Top 10 Benefits of Selling Online: An Entrepreneur's Guide

Today, the internet is no longer just an information library. It has also developed into a social
network platform and an online market of goods and services.

Big and small businesses have seen the perks of setting up an online shop which can reach a larger audience in a matter of minutes.
Millions of products are now being traded online and consumers are slowly shifting to shopping online.

Why should you consider putting up an online store? There are a lot of reasons but the most significant one, especially for start-up companies, is that it costs way less than putting up a physical store. Let's face it, rent is a big expense for every business.

Putting up an online store is cheap, sometimes even free! You would only need to pay for web hosting, your domain name and website designing. Also, people love shopping online! It's easy. It's convenient. It's often cheaper. It's fun.


Top 10 Benefits of Selling Online

1. Reach more people

Marketing your product online allows you to target a larger audience. There are millions of internet users in the Philippines and there are billions worldwide. Putting up an online store will allow you to reach a lot of consumers who may be interested in buying your product. You can also reach a significant amount of consumers in a matter of minutes, with the right marketing tools and network of course!


2. Build your brand image

An online store can allow you to build your brand image in the consumers' minds. Do you want to be known for luxury items or would you want to be an affordable supplier of good quality products? You can easily communicate your brand image through your website and other social network and marketing tools. Customers will be coming to you based on what they think you are!


3. 24/7 online traffic

Yes, this is the most amazing part in selling online. Your website/online store would be active 24/7. Even while you sleep, customers can still access what you are selling and make an order. The only thing you would need to do is check your online store for orders. Isn't that great?

4. Online advertising 


Online advertising can be affordable, or even cheap, for your business. Most websites that offer advertising allow flexible plans that adjust to your company's budget. The great thing is that you would be able to reach a large audience every hour of the day. Facebook ads and Google adWords are some notable websites that offer flexible advertisement plans. View the following pages for more information: Google adWords and Facebook ads


5. Choose your target market accurately

There are numerous online websites and mobile apps where you could sell your product. The visitors in those sites and apps differ in class and behavior. Choosing the right medium to sell would allow you to reach the highest number possible of your target market. You can also place ads in Google adSense and Facebook ads which would automatically reach your target market. Do some research about where online traffic go and what kind of people are included in this traffic.


6. Save time

Selling online basically saves you more time since your whole store is active 24/7 even if you're doing something else. This only requires you to check your online store once in a while for orders. Because of the automatic processes of selling online, you can lay down and relax while you wait for orders of your product/s.


7. Cashless transactions

When a consumer buys your product, everything will be sent automatically to your bank account. No need to transact with real money. This saves you from the risk of losing money in store or even theft. Simply check your bank account online to see if you have been paid by the customer. An example of an online cashless transaction service is PayPal. Visit the PayPal website.


8. Expose your business to the international market

If your product is well-capable, you can expose your product in the international market. Lots of people from different countries are looking for goods that are unique and not available in their country. Through your online website you can get orders coming from around the world. Just make sure to add shipping costs.

9. Easily receive customer feedback

Let's face it. Customer feedback is very important, no matter if it is positive or negative. This tells you how customers see your product and how you can improve it so that customers would buy more from you. Selling online usually allows comment fields and emails from your customers. Most of them may send complaints or even compliments about your product. Do not ignore this important piece of information!


10. Look more professional 

Having a website will give you the impression that you are very professional. Most consumers have a belief that only established and secure companies have websites which means that having one would instantly make you look professional. Of course, your website would need to look professional too. Create professional looking websites using WordPress. Create an awesome website via wordpress.org now!


Online selling is not just an option today, it is also a requirement for any serious business. Everyone goes online now through their computers, tablets and smartphones and the best thing to do is to reach your customers on whatever platform they are using. Failing to see the benefits of online selling early can cause your business to get left behind since almost every large corporation sells online.



Keep in touch!


Terms and definitions:

Online selling - The process of selling your products online through a website.
Online store - This is a webpage in the internet where you sell your goods and services to the consumers.
Brand image - This is how your consumers see your brand as different to other brands.

