Platform checklist for selecting ecommerce software platform vendors
Last Published: 10/20/2016
  • What countries are the best markets for my  products?
  • Have I asked for advice from my local U.S. Commercial Service office?
  • Have I looked at the market research and Country Commercial Guides on export.gov?
  • Do I understand what regulations apply to my products so they can be sold in a different country?
  • If I’m not the manufacturer of the products, do I have permission to sell them outside the United States?
  • Have I checked several marketplaces to see if there are products similar to mine and the prices they are selling for?
  • Have I studied online product photos and descriptions for ideas about how to promote my products?
  • Have I read buyer comments on marketplaces for ideas about how my products can be more competitive?
  • Have I considered the advantages of fulfilling my own international orders compared with having the e-commerce marketplace fulfill  them?
  • Do I have the resources and know-how to do my own fulfillment?
  • Have I compared the costs of the different marketplaces and factored in the charges for the services I want to purchase from them and other providers?
  • What is my profit margin after calculating fees, which often exceed 10 percent of the purchase price? Can I compete?