How To Sell Basketball Gear Online

Hey there Sea Changers and welcome back to my series of posts outlining ways and means to create yourself an online business to fund that sea change. Today's topic is one aimed at those who are looking to fund their sea change by delving into their passions and interests as I discuss how to sell basketball gear online.

Basketball is an extremely popular sport worldwide so I thought I should probably see if there is a market for this sort of thing online. Now of course I have checked it out and found that there just may be an opportunity here – so without further delay and carry on, let's have a look…

How do we get started?

I mentioned earlier that this was an area that I think could really be used to build a business around – especially if it is something that is a passion for you. That said, I would hate to convince anybody to start their own online basketball based business and have it fall away due to the fact that even though you are passionate about it, there is not an online market for the purchase of gear or equipment in this area.

So to get started, let's see what people are searching for:

What are people looking for?

To start let's just confirm our market numbers:-

1. Number of monthly searches

As we are looking to see if there is an interest in basketball related products and services online, let's start by checking for niche related searches. You will need to find yourself a good keyword tool (I use Jaaxy) and enter in the keywords that best describe your market. In this case, we will start with the basics:

Ok, that's pretty good – over 440,000 searches per month for basketball- and we can also use this information to start to get a few niche ideas there with searches for basketball shoes and perhaps unsurprisingly, learning how to shoot. This is great to know in regards to gauging interest so let's break it down a little further in line with our current subject:

So we can see here that searches for gear are quite popular as well – this could be a good niche, especially if you are looking to fit the hobbyists out for a good price. Oh, and searches for basketball equipment had over 3000 searches too.

Let's now look at this from a different angle in regards to another popular basketball related need…

Wow! Looks like you could make a decent online living dealing with basketball coaching alone (especially if you are the one recording the lessons)…

2. Search Trends

Another important aspect of online sales and niche selection is to check that interest is maintained over time. To gain an insight into this let's check out how the searches for a few of our basketball related products are trending online.

Trending shows a definite interest all year round making this a great niche for sales across all seasons. There are however some spikes in coaching interest around the start of each playing season as well.

What is our niche?

Ok, now the fun part begins – In the statistics and screen dumps above, we can already see some of the interest in different niches within the online basketball market. These trends show a definite interest in specific needs so the decision you have now is to determine whether you wish to create your online business covering basketball equipment in general or concentrate on a specialized area or sub niche.

There are a good number of different areas you could explore here – and off the top of my head, some examples include:

• General equipment
• Balls
• Accessories
• Shoes
• Clothes
• Professional/collector items
• Coaching/lessons

And that is just a few off the top of my head – all of which can be marketed from the point of view of the writer, or simply as a means of supplying information to those looking to purchase – although I do tend to think that this is one niche in which you may benefit more if you actually play basketball – maybe.

From the search numbers above, it does look to me that generalist equipment could be incorporated into the one site however as you start to think about this, the question to ask yourself is whether the content you are covering is too large to cover effectively.

The risk here is that if you start with a niche that is too broad, you may not be able to cover everything to the level required or to become authority on the subject – which you will need to be if you are going to convince people to purchase from you and not their local store. Don't forget, you can always add a new section to your site as you grow as well.

As you work through narrowing your targeted niche, consider the following:

• Are you able to solve a problem – Most people undertake searches on the internet to solve a problem – see next section.
• Is it a subject that you have an interest, or knowledge in– I am guessing that you are in this post as you know about, or have an interest in basketball. If you don't have these, maybe consider another market as to be honest, you might struggle to produce solid content if you don't know much about the sport – or worse, fail to see the attraction in it at all. Trust me, people will know immediately if your information is not up to scratch or even worse, can put their chances of a good game at risk.

Let's investigate this a little further by discussing the problem solving elements of niche selection.

What problem are we solving?

If this is a niche that you are interested in, you may already know what it is that you are trying to sell. If not, then maybe start to look at it from the perspective of solving problems. This, added to your area of interest is a great way to work out exactly what you think you might like to base your online business upon.

