Checklist: How to start e-sales in Kosovo?
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Overview
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Online sales methods
Online store – “web store” -
Online markets
“Marketplace” -
Dropshipping
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Online advertisers
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Sales through social networks
What is required to open an e-commerce for a businessman (trader)?
For the bank as an e-commerce platform provider to allow its customer to engage in e-commerce, it requires the fulfillment of several conditions, including the submission of a business plan. The bank checks and evaluates the e-trader to immediately prevent fake and non-serious customers from opening an online store.
The Bank does not open a separate account for the e-commerce trader to carry out electronic commerce. Nevertheless, if he has already been a customer of that bank, he is allowed to use it for entries made through online payment and if he has not been a customer of that bank, then he shall open a single transaction account.
The bank and the online trader shall conclude a contract to regulate mutual rights and obligations more precisely. International card organizations impose the general procedure for control and conclusion of contracts (agreements), to handle situations of possible subsequent transaction disputes.
It can be done on the seller’s website, but the website shall be built on “open source” platforms such as WordPress, Magenta and similar websites
E-commerce platform customized for the seller, which is the best quality type but has a higher cost.
Use ready-made platforms in which you do not need technical knowledge to create your online store that accepts payments from credit and debit cards. But there is a monthly maintenance and usage fee on such platforms (for example Shopify) there is a monthly maintenance and usage fee.
Online markets are common web-based e-commerce platforms where many independent sellers sell their products.
There are several types of online markets, the most common being the general market (marketplace) and the auction markets. The most popular market is Amazon and the most famous auction market is eBay. While Amazon’s retailers sell everything from needles to locomotives, eBay is more likely to attract sellers who, in addition to consumer goods, also offer rare and antiques goods to collectors.
Other examples of popular international online markets, are:, Etsy, Aliexpress, etj.
Dropshipping is a form of retailing in which the e-trader does not have products in stock, i.e. order from a supplier/manufacturer that ships directly to the customer who has completed the order. It allows any dropshipper to open its online store without significant initial capital.
The most significant disadvantages of this online commerce are the shallow sales margins and the competitive market, with little (or no) control over the quality of the goods delivered.
An online advertiser is a website on which private and business users have the opportunity to place advertisements for the sale of a product, for which they usually charge.
Direct selling without verification and control is a virtue and a more significant obstacle of this platform because there is no possibility to control the product’s seller of buyer.
Social networks, especially Facebook and Instagram, offer the possibility of selling products through Facebook Store or Instashop. It is about the possibility of connecting an online store and social networks, which is a good strategy for selling on more channels.
Although it is technically possible to sell a product exclusively through social networks, it is not recommended for businesses as it does not meet the basic legal requirements for online sales in the Republic of North Macedonia.