Filipinos are Natural Entrepreneurs

Successful entrepreneurs are not a businessmen; as most people would think so. Businessmen own several businesses which were not necessarily started by him but if it were, they would not be unique ideas. Businessmen are excellent at managing businesses.

Successful entrepreneurs, on the other hand, is a person who innovates or thinks of ideas and solutions to our everyday problems. These ideas are then turned into business ventures where an entrepreneur generates profit and at the same time solves an everyday problem in the society. The world's most successful entrepreneurs are the world's best problem-solvers.

Why entrepreneurship? Simply because we, successful entrepreneurs, can change the world for the better! That is why I chose to be an entrepreneur and right now I hope you make the right decision too.


We Filipinos are successful entrepreneurs


If you want to be an entrepreneur, it is not that complicated. We, Filipinos, are naturally inclined to be successful entrepreneurs. I am still amazed by how street vendors, who have little to no training to be an entrepreneur, are able to cope up with the consumer's demands. When I as a kid, the street vendors only sold fish balls, taho, kwek-kwek, isaw, dirty ice cream, mani such. (They still exist until now.)

In high school, I ran a baller band business with some of my classmates. You may remember those rubber wrist bands with different texts and colors? Well, we produced 1-inch versions of them. We ordered in bulk per design and it cost us like P30 a piece. But the market price was at P150. A P120 profit per baller! The industry rocketed sky-high for a whole year and we were able to earn ourselves a great profit. Then, we started seeing imitations of our designs in the street for only P50. Well, the street vendors started monopolizing the industry until it fell.

In college, there would be new products sold by street vendors every year. Japanese cakes where already existing but someone thought of putting an oreo inside the cake, it boomed for almost a year.

Then, street vendors started selling candy in their mini "Candy Corner" carts. Well of course, students in my university liked the idea of a cheap "Candy Corner" in the streets.

Then came, piayas which were good by the way. As usual, the students would swarm around something new in the streets.

Notice the pattern? These ideas may not be new but what makes them unique is that they are sold in the street; convenient and cheaper prices for the consumers. It is easy for us, Filipinos to spot opportunities and take advantage of them. That is why you are a natural entrepreneur! 

I hope I have answered any questions in your mind about entrepreneurship especially the question: "Why entrepreneurship?" Today is the latest time to be an entrepreneur! Who knows, you might even become one of the world's most successful entrepreneurs.

Keep in touch!

Terms and definitions

Consumer's demands - These are what the customers want.

Market price - Price the product is being sold in the market. (Value in the market)

Monopolizing - Taking control of the market; buyers only buy from you.

The "Be an Entrepreneur" Advocacy

Hi guys! This blog was created for the purpose of educating Filipinos about entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is an underestimated and often avoided topic.

Most Filipinos would rather talk about politics, social networking sites, current events, fashion trends, and the latest gadgets in daily conversations. Truth be told, Filipinos are capable of being the best entrepreneurs in Asia! Maybe even in the whole world!



The Filipino mindset

But why do Filipinos shove away the idea of becoming an entrepreneur? Simple, income security. Since we all live in a third-world country we all know how valuable money is in our daily lives. We need money to eat, to go from one place to another, to use our cellphones, to access the internet and even drinking water costs money. More than three-quarters of our population have financial problems and money is too valuable for them to put at risk. Yes, risk. We often associate entrepreneurship and business with risk. But successful entrepreneurs prove otherwise.

A risk or not? 

This is why most Filipinos would prefer to get a stable income by working as an employee. Even today, employees are paid at minimum wage and rather than "risking" their money in business Filipinos would use their money for necessities and wants. In my previous experiences and those of successful entrepreneurs, business does not equate to risk. Risk is greatly reduced by studying the industry of your business, your target market and your product/service. The more you know, the less risk you have.

Why entrepreneurship? Well, there are a lot of reasons and I believe you would enjoy the benefits if you want to be an entrepreneur. I will explain further the basic terms and principles used in business and entrepreneurship and also write guides on how to be an entrepreneur and be part of the country's most successful entrepreneurs in this blog.

Keep in touch!

Terms and definitions

Entrepreneurship - The process of generating an idea and turning that idea into a profitable business.

Industry - Group of business that have related products and services.
Target market - Group of people you are trying to sell your product to.