Think about your own search behaviors when you are online – I would hazard a guess that most searches you do are in order to solve a problem. Now think of this in a manner in which someone might have problems within the greater basketball niche such as:

1. You know that you want to play basketball but just don't know what you need to get started.
2. You have a problem and need a solution – I.e. “My basketball shoes give me blisters so I want some that won't”.

Your goal here is to determine just what problem/s you are trying to solve for your readers. This maybe one problem that spans your site or differ for each post that you write. For example, if you have chosen custom basketball jerseys for your niche, then problems might be:

• Matching products to use– They want to know what basketball kits would be best for a social team.
• Which to buy – There are a number of higher priced brands on the market – but which is best?

In these cases, people would be searching for those topics based on having a problem and needing a solution. Your site would outline and review the best options for them.

Alternatively, if your site is about assisting someone to take up basketball then you could look into the following:

• What shoes are best for beginners
• What clothing types to wear/avoid.
• What balls and other equipment is best.
• Learning to play.

Note: You do not need to identify every possible problem that your readers may have straight away. In many cases, the more you write, the more ‘problems’ will present themselves so initially you really just want to make sure that there are some that may need solving as we have found here.

How are you going to convince them to buy?

Now that we know our niche (or are at least working on it) and have an idea of the types of problems that we want to solve, there is one last thing to consider which is the online purchase behavior of your targeted audience.

The first group that comes to mind are those new to basketball. Then there are the families who want their kids to take it up as a weekend activity. Oh, and don't forget the militant players who will want to be absolutely certain that everything to do with your site is up to their (often self-proclaimed) professional level standards (you know who you are haha).

Your sales/post pitches not only need to match the needs and problems that your site visitors are looking to solve, but also target them specifically as well. Some examples include:

1. Those that are new to the world of basketball will want to know exactly what they are getting into and what they need to do.
2. The hard core basketball players will want specs and details – they will dissect your reviews with a fine toothed comb.
3. Families might want the same information, but may be also be looking to fit everyone out on a budget.
4. basketball professionals will need assurance that everything they are using is not going to hinder their chances of getting that next win.

So at the end of the day, even though we do have purchaser behavior on our side, to be successful in selling basketball related products online, consider the following:

• Solve problems without purchase – That's right – write your posts in a way that actually makes it easier for people to do their research and buy elsewhere – by doing this, you are solving problems and helping readers out. If they trust you, they will be more likely to return next time and buy from you then – especially if you follow up with posts on similar or compatible products or accessories that might interest them!
• Provide the intangibles – One major disadvantage when it comes to selling anything online is that we can't really know what the products look and feel like. And this is especially important when it comes to items such as basketball shoes and clothing where some prefer to have them customized or fitted. Your posts will need to cover this information in a manner that puts minds at ease and explains some of the intangibles.
• Know your audience – A big mistake many make here is to target the product and not necessarily the buyer. This is especially important when dealing with products such as this. It is very easy for example to get carried away explaining how cheap a basketball is all the while forgetting that those intending to use them will want something that allows them to play at a higher level. The same goes for high end options… Expensive doesn't always mean better or able to increase ability. Make sure you do your research on the buying behaviors of those you are targeting before writing your posts.

Tip: Still not sure? Have a look and see what others are doing. It might just help you with some ideas.

How do we sell basketball gear online?

And now we come to probably the most important aspect of this whole online selling caper in that we need to consider how we are going to sell the products that we have decided to promote. Depending on the product, there are a number of methods you can use to do this. Let's explore them below:

Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing programs are setup directly by companies or marketplace platforms (Amazon, eBay etc.) that allow you to join and then refer traffic to them via customized affiliate links. In short, this means that you will write about basketball and then refer your readers to a link where they will purchase directly from the vendors. The vendors then pay you a commission for the sale.

Affiliate programs are especially good for those selling basketball related products online as you can promote/review the latest items and then refer your readers to the vendor to manage the sale without you having to hold inventory or organize shipping.

