Amazon's Weaknesses

By Adam  |  23 Jul 2015 19:00:00

I can imagine there are some people who have thought about launching their own eCommerce website, but don't because of Amazon. I can understand that reasoning; Amazon is a huge business and when people want to go and buy something from the internet, Amazon will almost certainly be the first thing they turn to. Not only that, but Amazon has literally millions of different products for sale and often has them for especially cheap prices too. Surely an independent eCommerce website, such as your own (hypothetical or actual) has no chance of being a success when that is what you're up against, right? Wrong.

Okay, I'll admit: the chances that you'll ever be more successful than Amazon are very low, but that doesn't mean there's not more than enough room for your own eCommerce website! Your independently run website will actually have few advantages which Amazon does not. For one thing, people like to support an independent business; I think a lot of people think that Amazon is a huge, soulless corporation and it makes them feel good when they are able to buy from a smaller business. Speaking of Amazon being 'soulless' all of their product listings use only the promotional images and  the press release text they've been given; the photos are often airbrushed or made to look a lot better than they are, leading people to believe that they might be being deceived in their purchase. But with you, there'll be no such concerns as you can post a variety of photos which really highlight the product for its true qualities, while also giving a heartfelt description of it.

Basically, people like businesses that they know care about them, and with a business the size of Amazon, nobody really gets that feeling. You can outdo them in terms of customer service, since Amazon is notoriously difficult to deal with when it comes to solving customer problems. Plus, your business will, presumably, be offering something that Amazon does not; by filling a niche which is less than mainstream, you show people in that niche that you care about their interests in a way that a huge business like Amazon does not.

So, you certainly mustn't feel intimidated by Amazon! You are providing a different experience to them and aren't going to be in direct competition. Sure, Amazon may dominate the market, but there is still room to start up (and even live off) your own eCommerce business. So, if you wanted a place to start, why not sign up for Sellr now? It is completely free!