Shopping such as Yahoo shopping and Amazon provide a highly effective means for third party online retailers to sell their products. However, these sites are not open to retailers based in Hong Kong . Auction sites such as eBay provide a useful means to sell products. However, prices realized on auction sites are generally very low and therefore auctions will normally be reserved for unsold stock.
• Affiliate Programs
Affiliate programs are now recognized as one of the most efficient means of generating sales. A web site owner is paid for a fixed amount or percentage of every sale he generate. Affiliate programs are now thought to account for up to one-third of all Internet transactions. The downside of affiliate programs is that they can be very expensive and complicated to maintain, and are also subjected to a high level of credit card fraud.
• Other online methods
Other online methods of promotion include hit-exchanges, banner-exchanges, FFA sites. However, the response rates of these programs are low and those that take part in them tend to be very small business promoting multi-level marketing, promotional techniques or even fraud. Therefore it is not advised to participate in these programs.
• Off-line Advertising
Off-line advertising includes advertising in magazines, newspapers, billboards and even television. One may consider advertising in magazines devoted to a related field in different countries