Selling online has become essential to small-business growth, but knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re launching your first product or expanding an existing business, choosing the right sales channel makes all the difference.
Ecommerce now accounts for over 20.5% of total global retail sales, and that share continues to grow each year.
The good news? You don’t need a massive budget or technical expertise to get started. From building your own store to leveraging established marketplaces, there are multiple paths to reaching customers online.
Each method offers unique advantages depending on your products, budget, and goals. Here are ten proven ways to start selling online and grow your small business.
10 Ways to Sell Online as a Small Business Owner
Below are some of the simplest and most commonly used options. Let’s look more closely at how each option works.
Building an Online Store
Creating your own ecommerce store is one of the most direct, but also more advanced, ways to sell online. With your own store, you have full control over how your products are displayed, how pricing is set, and how payments are processed.
That said, this option often requires a higher upfront investment compared to other methods.
Fortunately, several platforms make the process more manageable, even if you’re working solo. Tools such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and similar platforms simplify store setup and management. Shopify has over 5.54 million active stores worldwide.
For many sellers, having an online store becomes the central hub of their online selling efforts. Other sales channels can be connected back to it, making it easier to manage everything in one place.
A growing number of young entrepreneurs are exploring creative ways to generate income, and learning how to make money online as a kid can be an exciting first step towards understanding the basics of ecommerce.
If you sell educational products, courses, or digital training resources, LMS integration can help you deliver content smoothly alongside your store, keeping sales and learning access connected.
Selling via Online Marketplaces
Online marketplaces like Etsy are a practical way to reach your first customers without incurring significant marketing costs.
The advantage is built-in demand; people visit these platforms specifically to search for products to buy.
Etsy, for example, is best suited to certain product categories, especially handmade or creative items. This makes Etsy a popular choice for small business owners looking to sell art online, including prints, illustrations, digital downloads, and original artwork. If you sell something else, you may need to look for a marketplace that better fits your products.
Etsy reported over 92 million active buyers in 2024, making it a strong entry point for creative and handmade sellers.
There are marketplaces focused on specific niches, such as fashion (Poshmark), home décor (Ruby Lane), digital products, software, and more.
Selling on Social Media
Selling through social media allows for a more direct and personal connection with customers.
The typical approach is to build a brand presence, grow a following, and then offer products directly to those followers through the platform.
Depending on the platform, you may need additional tools for handling orders and payments. Some platforms, such as Facebook Shops, offer built-in features that let you manage product listings, payments, and orders in one place.
When selling on social media, consistency matters just as much as the platform itself. That’s why many small businesses use social media scheduling tools to promote product launches, seasonal offers, and evergreen content.
Selling via Joint Ventures
This approach involves partnering with other business owners to reach their audiences. In return, you either pay for the access or offer something of value, such as a promotion, content, or another business asset.
According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people or brands they already follow, which explains why partner-led promotions often convert well.
If you’re just getting started, joint ventures can be challenging since you may not yet have much to offer potential partners. However, this method becomes more practical as your business grows and you can deliver clear value to a partnership.
Selling via Email
Despite what some people claim, email remains one of the most reliable ways to reach people online, both for personal communication and for sales.
The main challenge with email selling is building a list. Ideally, you should grow your list by offering a newsletter or lead magnet, or by acquiring customers after a purchase. Using lead management software can help you track, segment, and nurture contacts more effectively, ensuring the right messages reach the right audience at the right time.
Data from Campaign Monitor shows that email marketing delivers an average return of $38 for every $1 spent, making it especially useful for small businesses with limited budgets. Additionally, free email campaign tools are available, allowing businesses to maximize results while keeping costs low.
While it’s possible to buy access to someone else’s email list, this usually delivers weaker results compared to communicating with an audience that already knows and trusts you.
Selling Through Google Ads or Facebook Ads
Using Google Ads or Facebook Ads is a direct way to promote products. You pay to show ads in search results or social feeds, and drive people directly to your sales page.
This method allows you to see results quickly, which makes it useful for testing new ideas. Once your ads go live, traffic can start coming in almost immediately.
Creating effective ad creatives is often the most time-consuming part of paid campaigns. An AI Ad Generator helps small business owners quickly produce professional ad visuals and copy tailored for platforms like Google and Facebook, making it easier to test variations and optimize performance without relying on a full design team.
That said, success depends on setting the right budget and pricing. Poor planning here can quickly lead to losses, so careful testing and tracking are important.
Dropshipping
Dropshipping works by acting as the link between a supplier and the customer. You handle the sale, while the supplier ships the product directly to the buyer.
This model lets you sell a wide range of products without managing inventory or storage. While profit per item is often lower, higher sales volume can offset it.
You can get started by exploring popular dropshipping platforms such as AliExpress and similar marketplaces.
Print-on-demand platforms provide an excellent space for selling customizable products.
Selling via Amazon
Although Amazon is technically a marketplace, it stands apart because of its massive scale. As the largest ecommerce platform online, it offers access to an enormous customer base.
There are several ways to sell through Amazon:
- You can list your products directly on Amazon and handle order fulfillment yourself.
- You can join the Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) program, where you send your inventory to Amazon, and they take care of storage, shipping, and customer service.
- You can also sell your products directly to Amazon at an agreed price, after which Amazon manages the entire sales process.
Each option comes with different fees, responsibilities, and trade-offs, so it’s important to review them carefully before choosing the best fit.
Selling on eBay
eBay is another popular marketplace, but it works quite differently from Amazon.
Many listings are auction-based, which means the final sale price isn’t always predictable. There’s also more direct communication between buyers and sellers.
That said, if you have the right products, eBay can perform very well. Like Amazon, it already attracts a large audience actively searching for items across many categories.
Selling on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and Similar Platforms
This method focuses on local online selling.
You create a listing, and interested buyers, usually from nearby areas, reach out directly. Most listings are free to post, making this an accessible way to sell online without upfront costs.
Typically, buyers and sellers agree on terms online and then meet in person to complete the exchange. Because of this, these platforms work especially well for large or bulky items, such as furniture, that buyers prefer to see before purchasing.
Conclusion
Starting to sell online doesn’t require choosing just one approach. Many successful small businesses use multiple channels simultaneously, testing which works best for their products and audiences. Begin with one or two methods that align with your resources and goals, then expand as you gain experience.
Whether you choose to run your own store, leverage marketplaces, or rely on the personal touch of social media, the key is taking that first step. Experiment, track your results, and refine your strategy over time. With persistence and the right approach, you can build a thriving online presence for your small business.
FAQs
1. What is the best platform to start selling online as a small business owner?
It depends on your product and budget. Marketplaces are easier to start with, while your own store gives you more control long term.
2. How much does it cost to start selling online?
You can start for free on some marketplaces or social platforms. Running your own store usually involves platform fees, payment processing charges, and marketing costs.
3. Do I need a business license to sell online?
In most cases, yes. Requirements vary by country and state, so check local regulations before launching.
4. Is it better to sell on Amazon or build my own website?
Amazon offers access to a large customer base, while your own website gives you full control over branding, pricing, and customer data.
5. How long does it take to make sales online?
Some sellers see results within days through ads or marketplaces, while others may take weeks or months as they build traffic and trust.