I make a commission from purchases made through links in my posts, at no extra cost to you. Read my disclosure for more information.
Are you consider learning more about how to start an online store? When you decide to start an online store, where do you start? These are some of the question I want to find out for myself too!
Starting an online store using an online store service is the easiest way to get started, instead of creating your own website. It would be best to choose an online store service that has an affiliate program. Why you may ask? Because an online store service that offers an affiliate program gives you an added advantage of leveraging their affiliate marketer network of people that can help promote your products and services to a larger audience.

That is very powerful, and you will be hard-pressed to get that type of advantage over your competitors if you decide to go with creating your own website. Which online store service should you go with? Below I have listed out different online store services that you can uses that have an affiliate program. Each one provides different services to help you along the way.
Why should I use Shopify?
I would say Shopify would be at the top of my list. So what is Shopify, you may ask? Shopify is an award-winning e-commerce platform that won the Great User Experience Software Award for 2018 and the 2018 Expert’s Choice Award. It carries a variety of features and tools that enable businesses to build and operate online stores as well as sell products at a physical storefront.
I find that to be a very powerful feature of Shopify because it gives you the flexibility to run your business the way you want too. If you start your online store with Shopify today, they offer a free trial to their service.
Click to start your Shopify online store today!
Benefits:
- Free Trial
- All key and advanced shopping cart features
- Web-based website builder
- 100+ professional themes
- Full blogging platform
- Mobile commerce ready
- Brand and customizing of your online store
- Your own domain name
- Free SSL certificate
- Automatic carrier shipping rates
- Accept credit cards with Shopify
- 70 payment gateways
- Flexible shipping rates
- Automatic taxes
- Multiple languages
- Customer profiles, accounts & groups
- Order fulfillment
- Email templates
- Dropshipping
- Refunds
- Marketing & SEO
- Web hosting
- Analytics
- Shopify Mobile
- 24/7 support
Start your Shopify online store today!
Why should I use ShareASale?
ShareASale is a fast, accurate, and efficient affiliate marketing network. It supports merchants and affiliates alike in boosting their incomes, whether on the domestic plane or in the international market. With ShareASale, customers can look forward to a platform that helps them grow. The solution has a support team that is commended by both vendors and affiliates alike for their assistance in all aspects.
Want to signup to be a Share-A-Sale retailer? Click here!
Benefits:
- Free trial
- Program training tool
- Training webinars
- Program diagnostics
- Best practices resources
- Affiliate diagnostics
- Merchant recommendations
- Affiliate education
- Real-time click tracking
- Affiliates segmentation
- Clickstream report
- APIs
- Multiple stores connect
- Custom link creation
Want to signup to be a Share-A-Sale retailer? Click here!
Why should I use Amazon?
Amazon is a very popular online marketplace, which provides you access to a huge pool of already established customers. It also has an affiliate network that enables you to market your products to a larger audience. More than 40 percent of all products sold on Amazon are from independent sellers doing business through Amazon’s platform.
Want to signup to be an Amazon retailer? You can get your Amazon Services account here!
Benefits:
- The popularity of Amazon helps drive sales
- International expansion potential
- Low marketing costs
- No Stock (if you are doing Fulfillment By Amazon)
- Discounted shipping rates
- Effortless logistics and shipping
- Easy to use for your customer
- Marketplace search
- Marketplace categories
- Management of returns
- Customer service management
- Quick delivery
- Reports
Want to signup to be an Amazon retailer? You can get your Amazon Services account here!
Why should I use Clickbank?
ClickBank has been around since 1998 and is a digital marketplace for products created and developed by entrepreneurs. It also has an affiliate network that enables sellers and producers to leverage connections that can assist them in monetizing their personal and commercial pages.
Want to signup to be a Clickbank retailer? Click here!
Benefits:
- Free trial
- Training and knowledge base
- Marketplace search
- Marketplace statistics
- Marketplace categories
- Earnings calculator
- Affiliate finder
- Sales tools
- Product management
- Account management
- APIs
- Reports
Want to signup to be a Clickbank retailer? Click here!
Amazon is a very popular online marketplace, which provides you access to a huge pool of already established customers. It also has an affiliate network that enables you to market your products to a larger audience. More than 40 percent of all products sold on Amazon are from independent sellers doing business through Amazon’s platform.
That is very powerful, and you will be hard-pressed to get that type of advantage over your competitors if you decide to go with creating your own website. Which online store service should you go with? Below I have listed out different online store services that you can uses that have an affiliate program. Each one provides different services to help you along the way.
