerce platform for your business, whether you decide to sell on your own site or Amazon. We specialize in digital marketing services for Amazon