Finding affiliate programs is generally not a difficult task either. To locate them, you would normally just type “Affiliate: basketball” into your preferred search engine:

So, as you can see, there are plenty of options in regards to affiliate programs for basketball related niches. As you search through them all, you can check it all out and find programs that:

• Relate to your niche/problems that you are solving.
• Have quality products – your brand can be severely damaged if you promote poor quality or unsafe products.
• Have solid payment and customer service arrangements.
• Pay decent commissions.
• Have good testimonials covering commission payouts and quality of product.
• Whether they have high ticket items you can promote on the side.

In most cases, you will need to apply for the program before you are allowed to promote their products – don’t take this step lightly or you will be rejected. Affiliate programs will generally want to know:

• Your website name.
• Traffic levels.
• Why you want to join – (“so I can make money by selling your basketball training gear” is unfortunately not generally a good enough answer).
• How you plan to promote their products.

One thing to be aware of here I guess is to keep in mind the issues we discussed earlier in regards to basketball related products online. You need to make sure that the programs you choose can be trusted and that the consumer is comfortable that they have recourse if something goes wrong.

For this reason you will need to make sure that your chosen programs are going to resonate with your readers and your niche. That said, some marketplace programs such as Amazon and EBay can give you access to these types of products and as they are more trusted, then they maybe worth a look for sure. Some Amazon examples are as below:

Dropshipping

If you are working in the basketball equipment market, then dropshipping is something that may be of advantage to you in this niche if you are looking to play with pricing on your products. This process is similar to affiliate marketing in that you are generally promoting the products of others without the need to actually hold any inventory.

With affiliate marketing, you are paid a commission on whatever price the vendor sets but do not manage any customer service, sales processes or post sales requirements. The main difference with dropshipping is that you perform the following (there are a number of variations to this but this is the gist of it):

• Strike a relationship with a wholesaler.
• Promote the product for whatever price you see fit – often via a marketplace site such as Shopify, Amazon or Ebay.
• Manage the sales processes and customer service.
• Send the final order and payment to the wholesaler for packaging and shipping.

The money that you make is effectively the difference between whatever you managed to sell the product for and the wholesale price that you owe the vendor. The other advantages of dropshipping over affiliate marketing is that:

• You own the customer list – which is another means of building an effective email list.
• You control the cost of the product and hence the profit margins.
• You can control when you put things on ‘sale', group them in packages or increase the price for high demand items.

The disadvantages however are the extra workload in handling payment and any ongoing customer service requirements.

To find dropshipping suppliers online, you can enter searches such as “dropshipping: basketball” into your favorite search engine:

Note: These results will usually be based on your geographical location.

From here you can search through and find programs that:

• Offer dropshipping services – Not all product suppliers offer dropshipping as a service – this may just mean that you need to organize the shipping yourself after it is delivered to you.
• Have experience and are helpful – If they are not helpful and/or appear inexperienced then you can expect the same when you are trying to process sales.
• Have acceptable fees – most dropshipping wholesalers will charge a small fee for the dropshipping service – just make sure it is not so high that it eats into your profit margins.
• Provide fast shipping – One disadvantage with dropshipping when dealing with vendors is that the customer is yours, not theirs hence sometimes shipping priorities are not where they should be – make sure shipping times are acceptable.
• Have quality products – as with affiliate marketing, don't sell rubbish.
• Have a good name – do your research and see what others are saying about them.

Sell your own gear

If affiliate marketing or dropshipping are not your drink of choice, maybe you could try sourcing and selling your own basketball accessories. This process is especially popular with those selling smaller equipment (clothes, training aids etc.) or could be a potentially great market if you wanted to become a local supplier of basketballs etc.

Here you actually purchase your product from a vendor or wholesaler, add your own label and then on-sell them via your website or platforms such as Amazon etc. This process requires a much higher setup costs as you will need to purchase your products, create and affix your labels and manage orders and shipment.

Some wholesalers/vendors however will affix the labels that you send them and then manage the packaging and shipment for you (see dropshipping above). This will cost you less to set up but obviously you will make less on the sale once they take their processing fee.