ClickBank has been around since 1998 and is a digital marketplace for products created and developed by entrepreneurs. It also has an affiliate network that enables sellers and producers to leverage connections that can assist them in monetizing their personal and commercial pages.
ShareASale is a fast, accurate, and efficient affiliate marketing network. It supports merchants and affiliates alike in boosting their incomes, whether on the domestic plane or in the international market. With ShareASale, customers can look forward to a platform that helps them grow. The solution has a support team that is commended by both vendors and affiliates alike for their assistance in all aspects.
Are you consider learning more about how to start an online store? When you decide to start an online store, where do you start? Using an online store service is an easier way to get started, instead of creating your own website. It would be best to choose an online store service that has an affiliate program. Why you may ask? Because an online store service that offers an affiliate program gives you an added advantage of leveraging their affiliate marketer network of people that can help promote your products and services to a larger audience.
I would say Shopify would be at the top of my list. So what is Shopify, you may ask? Shopify is an award-winning e-commerce platform that won the Great User Experience Software Award for 2018 and the 2018 Expert’s Choice Award. It carries a variety of features and tools that enable businesses to build and operate online stores as well as sell products at a physical storefront.
I make a commission from purchases made through links in my posts, at no extra cost to you. Read my disclosure for more information.
Amazon is a very popular online marketplace, which provides you access to a huge pool of already established customers. It also has an affiliate network that enables you to market your products to a larger audience. More than 40 percent of all products sold on Amazon are from independent sellers doing business through Amazon’s platform.
That is very powerful, and you will be hard-pressed to get that type of advantage over your competitors if you decide to go with creating your own website. Which online store service should you go with? Below I have listed out different online store services that you can uses that have an affiliate program. Each one provides different services to help you along the way.
ClickBank has been around since 1998 and is a digital marketplace for products created and developed by entrepreneurs. It also has an affiliate network that enables sellers and producers to leverage connections that can assist them in monetizing their personal and commercial pages.
ShareASale is a fast, accurate, and efficient affiliate marketing network. It supports merchants and affiliates alike in boosting their incomes, whether on the domestic plane or in the international market. With ShareASale, customers can look forward to a platform that helps them grow. The solution has a support team that is commended by both vendors and affiliates alike for their assistance in all aspects.
Are you consider learning more about how to start an online store? When you decide to start an online store, where do you start? Using an online store service is an easier way to get started, instead of creating your own website. It would be best to choose an online store service that has an affiliate program. Why you may ask? Because an online store service that offers an affiliate program gives you an added advantage of leveraging their affiliate marketer network of people that can help promote your products and services to a larger audience.
I would say Shopify would be at the top of my list. So what is Shopify, you may ask? Shopify is an award-winning e-commerce platform that won the Great User Experience Software Award for 2018 and the 2018 Expert’s Choice Award. It carries a variety of features and tools that enable businesses to build and operate online stores as well as sell products at a physical storefront.
Thanks for breaking these all down, it’s so hard to know what to chose when starting an online store but your post gives all the information needed.
You’re welcome!
With many people shopping from home these days, this is a good time to start an online store. Thanks for sharing these amazing tips.
You’re welcome Ana!
I’m looking into starting an online shop and this succinct breakdown of the pros and cons of different platforms was exactly what I needed.
I am glad I could help you out Kaz!
Great info as always! Thanks for the tips!
You’re welcome, Tarun!
These are such helpful tips! I’d be really interested if you put together a post about what kinds of products work well in online stores.
That is a great question Beth. Picking quality products for your online store will depend on the type of niche you pick for your store. You will also want to buy a sample for you to try out so you can check the quality of the product and see if it meets your standards. You also want to take your own pictures of the product and/or make a video of the product in use depending on what it is. A/B testing of product to see what your customer base wants is also key. Keep the product the sell well and remove what doesn’t. That would be the strategy I would use in selecting my products in my online store.
This is a useful and timely article as I’m looking at starting an online store for my blog in the next weeks! I think Shopify is a really good option!
Good luck on your online store!
These are the times when online stores are important and this post will be very helpful. Thanks a lot for the post
Thanks for all the great tips and comparisons. I’ve used both Shopify and Amazon and liked them in different ways.
This is very helpful information! Will keep this for future reference for sure.
Thanks for sharing this! I may want to open an online store soon!
Happy to help Nart!
I know so many people who highly recommend Shopify. I’ve never heard of Share-a Sale, but I’m going to look into it now. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome Rachel!
So much information and so many choices when starting an online store. Your breakdown was helpful.
Thank you, Angela!