How to start an online toy store?
Shortly, It can be simplified to 3 main steps.
- Choose an E-commerce platform
- Find the reliable toy supplier
- Market your online store
1. Choose an E-commerce platform (Ebay, Amazon, Shopify, Local region e-commerce platform, etc)
Currently,Amazon and Shopify are the most popular, and there are many guides about opening an online store. Here we’d like to share some views about Shopify vs Amazon.
| Shopify | Amazon | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform-type | Website builder and host | Third-party marketplace |
| Pricing | $39 to $399 per month ($1 per month on the first 3 months) | 99 cents per each item sold on Individual plan; $39.99 per month |
| Templates and Design | Equipped with an online web builder and a diverse collection of professional and free templates for various industry types | No control over design of Amazon store |
| Marketing Options | Social media integration, gift cards, discount codes, Google Ads credits | Amazon paid ads, competitive pricing |
| Transaction Fee | Zero percent on all plans only if using Shopify Payments. If using an external payment gateway, transaction fees are 2% for Shopify Lite and Basic Shopify; 1% for Shopify and 0.5% for Advanced Shopify | All sellers must pay a referral fee based on the product category |
| Mobile-Friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Customer Support | Shopify Lite offers 24/7 live chat and email; all other plans offer 24/7 live chat, email and phone support | Contact Amazon Seller Support team via Seller Central account |
Entrepreneurs who don’t want to deal with managing inventory and product fulfillment can use Amazon FBA. However, individual selling accounts have a storage limit of 10 cubic feet, while professional selling accounts do not have storage limits. There are also fees based on the product weight, size, type and channels where the product is sold.
Shopify also has a fulfillment network, but it’s not as advanced or streamlined as Amazon FBA. There’s also an option to use Amazon FBA, even if you’re not an Amazon Seller.
If your target audiences are local customers, there’re also local region e-commerce platform, such as BOL in Netherlands, and Mercadolivre in Brazil. You can investigate locally.
2. Find the reliable toy supplier
IU toys is here to be your best choice, our one-stop service can make your procurement easy. You can get all what you need from here, and we ensure the quality and shipment. We’re your external team, assisting you to deal with all the things in the rear, so that you can focus on the front of the sales.
3. Market your online store
Once your online store is up and running, you need to market it.
There’s a reason the current generation is often called the instant gratification generation: our world is more connected—and easily accessible—than ever. With a few clicks of a button, people from all over the world can purchase your products and services 24/7, 365 days per year, provided you have an online website. Sometimes, this is referred to as an e-commerce store. The overall look, speed and quality of your site can make or break a sale.
Here are several ways you can promote your online store:
- Add your brand to online directories.
- Work with influencers to promote your brand.
- Online advertising, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads.
- Use content marketing to help your site get found online.
- Create social media profiles and become active on them.
- Referral or loyalty programs.
- Use press releases (if you have highly unique or groundbreaking products).
- Join an affiliate marketing program.
- Try word-of-mouth marketing.
Successful marketing campaigns contain many, if not all, of these strategies at the same time. Try a few different methods and see which ones work best for you.
