With more than 1.6 billion websites online, it can be hard to start a new one. Even more so if you want to open a new business.
What if you want to sell things on the Internet? What if you don’t have the money or the space to buy things to have around the house? What do you have to do?
In this article, we’ll talk about some of the best ways to sell products online without having them in stock. And some of these ways to get started cost very little or nothing.
Let’s look at a few of the choices!
Multi-Level Marketing, or MLMs
MLMs, which is what people often call multi-level marketing online, aren’t for everyone. That’s because a lot of people don’t like how you have to sell to your friends or recruit other people to sell with you. For some people, though, they’re a dream come true and a way to make a lot of money.
You can also make websites where you can sell things without having to keep them in stock. Most MLMs will make you a website that you can send customers to. But if you really want to go above and beyond, you can make a website that brings in new customers.
Use the fact that your MLM sells a must-have product to find new people to sell to. Making a site with lots of keywords will help people find you and, in the end, buy from you.
All of their stock, except for a few MLMs, is kept in one of their warehouses. You can pick it up and give it out yourself, or customers can choose to have it sent to their door.
You don’t have to do anything. If someone buys the product, you get the money.
Most people will have to pay an initial fee to join the MLM. After that, they may have to pay for training.
Sell Print on Demand
You can make your own stuff on websites like Zazzle and CafePress. For example, if you really want a mug with a picture of your dog or a t-shirt with a picture of your son, you can easily log on to the website and make it with just a few clicks.
But some people are very good at making these gifts, and others have no idea where to start. This is the place for you if you love design, especially making clothes and things like notebooks and other office supplies.
There are several of these companies, and each will take a certain amount of your sales. Since they can be printed on demand, you won’t need to keep a stock of them. Instead, you can set up shop right on the website, and if someone orders your product, it will be sent to them from the website.
If you’d rather add the site to your own or make a new one for your designs, you can do that, too. You can take a commission and then place your order with the company after getting the money from your customer.
Third-party fulfillment centers
The logistics of your business will be taken care of by third-party fulfillment centers. 3PL logistics can store and ship your goods for you. For example, you can use a third-party fulfillment center if you make things by hand and want to sell them but don’t want the stock to take up space in your home.
Or, you can place your orders directly with the manufacturer and have them sent to a third-party fulfillment center, where the products will be packaged and sent to your customers.
There is a cost to using this kind of service, but it takes the pressure off of you to find the product, package it, and ship it.
It can be hard to find the right 3PL logistics partner, but in the end, it’s worth it to save yourself the trouble.
Drop Shipping
Drop shipping might look like third-party fulfillment, but it isn’t quite the same.
“Turn-key” drop shipping means that all you have to do to make money is turn a key. You don’t actually turn the key, but in this case, it means taking orders on your website and getting paid a commission.
If you decide to dropship, you’ll probably do it with a company that has a support system. You can choose what to sell on your website, and customers will then place orders. The orders go straight to the company, which then sends them out.
You don’t have to do anything except get your commission.
What’s the difference between this and a fulfillment center? Well, you can keep your own goods in stock at a fulfillment center. For example, you can work with a make-up company to make a palette. Then, you’ll send the pallets to the fulfillment center so they can be sent to customers.
You don’t have the freedom to sell your own products through a drop shipping company. But it does give you the freedom to choose what you want to sell and set your own prices.
Selling Products Online Without Inventory: The Bottom Line
If you want to sell products online without having them in stock, you have a lot of options. These four things are just a few examples of what you can sell without even going to a warehouse. There is still a fifth option that can help you start a successful business with low startup costs and no inventory. It combines at least two of the above options.