In our digital age, it has become possible to shop without even leaving home.
You can buy almost anything, from groceries to various kinds of equipment. All of this becomes possible thanks to online stores.
Every day, more and more new online stores appear on the internet. But despite the appeal of this type of business, there is a high probability of operating at a loss.
Practice shows that only a small portion of online stores are profitable.
Let’s break down the main reasons for failures when launching an online store:
1. Myth one – you can sell anything online.
There is a common belief that thanks to the internet, it is possible to sell anything.
Although in reality this is far from true.
As a rule, products sell well when buyers have no doubts about them. For example, CD or DVD discs, books, etc.
When buying such items through an online store, the buyer risks nothing, since they will certainly receive a product of proper quality.
It’s different with items like clothing, shoes, and personal hygiene products, since such items must have detailed specifications and additional photos.
So that the buyer can get as complete information as possible.
Which, unfortunately, the vast majority of Belarusian online stores cannot boast.
2. Myth two – creating an online store doesn’t require major financial investment.
Creating an online store doesn’t require as much money as its further promotion, or simply put, advertising.
Right now, an online store can be built with $500-600.
But many people don’t take into account the fact that it doesn’t end with creating the online store itself; much more important is its subsequent advertising.
And here the costs can exceed the cost of creating the online store by 10 times or more!
In addition, you also need to factor in costs for an office, a warehouse, and employees.
3. Myth three – managing an online store is much easier than a traditional one.
In practice, everything usually looks the opposite, and sometimes it turns out to be much more difficult.
This is essentially the same serious business as a brick-and-mortar store.
In addition, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to manage the store alone, and you’ll have to hire staff.
