Selling Products Online
Conversations in the marketplace aim to sell something. This does not necessarily mean an exchange involving money. The exchange may be of ideas or activities.
So, it is helpful to think about what we mean by ‘sell’. To sell something is always an exchange. If I have a product I will give it to you in exchange for something else. It works because we both receive something we value more than whatever we give in exchange. Any of the following may apply:
- You give away the product at no immediate cost. If the consumer enjoys the free gift, they are more likely to make a purchase later. Online this might be a product you can download from a website.
- You give away the product in exchange for information. The information is often your email address. List building is a major advantage for anyone marketing online and you are probably receiving many communications from email lists you’ve signed up to over the years.
- And of course products can be sold for money.
The Power of Products!
The big advantage of products is that once you’ve set up your online system, people can make purchases at any time with minimal additional work for you. Setting up reliable and robust systems can be a headache but it is in reach of anyone who wants to do it. This is a major development online and has been possible for only a few years.
Two Possibilities
I can write more about any aspect upon request.
- Things shipped to your house. So, you can order a book, some groceries or a DVD and in a day or so it arrives at your door. Some people work from home and when their sites receive orders, they package and send them off. Others use companies that manufacture, pack and send orders on their behalf.
- Products that can be downloaded directly. These include ebooks, videos and online courses. This is an exciting area and there is much giddy enthusiasm about earning millions through massive marketing campaigns. Very few people are going to become millionaires through this route (for obvious reasons) and it is unfortunate there is so much emphasis upon generating massive income. The way I look at it is if you have something of value to others then your duty is to make it available at a fair price. Those who are interested in your product must appreciate that a fair price is one that enables you to make a living. Many small groups in the voluntary sector could generate modest income from selling products online.
The concept of a fair price is perhaps likely to be contested. But we should not fear this because it always has been. The marketplace has to be the arena where people agree a fair price. If someone has a good product they will care about their customers and their customers will care about them.
What are your views about products online? How do we work out a fair price?