Monday, January 5, 2009

How to Start an Online Cell Phone Store?

Are you a savvy internet user who would like to capitalize on your knowledge? If so, you should use the internet to sell a product, but what? How about cell phones? In the United States, the tough economy has many consumers cutting back on purchases, but mobile phone use and purchases are still common. In fact, to reduce utility bills, many consumers are foregoing their landline phones for cell phones. For you, this means a good potential to make money.

If you like the idea of making money selling mobile phones online, you may wonder how to get started. How do you make money with an online cell phone store? Continue reading on to find out.

Find mobile phones and accessories to sell. This will be the hardest part of operating a mobile phone store, but it is still a relatively easy process. First, you need to decide what type of cell phones you want to sell. Of course, you want those that are in demand, but also offer low-priced cell phones. Remember with today’s economy, some consumers are scaling back their purchases. By offering an assortment of expensive and cheap mobile phones, you increase your earnings potential.

To find cell phones to sell, you need to turn to the internet. Search for wholesale mobile phone suppliers. In some cases, you can go directly to the source and make a deal with a cell phone manufacturer, but many only deal with large brick and mortar stores. When choosing a wholesale cell phone supplier, don’t go with the first one you see. Examine all of your options and compare prices. Not only compare wholesale prices, but compare with selling prices. Make sure you profit from the sale. Your goal is to make money, not lose it.

Once you have an idea of what type of cell phones and accessories you want to sell, you can begin to create your website. You can get started on this early, but not too early. Web hosting costs money. Don’t let an unused website increase your business costs. As for the web hosting package you choose, make sure it is affordable, but one that fits your needs. In some cases, you may need an eCommerce package, which enables you to sell a product.

When buying web hosting, you need a domain name. This should be included in the cost of your hosting package. Since cell phones are a popular topic, many good domain names are already taken. Use your imagination and creativity to develop a good one. For example, opt for cheapcellphones.com, bestcellphones.com, buycellsnow.com, and so forth. These options are likely already taken, but use them as a guide.

If you are unfamiliar with HTML, you may be worried about creating a website. The good news is that you have a few options. One of those options is to hire a professional web designer. That will cost money, but you should get a quality website. You can also rely on website building tools, where you are able to click, drag, copy, and paste. Regardless, make sure your mobile phone store is professional in appearance and easy to navigate.

In terms of payment, accept a wide range of payment. This will help to increase sales. For this, you need a shopping cart program. This allows you accept credit and debit cards that can be processed as credit. PayPal is recommended, as it is very safe way to shop online, but you should not rely on it alone.

Once you get an online mobile phone store up and running, you may wait for the sales to start pouring in. This will not happen unless you market your store. You will not make any sales if no one knows your store exists. For that reason, you need to familiarize yourself with popular internet marketing tactics. These include message board advertising, pay-per-click programs, article directories, issuing press releases, and so forth.

Finally, always know the importance of good customer service. Your website should include detailed information on each product you sell, but be available to answer additional questions via phone or email. Ship packages in a timely matter. A happy customer will not only return for repeat business, but they may also spread the word.

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