Over the last few years, marketplaces have had a real explosion of notoriety and use, a trend that has only increased during these last two years of restrictions due to Covid. But what are marketplaces and why can they be a trump card for your eCommerce?
The answer to this last question lies in the answer to the first: marketplaces are online intermediation platforms for the sale and purchase of goods and services typically with the peculiarity of providing the customer with a very wide assortment of products but above all of marques and brands, all comfortably in one place. In other words, a marketplace is the digital equivalent of a shopping center: it represents an online showcase in which the sales of various types of products from different merchants are managed.
This first and quick description already highlights a fundamental aspect for even a medium-small eCommerce that wants to expand its range of action: just to mention some of the best known names such as Amazon, Ebay or Alibaba. These platforms allow you to launch a product on the market without geographical limits, taking advantage of the notoriety and online visibility of marketplaces, creating opportunities for commercial development and exponential growth of the business generated.
You can choose different marketplaces according to your needs, the target and interest markets and the products marketed. You can opt for more vertical or specialized marketplaces in a single sector, to target customers from the start, or for more horizontal platforms that allow you to showcase products and services of various kinds.
Crucial point is the integration of the chosen marketplaces, for the development of your business, with your eCommerce, based on the type of products and prices to be entered for each target market, the availability of stock and the communication method chosen to make the brand recognizable even in dispersive contexts.
However, it is essential not to fall into the easy mistake of thinking neither that it is a panacea for any business nor that it is a one-off action and then "goes on on its own". It is a path that must be structured in a precise and detailed way as there are many factors at play that can lead to the success or failure of an eCommerce development strategy on marketplaces.
Best practice, therefore, is to rely on structured professional realities such as E-Business Consulting for the development of the different phases of a visibility project on marketplaces through:
- An Analysis, or identification of the markets, the sector and the reference platforms
- A consultation, i.e. determining the selection of products and related prices as well as the integration of various information and requirements for the various platforms
- An operational set up, that is the definition of shipping policies and implementation and management of the data feed
- Management and monitoring of both ADV activities in the reference markets and reporting on performance trends
To find out how to take the first steps in this new world, entrust E-Business Consulting, a Digital Marketing agency active since 2003. Contact us for a free quote for your visibility in the marketplaces in Italy and abroad.