Starting your multi-channel expansion with online marketplaces first can provide your business with additional streams of income and gain:

• Access to new audiences
• High volumes of traffic
• Well-funded and marketed infrastructures

However, to stand out in saturated markets, you need a strong brand and a fantastic product that people will share in person and online. To create a strong brand, you’ll have to put the customer at the center of your channel expansion strategy. This way, you can drive them back to your e-commerce store for repeat purchases.

Here’s how to sell on online marketplaces and create a strong brand:

1. Improve your online marketplace listings.

On Amazon, for example, take the time to place your products in the proper product categories. This way, your products will be in the ideal search areas and you’ll attract active buyers. Miscategorizing your product pages can lead to users finding your products in error, which typically won’t result in a purchase.

Then, you’ll want to create unique and compelling product descriptions so that customers will be persuaded, and search engines can find the listings easier. Use SEO best practices to help you find the best keywords for the listing. In the product description, you’ll also want to address customer pain points or frequently asked questions. Doing so will help differentiate your products and online shop in a crowded market.

When creating your product description, you’ll also need high-quality and well-photographed images to help your products stand out.

2. Encourage customers to transition from the online marketplace to your own site.

To encourage customers to shop on your own website instead of the online marketplace, include a link to your site on your social media profiles. You can also offer incentives, such as coupons, discounts, loyalty points, free gifts, or reduced shipping costs to get customers to order from your online store instead.

3. Pack like a professional.

Delight customers with fun and environmentally responsible packaging that encourages them to share their unboxing experience on social media. If you have full control over the shipping process, don’t forget to include branded content in your parcels. Put your website address on the shipping label and the invoice so that customers know where to go when shopping in the future.

Inside the package, include your business card, a postcard, branded stickers, magnets, or a handwritten note to help drive their attention to your website. Not only will your customers love the extra touch, but it’ll also let them know they can go straight to you the next time they order.

4. Add a personal note and your contact information with all returns and exchanges.

With returns and exchanges, most marketplaces allow sellers to include a personal note in email correspondence. Write the copy from a personal perspective as a business owner. Don’t forget to include your email address, website URL, and social media links.

5. Go above and beyond for customers

There’s no denying the power of providing excellent customer service. When you go above and beyond for customers, they’ll remember how you, your team, and overall brand made them feel. If they feel that you met their needs or even went above and beyond, they may come back to make a purchase in the future.

Seamlessly sell on online marketplaces

Extending your small business into an online marketplace can seem intimidating at first, but with the proper resources, you can stay ahead of your competition. Ensuring you have inventory, product listings, and orders flowing smoothly is the key to multi-channel expansion.

With robust functionality,QuickBooks Commerce can help you efficiently manage multi-channel inventory and orders in one platform. Plus, you’ll have access to valuable insights at your fingertips that empower you to estimate your future e-commerce sales quantity and place purchase orders for your stock on time to meet the demand.

Get started with QuickBooks today to connect to popular e-commerce platforms, such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Shopify, and Squarespace, and start your online marketplace expansion.