Online selling — where to start
(and how to avoid expensive mistakes)

Online selling - e-commerce

Selling online (properly)

Is e-commerce still worth it in the UK? When does it actually make sense? What should you sell — and where?
And is this still something “normal people” can do, or only big brands with big budgets?

If you’re asking questions like that — here’s the honest answer: it depends.

Because e-commerce can feel like a cash machine — but it can also become an “expense machine”. You can scale without a ceiling if you build it right. But you can also bleed money slowly while waiting for the “next big breakthrough”… and in many cases that breakthrough never arrives. Is online selling hard? If you want to sell a couple of items a week — not really. If you want to sell consistently, at scale, with repeatable results — for a beginner: YES. And for us? For AItronix? Short answer — no. And here’s why.

If you want online selling to actually work (sometimes work extremely well), you usually end up operating across multiple worlds at once: Amazon, eBay, your own webshop (because platform fees can be painful), Google Shopping, social media, ads, reviews, delivery, returns, chargebacks…

And then come the “little things” that quietly eat your entire day:

  • brand & positioning (often essential on Amazon),
  • barcodes and GS1 if you’re going more “retail serious”,
  • payments: cards, PayPal, Apple Pay/Google Pay — and sometimes platform-specific options,
  • VAT & cross-border logistics: UK/EU rules, thresholds, duties, paperwork (and yes, it changes),
  • platform requirements: image standards, titles, item specifics, policies, compliance and returns,
  • and most importantly: time — because this is never “set it once and forget it”.

Here’s the key point: you can’t realistically manage products manually across five places, track stock in spreadsheets, reply to messages across multiple apps, and still have time to think about margin, suppliers, product strategy and growth.

That’s why e-commerce that actually makes money relies on two things: systems and automation.


And yes — this is exactly where it makes sense to “hire” AI.

Marketplaces & platforms

The UK market has a few big players. Some are global giants (Amazon, eBay), others work brilliantly at a local/community level (Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, Nextdoor). Some are better for new products, others for used, and others still for handmade, premium or niche categories. We’ll break down the main options and help you answer:
what to sell, where to sell it — and how to do it properly.

Marketplaces. Where and how to sell

Amazon

Massive scale — but not for the unprepared

Amazon is the biggest sales engine on the market. If you enter the right way, you can scale to numbers that feel unreal compared to most platforms. The biggest game-changer? FBA — storage, picking, packing, delivery and returns handled by Amazon.

But… Amazon isn’t cheap, and it isn’t beginner-friendly. Fees add up fast, and your margin can disappear quicker than you expect. And one more thing: if you’re the 30th seller offering the exact same product, it often turns into a price war — and price wars on Amazon are won by whoever has the best costs and scale.

That’s why Amazon rewards strategy: brand, a sensible niche, a strong listing, proper product data, excellent images, sharp copy, smart ads, and strict stock control. On top of that you’ve got compliance, VAT, returns expectations and logistics. It’s all manageable — but without a plan, it’s easy to get stuck.

The good news: Amazon can be used in more than one way — and there are approaches that leave competition behind while staying fully within the rules. The details are something we keep for our clients. If you want to see the “other side” of Amazon — message us.

eBay

Not what it used to be — still very relevant

eBay is a classic — bargains, auctions, parts, and products you won’t find in normal shops. In theory it’s still “the same eBay”, but in practice it has changed a lot over the years.

Its biggest strength? Used items, spares, collectables and niche categories. If you sell unique, second-hand or hard-to-source products — eBay can still perform extremely well in the UK.

The downside is that it’s become less seller-friendly: more rules, more steps, more fees, and visibility often needs a push. Plus, shipping and payment systems have evolved — and that can catch even experienced sellers out.

You can absolutely make money on eBay — you just need to know when it makes sense, and when another channel will outperform it. Sometimes a few “small” changes to the listing setup can noticeably increase sales. It may not be the main channel for many businesses anymore, but it’s still a serious player — and we know how to use it well.

