Over the past few years, the scale of trade through the World Wide Web has been increasing almost exponentially. The reason for this is the unconditional benefit of the buyer when purchasing goods online. After all, by choosing a product and purchasing it in this way, the client has a much wider assortment and, most importantly, saves a lot of time.
Types of online trading
There are several ways to sell online:
- Online store - that is, a separate website is being developed and created, and in the future it is promoted, promoted and constantly maintained.
- Announcement board. On such resources, ads with the contact details of the seller are simply placed. Used for one-time or small-scale sales or purchases.
- Internet platform.
- Online auction.
There are also other, not so popular and well-known options for online trading on the Web, but we will talk about them another time. In the same article, the option of online trading using large Internet sites will be considered.
What are online platforms
This kind of platform is a special resource where sellers and buyers make purchase and sale transactions. Also, auctions, contests, advertising campaigns and other trading events can be held here. In simple words, an online trading platform can be compared to a large business center in real life, the owner of which rents out premises to trading and various service companies. Trading and providing services on the network platform, unlike other methods of implementation, has its advantages, which will be discussed further.
Benefits
Internet platform usually has its advantages:
- Saving time. This is one of the most basic advantages, because, as they say, "time is money." And by buying or selling online, you can significantly save this resource, leaving it for other, more necessary things.
- Saving money. There is also a mutual benefit for both the seller and the buyer, since the first does not spend money on renting a place for a retail outlet, and the second, respectively, pays less for the purchased goods.
- Unlimited geography. This benefit lies in the fact that the seller and the buyer can find each other without leaving the apartment or office, while at the same time being in different parts of the world.
- Easy start. This advantage is more relevant to sellers and implies the fact that there is no need to haveany knowledge of website building. An online platform for the sale of goods, as a rule, provides an opportunity to set up your store using ready-made templates, display products, add a description to it, and immediately start selling. That is, there is no need to pay a considerable amount to the webmaster for the creation and maintenance of the future store site.
- Savings on advertising. A huge number of stores have already been placed on large sites. Thousands of potential buyers visit the resource every day. Thanks to this, you can save a lot on promotion and further promotion of your site.
In such a positive way, you can talk for a long time. But there are also some negative aspects.
Internet platform and its pitfalls
Marketplaces are certainly good, but not everything is as smooth as it might seem at first glance.
Firstly, if you pay a one-time fee for creating your site, then payment for placing a store on the trading platform will be paid regularly.
Secondly, by and large, the site still does not belong to the seller. And if, God forbid, some force majeure happens and the site suspends or even stops its activities, the seller will not be able to influence the course of events in any way. He will need either another online platform, or he will be forced to create his personal store on the site.
Thirdly, despite the simplicity of creating a store using ready-made templates, the future seller will still be limited in choosing a design orspecialized settings, compared to the situation when a webmaster creates a site for him that takes into account all the wishes.
Well, you should also take into account the fact that in addition to developing your own business, there is some capital investment in someone else's, since you have to pay for renting a place on the site, it is possible to pay for some advertising services in order to stand out from the others placed on the site shops and so on. And perhaps it would be better to invest this part of the capital in the development of your own resource?
Reflections
So, after all, what is better - a separate online store or placement on a large online platform? There is no single answer here. As they say, the taste and color … A lot depends on the specific case and situation. For example, if this is an online platform for Chinese goods, where there are small sales volumes with an average profit or with one-time sales, short-term projects, and the like, then in this case it is better to use the services of a large resource. And if you plan to work permanently in this type of business with the prospect of development, increase in cash flow and the volume of services provided, then it is better to develop your own resource. You can also add that it is better to start activities on the site, and in the future it will be advisable to switch to your own resource.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be said that trading on the World Wide Web is rapidlyis developing, the range of goods and services provided online is growing, and competition is also growing. And if now a new online trading platform in Russia, its opening and promotion is quite realistic, then you should not forget that every year, month, and even day it becomes more and more difficult to find your niche in this business. No need to hesitate or doubt. Time is money. No time to waste.
