How to sell your company’s products online safely

If you own any kind of business, then selling your stock or goods online makes perfect sense. 73% of businesses sell online through eBay or Amazon now, with almost 70% of businesses that do claiming that it has helped them grow. With this in mind, it seems that selling online is a great option for all types of business from small start-ups to more established operations.

But why is this?

Online is where people shop

The importance of selling your products online really comes down to it being where a lot of your customers shop now. It is thought that 54% of Millennials alone shop via the internet, and this figure will no doubt be similar across all demographics. The sheer popularity of e-commerce means that any modern business simply cannot miss out on the sales and revenue that it can provide.

Of course, selling products online is not quite as simple as it sounds. While you may think that it is as easy as simply listing your products online at a marketplace or your own e-commerce store, it does require a bit more thought.

One key area to think about in this regard is staying safe when shopping online.

How can you sell products online safely for business?

If you run a business and are wanting to start selling online, then it is important to stay safe when doing so. This will not only protect you and your staff but also stop any malicious activity from actually harming what you do.

Here are some great ways to stay safe when selling online:

• Cyber security – as you will be selling on the internet, cyber security is essential. This is the act of making sure that all your company systems and servers are robust enough to prevent hackers. Before you even think about selling online, you need to make sure that your company IT security and firewalls are up to date. This will protect you from people trying to gain access to your confidential systems either through your e-commerce store itself or via your website.
• Use a reputable marketplace – as well as selling via your own website or store, you will probably sell via online marketplaces. This is a great idea as you get access to many more potential customers – 95 million Americans, for example, have Amazon Prime membership to date. It is important to make sure that you only sell through reputable marketplaces like this though, so you do not get scammed or ripped off.
• Check buyer ratings – when selling through a marketplace such as eBay, many will have a rating system in place for buyers and sellers. This will tell you with a quick glance if the person you are selling to is actually for real and not a time waster. Make sure that you look at these ratings before completing any business to stay safe and avoid any hassle.
• Consider your payment options – one vital element of selling anywhere online is how you will be paid. Naturally, cash is not an option, so this leaves other methods such as debit card or e-solutions such as PayPal. In general, these are best as they are reliable and secure with no risk posed to your business’s online security or of payment defaulting.
• Send goods via courier – one bugbear for many businesses selling online in terms of safety is the actual safety of their future business. Many devious buyers will claim not to have received their order, which could cost you lots of money and actually threaten your whole future. By using courier delivery from reputable firms such as UPS that can confirm delivery, this can be avoided.

Why not get some expert help?

If you are looking into selling online but are worried about safety, then why not get some expert advice? There are even dedicated consultants for the big marketplaces such as Amazon to help with certain advice. Employing an Amazon seller consultant could be the best way to make sure that you are covered – try to find some more information online about them, or hire a seller consultant to get the inside track on what they can offer.

Stay safe when selling online  

If you are serious about selling your products online, then you must stay safe when doing it. This will protect not only your company’s IT systems but also the financial health of your business. Hopefully, the above tips will have given you some great ways to do just that. Done right, it can really help push your organization to the next level.

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