Again, to find out where to acquire your product, do a search for “supplier: basketball”:

Note: These results will usually be based on your geographical location so you may at times need to sort through a few pages.

From here you will need to follow the same processes as with affiliate and dropshipping programs in determining whether they are a good fit for your business plans including:

• Relate to your niche/problems that you are solving.
• Have solid delivery and customer service arrangements.
• Have good testimonials covering service and quality of product.

Alternatively, keep your eye out in your local area for markets or trade shows. These are a great way to find and purchase your products at good prices – you never know, you might even find a solid supplier for future sales as well.

Tip: This method can be very effective in driving online traffic and sales via the implementation of more traditional sales methods such as kiosks and market stalls etc. As people get to know you, they can purchase from you there and then be directed to your website for future sales.

Other methods

If none of the above really gets you excited then maybe it is time to think outside the square a little. Here are some other ideas that I have seen around the traps:

1. Demonstrations on YouTube – become an expert in all things to do with basketball with coaching and lessons (we saw above how popular this is – especially when it comes to learning how to shoot) hints, tips and tutorials etc. and link your sales to YouTube advertising etc.
2. Teach/educate people – again – coaching or lessons.
3. Specialize in customizable options – branded balls, shoes and other gifts etc.
4. Trade in the collectors or replica jersey market – this is a great option for any of the sales options listed above as well.

The sky really is the limit – think about how you might be able to corner a much-needed niche in the basketball arena and you could definitely set up a great business.

What do we need to do?

Once we have all of the above sorted, or at the very least a plan in place, we need to choose and setup the media that we intend to use to sell our product. This can include:

Build a Website

If you are looking to build your online business as an affiliate marketer, drop shipper or supplier, then chances are you will most probably need a website. Websites allow you to solve problems via blog posts and videos that people can view in order to identify the solutions that they need.

Usually, this process is fairly straight forward in that you build your website, write posts (on the differences between certain types of high priced basketball shoes for example), then provide links so that your readers can view/purchase the relevant materials from your links.

Promote on Social Media

When it comes to basketball, there is a good chance that many some are reading Social Media whilst they consume their favorite post game beverage. It has the power to reach thousands and allows you to target specific segments if you choose the correct platform.

In terms of basketball related products online, a good platform to start with is FaceBook where you can discuss everything to do with your latest game – or the latest professional game – with your audience, display items in use and show videos. However, if you are looking to set yourself up as an expert within the niche, then Instagram and YouTube will be your absolute best friend – some even use these platforms without a website.

These are great for visuals such as pictures and/or videos showing you reviewing equipment, playing, watching or analyzing the results of the latest games. And, if you are able to build a following you may even get noticed and be paid gazillions to use or review basketball equipment brands within your videos – this takes time, but it does happen…

Join like-minded groups

Anther great tool when it comes to selling products online are social groups. By getting involved with these groups you can really get a great understanding as to what its members are struggling with such as what basketball coaching equipment they seek etc., and what products they are looking to buy. Below is an example of basketball related FaceBook groups:

Note: Many of these groups will not allow you to spruike or promote your sites directly, however if you can interact and demonstrate your knowledge then people will ask you directly for the information. At the very least, as above, it is a great way to get ideas and insight into what people in this area really want to know about and what they are buying online.

Conclusion

And there it is – How to make money selling basketball gear online. I hope it has been helpful and as usual, please do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions, need some advice or have any experiences to share.

Do you want further assistance with any of the above or need help to build your own basketball, sport or lifestyle related website?

Are you looking for a comprehensive training platform that can give you step by step training, 24/7 support, tools to develop and host your very own website, ongoing assistance with SEO and social media and access to some of the best affiliate marketing minds on the planet, then click on the following link to read more about Wealthy Affiliate.

Until next time

Have fun

Paul

Note: If you make a purchase from this page, there is a very good chance that I make a commission from it – these commissions do not increase your sale price. This may include sales made via Wealthy Affiliate.