The #1 E-commerce Sales “Secret”
Sell stuff that people want!!!
The Problem
Consumers are increasingly shopping online – first. The pandemic forced a change of habit for many people. Out of need, people started shopping online. Many thought that things would revert back once everything returned to “normal”.
Well… the “normal” as we knew it hasn’t come back. I don’t think it ever will. Many of our behavioral changes are here to stay.
Some people realized that they could make some money selling stuff online. Some other people realized that they could make money selling tools to these schmucks who want to sell stuff online.
Everybody wanted to get in on this gold rush. Some went prospecting for gold, while others sold tools to these prospectors. As I spend more time answering Reddit questions, I am realizing that people are being seduced into thinking that e-commerce is as easy as clicking a few buttons and spinning up a new site. No… this shit is hard!
To be fair – several legitimate business ideas and business models came out of this rush.
But now, the internet is now filled with sites selling stuff that nobody needs! You can now find sites that sell totally weird crap – from Taxidermy Mouse to Toilet Golf).
Now the prospectors are complaining that they aren’t striking gold with every swing of their e-commerce spade. A quick glance at Reddit forums on e-commerce confirm that that nobody’s buying stuff from their amazing e-commerce store that they spent 2 full weeks in setting up.
Just because it is easy for people to sell stuff online doesn’t mean you can sell anything online – successfully.
If you sell stuff that people don’t want, people won’t buy.
The Solution
Stop thinking that online shoppers are ready to give you their money for random crap. And be mindful of the public’s concerns around privacy and the ethics of personalization.
Be a problem solver for your customers. Sell stuff that people need & want. Before launching a site, or worse – a drop-ship site – think if people really want this. Do some research. Ask your friends (not your family – they’ll always, mostly, be supportive).
Sell stuff that people want.
And stay ahead of the technology curve, too. Learn the Agentic AI definition, and how it differs from assistants and agents. Keeping your eye on what's next, and whether your platform is capable of bleeding edge consumer convenience offerings, will also give you an edge.
Key Takeaways
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E-commerce success hinges on solving real problems—sell products people genuinely want and need.
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Don't assume online shoppers will buy anything; research and validate your product ideas before launching.
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Focus on ethical practices and respect customer privacy to build trust and long-term success.
About Syntheum.ai
We help e-commerce retailers implement Agentic merchandising solutions that go beyond basic automation. By integrating truly intelligent systems into merchandising strategies, we help businesses unlock their full potential - delivering efficiencies that improve operations and redefine what’s possible in online sales.