Social Media

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and friends

Social media isn’t just “posts and likes” anymore — it’s a real sales channel. Facebook Marketplace and local groups can generate quick transactions, Instagram builds brand trust, and TikTok can turn a product into a trend overnight. For many UK businesses, it’s the fastest way to get noticed.

Biggest advantage? Speed and reach. You can test products, pricing and offers almost instantly. It’s ideal for used items, local deals, niche products, and anything that sells well through photos and short videos.

The other side? Chaos: endless questions, time-wasters, negotiations, and scams — especially on Marketplace. Without a simple system for replies, product links and checkout flow, social media can drain your time instead of saving it.

Social media can be your main sales channel — or a powerful support channel for everything else. It needs consistency, creativity, and a clear structure. And it matters more than most people think — because it’s where customers often check you first, before they buy or even send a message.

Niche platforms

Not everything sells everywhere

Niche platforms are about fit — not “the biggest reach in the world”. Instead of competing with thousands of identical offers, you reach people who are actively looking for something specific: handmade, vintage, fashion, collectables, hobbies, parts, or personalised products.

For buyers, it’s simple: they go to Etsy for handmade, Vinted/Depop for clothing, Reverb for music gear, Discogs for records. For sellers, it often means less competition and better margins — because buyers arrive with intent, not just casual browsing.

But niches come with their own rules: categories, keywords, photo standards, listing structure, return expectations and customer service norms. One wrong setup choice can cut your visibility even if your product is great.

That’s why these platforms should be treated like precision tools: match them to the product, optimise listings for the right audience, and don’t throw everything into one bucket. Sometimes one niche platform can outperform three big channels combined.

Your own online shop

Your rules, your brand, your margin

Your own online shop is the most profitable model long-term. You control the offer, pricing, brand and customer relationship — without being dependent on a single platform, its algorithms, or fee increases.

But let’s be honest: your own shop usually grows slower than marketplaces. At the start, there’s no built-in traffic like Amazon or eBay — customers don’t arrive by accident. You have to bring them in deliberately.

Google ads can be expensive in competitive UK niches, so a standalone shop rarely performs well without support. Social media, content, email marketing, and marketplace presence often feed traffic back into your site.

In practice, the best model is when your shop is the centre of the system, and the other channels work around it. It’s a slower build — but it gives stability, better margins, and real independence.


This is where everything should connect — the strongest long-term choice.

Where to sell — and how to do it properly

Online selling today is much more than “list it and wait”. It’s an ecosystem of platforms — each one works differently, expects different standards, and gives different results depending on what you sell and how you operate.

Amazon is a global sales engine — powerful, but demanding. If you enter properly (brand, niche, strong listing, clear numbers), you can scale fast. But without a strategy it’s easy to get trapped in price wars and fees that eat margin quicker than you expect.

eBay is a classic — still very effective for niches, used items and collectables. The platform has changed over the years and is less friendly than it used to be, but in the right categories it can still be very profitable in the UK.

Social media (Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, TikTok) gives fast reach and direct contact with customers. You can test products and generate sales quickly — but without a system it’s easy to drown in messages, negotiations and time-wasters.

Niche platforms (Etsy, Vinted, Depop, Reverb, Discogs and others) are about fit instead of mass competition. Buyers arrive with intent, and you can often achieve better margins — if you choose the right platform, category and listing setup.

And your own online shop? That’s the strongest long-term model. Full control, no marketplace commissions, your brand and your customer base. It grows slower than marketplaces and needs external traffic (ads, social, content), but it gives stability, higher margin and real independence.

In practice, the best setup is when your shop is the centre of the system, and the other platforms work around it — sending traffic, building trust, and generating sales across multiple channels at once.

Every platform has strengths — the real skill is choosing the right ones, connecting them properly, and automating the process so you’re not managing chaos across five places.

AItronix — order. Automation. Results.