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Ecommerce Question about entering a new market

Laughingman21

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I think I’ve spotted a market where the majority of websites look horrible and I’m confident I could do a much better job, but this niche is something I have no idea about. The one thing all the existing websites bang on about is the X number of years experience their staff have and there’s no way I can compete against them on that.

My approach would be to compete on better website design, marketing and customer engagement through social media, but I keep thinking that once my lack of experience becomes known, my shop would be dead in the water.

For example, would you buy a bike from someone who couldn’t ride one?
 
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Ika

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For example, would you buy a bike from someone who couldn’t ride one?
Yes, if it is objectively better than the competition's.

If you were to buy cancer treatments - do you care if the inventor worked on it for 1 month or 10 years?
Or do you care about it working?

Experience is one way to add credibility to your brand.
Emphasis is on one - there are unlimited ways to add value.
From having INSIDERS knowledge to having an easier and simpler website.

That being said, in some industries experience is higher valued than in others.
If you can't talk about the product, it is up to you to figure out if experiene is (one of) the biggest factors for your target group.


If it is such a big deal, maybe you can work around it using these ideas:
* Get a well respected influencer in your niche to vouch for your product.
* Get people with a lot of experience in your niche to test the product.


Is your product better than the competition's?
 

Laughingman21

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Is your product better than the competition's?

I would be selling branded products similar to the other online stores. My product would be a better website, customer service and use of social media for marketing.
 
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ZCP

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Hire the experienced staff or subcontract them?
Is your better value really just 'a better website and we'll talk to you on social media with our inexperienced staff'?
Sounds like a 'me too' without an upside......
You don't need to be first, or even second ..... but if you are 173rd, then no..... pivot or find something else.....
 

Laughingman21

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Hire the experienced staff or subcontract them?
Is your better value really just 'a better website and we'll talk to you on social media with our inexperienced staff'?
Sounds like a 'me too' without an upside......
You don't need to be first, or even second ..... but if you are 173rd, then no..... pivot or find something else.....

When you put it like that, it does sound poor and maybe this isn't the area for me, but this is where I get confused between being a 'me too' product or serice and offering a USP.

For example, the existing websites in the market offer product listings with a single photo listing and poor sales copy (i.e. a couple of features). I had planned on a number of high quality photos with clear benefits listed for each product.

Could this be USP or part of my USP or is this still just a 'me too' website?
 

HackVenture

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I don't actually think better website design, marketing and social media are effective value propositions; depending on what stage you're at right now, would you perhaps consider partnering up some of the existing vendors out there?

Could be a no-brainer for them and allows you to get into a fully functional business and just doing your magic.
 

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