We’re living in a digital era now. The pandemic only sped things up for us, but even before COVID-19 swept all over the world, we were already on the fast track to digitalization. Remote work has already been observed by a lot of companies even before it blew up last year. Banking and trading were done online before the shift last year. In addition, e-commerce has been around for decades.
Now that we’re already a year and a half into the pandemic, many folks who have either been laid off or furloughed looked to sell different things online to make a living and feed their families. While some have gone back to work or have already found employment elsewhere since then, many have stuck it out and continue to sell online either as a primary or secondary income source.
And while more people are interested in the concept of getting into online selling as a supplement to their major income or as their primary means of livelihood, a lot of them are on the fence about it mainly because of lack of information or false news.
Debunking Some Common E-commerce Myths
The world wide web is a great source of information that is made readily available and accessible to everyone. However, it has also been the source of plenty of misleading information about different topics, including e-commerce.
Folks have many questions about e-commerce, especially those interested in doing it as a retailer. And while some of them do their own research to find out what’s true and what’s not about it, many people aren’t as diligent enough.
Here are a few e-commerce myths and urban legends that most people hear about:
Myth #1: All you need is social media
One of the most outlandish claims about online selling is all you need is social media. While social media is a great way of getting the word out there about your business, you need to understand a lot of technical aspects for it to work well for you. Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram can only let you do so much.
On the flip side, having a website or e-commerce platform also isn’t enough. Getting your products out in front of people is just one small part of the game. You also need to think about market research, current trends, probable risks, consumer behavior, and a lot of stuff that most people don’t care to think about.
Myth #2: Once you go online, everything is smooth sailing
While going online is a lot more convenient, it offers its own set of challenges. You may think that legal challenges aren’t a big concert. But suppose your product causes a mishap in your customer’s home, and they call in a personal injury attorney to press charges against you. Or suppose customers call you out on social media and file complaints against you for untruthful advertising. In those cases, you might think differently.
That’s not even counting how to drive and increase traffic on your website and e-commerce page, especially if you’re new to all this. Then there’s the issue of looking for the right suppliers, service providers, freight companies, and other vendors to help you run and maintain your business. It is still hard work with an entirely different set of new challenges.
Myth #3: You won’t get as much traffic unless you sell at lower prices
For the longest time, we have believed that low prices drive consumer behavior. We were taught that the lower the price, the more people will buy. A lot of business owners have bought into that lie, especially during this pandemic. However, pricing is not the only thing that brings sales numbers through the roof.
Competitive pricing has always been one of the main considerations of business owners. People are willing to pay more for things they need and want, especially if they think it is worth their money. Some things that make it worth their while are the brand preference, customer service, overall shopping experience, accessibility and availability, and reviews and feedback. It’s not just always about what’s on the price tag.
Myth #4: You need to be tech-savvy to succeed as an online seller
While selling online does require a certain amount of technical know-how, it isn’t really that hard to do unless you want to be hands-on with everything. You don’t need to be a computer wiz to get started. At the very least, you need to know how to start an e-commerce page, how to take the right kind of pictures for uploading, and how to write a proper product description. All the rest can be easily learned with tutorials and website FAQs.
Online selling may not be for everyone, but any misleading and false information about it should not hinder people. Do your due diligence and know the facts first before making any major decisions about it. Having the right information in your hands will empower you to make a well-informed decision.
