In a previous post I discussed the concept of e-tailing, which is the profession of selling goods and services through the internet. I’d like to continue that conversation and get into the details of how to succeed and make money online as an e-tailer.

1. Identify the Marketplaces You Want to Sell On

There are many online seller marketplaces, all offering unique benefits that can help to increase your earnings. In the recent 2014 Sellers Choice Awards sellers rated their experience across various online marketplaces, with the top 16 making the final results, and top 5 including e-tail giants such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.

Amazon offers many tools for sellers, ranging from fulfillment tools, to marketing and advertisement.

Etsy offers tools for sellers as well, and while they may not be as comprehensive as other marketplace offerings such as Amazon, they put sellers in touch with a unique and extremely active community of global consumers.

Having been around for quite some time, eBay also offers many tools for sellers.

2. Invest in Software and Technology

E-tailing is extremely popular, and growing in popularity each day. With billions of items being sold worldwide there is now a comprehensive offering of online software for e-tailers.

Once such software is CrazyVendor, which provides features such as organization of orders across several marketplaces, logistics and shipping management, automated order processing, and more. As quoted by CrazyVendor Co-Founder Viktor Levitin, who has previously been awarded by eBay for outstanding sales, “CrazyVendor cut down our daily workflow from five hours to 45 minutes, enabling us to increase sales by 120% within three months.”

3. Leverage Social Media to Promote Your Products

There are many individuals, professionals, and businesses selling products online. To be a successful e-tailer, you need to separate yourself from the rest – you need to stand out.

One way to do this is by creating a personalized and social connection with your consumers. Creation of brand of product pages on major social media networks, such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest is an easy way to do this.

When promoting your products on social media, make sure to be creative and connect with your consumers. Simple promotion will not be effective – respond to questions, offer promotions and sales, ask for feedback and invite consumers to create a conversation around your products.

4. Showcase Your Products

“A picture is worth a thousand words” – or in the case of e-tailing, a thousand sales. While writing an effective product description is important, consumers today are bombarded with extreme amounts of information. You only have a few seconds to grab the attention of a would-be consumer – make them count! Take professional photos of your products, display them in creative and informative ways that will make your consumer have to stop and read more.

Both Amazon and eBay have stated on several occasions that images play an important role in improving sales. This blog post by the Amazing Selling Machine, a popular course for Amazon Sellers, has additional tips on product images for Amazon sellers.

5. Work Hard

There is no such thing as a “get rich quick” profession. While e-tailing is certainly an amazing opportunity for professionals and entrepreneurs worldwide to make money online, it requires hard work and dedication. If your goal is to get rich quick, you won’t find it with e-tailing.

Analyze the results of your sales, listen to your consumers, track market trends and adapt to changes, and most importantly – be prepared to change your thinking.

Have additional tips for e-tailing that I missed, or have questions on any of the tips above? Leave a comment and let me know!

In an era of virtual marketplaces and E-Commerce, Etsy took the world by storm by offering a place for anyone to sell unique art, jewelry, furniture and more, internationally. More importantly, Etsy has created an authentic seller community that hadn’t yet existed in the world of E-Commerce.

Etsy has quickly become the go-to site for special finds, one-of-a-kind decorations and even cool vintage clothes. What was once limited to local stores and malls is now open to anyone with a product to offer.

If you’re an Etsy seller, you’re probably always looking for ways to boost your sales and draw people to visit your Etsy store. If you’re not a seller yet but are thinking of opening an Etsy store, you’re probably wondering how to do it in the best way possible. Either way, these 5 simple tips will help you:

1. Take Amazing Photos

We all know that what we see greatly influences us. A good photo of a product will most likely make you want it even more than an average photo. Your products need to shine in vibrant, eye-catching and selling photographs. Experiment with textures, background, lighting and angles; a small change makes a great difference!

2. Know Yourself and Identify Your Brand

For people to want your products, they need to understand who you are and what you’re offering. Put effort in describing yourself, your products and your vision. Do some research on how to create a business plan and set goals to stay motivated. Success won’t come overnight – having an Etsy store is like running a business; you need a clear brand and business tactics to make it.

3. Remember Your Audience

You have to clearly identify who is your go-to crowd. Is it men or women? Single people or married with kids? Audience targeting is one of the most important things when marketing a product or service and you have to focus on who your brand is reaching out to. The best is to narrow it down to the most accurate audience – this way you can easily target your people and know where to find them. Also, don’t forget to invest in customer service. This will bring people back and make them want to recommend your store to others, which is the best kind of promotion.

4. Two Words: Social Media

These days, you won’t make it if you’re not relevant and active on Social Media platforms. Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are the default 3 but other, more visually enticing networks, fit the Etsy vibe perfectly; Pinterest is a great Social Media marketing tool and even Youtube, in case you want to show your audience exactly how you made that wooden statue. Another great idea is to maintain a blog where you share your products, creative process and a bit of yourself. Remember – fame won’t come instantly and growing your Social Media following takes time; but it is by far the best way to promote your Etsy store.

5. Learn From the Community

With so many different stores and sellers on Etsy, it would be silly not to try and learn from your fellow Tastemakers. You can see the top stores, see what they’re doing to boost sales and draw inspiration from their Social Media channels, product descriptions or other creative tools they use to succeed. Etsy is a very close-knit community and it’s a good way to get the hang of things and stay motivated. It’s also worth to check out the Etsy Blog, which has cool ideas, tips and inspirational posts.

I hope these tips help you become a super Etsy seller and motivate you even more. Here’s a great infographic about how Etsy changed the economy (with a few more tips):