Selling camera products online can be a flexible, scalable and exciting business option, and within this space there are constantly new and innovative products being launched to build customer interest. There are plenty of casual, amateur and professional photographers looking online to buy cameras and camera accessories.

There’s also a huge range to choose from when it comes to sourcing products for an online camera store, including digital cameras, film cameras, camera equipment, accessories, instant cameras, instant printers and digital photo frames.

Read on for a quick guide to help gain a clear picture as you first set out on your venture.

While every seller will have a different approach in how to start a camera store online, here are some of the general tips that might help as you begin.

Things can change fast in the camera industry, so it certainly helps to conduct research on who’s buying, what they’re buying and why they’re buying. Spend some time in the Cameras and Photos category on Amazon, and explore Best Sellers to see the most popular products. It may help to narrow your selection down to a particular product niche, or to test out several camera categories as you start taking orders. You might even choose to sell refurbished cameras that are tested to look and work like new through Amazon Renewed.

A business plan can help you clearly set out all that handy product and competitor analysis, your business focus and operational plan, and your revenue and growth strategies when starting your camera store online. You might consider how you will structure your business, as well as coming up with a unique seller name.

It may also be useful to create a seller account at this early stage so you can start to familiarise yourself with your Seller Central dashboard.

Read the beginner’s guide for sellers >

In the competitive camera landscape it can be important to offer appealing and competitive prices, yet maintain a profit margin that will work for your business. Be sure to factor in costs like referral fees and selling plans when pricing your products, and aim to assess product pricing regularly to maintain competitiveness.

Explore selling costs with Amazon Australia >

Your product listings are where you can share the unique features, benefits and details of the items you have for sale. It’s worth spending some time getting these right as they could make all the difference to a customer’s buying journey.

Product descriptions
Detailed, compelling product descriptions help to build confidence and pre-empt common customer questions about products. It’s important to be clear and honest about specifications, item descriptions and product features.

Product images
Clear, well-lit product photos from multiple angles can help to showcase product features and quality. Including action shots of the product can clearly communicate a sense of scale and ease of use.

Brand owners can easily create their own custom online storefront with Amazon, which is a great way to create detailed product listings and gain in-depth performance metrics about visits and sales.

Gain a snapshot of selling on Amazon >

A reliable fulfilment and shipping strategy can be key to delivering a great customer experience. You might choose to take charge of storing, picking, packing and shipping orders yourself with the Fulfilment by Seller option, or you can have Amazon store, pick, pack and ship certain orders for you via Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA). FBA listings also offer our world-famous customer service and convenient delivery options for customers.
If you’re selling on Amazon as well as other online channels, you could consider having Amazon manage orders across these with Multi-Channel Fulfilment (MCF).

Positive customer reviews can provide social proof and encourage trust in your brand. This is a great incentive to earn positive feedback by delivering a quality product, providing great customer service and exceeding customer expectations.

Read our customer experience guide >

It's ideal to maintain a balanced inventory of in-demand products. Finding the right balance between understocking and overstocking can help you to both minimise customer disappointment, and to keep storage costs to a minimum. Consider any seasonal adjustments that might affect demand, such as gift-giving holidays or seasons when customers are travelling and looking to invest in new camera gear.

A tip if you’re selling on the Professional selling plan or using FBA:
Look out for your Inventory Performance Index, which can help you keep an eye on your inventory management over time.