If you’re running a drop ship business, choosing the right virtual storefront is critical to your success. Knowing what options are available to you lets you make the best decision for your particular business and for your situation.
Option 1: Wholesaler-Provided
Some drop ship businesses may have the option to purchase a virtual storefront directly from their drop ship wholesaler. This type of arrangement has several benefits, but it also has some very specific disadvantages. One of the obvious benefits is that the system is, ideally, tied directly into the supplier’s inventory database. That means that if a supplier is out of a certain product, your customers won’t be able to order the product. You’ll never have to worry about refunding a purchase because the product is not in stock.
On the other hand, wholesaler-provided virtual storefronts have some risks. First of all, you can bet that there are indeed other retailers who are utilizing this service from the wholesaler. This means that there is very little that will truly identify your storefront and make it stand out from all of the others. You’re limited to using the design elements that the wholesaler offers.
Option 2: Third-Party Provided
Many companies, including Ebay, Yahoo and Google offer virtual storefronts to small businesses. These storefronts have one massive advantage in that they naturally pull in some of the traffic that would otherwise land on these sites. Third party virtual storefronts can, in some cases, give you much more direct access to your market.
Here again, this type of virtual storefront has some downsides. For example, you are still limited to whatever design elements the third party provides to you. In addition, it’s possible (and likely, in some cases) that there are other virtual storefronts on the site selling the same products that you are.
Option 3: Self-Designed
A self-designed virtual storefront offers you the most opportunity for customization. You can use whatever design elements you want, and are only limited by whatever software you choose to use. You also have full control over whether the site is performing well or not.
A self-designed site, on the other hand, also requires the most time and knowledge. If you don’t have at least a rudimentary grasp of web programming languages like html or php, you’re going to have a tough time of putting up a self-designed virtual storefront.
Ultimately, the type of virtual storefront you choose depends on the technical resources you have, the particular market you’re dealing in, and your own personal preferences.
Recent Comments